Immigragration was reduced to the lowest point since 1831 and deportations brought to a new peak, says Harry E. Hull, Commissioner General of Immigration, in his annual report to the Secretary of Labor, made public today. Immigration totaled 35,576 and deportations 19,426 in the last fiscal year.
A recommendation that a system of selective immigration be provided by legislation is renewed by Mr. Hull, who urges the adoption of measures to afford further safeguards for citizens and aliens legally residing in the United States.
A summary of the report issued by the Department of Labor declares in full text :
“In the annual report of the Commissioner General of Immigration, which has just been published, it is said that only 35,576 aliens were admitted to the United States for permanent residence in the fiscal year ended June 30, 1932. This is the smallest number since 1831, when 22,633 came.
“The ‘peak year’ was 1907, when 1,285,349 immigrants were admitted. The great reduction is largely attributable to an order of the administration in October, 1930, to refuse immigration visas in all but the most meritorious cases.
“Aliens to the number of 287,657 left the United States last year, but many will return when conditions improve.
“With the great decrease in applications for legal admission it might be expected that attempts at illegal entry would decrease. On the contrary the Immigration Border Patrol apprehended 22,735 aliens, an increase of 231 over last year, and 149 smugglers. Of 8,127 persons prosecuted for violation of the immigration laws, 7,368 pleaded guilty or were convicted, with 715 cases unfinished at the close of the year, and their sentences aggregated 1,662 years.
“Aliens to the number of 19,426 were deported, by far the largest number in the history of the Immigration Service. In addition 2,637 aliens were repatriated to their homes abroad. There is no way of estimating how many thousands left the country through fear of deportation.
“More than a third of the deportations were to Europe.
“The Commissioner General recommends further changes to simplify procedure, eliminate hardships, and still further safeguard citizens and legally resident aliens. The present statutes have accumulated piecemeal since 1882 and consequently are unduly intricate. Codification into one statute would immensely facilitate administration.
“Provision should be made for selecting such immigrants as we need, instead of taking them as they come. The Secretary of Labor should be given broader powers to admit individual aliens when such action would be beneficial to the country or would avoid great hardship.”
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