The head of the State Department’s Office of Refugee and Migration Affairs today made known that if no legislation is passed by adjournment to admit Jewish refugees from Egypt, he would urge the Department to take a stand for extension of emergency parole provisions to alleviate the plight of refugees and escapees, including those from Egypt.
Robert S. McCollum, deputy administrator in charge of refugees and migration, thought it might be viewed as hypocritical if the United States admitted Hungarian refugees in considerable numbers while excluding all refugees from Egypt.
Certain parole authority is available to the White House if Congress fails to act. Until today, the Executive Department had unanimously referred the issue to Congress.
Jewish organizations had hoped Congress would enact legislation to aid the refugees from Egypt. But Congressional sources now believe chances of action before adjournment are slim.
Mr. McCollum said his office is pushing for the desired legislation. But if it is not obtained, in his view the President might appropriately be urged to expand existing parole provisions now affording relief to certain refugees from totalitarianism.
The so-called Ives-Javits-Case amendment introduced in the Seante would provide 5,000 emergency visas annually that might be used by refugees from Egypt. This proposed amendment has Mr. McCollum’s support. However, it is thought to have little chance of adoption.
The only legislation considered possible this session would be measures approved by Rep. Francis E. Walter, Pennsylvania Democrat who is chairman of the House Immigration Subcommittee. Rep. Walter leads a bi-partisan bloc which has taken a stand for extreme immigration restrictions.
Mr. McCollum met this week to discuss the Egyptian refugee situation with representatives of the American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith, Synagogue Council of America, Jewish Labor Committee, Jewish War Veterans, and National Council of Jewish Women.
He made known his views to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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