Speech #890002391

Mr. President. the President has asked Congress to enact a new immigration law which would basically change American immigration policies. I am very happy to join in sponsoring this bill. I am heartened that he recognized a compelling need to enact an immigration law that serves the national interest and reflects in every detail the principles of equality and human dignity to which our Nation subscribes. He has proposed a bill which would eliminate altogether the national origins system for allocating quotas. the Asia Pacific triangle. and other racially discriminatory aspects of our present immigration laws. The proposed legislation also would establish a series of priorities for admission: first. to immigrants with skills and training needed in our national economy. second. to persons closely related to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. and. third. to all other immigrants on a firstcome. firstserved basis. with no one nation receiving more than 10 percent of the quota numbers available in any one year. I am happy to note that the Presidents proposals would correct two serious defects in our present immigration laws. First. our present laws often deny admission to immigrants who have outstanding and badly needed skills and talents. The Presidents proposals would give priority to immigrants who have the kind of skills and talents our economy needs very badly. without affecting our unemployment rates. Thus. our national economic growth would be enhanced. our economy would be stimulated. and new employment opportunities would be generated. Second. our present laws often needlessly separate our citizens from their parents or other close relatives. The Presidents proposals would give preference to close relatives of citizens and permanent residents. and thus serve to promote the reuniting of families. To insure that the new system would not impose undue hardship on any of our close allies by suddenly curtailing their emigration. the bill authorizes the President. after consultation with an Immigration Board established by the legislation. to utilize up to 30 percent of the quota numbers available in any year for the purpose of restoring cuts made by the new system in the quotas established by existing law. Similar authority. permitting the reservation of up to 10 percent of the total authorized quota numbers available in any year. would enable us to meet the needs of refugees fleeing from catastrophe or oppression. In addition. the administrations bill would. first. permit numbers not used by any country to be made available to countries where they are needed. second. eliminate discrimination against newly independent countries of the Western Hemisphere by providing nonquota status for natives of Jamaica. Trinidad. and Tobago. third. afford nonquota status to parents of citizens. and fourth preference to parents of resident aliens. fourth. eliminate the requirement that skilled first preference immigrants needed in our economy must actually find an employer here before they can come to the United States. fifth. afford a preference to workers with lesser skills who can fill specific needs in short supply. and sixth. authorize the Secretary of State to require reregistration of quota immigrant visa applicants and to regulate the time of payment of visa fees. Under the Presidents proposal. existing national quotas would be reduced at the rate of 20 percent annually until the allotments were wiped out in 5 years. These quota numbers would go into a reserve pool for redistribution under the system of priorities I mentioned earlier. The administrations proposal would not change any requirements under existing laws for preventing entry of undesirable persons. Applicants must still satisfy all security requirements we now have. and other requirements designed to exclude persons likely to become public charges. The measure would only increase by less than 7.000 the total authorized quota immigration annually. By seeking an immigration policy reflecting Americas ideal of the equality of all men without regard to race. color. creed. or national origin. we would accomplish two purposes: First. We would enhance Americas image as leader of the free world in according equal dignity and respect to all peoples of the world. and thus accomplish a significant forward stride in our international relations. Second. We would recognize the individual worth of each immigrant and his potential contribution to the development and growth of our national economy. These basic changes in American immigration policy are long overdue. Revision of our immigration laws is a logical extension of our efforts to achieve our ideal of equality. Last year we enacted the historic Civil Rights Act of 1964. which was designed to wipe out the last vestiges of racial discrimination against our own citizens. As we reappraise the relationship of citizen to citizen under this law. it is also good for us to reexamine this same relationship of mans equality to man with respect to peoples of the world. For as we move to erase racial discrimination against our own citizens. we should also move to erase racial barriers against citizens of other lands in our immigration laws. I am encouraged that the President has called upon the Congress to accord priority consideration to immigration reform legislation. I have long regarded this as an issue of fundamental policy. For our present immigration laws disparage our democratic heritage. They directly contradict the spirit and principles of the Declaration of Independence. the Constitution of the United States. and our traditional standards of justice. decency. and the dignity and equality of all men. No legislation could more cogently and with more telling effect reaffirm our fundamental belief in the equality of man.