Immigration into U.S. Lowest in Eighty Years, Department of Justice Reports

Immigration into the United States during the year ending June, 1943, was the lowest in eighty years, and naturalization figures were the highest since records were begun, according to the annual report which the Department of Justice today transmitted to Congress.

Only 23,775 aliens entered the United States as immigrants, with the intention of remaining permanently, the report reveals. Non-immigrant admissions totalled only 81,117, including 16,328 officials of foreign governments and their families.

Emphasizing that “the drastic decline in immigration has been accompanied by the most active period of naturalization since the inception of the departments records in 1907,” the report said that certificates of naturalization were granted to 281,459 civilians, 36,049 alien members of the armed forces stationed in the United States and outlying possessions and 1,425 members of the armed forces on foreign soil. This was an increase of 17.4 percent over last year and 109.1 percent over the average for the years of 1931-1940. Among those who acquired citizenship by naturalization were 52,274 enemy aliens whose loyalty was fully established by special investigation.

The immigration and naturalization service, according to the report, has “done everything in its power to facilitate the naturalization process, without sacrifice of the safeguards provided by law; and to stimulate the various programs of citizenship education which are desired to assist our newest citizens to understand their obligations as well as their rights.”