The Justice Department indicated today its endorsement of a bill aimed at admitting 5,000 Jewish refugees from Egypt to the United States. The bill was introduced in the Senate by four Republican Senators. Previously, the Justice Department had not taken a stand favoring the measure.
At the same time, U.S. Attorney General Herbert Brownell Jr., expressed regret today over the fact that President Eisenhower’s general proposals for revising the present immigration laws, including quota changes and the admission of refugees had not yet reached the hearing stage in Congress. The proposals include a bill which would permit the annual admission of about 68,000 refugees from Communist countries.
The bill introduced by the four Senators asks that of the 68,000 refugees that could be admitted, up to 5,000 be from countries other than Communist, having in mind such refugees as the Jews fleeing Egyptian persecution. The four Senators are Clifford P. Case and H. Alexander Smith of New Jersey, Jacob K. Javits and Irving M. Ives of New York.
The State Department some time ago indicated its support of the proposed amendment. However, informed sources believe that its chances for adoption are slim. The Justice Department endorsement was made in a letter by Deputy Attorney William P. Rogers to Senator Case. Mr. Rogers said: “Our continuing study of the refugee problem has convinced us that, in order to provide sufficient flexibility to meet situations not now foreseen, the law should permit granting asylum to refugees from persecution of whatever source. The provisions of your bill would provide such flexibility.”
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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.
