Speech #780224296

If such persons are found in the United States. the executive branch of the Government is under a mandate to deport them whence they came (cf. title 8. see. 137. subsec. (g)). It Is suggested also that the provisions of law discussed in the following paragraph have a bearing on the propriety. or rather impropriety. of admitting these aliens. Certainly. it can safely be said that there is no justification in this action of our Government for an assumption of authority to admit refugees outside of the regular immigration procedure. Title 8. section 144. relating to the "bringing In or harboring or concealing certain aliens" expressly prohibits any person from bringing in or even landing in the United States any aliens not duly admitted by an immigration inspector or not lawfully entitled to enter or to reside within the United States. In order that there may be no doubt as to the mcaning of this section. it is here set forth in full: "SEC. 144. Any person. including the master. agent. owner. or consignee of any vessel. who shall bring into or land in the United States. by vessel or otherwise. or shall attempt. by himself or through another. to bring into or land in the United States. by vessel or otherwise. or shall conceal or harbor or attempt to conceal or harbor or assist or abet another to conceal or harbor. in any place. including any building. vessel. railway car. conveyance. or vehicle. any alien not duly admitted by an immigrant inspector or not lawfully entitled to enter or to reside within the United States. shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor. and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding $2.000 and by imprisonment. for a term not exceeding 5 years for each and every alien so landed or brought in or attempted to be landed or brought in" (Feb. 5. 1917. ch. 29). It should be observed that the use of the words "any person" is all inclusive. and standing by itself this section clearly prohibits the admission of aliens "outside of the regular immigration procedure" by any official of the United States. This sectkon of the immigration laws. however. docs not stand by itself. It Is fortified by the provisions of title 8. section 136. of the United States Code which enumerates the classes of aliens excluded from admission Into the United States. Subsection (b) of this section enumerates paupers and similar indigent aliens. but even more important and oecisive. is the mandatory provision of subsec" tion (i) that "persons likely to become a public charge" are excluded. Obviously refugees imported by the United States on United States ships and maintained in a camp at the expense of the American taxpayer are not merely likely to become public charges. but they are ipso facto public charges. The fact that the refugees whose admission Is specifically ordered by the President must be definitely classified as public charges is established by the following excerpts from a memorandum sent by the President on June 8 to the Secretaries of War. Navy. and Interior. the Director of the Budget. and the Executive Director of the War Refugee Board. "These refugees will be brought into this country outside of the regular immigration procedure and placed in Fort Ontario near Oswego. N. Y." * a a a "(4) Until U.