New regulations designed to modify existing immigration restrictions and increase the opportunities of political and religious refugees for seeking asylum in the United States are being drafted by the Department of Labor under the direction of Secretary of Labor Perkins, it was learned today.
One of the objects of the new regulations will make it legally impossible for consular officers to refuse a visa to an alien on the ground that he is likely to become a public charge, after the Secretary of Labor has accepted in advance of the alien’s arrival here a public charge bond authorized by Section 21 of the immigration act of 1917. It is contemplated in the proposed regulations to allow the consular officer to refuse a visa to an alien if he has other reasons than the possibility of becoming a public charge for considering the alien inadmissible.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS INVOLVED
Work in drafting the new regulations was started early in the year by Secretary Perkins after an opinion concerning important legal questions involved was given her by Attorney General Cummings. The new regulations are expected to be prepared within the next few weeks and are to be submitted to the State Department. They will relate to certain provisions of the immigration acts of 1917 and 1924.
According to Attorney General Cummings, the Secretary of Labor is authorized to accept a public charge bond, provided for in the immigration act of 1917, from an alien in advance of his arrival here. He has also ruled that the Secretary of Labor is not required to consider applications for admission on a public charge bond in the chronological order in which the applications are filed.
Under these rulings, it is expected that the new regulations, when issued, will give more consideration to applicants for admission from countries where political and religious persecution is active.
This will make possible, it is believed, the extension of greater relief and asylum to Jews and Gentiles suffering persecution, especially those from Germany.
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