Evening star., 1934-07-03
Department Nullifies
immigration Statutes

To the Editor of The Star:
BY the immigration act OF 1924,
immigration into this country was
restricted and deportation OF aliens
entering in violation of law was made
mandatory. notwithstanding this
mandatory provision, however, our
Labor Department, whose duty 1t is
to inforce these laws, suspended
numerous deportation orders until
July !, and during the meantime
drafted and submitted to Congress
for it's approval set of five bills de-
signed to relax immigration restric-
ton. Exercising its right to legislate,
however, rather than to rubber stamp
bills submitted to it, Congress by a
vote OF 1876 to 92, defeated the first
of these bills coming up for considera-
ton. 1t did not consider the other
bills.
Again disregarding the mandatory
provisions of our existing immigration
and deportation statutes, our Labor
Department has further suspended
these deportation orders until Con-
gress again convenes, hoping to in
duce it to reverse itself and pass
these anti-reStriction bills.
Those familiar with our immigra-
ton history know that immigration
restriction is now one of our settled
policies; President Roosevelt in a
letter to the president of the American
Federation of Labor stated that a
relaxation of our immigration laws
during this period of unemployment
was not desirable.
There are those whose sympathieS
are touched by the enforcement of our
immigration and deportation statutes
when enforcement would result in u
separation Of families but those who
are most keenly touched are anti
restrictionists We all know that if
our Labor Department had always en-
forced these laws promptly, as they
should have been enforced, it would
have been impossible for aliens unlaw-
fully TO enter our country and remain
here in defiance of our laws long
enough to marry and raise families.
The fac5 that such cases now exiSs
where families would be separated if
aliens were oepOrted is evidence in it,
self that our Labor Department has
not been enforcing these laws promptly
as they should have been enforced.
Instead OF asking for laws which would
in effect nullfy our immigration and
deportation statutes, as the five bills
above referred to would do, our Labor
Department should ask for statutes
which would expedite the task of lden-
tifying and Immediately deporting
aliens unlawfully here.
This supine policy OF our Labor De-
partment IN the matter Of immigra-
ton enforcement works a hardship on
the American labOrer who is deprived
OF job while the alien worker Is un-
lawfully here: it works a hardship on
the family OF the American Iaborer
because the family depends upon him
Tor support: II works a hardship on
the alien and his future family. in
that it makes it possible for him to
marry and raise a family which may
be separated when a tardy Labor De-
partnIent gets around to having him
depOrted, as the department officials
are sworn TO do; and it encourages a
disreSpect for all laws. Restriction
lists and anti-restrictionists should
therefore make a concerted demand
that our Labor Department enforce
these laws promptly as they should be
enforced. II better enforcement can
not be obtained under the present set
up. they should insist that our Labor
Department be overhauled and Amer
icanized. F. WILSON.