Bill to Register Aliens in United States Introduced into House

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

Congressman Aswell of Louisiana introduced in the House a bill for the registration of aliens, in which has has changed his previous bill by eliminating the requirements of taking finger prints as part of the registration process. No other registration bill has been introduced in either the House or Senate, as far as could be ascertained.

It is possible that Congressman Aswell’s bill carries out the ideas of Secretary Davis, although Congressman Aswell would not commit himself as to this.

The chief provisions of Congressman Aswell’s bill are: Every alien shall register within the time fixed by the President in a proclamation issued after the enactment of the bill and every alien who enters the United States on or after the first day of registration shall be immediately registered in a like manner by the immigration officials at the place of entry.

Every alien shall, subsequent to the initial registration, register once each following calendar year. The bill provides that upon the initial registration each alien from the age of twenty-one, shall pay a fee of $10 and for each subsequent registration $5. For any alien between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one the fee shall be $3. There is no fee for the registration of aliens under sixteen. The fee may be deferred for such a time as the secretary may by regulation prescribe in the case of any alien who is unable to pay the fee.

Whenever any alien permanently removes from the district in which he is registered, he shall report to the post office of his district and give such information in regard to his movements as may be required by regulation. He shall also, within two days after arriving in the district to which he moves, report to the post office of that district and give such information as may be required by regulation.

The bill provides that every alien shall, on demand at any time, exhibit his certificate of identification to any agent of the Department of Justice or of the Department of Labor, to any state, territorial or local police or peace officer and to any other officer designated by the President.

Each record of registration and certificate of identification shall contain the photograph, to be of uniform size and style, prescribed by regulation, supplied by the person registered.

There shall be entered on the original and duplicate records of the registration of every alien, a report of all arrests or convictions of such alien and charges upon which such arrests were made or convictions obtained, together with the final disposition of each case, and any other information, as specified by regulation, bearing upon the fitness of such alien for citizenship.

Whenever the proprietor of any hotel, lodging house or boarding house, or an employer knows, or has reasonable cause to believe, that any person is an alien, he shall report this fact or belief and the exact time of arrival or beginning of employment to the post office or other proper authorities of the district in which he is situated. Any inspector or other person duly authorized shall have the authority to enter any place in which he knows or has reason to believe any alien is present and demand any information necessary to carry out the provisions of the act, and to arrest or detain any person who refuses entry or refuses to give such information.

Whoever fails to register will be punished by a fine of not more than $5,000 or by imprisonment for not more than two years or by both. Punishment is also provided for violations of other provisions of the act. Any alien who is sentenced to imprisonment for violation of any provision of the act shall upon the termination of his imprisonment, be immediately taken into custody and deported.

It is probable that efforts will soon be undertaken to push the bill, although no move has yet been made.