Immigration Law: Some Refinements and New Reforms

Abstract

When John F. Kennedy became President in January, 1961, he carried with him a pledge to the American people that he would earnestly work for immigration reform and his leadership in this area was a significant contribution to the Immigration Act of 1965. His personal sympathies on this issue?stated so well in his essay, A Nation of Immigrants?were strong and clear. They reflected a deep personal conviction of the President, formed in part through the counsel given him by his grandfather, the late Representative John Francis Fitzgerald of Massachusetts. Grandfather believed that fair and just immigration policies, for the people of all nations, were very important to our country, and often expressed this to his grandchildren. During his tenure in Congress he vigorously opposed legislation intended to discriminate against Jews, Italians, and other nationals, and, as evidenced by his bill for the relief of refugees from the Boer War in South Africa, was deeply concerned with the plight of the homeless throughout the world. Because of this family association, and my own personal interest in immigration policy, I was extremely grateful for the opportunity to carry out my maiden effort in the Senate, on behalf of legislation to eliminate the national-origins quota system. On October 3, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Immigration Act of 1965. This event marked a victory for the forces of common sense and decency, and for the cumulative efforts over many years of dedicated individuals in government and throughout America's citizenry. The reform accomplished in Public Law 89-236