Speech #920115545

For many years. some of my colleagues and I have fought for a more evenhanded treatment of immigrants seeking to come to the United States. Our efforts culminated in the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. It is now time to turn our attention to the treatment of these immigrants when they seek to acquire citizenship by naturalization and to see to it that they are treated equitably under our laws. In Katzenbach v. Morgan. 384 U.S. 641. (1966). the Supreme Court sustained the challenge of Spanishspeaking Puerto Rican citizens of New York to the New York English literacy requirement for eligibility to vote in that State.