Speech #890159842

is. of course. mindful of its responsibilities not only to our members but to all those who work for a living. While unemployment remains at high levels. unlimited immigration would be a disservice to everyoneincluding the immigrants. S. 500 would increase the total number of immigrants to be admitted under the new pooled quota system from 158.000 to 165.000 per year. or only 7.000 a year. Both President Kennedy and President Eisenhower recommended much larger increases. As President Johnson pointed out in his special immigration message: "No immigrants admitted under this bill could contribute to unemployment in the United States." In 1963. 306.000 immigrants were admitted to the United States. Nearly twothirds came in as nonquota immigrants or pursuant to private legislation. It is estimated that only onefourth to onethird of the immigrants into the United States are jobseekers. and many of these are skilled and professional persons. These facts prove that we can accept many more immigrants than we are presently admitting. Section 10(c) (2) of S. 500 would amend section 203(a) (4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act by providing a fourth preference quota for qualified prospective quota immigrants capable of filling particular labor shortages in the United States. We agree that such a preference is proper. But we are concerned lest. through improper administration. our already difficult unemployment problem be made much worse. The manpower needs to be filled by persons entering as fourth preference immigrants must be clearcut and not capable of being filled by unemployed members of our own work force. We. therefore. strongly urge that section 10(c) (2) of S. 500 should state specifically that the jobs to be filled by immigrants under the fourth preference quota must be permanent in nature and not merely seasonal or otherwise temporary. To further assure protection of the American labor force. we believe that the bill should provide that the ultimate responsibility and authority to determine the existence of skill needs. under the first preference. and labor shortages under the fourth preference established by the bill. should be vested in the Secretary of Labor who alone has the data expertise to make such determinations. We also strongly urge Congress to put expressly in the hands of the Secretary of Labor the authority to make the determination required by section 101(a) (15) (H) (ii) of the act for the admission of more immigrant aliens coming temporarily to the United States to perform "temporary services or labor." Finally. we want to take this opportunity to urge the Congress to include in S. 500 a provision amending section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act so as to prohibit absolutely the temporary importation of foreign farmworkers. We realze that this is a controversial issue but we believe that the Congress should meet it directly. Such foreign farm labor programs as the Mexican bracero and British West Indies importations have been allowed for much too long to limit the job opportunities of American workers. depress their wages and undermine their working and living conditions. The domestic labor supply clearly can satisfy this particular labor demand. This. then. is the viewpoint of the AFLCIO. We welcome and support the bill for its basic purpose of phasing out the national origins quota system. once and for all. We want to see it passed with the changes we have recommended. In the past our heritage of freedom served as a beacon which drew the oppressed of the earth to our shores in an everincreasing stream. We are a country built from the beginning by immigrants. The slow. painful march toward complete realization of that eternally valid ideal. "All men are created equal". the overcoming of the violations of its spirit. which have too long been rampant in our history. the final elimination of all forms of discrimination based on race. creed. or color. the attainment of equal rights by all in voting. education. housing. jobs. etc.. must include also. the elimination of discriminatory practices growing out of our present immigration laws.