Speaker. I did not ask that this bill be passed over without prejudice because I was against the passage of the bill. I merely wanted to point out what I believe to be a most unfair provision of the present immigration law. I refer to the retroactive provision. In my judgment. aliens who lawfully entered the United States should not be deported for sins committed in the past having once paid their debt to society. To threaten people with deportation on the basis of what they did years ago is awfully cruel. After a person has paid his debt to society. rehabilitated himself. and becomes a respected member of his community. our Government should not harass him or his family for past action. Since being an objector on the Private Calendar. I have never objected to the passage of any immigration bill. however. I have noticed many of the bills grant permanent residence in our country to those that have sinned a little bit. Are we in the Congress going to set ourselves up as judges and attempt to determine how much sin an alien must participate in before being deported? God has forgiven these people who erred. In like manner. should we not be helping rather than hurting them? This country cannot afford to ignore the spirit of forgiveness. I believe the immigration law should have the retroactive provision removed from it immediately. I have never been a person to shun my responsibility or duties. When the gentleman from Massachusetts asked me to be an objector.
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deported immigration deportation