Speech #840078909

Mr. President. as chairman of the subcommittee on refugees. escapees. and expellees. I wish again to present the weekly report furnished by the Department of State on the status of visa applications under the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. During the period covered by this report. which began on June 20 and ended June 24. 1.178 immigrant visas were issued. The number for the previous 1week period was 1.137. and for the preceding 1week period the number of issued visas was 1.020. There has now been a total of 36.274 visas granted under the Refugee Relief Act of 1953. Public Law 203. 83d Congress. The distribution by country based on the report of June 24 is as follows: Total issued Total Issued Country June 20- to date Italy ------------------- 610 21.930 Greece 133 5.945 Netherlands. 0 617 Germany ------------- 228 3.232 Austria --------------- 65 2. 954 Far East -------------- 44 933 Others ---------------- 0 68 Under the terms of the act 4.000 orphans under the age of 10 years may be admitted for adoption into homes in the United States. On June 17. a total of 1.174 orphan visas had been issued. Of this number. 859 orphan children have been admitted into this country. When it is realized that 3.141 more orphan visas will be issued in order to comply with the terms of this act. it seems most improbable that this may be done by December 31. 1956. the cutoff date under the act. Of the total of 36.274 visas issued under sections of this act. other than the orphans. actually 25.524 such persons have entered the country. This means that before the expiration date. there still remain to be issued approximately 169.000 additional visas. and approximately 180.000 people will actually have to come into this country. I shall continue to report to the Senate on the status of visa applications under Public Law 203. 83d Congress. which was enacted to benefit victims of the postwar world in one of the greatest humanitarian movements of our time. I wish to point out that I have recently conferred with persons in various sections of the country who are interested in the refugees. I am convinced that this law is being construed just as liberally as possible. The slowness of its operation is. in my opinion. due entirely to the very strict provisions of the act. provisions which are in no sense directory but are mandatory. and under which the administrator may go only so far and no farther In trying to be as liberal as he possibly can be in his interpretations.