Speech #710175281

Within a week the President of the United States can satisfy every legitimate demand from the American people for the immediate enactment of legislation by Congress imposing a quota on Mexico. There are but four things that the President needs to do: First. He should let the American people know what has already been accomplished not only in complete accord but with the active approval of the Government of Mexico. to reduce the number of immigrants entering the United States from that country. Second. The President should publicly commend the officials of the Department of State for issuing the instructions of February 18. 1929. to the American consuls in Mexico which have resulted in such a marked reduction in the number of passport visas issued to immigrants who have sought to depart from that country to enter this. Third. The President should congratulate the officials of the United States Immigration Service upon their activity in deporting aliens unlawfully in the United States and direct them to be even more vigilant in the performance of that duty. Fourth. The President should bring to the attention of the Congress and the country. perhaps by a special message." the need for the prompt enactment of legislation to consolidate under the Coast Guard. the present border patrol forces of the Immigration Service. the Customs Service. and the Prohibition Service into an ample and efficient force under unified control which can so effectively watch the Mexican and Canadian borders as to put an end to the existing and notorious evasions of the immigration. prohibition. and other laws. If the President will immediately do these four things so that the country may know what wide power he now has and that he is determined fully to exercise all of it. the agitation for a Mexican immigration quota will cease. When the Ameri-. can people are furnished with the facts from that high source they will not fail to realize that the passage of such legislation by Congress is now unnecessary. Taking these steps will also relieve the President of sooner or later being compelled to decide whether to approve or veto a bill to impose such a quota on Mexico. and perhaps the other countries of Latin America.