(The information referred to follows:) Refugee relief-Summary of requirements, fiscal year 1956 The Refugee Relief Act of 1953 (Public Law 203, 83d Cong), which became effective August 7, 1953, provides for a maximum issuance of 209,000 special nonquota immigrant visas to certain refugees, escapees, German expellees, Italian, Greek, and Dutch second, third, and fourth preference cases (as specified in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of section 203 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act) and orphans, and for the adjustment of the immigration status of a maximum of 5,000 persons who lawfully entered the United States as bona fide nonimmigrants, except for certain specified categories of cases. Visas may be issued pursuant to the provisions of this act through December 31, 1956. Those who qualify for visas and for admission into the United States under the provisions of this act also must qualify under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act and other immigration laws that are not inconsistent with this act. Principle requirements of the Refugee Relief Act include a thorough security investigation of each applicant and a guaranty from a sponsor in the United States that housing and employment will be provided without displacing an American citizen. In addition, participating countries under the act must agree to take back any immigrant who secured his visa through fraud. An amendment (Public Law 751, 83d Cong.) to the Refugee Relief Act of 1953 extends the scope of the preference-relative program in Italy, Greece, and the Netherlands by making the 45,000 refugee visas in Italy, the 15,000 refugee visas in Greece and the 15,000 refugee visas in the Netherlands available to the preference relatives as well as to the refugees in these countries. Any person in these countries who now qualifies under the preferences specified in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of section 203 (a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act henceforth will not require the same type of assurance of employment, housing and support previously specified but in lieu of this will require a modified guaranty in the form of a certificate to be signed by a sponsor in the United States. The enactment of this amendment will facilitate both the investigations and the issuance of visas to a maximum of 75,000 persons because of relative sponsorship. Present plans for the completion of the program under the Refugee Relief Act call for the issuance of approximately 47,000 visas during the current fiscal year, 130,000 in fiscal year 1956 and 26,500 during the first half of fiscal year 1957. This timetable of operations is based on completing the program by September 30, 1956, instead of December 31, 1956, to allow ample time for unforeseen contingencies in closing the program. 1 Also Turkey, Sweden, Iran, and Trieste. 1954 1955 1956 1957 Total 4, 200 21,000 30,000 4,800 60,000 4,000 10,000 2,940 17,000 500 1,270 230 2,000 12,500 17,000 2,000 10,000 Figure may be subject to minor revision, official records show a total issuance of 5,633 through July 2, 1954. Estimate on Apr. 15 revised to 32,000 to 35,000. The general process for the issuance of visas under the act involves the submission of an assurance by a sponsor (as stated, refugees covered by the amendment described above requires certificates by relatives),. verifying the authenticity and bona fides of assurances, determining the prima facie eligibility of applicants, investigating applicants, preparing written reports regarding the applicant's character, reputation, mental and physical health, history and eligibility under the act, and otherwise processing the cases as required under the usual visa procedures and in accordance with the general immigration laws and objectives. There are six departments of the Government involved in the implementation of this program, namely, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, the Department of the Army, the Department of Labor, and the Treasury Department. In each case, these Departments perform activities required in the administration of this act that are functionally and substantively within their normal jurisdiction. The Department of State performs those operations involved in the issuance of visas, including security investigations in areas other than those covered by the Department of the Army, and has responsibility for the policy programing direction and coordination of the program. The Immigration and Naturalization Service of the Department of Justice performs those operations involved in determining admissibility into the United States and adjusting immigration status under the act. The Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare conducts medical examinations of visa applicants abroad. The Counter Intelligence Corps of the Department of the Army conducts security investigations of visa applicants in the areas of Germany and Austria in which they presently operate. The Bureau of Employment Security of the Department of Labor performs those operations involved in assuring that aliens admitted in the United States under this act will be suitably employed without displacing some other person from employment. Finally, the Department of the Treasury performs those operations involved in making loans to public or private agencies of the United States for the purpose of financing the transportation from ports of entry within the United States to places of their resettlement of persons receiving immigrant visas under this act. This estimate includes the program requirements for funds for all of the aforementioned agencies. Policy and program arrangements have been made with each agency by the Administrator and coordinated operational plans have been made among the various agencies. Thus, correlated regulations, procedures, and forms have been devised to meet the needs of all the participating agencies. Also, the master plan of operations has been phased to accommodate the operational needs of each agency and its activity. Each Department of the Government participating in the program operates under its own procedures. The Department of State, however, provides certain administrative facilities abroad for those participating agencies where it would have cost more for them to provide these facilities separately. |