Speech #710175454

The Treasury has been considering for some time the creation of a unified border patrol. In order that the execution of the customs. immigration. prohibition. and other laws regulating or prohibiting the entry into the United States of persons and merchandise may be made more effective. The following recommendations are submitted for your consideration and transmission to the Congress If you approve: (1) The entry into the United States of all persons should be prohibited except at points of entry designated by the President. (2) The present number of points of entry should be increased sufficiently to permit uninterrupted and unhampered intercourse with our neighboring countries over established and customary routes. (3) A unified border patrol should be created to patrol the border and prevent illegal entry. (4) The unified border patrol should be a part of the Coast Guard. It was not until March 27. 1930. that a bill was introduced in Congress to carry out that recommendation. I hold in my hand a copy of H. R. 11204. by Mr. HUDSON. of Michigan. entitled "A bill to regulate the entry of persons into the United States. to establish a border patrol In the Coast Guard. and for other purposes." It is my understanding that this is an administration measure and is legislation desired by the President. That could be inferred from the fact that he did transmit to Congress the recommendation to that effect made by Secretary Mellon. The bill provides that it shall be a misdemeanor. punishable by a fine of $100. for any person to enter the United States except in the regular way at a port of entry. It then becomes the function of the border patrol to arrest all persons who make illegal entry into the United States. If the one arrested has upon his person or with him goods which he is seeking to smuggle into the United States. the border patrol would then turn the individual over to the Customs Service to be dealt with for violation of the customs law. If he has intoxicating liquor upon him he would be turned over to the prohibition service for prosecution. If he was smuggling aliens. he would be turned over to the Immigration Service. lut the offense for which he is arrested is none of these things. It is for illegal entry into the United States. which is merely a misdemeanor. The full text of the Hudson bill is as follows: Be it enacted. etc.. That this act may be cited as the " Border patrol act. 1930."