Speech #850206888

Speaker. action by Congress in behalf of the valiant freedom fighters of Hungary is long overdue. I have pressed. since the beginning of the 85th Congress. for legislation to authorize permanentresident status for deserving Hungarians admitted to this country as parolees. It is heartening to to see that the Committee on the Judiciarys Subcommittee on Immigration has at last reported a bill which should receive the support of every Member of Congress. H. R. 11033 is substantially similar to provisions embodied in H. R. 4205 and H. It. 11167. bills sponsored by the administration and introduced by me which are still pending before the Immigration Subcommittee. While I naturally favor the language of my own bills. I give my full and sincere support to H. Rt. 11033. for I believe that it can effectively accomplish what I have been working for. The purpose of this bill Is to provide for retroactive adjustment of the immigration status of Hungarian refugees who were paroled into the United States after October 23. 1956. Change of status would. of course. depend upon whether the refugee was qualified for admission under all requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The only requirements waived by the bill are those for passport and visa. Thus. under this bill. upon the expiration of 2 years from the date of the refugees arrival in this country. his status becomes that of any other immigrant except for the fact that he has no passport and visa. If. after examination. he is found to be admissible he shall be regarded as lawfully admitted for permanent residence as of the date of his arrival. This bill would affect 31.738 Hungarians paroled into the United States after the revolution of October 1956. The Immigration and Naturalization Service has done an efficient job of keeping itself welladvised of the history and whereabouts of these immigrants. It has conducted over 3.000 investigations of allegations of a derogatory nature. As a result. 74 principal parolees and 43 members of their families have been returned to Austria.