Speech #820087280

Ala.. and Gulfport. Miss. At last receiving the long delayed letter of June 21. 1949. the alien went immediately to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. and thereafter to your correspondent in an effort to mcve consideration of his long pending application to petition for citizenship. Meanwhile. as is well known to you. the Congress enacted the Internal Security Act of 1950. containing a provision. section 26. amending section 325 (a) of the 1940 Nationality Act so that only seamen who were permanent immigrants could thereafter count American ship service toward residence credit for naturalization. An exception was provided. but only for seamen who had filed their formal petitions for naturalization prior to enactment of the law. September 23. 1950. No provision was made for those who had filed the required form of application to petition for naturalization. and who through circumstances beyond their control had not been able to complete formal filing before September 23. 1950. In this case. the alien. with years of service. many under the most dangerous circumstances. was actually again serving in a danger area at a time when the law was passed depriving him of a privilege which he highly desired and for which he had taken the preliminary steps. The alien presently resides in Baltimore. at 931 East Baltimore Street. and has at all times been a lawabiding person.