Speech #1020021496

Speaker. I am pleased to recognize the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service [INS] on their centennial. For over 100 years. this agency has helped process millions of Immigrants who came to our shores to find a better way of life. The United States has become what noted author Ben Wattenberg has called the first universal nation because we admit more legal immigrants each year than all the other countries in the world combined. As one who sought political refuge in this wonderful country. I truly believe that America Is the only nation where you will find such a broad range of races. nationalities and cultures from every comer of the earth united by their desire to live and prosper under freedom. The INS was created by a second general immigration law adopted in March. 1891. That law provided for medical inspection of all arriving immigrants. It also barred entry of paupers. polygamists. and those suffering from certain diseases. This replaced the first general immigration law passed in 1882 which had required a head tax of 50 cents for each immigrant. Immigration to the United States mushroomed after 1880. Between 1881 and 1920. 23/2 million immigrants were admitted for permanent residencewith over 90 percent coming from Europe. This was the great age of immigration to the United States before laws placing the first limits on immigrants were passed in the 1920s. Since that time. the immigration laws have been broadened to insure that immigrants from all over the world would be treated equally. Exceptions were also made for political refugees and other special cases such as war orphans. war brides and displaced persons. Miami has been a leading port of entry for those coming to our Nation since 1960. The mass exodus of refugees from Cuba beginning in 1959 helped make Miami one of the biggest INS offices in the Nation. The Miami INS district now has over 1.000 employees in 27 offices throughout Florida and the Bahamas. I wish to recognize Miami INS District Director Richard B. Smith. Associate District Director George Waldrup. Head of Naturalization Elaine Watson. Johnnie Fripp. Cheryl Phillips.