Speech #820208847

I depart from my memorandum to say that as the result of a study made by the Judiciary Committee of the Senate. it has been stated on the floor of the Senate that. taking one day with another. there are illegally present in this country from 3.000.000 to 5.000.000 aliens. The provisions relating to the excludibles have not been strengthened merely for the sake of excluding aliens. as has been alleged. but in a sincere effort to insure that when millions of aliens are storming our gate we shall not be admitting into our society those who would contaminate or subvert it. Likewise. the deportable classes of aliens and the deportation procedures have been strengthened so that subversives and other undesirable aliens are not permitted to remain in our midst. To effect this objective. the bill also makes certain structural changes in the enforcement agencies for greater efficiency In the enforcement of the immigration and nationality laws. I again depart from my memorandum to say that. of the 3.000.000 to 5.000.000 aliens illegally present in America. taking one day with another. as has been established. it seems to be almost an impossibility for the agencies of the Government to deport them. When the agencies undertake to deport aliens who are illegally in the United States. they are confronted with every kind of barrier and excuse. Many of the aliens illegally present in America pursue their course. infiltrating themselves into the avenues of the Government and into other advantageous places. for the purpose of assisting in the destruction. the internal destruction of America. The bill also contains certain changes In our nationality and naturalization laws which. although they have undergone more recent revision than have the immigration laws. have never before been integrated with our immigration laws. The bill eliminates race as a bar to naturalization. Under provisions of the bill. no one who has been lawfully admitted to the United States for permanent residence will be denied the privilege of citizenship solely because of his race. Other significant provisions of the naturalization features of the bill broaden and redefine the exceptions to expatriation by residence abroad of a naturalized citizen. These exceptions are designed to meet more realistically the varied problems which arise in connection with citizens who have bona fide reasons for foreign residence. Under the bill the procedural provisions relating to naturalization have been simplified. The filing of a declaration of intention is made permissive instead of mandatory as at present. A neighborhood investigation of every petitioner for naturalization is required unless it is waived by the Attorney General. The oath of allegiance required of all persons upon naturalization has been reworded to place the naturalized citizen on the same basis as a nativeborn citizen with respect to promising to perform military service when required by law. I have undertaken. Mr. President. to present to the Senate in broad outline the background and principal provisions of a bill which is exceedingly complex and highly technical. No subject is more controversial than the subject of immigration and naturalization with all its many rremifications. Therefore. I do not present this bill to the Senate as legislation which in every particular is wholly satisfactory to every school of thought on this subject.