Speech #830161017

By way of comparison with these results. the following are the figures with respect to the displaced persons law enacted in 1948 under which an aggregate of 337.224 displaced persons entered the United States. On August 12. 1948 the President appointed the Displaced Persons Commission under the law which was approved on June 25. 1948. By December 31. 1948. 3.415 visas had been issued under the Displaced Persons Act. Third. The problems encountered in the administration of the Refugee Relief Act are divided into three parts: First. an obsession with security beyond any reasonable requirement in the terms of the law considering the fundamental objectives sought by the legislation. second. necessary screening and security clearance of United States employees and limitations imposed on the Administrator in that respect. and. third. delays incident to requirements placed by the act on foreign governments in whose territorial limits visas are granted under the act. These are dealt with in the following paragraphs: (A) Problems of the enabling act. The act itself has very tight security provisions insofar as escapees and refugees are concerned. providing for a double security immigration check of a very strict character. Under section 11 (a) of the act. a special investigation and written report is required regarding the aliens character. reputation. mental and physical health. history. and eligibility for emigration. This is quite apart from the rigid inspection and showing of full compliance with the present immigration law to be made to the consul for a visa which must be done in addition to this special investigation provided by the Refugee Relief Act. This act calls for a special report with complete information regarding the history of the alien covering the period of at least 2 years immediately preceding his application for a visa. a provision which may be waived only on recommendation of the Secretaries of State and Defense. Escapees and refugees to be admitted must have assurances by a citizen or citizens of the United States. rather than a voluntary organization. that the escapee or refugee will be suitably employed without displacing some other person from employment. that the escapee or refugee and his family will not become public charges and that they will have housing without displacing some other person from such housing. This requirement is not imposed upon immigration preference cases. Such an assurance is difficult to come by for escapees or refugees. because voluntary organizations which gave most of similar assurances under the displacedpersons law are not permitted to give these assurances and. hence. must go out and get individual citizens to give them. The Administrator states that he has as of about April 1. 1954. received a total of 2.828 assurances of which 404 apply to those of German nationality. (B) The special security report called for by the act requires large staffs. and one of the greatest delays in connection with the administration of the act is in the recruitment and security clearance of this staff. I believe that as the program first began in August 1953 there was a great reluctance by the Administrator and perhaps even a selfimposed restriction to hire for positions anyone who had worked in the administration of the Displaced Persons Act.