At least 38 alleged Nazi war criminals are being allowed to remain in the United States because the U.S. Immigration Service has neglected to move against them, according to Rep. Elizabeth Holtzman (D. NY). Rep. Holtzman made the charge in testimony before a House immigration subcommittee several days ago.
She told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today that the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service had subsequently admitted to her that it had done virtually nothing over a period of nine months to institute deportation proceedings against the alleged war criminals. They have not interviewed a single witness in any of the 38 cases, Ms. Holtzman told the JTA. She said she is asking for a complete report on the status of the investigation and for a detailed timetable for action against each of the 38 persons.
Under the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Act, any alien or naturalized citizen is subject to deportation if their entry into the U.S. was based on false statements. There is no statute of limitations on deportation, Rep. Holtzman noted. She said that some of the alleged war criminals have been in the U.S. almost 25 years and that 25 of the 38 have become naturalized U.S. citizens.
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