Speech #890120692

Committee. This bill Is bipartisan in H.R. 2580. character. it properly ends the discrim- Mr. Chairman. we are here today to inatory national origins quota system. it ratify that which has begged ratificaprovides for the reuniting of families. tion for a long. long time. I am referand it makes parents of U.S. citizens ring to changes in the Immigration and nonquota. Nationality Act as largely encompassed In my judgment. Mr. Chairman. these in H.R. 2580. eliminating the socalled immigration reforms are long overdue. "national origins" limitations upon imIn the 88th Congress I introduced H.R. migrants into the United States. As 11437 on May 28. 1964. and reintroduced Presidents Truman. Eisenhower. Kenlegislation which embodied a compre- nedy. and Johnson all have said. dishensive revision of our immigration laws crimination against certain peoples of in the 89th CongressH.R. 5324 on Feb- the world by failing to welcome them ruary 23. 1965. equally with others is in direct variance I firmly believe our immigration laws with our American ideals. should be based on principle and be made I share with my colleagues on both a matter of clear and progressive law- sides of the asile pride in representing equally applicable to all. not subject to Americans of diverse national origins. caprice and winds of political pressure That pride. in part. has led us to amend which can affect administrative judg- the Immigration and Nationality Act to ment. I am happy to say that the bill reject the national origins limitations we are considering today is consonant and replace them with a system authorwith these objectives. izing equal numbers of immigrants from Specifically. I testified on April 6. 1965 the various countries. before the House Judiciary Subcommit- It is pertinent to point out. however. tee on Immigration and Nationality that Mr. Chairman. that a considerable our selection of those who are to become amount of my constituent mail expresses future Americans should be guided by- strong opposition to any changes in the First. The reuniting of families. and Immigration and Nationality Act. Most the preservation of the home as the fun- of these objections express fears that damental unit of our society. floods of immigrants from various deSecond. The attraction of those with pressed countries will swarm across this special skills and talents to enrich our land of opportunity and take away jobs society. our economy. our culture and and other opportunities which our presthe whole fabric of our national life. ent citizens might otherwise have. I Third. The welcoming of a generous think it is time to explain in detail that number of refugees from persecution and this is not the case In this bill so that tyranny in order that they may share their fears may be calmed. our freedom. and that we. seeing it anew To clarify the situation. it may simthrough their eyes. will not forget how plify things to understand that our imit is to defend. migration laws largely effect two genAll those in Westchester and through- eral areas of the world in two widely difout the country who have close relatives ferent ways. The first of these is the unable to enter the United States because Americasthe Western Hemisphere. of heavily oversubscribed quota lists will Under present immigration laws. there be particularly pleased to know that the is no limitation on the number of inDepartment of States anticipates the en- migrants into the United States from try of those on waiting lists within 3 other countries of the Western Hemiyears. many within the first year. This sphere. During the last 10 years. total will be accomplished in part by a feature annual immigration from the Western of this bill which allows the pooling of Hemisphere has averaged about 111.000. For the past 5 years. the average has unused quota numbers to countries which been 125.000. do not have enough quota numbers to Under the changes in the Immigration satisfy the need for eligible immigrants. and Nationality Act as proposed in H.R. Equally important is the fact that this 2580. as it first came before us today. this bill will revise our discriminatory and lack of a numerical limitation from outdated laws without substantially in- Western Hemispheric countries was not creasing the number of immigrants we proposed to be changed. However. bewelcome to the United States each year.. cause of the great amount of concern. at least by my constituents. I am supporting the amendment proposed by the gentleman from Minnesota which would place a generous limitation of 115.000 immigrants from other countries in this hemisphere. As to the immigrants from other areas of the world. these have been limited to 158.561. plus the political and other refugees who have fled to the United States without being charged to any particular quota. Under this bill. a limitation of 170.000. including up to 10.200 of such refugees. will be permitted to enter this country. It is estimated that these limitations. in addition to other controls on the immigration of workers. should cause immigration under the new system to be maintained at about the present level. It has been my longstanding opinion that there was room for considerable improvement in the present immigration laws. I feel that. realistically. we must continue to recognize an annual limitation on the number of immigrants we can absorb. This bill. plus the amendment by the gentleman from Minnesota. provides this limitation. It is equally clear that limiting immigration on the basis of national origin is completely out of keeping with the historic and continuing concepts on which this Nation is based. I do feel. however. that priorities must be set up to show our special concern in accomplishing the following purposes: First. To emphasize the importance of reuniting families by giving high priority to those abroad who have close relatives already in the United States.