Speech #710175580

Presidet. legislation of the charcter proposed by the Senator from South Carolina has been heartily recommended by the American Federation of Labor. I read from the proceedings of the Toronto convention. on page 81: Registration certificates for aliens. The act of June 29. 1906. provided that all Immigrants should be registered at port of arrival and be granted certificates of such registration with the particulars thereof. For some reason this law was not enforced until recently. But tile United States Immigration Bureau is doubtful as to the legality of the enforcement without further legislation. It is estimated that there are approximately 1.000.000 aliens in the United States who can not prove their lawful entry. The Seventieth Congress enacted a law permitting all aliens who entered the United States prior to June 3. .921. who had no records of their admission. to register and make application for citizenship. Any alien in this country for more than five years before 1924 can not be deported on the ground that he is here unlawfully. But if he came in since July 1. 1924. he can be deported at any time. It is now proposed to enact legislation that will permit those who have no record of their admission voluntarily to ask for registration certificates. The executive council for a number of years has had this subject under consideration. Under present conditions it is not always possible for the immigration authorities to prove an alien has entered the country unlawfully. Therefore. if every such alien in the United States should be given the privilege of voluntarily registering and obtaining a registration certificate. it would eventually be helpful in discovering new immigrants who have been smuggled in. We. therefore. recommend that the convention approve a measure that will permit all aliens to voluntarily apply for a registration certificate. The executive council is also firmly of the belief that in order to protect our immigration laws Congress must require the immigration officials to register and give certificates of lawful admission into the United Stites of all immigrants. If those who are now here would voluntarily register. and all who come hereafter be given registration certificates. It would be possible in a few years to determine which aliens are here unlawfully.