Speech #850266924

Applications are not even being taken. because the aggregate annual Italian quota is only 5.645. which will unquestionably all be used up to make up the second and third preference quotas. A similar situation prevails with respect to Greece. where there are 850 applicants for first. second. and third preference status. thus also making unavailable any fourth preference numbers from the 308 annual Greek quota. What still remains undone is a clear enunciation of the policy of parole. first established under the Immigration and Nationality Act. and under which the refugee fighters for Hungarian freedom were admitted. The open door of hope to America for people such as these must be clearly defined rather than standing as a vaguely outlined and capriciously revolving door. This is not an overambitious program. it is not shooting for the stars. Nor should it give any weight to the alien horde specter raised by those who seek to oppose all modernization of our immigration policies. It must be remembered. for example. that in 1957 we admitted 85.000 fewer aliens for permanent residence than in 1956. I refer again to the refugee and escapee law which was enacted last year. Progress under that law. Public Law 316. has been less than might be hoped for and. has. in fact. been painfully slow. Section 15 (a) (3) of that law. for example. authorizes the issuance of 14.556 visas for refugeeescapees from Communistdominated areas in the Middle East. As of July 28. of 12.524 applicants under this section. some 252 visas have been issued. The administration has pledged itself to expedite this program. The delays have principally resulted from the intricate screening process employed. Nevertheless. the delay has been a very serious one and a very damaging one in terms of the prestige and the standing of the United States. We have recently had a report from a very distinguished commission. composed of people whom many of us respect very highly. I refer to the Zellerbach Commission on the European refugee situation. It is a commission of the International Rescue Committee. The Zellerbach Commission submitted a report which showed how damaging our present immigration policy was to our country. Here were 160.000 unsettled refugees. practically all of them from behind the Iron Curtain. in their own persons confined to camps. in the main. thus negating the promise of freedom and opportunity which we certainly wish. in this cold war. to hold out to people still remaining behind the Iron Curtain. Mr. President. earlier in the day. together with six other Senators. I submitted a resolution seeking at least the expression of the Senate at this session of an international conference dealing with the refugee problem. What the Zellerbach Commission recommended was that we at least take some refugees into this country this year. in order to give leadership which other countries might follow. as we did in connection with the displaced persons program. and the program for bringing in Hungarian refugees. Whenever we take the lead. other nations follow. When we do not take the lead. the situation stands still.