Speech #930091841

Mr. President. the Imnigration and Naturalization Service estimates that there are between 1.000.000 and 2.000.000 persons illegally in the United States at the present time. The Service has neither the personnel nor the flnds to deport all these peopleeven if it should be decided that deportation is the answer to this problem. Many of these people have been in the country for many. many years. They have acquired American citizen spouses and have American citizen children. they have jobs and so have already affected the labor market. An alien who can show extreme hardship to himself. his citizen or permanent resident spouse. parent or child under section 244(a) (1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act may apply for suspension of deportation if he has been continuously present in the United States for not less than 7 years immediately preceding the date of such application and proves he is of good moral character. and if neither House of Congress passes a resolution in opposition. Even if an alien is deportable because of conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude. is an anarchist. Communist or subversive. or a violator of the narcotic laws. or a prostitute or procurer. or convicted of a gun violation. engaged in espionage. violated the Alien Registration Act of 1940 or engaged in importation of persons for immoral purposes. under section 244(a) (2) of the act. he is permitted to adjust his status to that of a permanent resident if he has been in the United States for a continuous period of not less than 10 years following such an act and proves he has been a person of good moral character during all of such period. and if in the opinion of the Attorney General. his deportation would result in exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to the alien. his citizen spouse. parent or child and if the Congress passes a concurrent resolution favoring suspension of deportation. Under section 249 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. an alien is permitted in the discretion of the Attorney General to make a record of lawful admission for permanent residence. if not inadmissible under section 212(a) insofar as it relates to criminals. procurers and other immoral persons. subversives. violators of the narcotic laws or smugglers of aliens. If the entry was prior to July 1. 1924. the record of entry is made as of the date of entry. In the Act of October 3. 1965. 79 Stat. 920. the date for adjustment was moved up from June 28. 1940. to a new date of June 30. 1948. with a record of lawful admission for permanent residence being made as of the date of approval of the application for persons who have had a residence in the United States continuously since such entry. are persons of good moral character and not ineligible to citizenship. In the interest of keeping families united and as a matter of trying to effect .a more feasible solution to the problem of our illegals. while studying a more permanent solution to this problem. I am introducing a bill to bring the date for making a record of lawful admission for permanent residence up to October 3. 1965. the date of the passage of the amendments to the Immigration and Nationality Act which set up the new preference visa system. While not an ideal and while far from a total or final solution to the problem of the illegal alien. this bill would enable persons of good moral character who have resided continuously in the United States from October 3. 1965 up to the date of application to make a record of lawful admission for permanent residence and who are not inadmissible under sections 212 (a) as criminals. procurers or other immoral persons. subversives. violators of the narcotic laws or smugglers of aliens. and not ineligible to citizenship. to regularize their immigration status and take their place in our society and economy. legally. without fear of deportation proceedings hanging over their heads as a threat to their security. Mr. President. I ask unanimous consent that the text of my bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for recording of admission for permanent residence in the case of certain aliens who entered the United States prior to October 3. 1965 be printed in the RECORD at this point.