Speech #820214011

The unused quotas would then be distributed on the basis of certain preferences. First. there is the family reunion preference. Second. there is the preference based on our own national need for immigrants possessing special abilities or skills. Third. there is the preference given to religious and political persecutees. Finally. there is the preference for immigrants who may be brought into this country by reputable American citizens or reputable American organizations. For example. the National Lutheran Council. the National Catholic Welfare Council. or the Bnai Brith of the Jewish faith. may wish to sponsor an immigrant. Those are fundamental changes in the immigration policy. and I think they are meritorious. We are not entering into a complete rewriting of immigration law. These provisions represent obvious needs. Another feature is the establishment of a Board of Immigration Appeals. I submit that it is imperative that such a Board be established. We have placed far too much authority in the hands of consuls in various places through the world. who are frequently untrained. We place far too much authority in the hands of the Attorney General. I think we must recognize. as has been recognized on this floor in the debate. that we must not in any way abuse. adulterate. or weaken the processes under the Administrative Procedure Act. a public law enacted by the Congress of the United States. The Immigration Appeals Board would enable a person who felt that he had been unjustly dealt with. who felt that the facts had not been fully weighed. to have an impartial tribunal before which he could appear. There would be none of the business of judge. jury. and prosecutor all in one man. a situation which. as we have pointed out. would exist under the terms of the McCarran bill. Finally. we point out that there are certain nonquota immigrants. Who are the nonquota immigrants? They are covered in section 4 of our substitute. In that category we place parents of naturalized American citizens. I do not see how the Senate can turn down this proposal. I do not see how the Congress can rewrite legislation in the field of immigration without recognizing the legitimacy of this argument. Let us assume that in the city of Providence. R. I.. there is a man. his wife. and his family. They are naturalized Americans. Let us assume that they are of Italian ancestry. They have a good business. or the breadwinner is working in a shop or factory.