Speech #890120761

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 2580. the bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act. We in Hawaii. perhaps to a greater extent than the people of any other State. have been constantly aware of the objectionable features of our existing immigration law. And. insofar as the provisions of our immigration law relate to Asians. we are able. because of our unique geographical location. to speak from the vantage ground of actual observation and experience. Being of the westernmost State in the Union. we in Hawaii have extended our hand out to the peoples of Asia. However. we have often been concerned that that hand might have appeared to Asians to be in the shape of a fist. instead of an open palm. in the light of our discriminatory immigration law. It is difficult for anyone. whether European. African. or Asian. to view our present immigration law as being anything but discriminatory to the Asians. Unfortunately. statistics substantiate such view. For example. in 1964. 292.248 immigrants were admitted into the United States. Of that number. only 17.430 were from the AsiaPacific triangle. an area which contains over 50 percent of the worlds population. This great discrepancy. of course. has been directly attributable to the national origins quota system in our immigration law. The provision in the reported bill for the abolition by July 1. 1968. of the national origins quota system. therefore. represents a significant advancement in our efforts to achieve an immigration law that is consistent with our best American traditions. The bill we are considering also provides for the immediate repeal of the AsiaPacific triangle. the uncharitable creation of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952. The repeal of the provision requiring that an Asian person be charged to the quota of his ancestry. even though born outside of the Asian area. would be an important step forward in our efforts to make our immigration law fair and equitable. Mr. Chairman. I am especially pleased to note that while H.R. 2580 removes these principal discriminatory provisions from our existing law. it is also geared to bring together separated members of a family. The humanitarian motive underlying such immigration policy is certainly attuned to the best American tradition. The proposed legislation also contains provisions which are intended to safeguard the national interest. I am sure that no one will voice any serious objection to these provisions. There is certainly a marked difference between provisions which are discriminatory as they relate to the racial origin of prospective immigrants and those which are designed to keep subversive elements from our shores. Mr. Chairman. I have joined in cosponsoring the bill recommended by the administration both in the present Congress and in the 88th Congress. The bill was drawn up with the benefit of advice from experts in the executive agencies that are responsible for administering our immigration program. Both the State Department and the Justice Department contributed to the drafting of the bill. In addition. our Committee on the Judiciary has reported the bill with amendments after holding extensive hearings.