Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-18
Doak Reports Discovery of
Racket Aimed at Foreign
erS Legally in U. S.
S0-cALLED DETECTIVE
AGENCIES ARE ACCUSED
Thousands Declared Collected From
Victims Made to Think They
Face Deportation.

What is described as a Wholesale
extortion scheme. whereby certain So
called detective agencies in New York
and elsewhere have mulcted aliens of
thousands Of dollars, was being investi-
gated today by the Labor Department
as a result of discoveries made during
its inquiries into alien smuggling rings.
Special agents Of the department.
working under Murray w. Carson.
Assistant Secretary Of Labor, unearthed
the new racketeering scheme. They
found that certain detective agencies.
claiming to have influence with immi-
grafton officers, were promising aliens
protection against deportation.
Some Of the aliens, described as hav-
ing paid the agencies fee, were found
to be legally In the United States.
DOak Issues Statement.
Discovery Of. these activities caused
Carson to hurry to Washington yes
terday from New York City for q con-
ference with Secretary Of Labor Doak.
After meeting of the two officials
today the Secretary issued the following
statement:
"It has been learned definitely that
aliens have been receiving from So
called detective agencies offers Of pro-
lection from deportation and from 9TH
er things, mostly imaginary, with which
It was said they might be threatened
In the specific cases thus far turned to
the light, the charge in each case was
SIS as an initial payment.
THE particular victims chosen for
this form Of extortion seemed to be
aliens who are legally In this country
but who are led to fear by the state
ments made to them that something
has arisen which makes their admission
illegal. This fear leads them to con-
tribute for protection.
Carson Goes 10 New York.
'sIt Is said that assurances are given
the aliens who are approached that the
persons who would protect them have
an all-cOlnpelling influence in the De-
partment OF Labor and that this infiu-
ence VIII prevent any deportation pro-
ceedingS being entered into.
Several other schemes for the mIlct-
ing Of aliens of their money heretofore
have been uncovered by the Department
Of Labor,s investigators. The detective
agency game is the last one to come to
light"
Carson left for New York iuime-
diately after today's conference It
was intimated that arrests woc.d Sol-
low shortly. Carson is said to have
come here to consult with Secretary
Doak because he wished to be Ger.
tain as to technicalities involved be-
fore swearing out warrants.
This is the third drive In the last
10 days in the Labor Departments eff
fort to break up the ring of alien
smugglers. This ring, it has been
shown, assists aliens to enter This
country Illegally, then blackmails those
whom 1t has assisted.
Aliens Are Questioned.
The Department said today that the
aliens arrested since the Government
drive began were questioned at Ellis
Island yesterday.
The purpose was to ascertain whether
they may be used as witnesses against
any of the "a men now in custody on
charges of violating the immigration
act. Should it be found necessary TO
use any of them as witnesses, the Gov
eminent will move to delay their de-
parture from the country.
Continuing the investigation into
what papers referring to racketeers
and Sn1ugglers are missing from the
Manhattan and Brooklyn Naturaliza-
ton Bureaus, department agents dis
covered yesterday that six different
sets OF papers are gone.