Feb 25 1943 The USA Restricts Entry of Jewish Refugees

 ‘Since the entry of the United States into the War there have been no new restrictions placed by the Government of the United States upon the number of aliens of any nationality permitted to proceed to this country under existing laws, except for the more intensive examination of aliens required for security reasons.’

The exception ‘for security reason’ mentioned in this note is the joker. Under the pretext of security reasons so many difficulties have been placed in the way of refugees obtaining visas that it is no wonder that the admission of refugees to this country does not come anywhere near the quota, despite long’s statement designed to create the impression to the contrary. The following administrative restrictions which have been applied to the issuance of visas since the beginning of the war are typical.

(a) Many applications for visas have been denied on the grounds that the applications have close relatives in Axis controlled Europe. The theory of this is that the enemy would be able to put pressure on the applicant as a result of the fact that the enemy has the power of life or death over his immediate family.

(b) Another restriction greatly increases the red tape and delay involved in getting the visa and requires among other things two affidavits of support and sponsorship to be furnished with each application for a visa. To each affidavit of support and sponsorship there must be attached two letters of reference from two reputable American citizens.

IF ANYONE WERE TO ATTEMPT TO WORK OUT A SET OF RESTRICTIONS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO PREVENT JEWISH REFUGEES FROM ENTERING THIS COUNTRY IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONCEIVE OF HOW MORE EFFECTIVE RESTRICTIONS COULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSED THAN HAVE ALREADY BEEN IMPOSED ON GROUNDS OF ‘SECURITY’.

It is obvious of course that these restrictions are not essential for security reasons. Thus refugees upon arriving in this country could be placed in internment camps similar to those used for the Japanese on the West Coast and released only after a satisfactory investigation. Furthermore, even if we took these refugees and treated then as prisoners of war it would be better than letting them die.

Source: Jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/Treasrep.html; pbs.org/wgbh/amex/holocaust/filmmore/reference/primary/somereport.html