Speech #820191273

I am convinced that you can never stabilize the labor situation in that area and never develop a decent legal program for the importation of agricultural labor unless we can patrol the border successfully and can stop this great influx. this great flood from coming into this country every year. Just the other day the Associated Press carried a release stating that of the approximately 500.000 contract Mexicans who came into this country between 1942 and 1950 only about 300.000 had returned to Mexico. Soon we will labor here for possibly a week or 2 weeks over an immigration bill. The question of how many people we should admit will be raised. and the question of possible subversive influences will be raised and argued about. yet while we are making that argument and raising that question we will have an open door on the MexicanTexas border through which an estimated 500.000 illegal aliens entered last year. Now. let us consider the airlift. This Is the important point. The Immigration Bureau has found it is an effective device whereby it can get these people back and keep them back in Mexico. What the gentleman from Texas would like to see them do apparently is to take the Mexicans across the border. turn them over to the Mexican officials. who would then turn them loose. The Illegal Mexicans can then be back on the farm even before the immigration officer gets back for another inspection.