Attorney General Robert Jackson today warned against creating “a refugee problem in the United States” by discrimination against aliens in employment.
In a letter to Gen. Robert E. Wood, chairman of Sears, Roebuck and Company, Jackson said: “It would create a grave national problem if the employers of this country in any great number were to decide to discriminate against the aliens who happen to be working for them because the borders of so many countries are now closed.
“It is impossible for most of the aliens who are now here to leave the United States, even if they wished to do so. Aliens are ineligible for many, if not most, forms of public relief. To deprive them of their employment, therefore, is often to deprive them and their dependents of their sole means of livelihood and to leave them helpless.”
Jackson’s statement agreed with Wood, who said he had been informed “a number of employers apparently consider it their patriotic or legal duty to discharge all alien employes simply because they are aliens.” Wood said he believed this “a most short-sighted policy and asked for the Attorney general’s views.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
