Speech #820211947

Under the terms of the bill. preferences would be established for political and religious persecutees. for relatives of American citizens. for relatives of aliens now resident in the United States. and for persons with special skills and talents especially needed in this country. Under other terms of the bill. nonquota preference would be granted to persons who had served in the Armed Forces of the United States. and to their wives and children. and to orphans who are brought over for adoption by American citizens. Another provision of the bill would strike out the archaic discrimination based on sex now existing in our immigration laws. Under present law. certain preferences are given to wives of American citizens but not to husbands. This kind of discrimination would be deleted from the entire body of our immigration code. Still another vital provision would strike out the unsupportable discrimination based on race which now bars persons of certain oriental races from admission as immigrants into the United States under any circumstances. A further important provision of the bill would establish a statutory Board of Immigration Appeals. to be appointed by the President. subject to confirmation by the Senate. to replace the present Board established by administrative regulations. Other provisions are as follows: First. To delete the present exemption of immigration proceedings from the terms of the Administrative Procedures Act. Second. To make eligible for admission into this country reformed Communists and Fascists who can prove that they are reformed and are now devoted to democratic principles. and also to make eligible individuals whose membership in Communist and Fascist organizations occurred or ended before they reached the age of 16. I hope that this bill. which does not Include. by any means. all the desirable improvements in our immigration laws. will provide a basis for a new approach to the whole subject of immigration. This is vital if we are to discharge successfully our responsibilities as world leaders and to demonstrate to the world that we are sincere in advocating principles based on equality of men of all races and nations. From a purely selfish point of view. we can use the special skills. talents. and labor of these individuals in our expanding and dynamic economy.