Definite liberalization of immigration requirements to enable the admission here of numbers of refugees from Germany under the regular immigration quota, was seen here today as government departments moved to expedite formalities involved.
While the State Department and consular officers are taking a liberal attitude toward granting admission to this country of refugees from Germany and definite liberalization of immigration requirements will have to be enacted into law by Congress, it was said at the State Department today that consular officials in Germany have been instructed to give refugees who desire to come to this country every consideration.
The Department of Labor has made arrangements to accept bonds in advance in order that immigrants may meet the public charge requirements of the immigration laws, inquiry at the department revealed. This procedure is in accordance with the ruling of Attorney General Homer Cummings to the effect that friends or relatives of German citizens may post bonds with the immigration authorities assuring that the prospective immigrants will not become public charges. This forestalls action by consuls abroad in rejecting applicants for visas on the ground that they might become public charges.
It was pointed out at the State Department that there have been no changes in the immigration rules and no changes are pending. All immigrants are being admitted on the regular quota basis. The German quota of 25,957 is far from being filled, visas for less than ten percent of the quota total having been issued annually since 1930.
Neither the State Department nor the Department of Labor have the power to raise this quota, which can only be done by act of Congress, but they can provide for the issuance of visas for the full quota amount.
WILL EXTEND POLICY
Regulations now in process of formulation at the Department of Labor will further extend the policy followed by American consulates in Germany during the past few months, of facilitating immigration,
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