Speech #890150994

How will these new labor controls be applied? Answer. The Secretary of Labor is required. in the case of all worker immigrant classes. to make an affirmative finding that there are no willing and able American workers to fill the particular employment opportunity the immigrant is scheduled to take upon his admission to the United States. The Secretary of Labor is also required to certify that the employment of such alien workers will not adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers similarly employed in the United States. Question 19. Who are regarded as worker immigrants under the law? Answer. All aliens who apply for admission as immigrants from countries outside the Western Hemisphere and who. do not qualify under one of the relative preferences or as a refugee are regarded as worker immigrants. Similarly. all aliens who apply for admission as immigrants from the independent republics of the Western Hemisphere except parents. spouses. and children of U.S. citizens and permanent resident aliens. are regarded as worker immigrants. Question 20. Are there any provisions to take care of persons who are already in the United States but do not have the right to reside here permanently? Answer. Yes. there are three such provisions in the law. they are called "Registry." "Adjustment of Status." and "Suspension of Deportation." Question 21. What does "Registry" mean? Answer. Registry authorizes the Immigration and Naturalization Service to create a record of an aliens lawful admission for permanent residence regardless of the manner of his actual entry or the place of his birth provided he has resided in the United States since June 30. 1948. Is a person of good moral character and is not subject to deportation because of criminality or immorality. Question 22. What is "Adjustment of Status?" Answer. This provision permits aliens in the United States. other than natives of the Western Hemisphere or crewmen. to have their status adjusted to that of permanent resident alien. It benefits only those aliens. who. if abroad would be eligible for immediate issuance of an immigrant visa. The purpose of this provision is to save the very heavy expense which would be involved if such alien was obliged to return to his homeland to obtain the visa to which he is otherwise completely entitled. Question 23. What is "Suspension of Deportation" and to whom does it apply? Answer. Suspension of deportation is available to an alien who has been ordered deported from the United States but whose deportation would result in an extreme hardship to him or to his spouse or child. To be eligible the alien must have resided in the United States for at least 7 years (in some few cases 10 years). Natives of Canada. Mexico. and the Caribbean Islands generally are ineligible for this privilege as are aliens who entered the United States temporarily under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act. As the term indicates. the deportation of an alien under this provision is suspended for a period of 2 years. during which time the Congress has an opportunity to review the case and if Congress does not object. the alien is permitted to become a permanent resident. Question 24. Are the three benefits which are available to aliens temporarily in the United States granted as a matter of a right which they possess? Answer. No. These three benefits are not granted as a "right" but are authorized only in the discretion of the Immigration and Naturalization Service acting for the Attorney General. to deserving persons. The law provides that. unless the alien is born in the Western Hemisphere. persons who acquire the status of aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence are counted within the annual ceilings on immigrants to the same extent as though he had been issued an immigrant visa abroad by an American consul. Question 25. Will the abolition of the national origins quota system take effect immediately? Answer. No. The system provided under the new law will not become completely effective until July 1. 1968. However. during the interval. the new law permits the average of 50.000 quota visas which now go unused each year to be redistributed among countries which do not currently have enough quota numbers to satisfy the relative and skilled classes who were born in such countries. The purpose of this 3year transition period is to reunite families as soon as possible and to start the new system with all countries on an equal footing.