Mr. President. It makes little sense to me to continue to accept large numbers of. immigrants when we have almost 4 million unemployed in the United States at the present time. I am personally in favor of halting all Immigration for 5 years In order that the problem may be thoroughly studied. with a view to determining the effects of immigration upon the labor market. the success or failure of assimilation of these foreign groups coming into the country. and the effects upon our urban areas. It should always be remembered that immigration is a privilege to be conferred upon foreign persons by the Congress of the United States. No one has a right to become a citizen of this country. and the people of the United States are under no obligation either moral or legal to admit anyone who wishes to enter. As I have stated previously. we are no longer a small group of colonies with a small population where European and other powers have the right to dump their excess population which includes debtors. criminals. and others. This is a mature country with a complicated social structure requiring citizens with great technical skills who can not only support themselves but who can make worthwhile contributions to the Nation. I have read with great interest the statements of those who oppose our present immigration policy. They are. as I said before. those persons who apparently feel that the natural resources of this Nation do not belong to its citizens exclusively. They seem to be racked with guilt feelings over the fact that Americans are. by and large. much better off materially and spiritually than most of the worlds population. When the Secretary of State. Mr. Dean Rusk. appeared before the Senate Subcommittee on Immigration and Naturalization. he made the point that. because of our national origins quota system. it was embarrassing to him to conduct our foreign policy because we showed a peculiar preference to maintain our cultural and political Institutions as they have been for almost 200 years. Mr. Rusk seems to feel it is discrimination on our part because we do not let untold numbers of orientals come into this country.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants are debtors, criminals, and others who are a burden on the country.