Speech #840001622

It is treacherous because it seeks not to amend and perfect. but to destroy. and to destroy for dubious reasons. and often in promotion of selfinterest. We have a duty to those who honorably seek shelter and opportunity within our borders. but we should not ignore our equal obligation to our fellow citizens who have built. developed. and defended this haven from tyranny. I do not mean. of course. that every immigration law passed by the Congress is perfect and so. above rightful criticism. Not at all. As a dismal example of sloppy legislation. we have the socalled Refugee Relief Act of 1953. Last week. when the 84th Congress convened. I introduced a bill to amend that abortive measure in the hope of actually getting help for some people. I have never made a secret of the fact that I consider the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 a fraud and a phony. For political reasons. the majority party in the 83d Congress rushed through the House and the Senate an illconceived and halfbaked proposal which was designed to please everybody without achieving any practical results. In spite of my public warnings and in spite of my vigorous opposition on the floor. that unworkable law was enacted to the accompaniment of political drum beating. The only thing that I was able to do last session in order to correct that deficient law was to insert a few amendments. permitting to reunite families and to permit close relatives of American citizens to join them in this country. My new bill goes further in that direction in trying to make certain that people who need resettlement in the United States and are deserving of that privilege would get it. I aim to: Equalize the requirements in relative cases under the act with the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act so that the same evidence is needed to satisfy consular officers that relatives will not become public charges if admitted into the United States. Eliminate the requirement that sponsors of immigrants keep suitable housing at a specific address open and available for the entire period of time that the intending immigrant goes through the screening and processing machinery. Prevent the extended separation of families in cases where all members of the family are not present to accompany the principal applicant to the United States from the place where the visa is issued. Revise the requirement as to documentation which must be produced by an applicant in order to harmonize the requirements of the act with those of the Immigration and Nationality Act in this respect. I hope that the enactment of my amendment will correct the ridiculous situation in which out of a total number of 209.000 immigrants authorized to come to the United States under the 1953 law. thus far 13.056 have come up to December 31. 1954. or during onehalf of the laws entire lifetime. Well. I hope that I have made my point clear.