Public Law 146 of the Eightieth Congress. approved July 1. 1947. authorized the President to accept membership for the United States in the International Refugee Organization. but this provision was placed in the bill: That this authority is granted and the approval of the Congress of the acceptance of membership of the United States in the International Refugee Organization is given upon condition and with the reservation that no agreement shall be concluded on behalf of the United States and no action shall be taken by any officer. agency. or any other person and acceptance of the constitution of the organization by or on behalf of the Governmeilt of the United States shall not constitute or authorize action (1) whereby any person shall be admitted to or settled or resettled in the United States or any of its Territories or possessions without prior approval thereof by the Congress. and this joint resolution shall not be construed as such prior approval. or (2) which will have the effect of abrogating. suspending. modifying. adding to. or superseding any of the immigration laws or any other laws of the United States. By insertingthat provision. the Congress said to the executive department. "You cannot conclude any agreement. further. you cannot take any action which would indicate that there would be any agreement upon the part of the. United States to resettle any of these persons." Having placed that condition in the law. can we today. properly and honestly. criticize the executive department because it has not initiated such steps? In all fairness. I do not think we can.
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Refugee immigration