Speech #940057054

George Meany. AFLCIO chief is not afraid of their impact on our labor force. Several days ago. he reminded all of us that those who would reject the South Vietnamese and Cambodians as unwanted foreigners who would be happier somewhere else thatThe United States has had a long tradition of opening its doors to immigrants from all countries. We must not lose sight of the fact that. according to the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. there are probably as many as 1.000.000 il!egal aliens in this countrynot here lawfully and for quite different purposes than those from Southeast Asia. If this problem were corrected. we could relocate the South Vietnamese and Cambodians into 20.000 of these jotbs. and have encugh left over for about 970.C00 Americans already herea reduction in nationwide unemployment of between 1.2 to 1.5 percent. My conclusion is that these people can be fairly easily assimilated into our economythe means of mobility found most assuiing by prior immigrant groupsand into our society. And rightfully so. that they can. and that we will afford them that opportunity. Thos2 who seek refuge after a war leave with children clinging to their arms.