Mr. Speaker. our onesided immigration laws. heavily weighted against southern Europeans. are responsible for much dissatisfaction within the United States. and are making us appear intolerant in the eyes of the world. Under the guise of protecting the national security. they have become so narrow and harsh. both in theory and in application. they are playing right into the hands of the Communist propagandists. And they are humiliating the very people who want to be our friends and allies. Are these American principles and American practices? Is this the way to win people to the cause of freedom? No one disputes the need of reasonable security measures. but when the immigration laws are so slanted as to discriminate among peoples. the watching world may well question our code of justice and our security. The quota system. conveniently pegged to immigration ratios that prevailed in the early part of this century. and in order to conform to certain prejudices. is an example of the favored nations treatment that exposes our immigration laws to the charge of hypocrisy. Furthermore. they reflect the fears and hysteria of our times. Violating the precept that no law should be retroactive. reaching back to plague and penalize a man for an offense that was committed before the law passed.
Identified stereotypes
Laws are 'heavily weighted against southern Europeans' and 'intolerant'.