Displaced Persons Act
Long title | An act to authorize for a limited period of time the admission into the United States of certain European displaced persons for permanent residence, and for other purposes |
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Enacted by | the 80th United States Congress |
Effective | June 25, 1948 |
Citations | |
Public law | 80-774 |
Statutes at Large | 62 Stat. 1009, Chapter 647 |
Codification | |
Titles amended | 50 U.S.C.: War and National Defense |
U.S.C. sections amended | Appendix - Civilian Protection from War Hazards - Admission of Displaced Persons § 1951 - 1965 |
Legislative history | |
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The Displaced Persons Act of 1948 (Pub.L. 80–774)[1] authorized for a limited period of time the admission into the United States of certain European displaced persons for permanent residence, and for other purposes after World War II.[2][3]
The United States Statutes at Large 62 Stat. 1009 was signed into law by the thirty-third President of the United States Harry Truman on June 25, 1948.[4]
Proclamations of the Act
Eligible displaced person - any displaced person or refugee as defined by Annex I of the Constitution of the International Refugee Organization.[5] A displaced person is eligible for admission to the United States given the conditions on or after September 1, 1939 and on or before December 22, 1945.
- Entered Germany, Austria, or Italy
- Resided in the American sector of Italy
- Resided in the British sector or French sector of Berlin or Vienna
- Resided in the American zone, British zone, or French zone of Germany or Austria
- A victim of persecution by the Nazi government whereas such persons were detained or obliged to flee persecution from Nazi perpetrators and subsequently returned to any of the aforementioned countries as a result of enemy action and of war circumstances.
- Native of Czechoslovakia who fled from persecution or fear of persecution from that country and any of the aforementioned countries since January 1, 1948.
Immigration visas - limitations of visa quotas for eligible displaced persons as authorized by the Act
- Immigration visas shall not exceed two hundred thousand for the first two years from the date the Act is passed by the U.S. 80th Congress.
- Two thousand visas may be issued without regard to quota limitations to eligible displaced persons as quota immigrants.
- Eligible displaced orphans may be issued special non-quota immigration visas whereby issuance shall not exceed three thousand.
Displaced Persons Commission
The Displaced Persons Commission was created with the enactment of the U.S. Senate S. 2242 bill. The Commission provided oversight of the U.S. displaced persons organization from June 25, 1948 through August 31, 1952.[6]
During the four years of the Commission legislative oversight, President Truman issued Executive Orders petitioning the Commission for investigative reports concerning the activities of the U.S. displaced persons affairs.[7][8]
References
- ↑ Sarah Starkweather. "US immigration legislation online". University of Washington, Bothell Library. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- ↑ "Displaced Persons Act (United States) (1948)". Encyclopedia of Immigration. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ "1948 Displaced Persons Act". US immigration legislation online. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ Peters, Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Harry S. Truman: "142 - Statement by the President Upon Signing the Displaced Persons Act" June 25, 1948". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ↑ "Constitution of the International Refugee Organization". The Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy. Lillian Goldman Law Library - Yale University. December 15, 1946. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
- ↑ Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Harry S. Truman: "Executive Order 10382 - Providing for the Liquidation of the Affairs of the Displaced Person's Commission" August 9, 1952". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
- ↑ Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Harry S. Truman: "Executive Order 10003 - Providing for the Investigation of and Report on Displaced Persons Seeking Admission Into the United States" October 4, 1948". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
- ↑ Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Harry S. Truman: "Executive Order 10131 - Providing for the Investigation of and Report on Displaced Pesons and Persons of German Ethnic Origin Seeking Admission Into the United States" June 16, 1950". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara. Retrieved May 20, 2013.
External links
- "Title 50, Appendix - War and National Defense" (PDF). U.S. House of Representatives - Office of the Law Revision Counsel. pp. 183–184.
- "Title 50a, Title 50, Appendix - War and National Defense - Civilian Protection from War Hazards". Cornell University.