Speech #1100201391

The cohesive Portuguese communities already present in the United States at the time rallied behind the victims of this volcano. and unified into a great movement that called for special quotas to allow these victims into the United States. In 1958. in great part resulting from these efforts. Senator John Pastore from Rhode Island introduced S. 3942. the Azorean Refugee Act. This bill proposed the issuance of 1.500 nonquota visas to the Faial victims. providing relief in face of such devastating tragedy. Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy cosponsored this bill. and along with Senator Pastore. became one of the leading proponents of this legislation. Their efforts finally materialized on August 18. 1958. when the Azorean Refugee Act was finally signed into law. becoming Public Law 85892. By November of 1959. the 1.500 special quota visas allowed by the Azorean Refugee Act had already been issued. with more than 3.000 persons from Faial having already immigrated to United States. With the rippling effects of the Capelinhos volcano still being felt in the Azores. the number of visas was elevated to 2.000 in 1960. and then in 1961. a new law permitted the entrance for 2.500 additional Azorean refugees. In total. more then 5.000 visas were issued. effectively shifting the formerly restrictive immigration laws of our country. The Portuguese communitys push to liberalize our immigration policies transformed this Act into one of the most important special laws in our history. In this sense. it was the most important contribution of the PortugueseAmerican community to the eventual reform of American immigration policy in 1965. As a direct result of the Azorean Refugee Act. the United States Government began to liberalize its immigration laws. and around 25.000 Portuguese citizens eventually immigrated to this country. This law revitalized the long history of Portuguese immigration to the United States. and once again. allowed our great Nation to benefit from the many qualities these people had to offer. The immigrants arriving from the Azores reached the shores of the United States as manual laborers. and without much proper education they relied solely on the fruits of their hard work to earn their living. Portuguese immigrants distinguished themselves in farming. fishing. and other trades. and built for this Nation a solid foundation of honesty and pride in their work. Subsequent generations have rested upon this heritage to succeed in our society. with a great many PortugueseAmerican communities producing professors. lawyers. physicians. judges. politicians and other leading figures of our society. Fifty years later. the admirable successes of PortugueseAmerican communities throughout California. New England. and elsewhere are a testament to their remarkable work ethic and integrity. which truly inspire us all. Their story is one of sweat. toils. and struggles before a new land. and in itself reflects the very spirit o$ this nation. For all of that. this resolution recognizes the great importance. of the Azorean Refugee Act. and the vast contributions made by these Azorean communities. who truly turned tragedy into triumph. Let us never forget that Americas strength rests on the inclusion of people from all parts of the world and in the generosity that flows from our ideals of life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness.