San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-29
ALIENS SEEK
To HAVE j. 8.
PAY WAY HOME
Fooled in Attempt to Enter
America They Take
Another Course.
MANY ACROSS BORDER
Assembled on Mexican eide
Ready to Put Burden
on This Country.

| European aliens assembled on tn,
Mexican side OF the Rio Granlc, block
cd in the attempt to enter and re
main in the United States By legiti
mate means, are expecting to forc'
the United States government TO pay
their transportation back to thcil
native countries, according to re
liable information reaching Captain
W. VI. Hanson, inspector in charge
of the San Antonio immigration dis
trict.
This imposition upon the United
States government is possible because
the immigration laws provide for thu
deportation back to their native coun
tries of aliens who make illegal en-
try into this country. II the alien.
have lived in Mexico for two years
or more they are deported back e
that country instead of to their coun
tries of origin.
There are now assembled in thu
vicinity of Nueva Laredo. group
of - European aliens. who, accord
ing to reports reaching San Antonio
are planning to slip surrcptitiousll
into this country with the avowcl
intention of being caught by i'm
migrant inspectors. and. as a result
be given free trip back to theil
native countries in Europe. Aliei
smugglers working along the border
are well verscd in the United State
immigration laws and are reported t.
dispense information freely for none
tary consideration.
No Proof They Are From Mexico
Not only are many aliens barred
from entrance into this country be
cause the quotas of their respective
countries have been exhausted ant
will not be renewed until the begin
ming of the next fiscal year, but many
now in Mexico could not be admitted
even though their quotas were not ex
haustcyl. for the reasons that they are
without passports from their nativ,
countries, that they could not pas,
the examination. and that they have
not lived in Mexico for two years OF
more.
Aliens who have lived in Mexico
Tor the required length of time, ma!
obtain a passport from their owl
consul have it visecd by the Amer
can consul, and enter the United
States through regular channels pro
vided they can pass the examination.
to which every alien candidate fol-
entrance into this country is subject
cd. and, provided further. if tn,
quota for their respective countries i
not exhausted at the time they en-
deavor to enter the United States.
1t would be n difficult, if not i'm
possible task to devise Legislation
whereby the government could hnndl'
| European. Asiatic and African alicn
without bearing the expense of send
ing them back TO their native coun
tries. Captain Hanson believes. Wher
aliens are caught by government
agents on this side OF the Rio Grande
there is no positive proof, other thar
circumstantial evidence. that tn,
aliens came from Mexico. 1t woul,
be manifestly unfair, it was pointet
out. il European alien who hat
illegally slipped into this countr,
through a sea port or over the Cana
dian border. should be picked up IL
Texas and deported into Mexico.
Suggests Criminal Statute.
There is but one remedy for this
enormous expense to which the gov.
eminent is subjected, is the belief
Of Captain Hanson. Illegal entry
into this country could be made a
criminal offensc. Legislation to this
effect, Captain Hanson believes. would
have a Christening effect upon the
majority of aliens who are consider
ing the plan Of entering this country
surreptitiously. Under the present
immigration laws, it is no offcnse TO
cross the river.
There is doubt. however. Captain
Hanson believes, that even legislation
Of this nature would be satisfactory.
Considerable expense would be en-.
tailed in handling the aliens even
should an efficient method of hand
ling them be devised. Then. too.
there would be the possibility OF
international combinations