Speech #800108186

But it is not sufficient. The staff cannot do it and attend to the other work of the committee. Generally speaking there are two phases to the problem of the enforcement of our immigration laws. The first deals with the exclusion before entry into the United States of persons who are not entitled under the law to admittance. The second phase deals with the expulsion after entry into the United States of persons who are not entitled under the law to remain. May I just mention briefly certain questions with reference to each phase which in my judgment should be explored as a prerequisite to the formulation of intelligent legislation dealing with the enforcement of our immigration laws? First. with reference to exclusion procedures. it would appear that insofar as possible the processing of prospective immigrants should be made at the ports of embarkation. Mr.. President. information has been obtained by the committee staff and conveyed to me. to the effect that many of the immigrants. particularly visitors. students. and travelers. who. it will be understood. come under special entry rights and not under the quota. are carelessly processed and dealt with in ports of embarkation and as a result constitute a log jam in our ports of entry when it is discovered that their credentials are improper. It has been suggested that perhaps much of the problem could be solved if legislation were enacted which provided for the assignment of immigration experts to the chief world ports of embarkation who would act as advisers to the consuls in the issuance of visas and the processing of immigrants. Another question pertaining to the exclusion phase of the problem is the matter of stowaways who are increasing in numbers. I will say to the Senate that there is before the Judiciary Committee at this time a bill proposed by the Attorney General placing a very severe fine upon any boats where stowaways are found. That has become a terrific and a grave subject. to be dealt with by the immigration authorities. It is much less a problem in the case of airplanes. because a stowaway is easily detected. or cannot get away with the idea of a free ride on an airplane. but in the case of the boats it is becoming an increasingly serious problem. we are advised by the immigration authorities of our country. I have introduced and we are already studying legislation which attempts to deal with this problem. Still another avenue on which it is desired that study be directed is with reference to some system of coordinating the. activities of other law enforcement agencies with that of the immigration service in exclusion work. May I say that from the standpoint of administration it is exceedingly more difficult to deal with an expulsion case than it is an exclusion case because after an alien illegally gains admission to this country there are various procedures prescribed which greatly complicate the problem. Moreover the alien frequently forms ties here which have strong humanitarian appeal and makes his expulsion almost an act of exile or cruelty. This brings me to the second phase of the enforcement of our immigration laws. namely expulsion procedures. Before an alien can be expelled from the United States the law provides for certain hearings and there is provision for discretionary relief in a limited class of hardship cases. There is also possible relief available through the passage of private bills by the Congress. Mr. President. I may say that the Committee on the Judiciary has an immense docket of private bills for relief of persons who arefacing deportation from this country. and the House has many bills. its calendar on that subject is large. The question arises. Are these procedures adequate? Is the discretionary relief available sufficiently broad? Should there be a statute of limitation applicable to aliens who are subject to deportation? We have pending before us a bill on that subject. Should there be a limit on the scope and operation of private immigration bills? These are not merely hypothetical questions. Mr.