We have been saying. in effect. that if we were born in northern and western Europe we are more equal than someone born in southern and eastern Europe. but if we were born in southeastern Europe we are. nevertheless. more equal than those born in Asia or Africa. This could not be further from the truth. and I believe that the time has come to reconcile our actions with our beliefs. It is time we take a serious look at our immigration policies and once and for all put an end to the discriminatory practices we have employed since 1921. We are very fortunate to have before us a bill that will help to do exactly that. The bill. S. 500. was introduced by the distinguished Senator from Michigan . It is similar to the legislation urged by the late President Kennedy and given priority by President Johnson. In general. thiu piece of proposed legislation will dc away with discrimination against applications for immigration visas on thE grounds of national origin. While the bill does not open the gate: to all aliens applying for immigration. i does so drastically modify the presen immigration regulations so as to do awal with the injustice and waste created b. CXI143 our present regulations. While the present national quota on immigration of 158.361 will only be increased by less than 7.000. far more people will enter the United States. new citizens who can be of great service to the country. The bill will take the total number of quota numbers and divide them into three classifications. The first classification will consist of 50 percent of the numbers. Persons falling into this classification will be those who in the opinion of the Attorney General of the United States will be "especially advantageous" to the country. - The second classification will be 30 percent of the total quota numbers and will be issued to unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are not eligible for nonquota preference because they are over 21 years of age. The third classification will consist of the remaining 20 percent of the quota numbers. with preference issued to spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of aliens admitted to this country for permanent residence. and. finally. to other miscellaneous applications for immigration. There are two good aspects of the bill that are definitely worthy of mention. Under the proposed reforms. every country is limited to 10 percent of the quota numbers in each classification. If. after 10 months of the year. it is apparent that all the numbers in a given classification will not be used in the year. the 10percent ban can be lifted to allow the full use of the quotas allocated. There is a great deal of wisdom in such a proposal. All too often. the quota numbers. given an Individual country under the present system are unused. but the visa applications in another country may far outnumber the quota numbers available. Under the proposed system. surplus quota numbers can be shifted to another country to meet particular demands. thus making it possible for deserving individuals to immigrate to the United States when otherwise they would be unable to do so. The 10percent ban also prevents one country from monopolizing the quota numbers to the exclusion of other countries. Under the proposed system. citizens from all countries would have equal opportunity to immigrate to this country regardless of the geographical location of their country. It seems to me that this system is only fair and right and is in keeping with the American tradition. The other stipulation that makes S. 500 an outstanding bill is the clause that permits unused quota numbers in one classification to be transferred for use in the next lower classification. Again we see a provision that will eliminate the waste of quota numbers that exists under our present laws and makes the structure of the quota regulations far more flexible. In summation. the administration bill will make it far more possible for highly qualified foreign citizens to immigrate to the United States. do away with oux t present discriminatory practices. and ast sure the fullest use of the quota numbers y available. In addition. the refugee rey form provisions in the bill will make Ii easier for people who are fleeing from tyranny to be welcomed to the United States as refugees. All of us in the Senate have sponsored private bills for individuals wishing to immigrate to the United States and are fully aware of the great inequities of our present immigration laws. We are fully cognizant of the heartache and dashed hopes that surround most immigration cases with which we must deal. With full knowledge of the present inadequacies. I say the time has come to act. The bill introduced by the Senator from Michigan will help to eliminate the hypocrisy of our position and let the world know that the United States Is a country settled by immigrants. brought to greatness by immigrants. and is still a country that welcomes immigrants regardless of their national origin. Let us again say with pride. "all men are created equal." Mr. President. as a cosponsor of S. 500.
Identified stereotypes
People from Northern and Western Europe are considered more equal than those from Southern and Eastern Europe, and those from Southeastern Europe are more equal than those from Asia or Africa.