Mr. Speaker. after World War II had ended. a good many people who were prisoners in German concentration camps came to the United States. became citizens. and lived productive lives in their local communities. Many were adults when they entered the United States and are now at the age where they would like to -collect their social -security benefits but are precluded from doing so because they misstated their ages on visa applications. It was common practice for inmates of concentration camps to understate their ages since the Nazis- routinely executed those over 30. The ages that the holocaust survivors established for themselves in the camps became a part of their lives in the displaced persons camps and later on when they left Europe for the United States and other parts of the world. Instead of trying to correct their records these individuals keep on working and therefore forfeit the social security and other 1.enefits they would otherwise be entitled to. Many would like to amend their immigration records but they are afraid of repercussions. They still fear deportation or loss of citizenship and for many the risk is too great so they quietly wait. I have introduced legislation to remedy this unfortunate situation by permitting procedures for administrative correction of immigration records. The person need only apply to the Attorney General for the issuance of a corrected certificate of naturalization bearing the correct birth date. If the Attorney General determines that a corrected certificate of naturalization is in order. this document would constitute prima facie evidence of a citizens birth date and could be used for the administration of any U.S. law. Twentyeight of my colleagues .have joined with me in cosponsoring this bill. Last June.
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naturalization immigration visa deportation