Mr. President. in his ceremony last Sunday at the Statue of Liberty. President Johnson. in signing into law the bill broadening and liberalizing our immigration and naturalization laws. reaffirmed the freedomloving stance of the United States. At the same time he issued a clear challenge to Castro in Cuba. Castro had made some vague utterances about permitting the many who were dissatisfied with his regime to leave. President Johnson accepted the challenge and stated that the United States would accept those who wanted to flee the repressions of Cuba under Castro. I commend President Johnson for the excellent manner in which he accepted Castros challenge and join with President Johnson In reaffirming the fact that "the lesson of our times is sharp and clear in this movement of people from one land to another. Once again. it stamps the mark of failure on a regime when many of its citizens voluntarily choose to leave the land of their birth for a more hopeful home." It was appropriate and significant that President Johnson made this announcement when he was signing the immigration bill. In thus opening the door to the victims of political persecution. he was reincarnating one of the finest and oldest of American traditions. It has been these refugees from tyranny abroad who have appreciated the meaning of Americas freedom. Such as they have helped to make our country.
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naturalization immigration refugees