Speech #890120769

They found that door irrevocably closed. fatally closed I might say. by a quota. I believe the 6 million Jews who died under Hitler will rest easier in their reward with the knowledge that never again will this Nation renege on its muchadvertised promise of a haven from the gun. the whip. and the gas chamber. I believe that the high principles upon which this Nation was built demand the revision of an outmoded immigration law. H.R. 2580 will eliminate the national origins quota system. after a 3year transition period. and provide for a general pool of immigration numbers distributed among all nations of the world on a combination firstcome. firstserved and preferencepriority basis. This means that 170.000 immigrants. including 10.200 refugees. and exclusive of immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and natives of independent Western Hemisphere nations would be permitted into the United States each year. The latter two categories are favored because it seems only humane to permit the reuniting of families when possible. and because our friends from the nations of Latin America have always occupied a privileged position with regard to immigration. even under the old law. No more than 20.000 immigrants per year would be permitted from any one foreign country. I believe the preference priorities written into H.R. 2580 reflect the long experience of the Immigration and Nationality Subcommittee in dealing with immigration problems caused by the present system. and its analysis of what type of immigration policy is in the best interest of the United States. The subcommittee feels. and I think we must all agree. that the reuniting of families should receive primary consideration in any revision of the immigration law. Thus the first 20 percent of the 170.000 annual immigration total is allocated. on a firstcome. firstserved basis. to unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens. The next 20 percent goes to spouses and unmarried children of alien residents. The United States became a great nation because it was built with the skills and talents of many persons from many lands. It is in recognition of this Nations continuing need for skilled persons that the third preference priority is reserved for members of the professions. scientists. and artists. The next 10 percent is delegated to the married children of U.S. citizens and the next 24 percent is set aside for the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Ten percent is reserved for skilled or unskilled persons capable of filling U.S. labor shortages. and the last 6 percent is limited to political refugees. Any unused portion of a preference priority may be added to that of the next in line. It is clear that the only real change made in the immigration law by this provision is the elimination of an odious and objectionable mechanism of racial and national bias. The bill will not substantially raise the present authorized ceiling of total immigration to the United Statesit will merely distribute it more equitably. It will not change any of the existing security safeguards and other restrictions designed to exclude undesirables. Beyond the national origins quota system. the immigration statute as it now stands contains one further vestige of discrimination and racial prejudice. the purpose of which is to make even tighter the restrictions against nonCaucasian persons. This is the thoroughly disreputable section 202(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. often called the AsiaPacific triangle provision. which requires a person of Asian descent to be placed on the quota of the .country of his racial origin. no matter where he was actually born or what his nationality is. I cannot believe that there is any Member of this House who would say a word in defense of this provision. I am sure we all desire its immediate repeal. as is provided for under this bill.