Mr. President. I introduce. for appropriate reference. a bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 to permit alien brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens to be considered immediate relatives within the meaning of the act to facilitate their entry into this country. I do this because I feel it is necessary In order to accomplish the stated purpose of the Immigration Act of 1965: to reunite families. An examination of the bulletin issued August 15. 1967. by the State Department. reveals that as the mechanism of the act now stands. families are not being reunited. There is an extended wait for a visa in the fifth preference categorybrother and sisters from Italy. The bulletin shows that while applicants from other countries whose petitions have been approved prior to July 1. 1966. can be admitted to the United States. petitions for brothers and sisters of American citizens of Italian descent can only be admitted if their petitions were approved prior to March 1. 1955. It is ironic that sixthpreference applicants who have no relatives in this country are entering ahead of brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Under present law. an aging. lonely sister or brother may be living in Italy with diminshing hope of ever being able to join his family in this country. The legislation I am introducing today will correct this inequity. for it will enable brothers and sisters to be considered immediate relatives within the meaning of the Immigration Act of 1965. EnactCXIII1658---Part 20 ment of this bill will automatically facilitate their entry into this country. Our distinguished majority leader suggested to us early in the year that rather than continue the sweeping new approaches to social problems that characterized the 89th Congress. we pause to reappraise and refine legislation enacted in recent years.
Keywords matched
Immigration visa