Attorney General Robert L. Jackson has recommended that the House Judiciary Committee broaden the scope of the pending “concentration camp” bill to provide a solution to all immigration and deportation problems precipitated by the war.
The Justice Department head, in a letter yesterday to Chairman Hatton Sumners (Dem,-Tex) of the Judiciary Group, made it clear the Department would oppose enactment of the bill in its present form. Sponsored by Rep. Sam Hobbs (Dem,-Ala), the measure provides for detention of all deportees until deportation can be carried out.
Admitting the almost complete collapse of the deportation system, Jackson recommended the following legislative changes.
Separation of criminal and non-criminal aliens among those awaiting deportation by an independent review board, with detention for the former and a parole system for the latter.
Cutting the number of potential deportees by granting the Justice Department authority to waive illegalities in connection with the entrance of desirable aliens. This problem is now being partially met by suspension of deportation in “hardship cases” and by pre-examination guaranteeing subsequent quota entry from nearby countries. Jackson pointed out that the Government had pledged all non-citizens voluntarily registering as aliens that “they would be fairly dealt with.”
Encouragement of citizenship on the part of immigrants by providing an illiteracy test at the time visa application is made and waiving the literary requirements for older aliens of good character. Jackson cautioned, however, against putting any pressure at this time on aliens to become citizens, pointing out that recent increases in applications had put the Naturalization Service about a year behind. He did recommend that study be made of simplification of the naturalization laws, to be put into effect when the service was caught up on its work.
Clarification of the rule regarding deportation for advocacy of the overthrow of the Government by force or violence, to designate specific organizations in order that both the courts and aliens will have “a clearer rule to live by.”
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
