Cross posted from Maggie’s Notebook
President Dwight Eisenhower championed legal immigration, and his benevolence toward those wanting a homeland in America is an important part of his legacy.
In a March 1960 address to Congress he said this:
The names of those who make important contributions in the fields of science, law, and almost every other field of endeavor indicate that there has been no period in which the immigrants to this country have not richly rewarded it for its liberality in receiving them.
He proposed doubling the quota of 154,000 immigrants then accepted into the U.S. He encouraged accepting larger numbers of those fleeing from oppression:
This year has been designated World Refugee Year. The United States and sixty-eight other nations have joined together in an attempt to seek permanent solutions for the problems of these peoples. Nations who in the past have granted entry to the victims of political or religious persecutions have never had cause to regret extending such asylum. These persons with their intellectual idealism and toughness will become worthwhile citizens and will keep this nation strong and respected as a contributor of thought and ideals.
He spoke of the “Liberalization of some of our existing restrictions upon immigration,
” but let’s time travel back to the early 1950’s as he geared up for his first Presidential campaign. Illegal immigration was heavy on his mind.
John Dillin, writing in first person for The Christian Science Monitor, spoke of an interview with Eisenhower’s first attorney general, Herbert Brownell Jr., years after Eisenhower left office.
America “was faced with a breakdown in law enforcement on a very large scale,” Mr. Brownell said. “When I say large scale, I mean hundreds of thousands were coming in from Mexico [every year] without restraint.”
Dillin reports that President Eisenhower had a “sense of urgency about illegal immigration” when he took office.
In 1951 Senator William Fulbright (D-AR) proposed a special Congressional commission to:
examine unethical conduct by government officials who accepted gifts and favors in exchange for special treatment of private individuals.
“General” Eisenhower responded to Fulbright with his approval of such a commission and publically quoted a New York Times article:
“The rise in illegal border-crossing by Mexican(s) [snip] to a current rate of more than 1,000,000 cases a year has been accompanied by a curious relaxation in ethical standards extending all the way from the farmer-exploiters of this contraband labor to the highest levels of the Federal Government.”
Eisenhower won the Presidency and acted quickly, according to Dillin:
As many as 3 million illegal migrants had walked and waded northward over a period of several years for jobs in California, Arizona, Texas, and points beyond.
President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of today’s force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.
Profits from illegal labor led to the kind of corruption that apparently worried Eisenhower. Joseph White, a retired 21-year veteran of the Border Patrol, says that in the early 1950s, some senior US officials overseeing immigration enforcement “had friends among the ranchers,” and agents “did not dare” arrest their illegal workers.
Officials with an agenda? Sound familiar? “So there’s nothing new under the sun ” except four very important facts:
1) In the early ’50’s, there were 3 million illegals. Today there’s 12-20 million illegals with a population of 300 million, with more flooding in each day – and they are more determined than ever to encroach, as responsible Americans hold strong for closed borders.
2) In the ’50’s, illegals were not on our welfare rolls, were not stealing our social security numbers, were not flooding our hospitals, were not flooding our schools, were not receive loans for housing, were not hanging our flag upside down with the American flag below Mexico, and they were not protected by Liberals, whether Democrat or Republican.
3) The illegal “vote” did not exist.
4) We had a President determined to close the border and rid the government of corrupt officials.
President Eisenhower cut off this illegal traffic. He did it quickly and decisively with only 1,075 United States Border Patrol agents – less than one-tenth of today’s force. The operation is still highly praised among veterans of the Border Patrol.
Eisenhower appointed a former West Point classmate and veteran of the 101st Airborne, General Joe Swing to head the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Swing swung into action and almost before the bureaucrats knew what was happening, “entrenched immigration officials” were on their way out of border areas “where their political connections” with influential Senators could no longer impede border safety.
By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and an estimated 500,000 to 700,000 illegals had left the Lone Star State voluntarily.
Mexican nationals were returned by bus or train, deep into Mexico where making it back to the U.S. border was not an easy trip. Tens of thousands…tens of thousands!
Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships…
According to Dillin, the sea journey was not pleasant. The intimation was that most of these “tens of thousands” would not want to make the same trip again. Perhaps they stayed home in Mexico.
Asserting that the United States cannot secure our borders, without accepting 12-20 million illegals via a Z-Visa, is complete political spin for the gain of the politicians casting the ‘yea’ vote.
Read how President Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore manuevered to legalize hundreds of thousands of illegals to invade our voter’s booths.
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration(CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards,
email stiknstein-at-gmail-dot-com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.
To contact your Senator, go to my sidebar at the right of this post. You’ll see a box that says “Write to Congress.” Input your zip code and it will take you to both your Representative’s and Senator’s phone, fax, street address and email.
For everything you ever wanted to know about illegal immigration, go the homepage for NumbersUSA.
You can send a free fax, without a fax machine at NumbersUSA. They will give you text for the fax, you can change it where you want to change it, or create entirely your own message.
Follow the links below to other Coalition members’ commentary and research.
Bush Calls Immigration reform Bill Amnesty Today from Freedom Fighter Radio.
The Dirty Two Dozen from Bear Creek Ledger
Fred Thompson (Uncle Fred), Nafta and the Council on Foreign Relations from Freedom Fighter Radio
Hello Americans, you are now officially obstacles from Debbie at Right Truth.
Demand Your Refund Now! from Freedom Fighter Radio
Gwinnett County Geeorgia Fights Back from GA Crime Watch
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