Bills Covering Various Phases of U.S. Immigration Introduced by Dickstein

Many phases of the problems of immigration in the United States are covered by a series of five bills, which have been introduced by Congressman Dickstein, Chairman of the House Immigration Committee. Altogether, five bills are in question. The first, a bill to legalize all persons who entered the country illegally up to July 1st, 1924, was reported out by the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization on the last day of Congress, and was passed by the Senate, but too late to get House action. A further bill aims at the reduction of the naturalization fee. In view of the present economic depression, the heavy naturalization fee may be regarded as a considerable hardship, and may even retard desirable citizens from seeking citizenship. The measure provides for a 50% reduction, and the complete exemption of all honorably discharged war veterans from all naturalization fees.

Another one of the bills introduced seeks to exempt parents of citizens from the immigration quota. This is the identical bill that was reported out in the last Congress after much difficulty and was passed by the House by a large vote. The matter was then brought before the Senate and was reported out after being subjected to a number of immigration and naturalization amendments. When the bill came back to the House for concurrence, it was too late to call a conference and straighten out certain objections made by the House. It came in during the last hour of the closing of the 72nd Congress on March 3rd. It has now been scheduled by Congressman Dickstein for the first available hearing.

The remaining two bills seek to permit families of aliens to file an appeal to Washington where a visa has been refused by the Consul, and to provide that aliens here as visitors, may be enabled to secure permanent admission without first returning to their country of origin.