Speech #810187009

I thank the distinguished Senator from Mississippi for his courtesy and consideration. I believe my statement will serve to clarify the question of the authority and the effectiveness of screening. The Senator from Mississippi stated yesterday. and again today. that the Immigration Service and the consular service do not have a veto on the entry of displaced persons into the United States. I have made inquiry of the Commissioner of Immigration. Mr. Watson B. Miller. an able and outstanding public servant. and he has advised me that the Commissioner of Immigration. through his agents and employees in Europe and through his agents and employees at Ellis Island. has and exercises final jurisdiction on the admission into the United States of displaced persons insofar as these persons qualify or fail to qualify under the immigration laws of the United States. This includes the provisions of the law on moral turpitude. political background. health. and many other restrictions placed upon all immigrants seeking to enter the United States. After the Displaced Persons Commission has forwarded the files of an individual eligible under the standards of the Displaced Persons Commission. the Commissioner of Immigration has the authority. which he exercises. to bar people from entering the United States who do not have the qualifications which are called for under the immigration laws. The Immigration Commissioner may even inquire into and investigateand doesthe facts of eligibility under the displacedpersons law. and may remand to the Displaced Persons Commission such cases regarding which the Immigration Commissioner has doubt as to qualification under the current construction of the Displaced Persons Act. It is true that the Displaced Persons Commission. under the terms of a gentlemans agreement with the Commissioner of Immigration and Naturalization. has the final word on this field of eligibility and may determine. after further investigation. that the applicant does actually qualify under the definition of a displaced person. But in regard to all other aspects of immigration eligibility. the Commissioner of Immigration has the final word. In practice. the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Immigration is exercised after the issuance of the visa by the consular service. All this. of course. is set forth in section 10 of the Displaced Persons Act. which I urge the Members of the Senate to read. I should like the unanimous consent of the Senate to insert that section into the RECORD at this point.