Speech #800108178

As I have said. the situation today is similar to that which came as an aftermath of the First World War. except that the present situation is more extensive. In March of this year. I also stated that one of the very purposes of my remarks before the Senate was to urge upon the Congress an early and complete investigation and revelation of the entire immigration situation. I shall not now undertake again to recite the information which I detailed. which had been gathered through the Judiciary Committee. and which I set before the Senate in March. but in support of this resolution. I should like to direct the attention of the Senate to certain general problems relating to immigration and naturalization with which this Nation is confronted. and which have prompted me. along with the Senator from Nevada. . to submit Senate Resolution 137. which calls for a full and complete study and investigation of our entire immigration system. At this point. let me say that this resolution has been reported favorably. by unanimous vote. both by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary and the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration. to which it was referred in due course. Over the course of years. Mr. President. the Congress has formulated the policy of this Nation with reference to immigration. Although that policy is crystallized into law. reports are continuously forthcoming to the effect that there are wholesale violations of that law. Although I touched upon this theme in my remarks on March 25 of this year. at which time the distinguished Senator from Idaho referred to an estimate of the Attorney General that illegal alien entries totaled 2.000 dailyI do not know the source of that statement. but it is just such statements and information which come to the committee that really r~quire an investigationlet me say that just recently further information was brought to my attention. to the effect that in the New York area alone it is estimated that there are from 100.000 to 250.000 aliens who are there in violation of the immigration laws of the United States. and the immigration authorities in that area have informed the staff of the Judiciary Committee that they are currently some 32.000 cases behind in their investigations of reported cases.