Aliens of the classes ineligible to citizenship admitted under the immigration act of 1924, by classes, fiscal year ended June 30, 1926

With especial reference to Chinese cases the situation has somewhat clarified during the past year. During the fiscal year 1926 there was admitted to the United States a total of 8,622 Chinese aliens, as against a total of 9,551 admitted during the fiscal year 1925. These figures include 5,583 transits, 393 temporary visitors, and 1,757 resident Chinese returning from temporary visits abroad during the year 1926, as against 6,336 transits, 422 temporary visitors, and 1,975 returning resident Chinese, during the year 1925.

The largest class of Chinese admitted to this country consists of citizens of the United States, 2,396 having been admitted in the fiscal year 1926 as against 3,023 in 1925. This is a surprising condition, in view of the fact that Chinese can not be naturalized and the number of Chinese women in this country is small, so that it is physically impossible for any considerable number of Chinese to have been born here. Many, doubtless the majority, have secured admission through false testimony in courts or before the immigration officers at the ports of entry. Most of the newly arriving citizens are sons of fathers who were born in the United States.

Although it is probable that many Chinese succeed in gaining admission on fraudulent claims, the control of Chinese immigration is generally well in hand. The Chinese population of the United States is decreasing and the number who secure admission is negligible compared to the number that would undoubtedly arrive if the present restrictions were removed. The smuggling of Chinese over the land boundaries, which was a vexatious problem in the past, has been greatly reduced through the vigorous and effective campaign of the border patrol.

The problem now presented is the detection of the fraudulent cases among the applicants for admission at the ports of entry. In the cases of sons of citizens and the minor children of merchants, the question of relationship may be determined only through long, involved examinations covering family history, relationship, village life, and other matters which should be of common knowledge to the applicant and his witnesses.

MEXICAN IMMIGRATION

The total Mexican immigration to the United States during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1926, was 59,785, comprising 42,638 immigrant aliens, or newcomers for permanent residence in this country, and 17,147 nonimmigrants, aliens of the temporary class, either coming for a visit of less than a year or returning after a short absence from the United States. During the same period, 5,337 Mexican aliens left the United States, practically all going to Mexico, 3,158 being of the emigrant class and 2,179 of the nonemigrant class. The net increase contributed by Mexico to the alien population of the United States in the year just ended was 54,448. This is 9,430 more than for the preceding fiscal year 1925 when the excess of the Mexican aliens admitted over departed was 45,018.

While the real immigration of Mexicans-immigrant aliens-during the last fiscal year exceeded that of the preceding fiscal year by 10,260, or nearly 32 per cent, it was less than one-half the number of the same class admitted in the fiscal year 1924 and about two-thirds of that for the year 1923. The number of Mexican immigrant aliens admitted during these four years was 42,638 in 1926, 32,378 in 1925, 87,648 in 1924, and 62,709 in 1923.

The fundamental reason for the flow of Mexican immigrants to the United States is the same one which for nearly a century has attracted European aliens to our country-higher wages, better living conditions, more tranquillity; in short, greater opportunity. The immigration act of 1924 has curtailed the supply of common laborers, thereby increasing the demand, and the Mexican laborer, favored by the nonquota provisions of the act, is profiting by the situation thus created. Another potent factor inducing Mexican immigration is the proximity of the United States, a circumstance which makes for an especially large movement from the border States of Mexico to the United States.

The immigration statistics also show that two-thirds of the Mexican immigrants admitted during the past year were over 21 years of age, and that six-sevenths of these were males. The ratio of all minors and adult females to adult males is approximately 4 to 5. Only one person out of every four was going to join his immediate family or other relatives already established in the United States, and in addition the male married were three times the number of female married. These facts indicate that many of the Mexican wage earners are coming alone, leaving their families in Mexico.

Of the 42,638 Mexican immigrant aliens admitted in the year 1925-26, the unskilled workers predominate; 26,199 being classed as common laborers, 367 as farm laborers, and 564 as servants. The professional class numbered only 408, while 2,785 were skilled, 840 miscellaneous; and 11,475 had no occupation, including women and children. As to the sex, age, and conjugal condition of these Mexican immigrants, 33,304 were male and 9,334 female; 4,856 were under 16 years of age; 9,694 were from 16 to 21 years old, and 28,088 were adults. The male single numbered 17,974 and the female single 4,326; the male married, 14,828, and the female married, 3,948; the male widowed, 497, and female 1,049. There were 5 male and 11 female divorced.

The 59,785 Mexicans recorded in the immigration statistics as admitted during the past fiscal year do not by any means represent the alien movement over the southern land border, as during the year 6,300,000, in round numbers, or an average of over one-half million aliens a month, went back and forth over the Mexican border. The census report shows that in 1890 the foreign-born population of the United States included 77,853 persons born in Mexico. Based on this figure, at 2 per cent the annual quota for Mexico would be 1,557, if Mexico were to be limited by quota as European countries are under the present law.

During the fiscal year 1926 a total of 60,620 natives of Mexico was admitted to the United States. Practically all (98 per cent) of these were Mexicans. As approximately 96 per cent of this total were admitted as nonquota immigrants under section 4 (c) (natives of Mexico), 58,195, less the annual quota of 1,557, would have been affected had Mexico been a quota country during the past year. Undoubtedly, had the number admissible been limited by the quota, many of those who came in under section 4 (c) could have and would have been admitted under other exempt classes.

A total of 1,480 (915 male and 565 female) aliens of the Mexican race was debarred from entering the United States. The principal causes for these rejections were: Without immigration visa (726), likely to become a public charge (395), mentally or physically defective (131), unable to read (86), and criminal and immoral classes (63). In the same year, the number of Mexican aliens deported from the the United States after entering was 2,567.

