House Committee Begins Considfration of Bills to Unite Separated Famillies

Plan to Enlarge Preferential Class Within Quota (Jewish Daily Bulletin)

Consideration of the proposed legislation to unite the separated families of aliens in the United States was begun yesterday in the House Immigration Committee.

Instead of considering the numerous bills which have been introduced, providing for the exemption from the quota of the wives and children of declarants, the Committee decided to start its discussions on the bill recently introduced by Congressman Jenkins of Ohio which merely provides that the fifty percent preference now given within the quota to unmarried children under twenty-one, parents and husbands of American citizens shall be enlarged so as to include the wives and children under twenty-one of aliens lawfully admired to the United States.

The bill would authorize the President to devote ninety percent of the quota to relatives, instead of fifty percent as at present, reducing the fifty percent now held by agriculturists to ten percent. Under this enlarged proportion granted to relatives, however, preference would in turn be granted to children eighteen to twenty-one and the husbands of citizens, over parents of citizens, and to the latter over the wives and children under twenty-one of aliens, so that the number admissable would not be greatly increased in any event. The Jenkins bill would not afford very substantial relief. It is understood, however, that the general attitude of the committee is to grant some from of relief.

No definite decision was reached yesterday and the discussions will continue. It is hoped that before the committee finishes its deliberations, it will at least coincide with the Senate committee which has already favorably reported a bill granting exemption from the quota to wives and children under eighteen of declarants.