The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1947-03-14

IIltllCC w Clo III Va linn NONNsJ
The House Judiciary Committee
has put a stop to custom of
some twelve years standing by
which any member of Congress
has been able to halt the depor-
tation of an alien by introducing
a bill! to establish his legal entry
and residence. The same bill in
many cases was constantly re-
introduced.
Representative Earl c. Michen-
err (R) of Michigan, acting on be-
half of the House Judiciary Com
mittee of which he is chairman,
has sent Attorney General Tom
Clark letter advising him that
you may feel free to disregard
the pratice of staying deporta-
ton proceedings" unless the Com
mittee itself officially requests a
delay.
Acts After Appeal
The House Committee acted
after officials of the Naturaliza-
ton and immigration Service and
the State Department appealed to
it to relieve them of IAN en-
barrassing situation"
The officials explained that be-
cause of the courtesy" extended
to members of Congress, it has
been impossible to deport many
undesirable aliens, among them
criminals
What made the situation all the
more awkward, explained several
committee members, was that the
Naturalization and immigration
Service had no right under the
law to halt deportations as a
courtesy" to congressman. One
hundred and ten members of the
House were said to have intro
duced about 300 bills, with 36
senators contributing another 100
u. S. Loses Thousands
The House Judiciary Committee
was repeatedly informed that the
courtesy" extended to members
by the immigration and Naturali-
cation Service has cost the gov
eminent thousands of dollars.
At the present time, it was
stated, a shipload with some 25C
t. oil Of xryhnra hoUc
been arrested by the FBI for
jumping ship and were awaiting
deportation has been held in a
California harbor for weeks.
Representative Emanuel Cellei
CD of New York, ranking minor
ity committee member said iii
got to be a racket. Something
had to be done about it."
Flays Discrimination
Mike Ma ;aoka, National Legis'
lative Director. announced that he
would appe al this latest action be-
cause he feels that the private
bills for Japanese aliens subject
to deportation were introduced
not as a racket but in order tt
place possible Japanese deportees
portees. The ADO official pointed
out that for races admissible tt
the United States and eligible fol
naturalization the Attorney Gen
eral has the discretionary power
to stay their deportation in hard
ship cases but that the Attorney
General has no such powers inso
far as the Japanese are concerned
This is clearly discriminatory,
Masaoka said, land although gen
eral public bills have been intro
duced to place Japanese deportees
on the same basis as other de-
portees, until these public bill:
are passed, the introduction o.
private bills by interested con
gressmen has been the most eff
fective means of preventing tn,
deportation of Japanese aliens il
the so-called hardship anC
treaty merchant categories."
At the present time, Masaok:
disclosed that there were som'
sixty private bills in both thu
House and Senate affecting pos
sible Japanese deportees. Thes
bills affect some 100 persons, sine
many of them are for famil.