Evening star., 1951-10-28
Complete Overhaul
OF U. 5. immigration
Laws Is Proposed
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rians, Arabs and Middle Eas
countries in general. It also woulc
grant preferences for "politica
and religious persecutees."
In addition to striking out dis.
examinations based on race ane
sex, the Lehman bill would estab.
lish statutory board of irnmigra.
ton, appeals. allow admission o1
reformed" Communists and Fas-
cists under clear-cut findings, ane
facilitate admission of aliens with
special skills and talents.
Would Reduce Private Bills.
The general revision bill. &C
cording to congressional sources
is to some extent a rewriting OF
those introduced in recent months
by Senator McCarran. Democrat
of Nevada, Senate Judiciary Com
mittee chairman. and Represent
ative Walter. Democrat, of Penn
sylvania, chairman of the House
Judiciary subcommittee on immi-
grafton. House and Senate sub
committees held joint hearings
last spring.
The United States immigration
system rests on enactments of
1917 and 1924, along with hun
dreds of amendments, executive
orders and administrative regu-
lations. Naturalization laws were
codifled in 1910, but have been
amended many times. There has
been no previous overall exami-
nation of the immigration laws
since 1911.
The big bill repeatedly will not
end the necessity for private bills.
but is expected to lessen the num-
ber annually sponsored in behalf
of individual aliens seeking to get
in or stay in this country.
Removal of racial barriers is in
line with trend during the last
80 years. After the Civil War per-
sons of African nativity or descent
were made eligible for citizenship.
Hawaiians became eligible in 1900,
Puerto Ricans in 1917, American
Indians in 1924. Virgin Islanders
in 1927, races indigenous to North
and South America in 1910, Chi
nese in 1943. and people from the
Philippines and India in 1946.
$4,000 japanese Affected.
The new law would open the
way for possible naturalization of
$4,000 Japanese in the United
States and Hawaii. 1t also would
set quotas for annual admission
of 1876 Japanese immigrants, and
smaller quotas for other racial
groups barred by existing law.
The bill would not lift the
154,657 ceiling" on the number
of quota immigrants admitted an
nually from other parts of the
world under a national-originsI
formula based on 1920 population
comparisons. In some instances
national quotas would be slightly
lower under simplified computa-
ton process. The minimum. how
ever, would still be 100 for each
of IS quota areas, including those
fixed for the first time in the
suggested "Asia-Pacific Triangle"
The biggest change would be
In the method of allocating quota
percentages. Present law provides
that the first so per cent OF each
quota shall be available to par
ents of United States citizens,
husbands of United States citizens
by reason of marriage after jan
uary l, 1948, and skilled agricul-
turists. The second so per cent
now is allocated for wives and
unmarried children of aliens law
fully admitted for permanent
residence. Unused portions of
those quotas are available to other
aliens. seeking entry as quota
immigrants.
The proposed law stresses
greater "Selectivity'' but plans to-
care adequately for close relatives
of United States citizens. It pro-
vides that so per cent of the quota
of each quota area shall be avail
able for immigrants. including
spouses and minor children, whose
services are determined by the
Attorney General to be especially
needed and likely to be beneficial
10 the national economy, cultural
interest or welfare of the United
States.
Safeguards for Labor.
Anticipating possible protests
by organized labor and other
groups, the bill has a proviso that
skilled or unskilled alien labor
would not be admitted if the Sec
retary of Labor finds sufficient
American workers already avail
able or that wages and working
conditions of American workers
would be adversely affected.
Another important feature of
the bill, congressional sources say,
would liberalize the admission Of
members of the clergy and re-
ligious orders. Under earlier bills,
ministers of religion were re-
moved from the non-quota immi-
grant classification. The revision
bill would restore the non-quota
classification to aliens asking to
enter the United States solely to
work as ministers of religion or
for religious denominations having
bona fide organizations in this
country
Professors and students. how
ever, are not given non-quota
status. 1t was explained that stu
dents usually are non-immigrants
because they do not intend to
remain here, and that professors
would have opportunity to enter
under the enlarged "selectivity"
section.
Exclusions Broadened.
Tho hil1,s letting of "exel1lda hle