Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-16
CITIZENSHIP
THOUSANDS OF NATURALIZATION
PAPERS IN VIOLATION OF LAW.
Reports of Department Of Justice
Special Agents-Attorney General
Knox's Circular.

Special agents of the Department of JUS
tice are reporting to that department that
thousands of illegal naturalization papers
are being granted to aliens all the
country in violation of provisions of the
immigration law passed at the last session
of Congress. Just what is to be done in
the matter the department officials do not
know. The methods of the state courts
appear to be lax in many cases, and it IS
reported that in one court in Chicago
judge granted 500 naturalization papers
i'll one evening. Section 50 of the immigra-
tion act is so worded that it is felt that
several hundred thousand citizens have
beer illegally made by the courts of record
since the passage of the act in the closing
days of the last Congress. In New York
the courts have been more careful and rig
Crous than elsewhere.
The Attorney Generals Circular.
In July last Attorney General Knox en-
deavored to bring to the attention of courts
ali over the country the provisions of sec
ton 80 and to do so sent out the following
circular to court officials and governors of
states:
Department of Justice.
Washington. D. c., July "a, 1903.
The Clerk of the District Court, - Dis
ton printed copy of section 80 of the act
of Congress, approved March 3. 1893 Ito
take effect July 3. 1903, entitled "An act
to regulate the immigration of aliens into
the United States.
The law provides that all courts and tri-
unals, and all judges and officers thereof,
having jurisdiction of naturalization pro-
ceedines or duties to perform in regard
thereto shall, on the final application for
naturalization, make careful inquiry into
such matters as are expressly mentioned in
the act. and before issuing the final order
certificate of naturalization shall cause
to be entered of record the affidavit of the
applicant and of his witnesses, so far as
applicable, reclting and affirming the truth
of every material fact requisite for natural
iZatiOn. And the law further provides that
all final orders and certificates of natural
iZatiOn hereafter made shall show on their
face specifically that said affidavits were
duly made and recorded and all orders and
certificates that fail to show such facts
shall be null and void.
The attention of this department has been
called to the fact that certificate of nat
uralization issued by certain courts of the
United States fail to show on their face
that the affidavits were duly made and re-
corded required by section 80. 1t Is,
therefore, deemed proper to remind the
clerks of the district courts throughout the
United States of the provision of law above
referred to.
You are also requested to inform your
deputy, or deputies, as to the specific re-
ization. Respectfully,
P. c. KNOX, Attorney General
Provisions of Section Thirty-Nine.
The law to which the Attorney General
has called attention is as follows:
Sec. 80. That no dispersion who believes in
or who is opposed to all organized govern
ment. who is a member of affiliated
with any organization entertaining and
teaching such belief in or opposition to all
organized government, or VINO advocates or
teaches the duty, necessity or propriety
of the unlawful assaulting or killing of
any officer or officers, either of specific in
dividuals or of officers generally, of the
government of the United States or of any
other organized government. because of his
their official character who has vo-
lated any of the provisions of this act, shall
be naturaliZed or be made citizen of the
United States. All courts and tribunals and
all judges and officers thereof having juris-
diction of naturalization proceedings du-
ties to perform in regard thereto shall, on
the final application for naturalization,
make careful inquiry into such matters,
and before issuing the final order cer
tificate of naturalization cause to be en-
tered of record the affidavit of the appl-
cant and of his witnesses SO far appl
cation, reciting and affirming the truth of
every material fact requisite for naturali-
zation. All final orders and certificates of
naturalization hereafter made shall show
on their face specifically that said affidavits
ders and certificates that fail to show such
facts shall be null and void.
That any person who purpoSely procures
naturalization in violation of the provisions
of this section shall be fined not more than
5000 shall be Imprisoned not less than
nor more than ten years, or both, and
the court In which such conviction Is had
shall thereupon adjudge and declare the
order or decree and all certificates admit
ting such persons to citizenship null and
void Jurisdiction is hereby conferred on
the courts having jurisdiction of the trial
of such offense to make such adjudication.
That any person who knowingly aids ad-
vises or encourages any such person to ap-
ply for or to secure naturalization or to
file the preliminary papers declaring an in
tent to become a citizen of the United
States. or who in any naturalization pro-
ceeding knowingly procures or gives false
testimony as to any material fact or who
knowingly makes affidavit false as to
any material fact required to be proved in
such proceeding, shall be fined not more
than 5000. or imprisoned not less than one
nor more than ten years, or BOTH
The foregoing provisions concerning nat
uralization shall not be enforced until
ninety days after the approval hereof