Speech #900215149

Sunday was St. Patricks Day. an occasion for reflection about the contributions of Americans of Irish descent who helped to build this land. It is appropriate on this occasion to turn our attention to an incidental effect of the 1965 immigration reform legislation. which is closing the doors to many sons of Ireland desiring to immigrate to the United States. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act reformed Americas immigration policy by ending the arbitrary and unjust national origins quota system and substituting a system of preferences giving priority to the reuniting of families and the admission of immigrants with needed skills. In the case of Ireland. where most immigrants have been young. without formal training or immediate family already in the United States. the new preference categories have frozen out many potential Irish immigrants. One of the most severe obstacles is section 212 (a) (14) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 which requires aliens in certain categories to obtain a labor certificate. Before the act was amended. aliens who wished to enter the United States could do so. unless the Secretary of Labor certified that(A) There are available in the United States at the aliens proposed destination sufficient workers able. willing. and qualified at the time of application for a visa and for admission to the United States. to perform such skilled or unskilled labor. or (B) the employment of such aliens will adversely affect the wages and working conditions of workers in the United States similarly employed. Under the 1965 changes the burden of proof has been reversed. Instead of providing that an alien can enter unless the Secretary says no. it now says that an alien cannot enter unless the Secretary says yes. Far from being merely a technical change. this provision requires a prospective immigrant to prove that he will not be displacing an American worker. In practice. this is almost impossible. In addition. section 204(a) requires sixthpreference immigrants--skilled and unskilled workersto have a definite job before they immigrate. A worker cannot request his own visa. his employer must do it for him. This Is an additional obstacle. Two bills of mine would alleviate the effects of the 1965 act by removing the definite job requrementsH.R. 15350and by amending section 212(a) (14) to conform to its language prior to the 1965 actH.R. 7775. My bills would simply mitigate the unanticipated effects of the new law. Since the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Irish immigration has fallen off sharply. For example. the number of inquiries to the American Embassy. Dublin. regarding immigration to the United States has decreased steadily: Inquiries: 1964 --------------------- -----6483 1965 --------------------------5797 1966 --------------------------4. 725 1967 -------------------------- 14.100 Estimate. exact figure not available. Similarly. applicants for immigrant visas have decreased: Applicants: 1964 ----------------------------- 5.817 1965 --------------------------- 4. 750 1966 ---------------------------- 1.996 1967 ---------------------------- 2. 026 And the number of visas actually issued has also declined: Visas issued: 1964 --------------------------- 4. 619 1965 --------------------------- 4.004 1966 --------------------------- 1.741 1967 --------------------------- 1.809 Immigration from Ireland is now running at a rate less than half of what it was in 1964. A study prepared at my request by the American Embassy in Dublin last April 1967. stated: There is no doubt that Section 212 (a) (14) of the Act has caused a decrease in Irish immigration to the United States. As many Irish visa applicants are unskilled or semiskilled workers. they are unable to qualify under Section 212 (a) (14) as amended. I entered into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. volume 113. part 10. page 13167. a study on Irish immigration to the United States. These statistics were brought up to date in a supplementary letter which I entered into the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. volume 113. part 20. page I have received a report from the American Embassy at Dublin bringing the statistics up to the end of 1967. It illustrates a further decrease in Irish immigration to the United States. I include Ambassador Raymond R. Guests letter of February 8. 1968. at this point in the RECORD.