Speech #720184835

This year those lawfully entering have been cut to a minimum number. Only 35.000 have been admitted. and for the last year and a half. as we are advised by Mr. Hull. the Commissioner of Immigration. there have left our shores voluntarily. without expense to the Government. more than a million aliens. When he made this statement. I said to him. "If economic conditions and other influences silently. yet effectively at work. have caused more than a million aliens to leave without expense. why go before the American people now and say. Increase our appropriations to maintain a large personnel to deport 20.000 or 25.000 annually. at an everincreasing cost to the Government." The President is right. and the Secretary is right in courageously saying to the Appropriations Committee and to the public. "These requests for increased funds should be turned down." We now have largely stopped the inflow of those heretofore lawfully allowed to enter. and economic conditions are forcing many to leave without any expense whatever to the Government. The unemployment situation is now stimulating the States. within the limits of the Constitution. to pass laws to do what the legislative Committee on Immigration has thus far failed to do. Massachusetts is now considering passing a law which it is claimed is constitutional and which will require the registration of all entitled to claim American citizenship.