March 1 had been set as a target date for getting the program on the rails. This was achieved just 1 month late. on April 1. Since then more than 8.000 visas have been Issued. . More than 800 applicants who could not qualify have been rejected. 32.813 applicants are in the pipeline. Approximately 14.000 assurances of employment and housing have been received. and these will admit about 25.000 heads of families and dependents. The administration of the act is now geared to continue production of visas in substantial numbers so as to get the job done by the time the act expires on Until now. it would not have been possible to make use of larger numbers of job and housing assurances. With the program rolling at good speed. however. the time now has come when a steady flow of assurances is essential to continued progress. for the head of every refugee family must be guaranteed a job and a roof over his head. The act does not permit these people to come to the United States and wander around jobless. homeless. and as wards of haphazard charity. It was for this reason that the Administrator of the act and the Secretary of State requested the President to solicit the cooperation of the governors just a few days ago. As you know. Mr. Speaker. the President asked the governors to establish local committees to help obtain assurances and assist in the resettlement problems of the immigrants. Far from being an admission that the act is a failure. as my unusually gloomy colleague from New York has seen fit to conclude. the Presidents action was a logical and constructive effort to assure the success of the refugee program. I am glad that our President has the personal interest in this project not only to want it to succeed. but to do something positive and constructive to see that it does succeed. I cannot believe that carping criticism will contribute anything toward making it succeed.
Keywords matched
immigrants visas refugee