According to the Fourteenth Census of the United States, the number of persons born in Mexico, who resided in the United States in 1920, was 486,418. Since then the net increase of Mexicans through immigration was 369,480, making a grand total of 855,898 Mexicans now in the United States. In view of the very considerable number of Mexican aliens presumed to be illegally in this country, it is safe to say that over a million Mexicans are in the United States at the present time and, under present laws, this number may be added to practically without limit.

THE BUREAU

It was to be expected that the administration of the immigration act of 1924 and the close cooperation necessary with the Department of State would result in a greater centralization of the immigration work. For that reason it is deemed proper at this time to speak of the duties and responsibilities which have fallen upon the bureau itself. There has been a material increase in the amount of work during the past year, as compared with previous years under the quota laws. The standard of excellence has been raised and maintained.

An interesting fact, in connection with the bureau's work, is the decrease in the number of appeals transmitted for aliens excluded at ports of entry. This is a natural result of the foreign inspection. It is observed that the appeals which do come forward are chiefly upon visa and illiteracy grounds, rather than for other causes under the 1917 act, such as diseases, physical disabilities, mental infirmities, or persons likely to become public charges, and so on. This is a commentary upon the success of the act and the foreign inspection.

The number of applications to import contract labor has increased, and there is a growing tendency to apply for permission to import unskilled labor, of which there is undoubtedly a shortage in certain sections of the country, but for the importation of which there is no authority in law. The inquiries from all classes of residents concerning immigration questions, from all points of view, have greatly increased in volume, compensating for any decrease that may be noticed in other phases of the work pertaining to the admission of aliens. The interest in the subject generally would necessarily be expected to manifest itself in this manner. This increase represents a transfer of interest, also from the ports of entry to the country of origin abroad where the alien is waiting for his immigration visa. The immigrant does not set out until he and his relatives have been advised of the prospects of admission.

While the law is being most carefully administered to prevent the entry of immigrants under the guise of visitors, there is no doubt that this exemption from the quota is being employed to secure permanent admission for those who can not obtain a place in the quota. The pressure in this direction is very great upon the consuls abroad, upon the immigration officers at ports, and upon the department.

PERMITS TO REENTER

During the fiscal year just closed, 119,254 applications were made by alien residents of the United States for permits to reenter the country after a temporary visit abroad. This is an increase of 29,254 over the preceding year, when 90,000 such applications were received. As a result of the 119,254 applications received in the past year, 104,666 return permits were issued and 6,636 were refused. The refusals were mainly for failure on the part of the applicant to establish legal entry into the United States. The number of extensions granted during the same period on permits already issued was 4,034.

There has been a marked decrease in the number of applications for permits refused during the past year compared with the number refused during the previous year, the proportion falling from 20 per cent to 5 per cent of the number applied for.

From the nature of the document issued, it is necessary that the work be kept current, and, to give an idea of the volume of work necessary in connection with issuing permits, it might be stated that over 65,000 separate pieces of correspondence were received during the past year.

As a result of the activities of the permit division of the bureau in the issuance of permits and the granting of extensions, the sum of $326,100 was turned over to the disbursing office of the department for transmission to the Treasury.

VISA PETITIONS

The section of the immigration act of 1924 providing for the filing of a petition by a citizen of the United States in behalf of a wife, and unmarried children under 18 years of age, for issuance of nonquota visas, and for preferential status in the issuance of quota visas to unmarried children over 18 and under 21 years of age, for mother,

father, or husband, resulted in 23,856 petitions being filed with the Commissioner General of Immigration during the twelve-month period, a decrease of about 3,000 as compared with the preceding year. Of this number 18,659 were approved and approximately 2,000 rejected. The petitions approved cover about 30,000 aliens.

IMMIGRANT STUDENTS

An increase of 458 is noted in the admission of nonquota immigrant students over the preceding fiscal year, which gives 1,920 admissions under section 4 (e) of the immigration act of 1924 for the twelve months, ended June 30, 1926. This makes a total admission of immigrant students for the two years of 3,382, of which 400 have completed their studies and left the country, which latter number, although a small percentage of the total admissions under this section, is not surprising, as most students come with the expectation of remaining at least for a full course of four years.

During the year 207 schools have been approved by the Secretary of Labor as institutions of learning at which nonquota immigrant students may study, making a total of 906 schools now on the list. Ninety-three applicants could not be given full approval-many of them being training schools for nurses-but have been approved in individual cases upon the recommendation of the consul to whom application for a nonquota visa has been made.

In spite of the fact that it was felt the student provision would be taken advantage of as an easy means of entering the United States with the hope of ultimately securing permanent admission, which belief was caused partly by the fact that no bonding provision existed for this class of cases, it has been necessary to issue warrants for but 64 aliens who have failed to maintain a satisfactory student status. Of this number 13 have been deported, 17 have departed voluntarily, 13 warrants were canceled, and the remaining cases have been held in abeyance for determination as to whether the alien is fulfilling the terms of his admission. It has been necessary to carry 15 of them as having disappeared without prospect of locating them.

ADMINISTRATIVE FINES

During the past fiscal year the department has rendered decisions as indicated in the statement appearing below. The total amounts shown will not correspond with the sum actually covered into the Treasury under the penal provisions of the immigration act, however, as the figures herewith include decisions up to and including the last day of the fiscal year, while the process of collection will delay the deposit of some of these fines in the Treasury until considerably after the close of the year.