American Jewish Congress Opposes New Restrictions on Movement of Alien Visitors

The American Jewish Congress today condemned proposed regulations placing new restrictions on the movement of foreign visitors to the United States, in a statement filed today with the Department of Justice.

The statement charged that the effect of the proposed regulations would restore the outmoded concept “that a person seeking to come to this country, either permanently or temporarily, must “be viewed with suspicion and treated as one whose ?sale purpose is to reap selfish benefits at the expense of the American people.”

The proposed regulations would require every prospective visitor to the United States to undertake in advance “that while in the United States, he will not pursue any purpose not specifically authorized by immigration officials.” Pointing out that the regulation imposed no standard of reasonableness on the possibly arbitrary determination of any particular immigration official, the American Jewish Congress statement said: “The entire tenor of all the proposed changes is to treat an alien seeking to come to this country for a temporary visit with suspicion and antipathy and indeed, consider him a quasi-criminal.”