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Frances PerkinsFrances Perkins
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been extended a year and now they were to go home, but there was no home to go to. Those people and the illegal entrants were all subject to a privilege called pre-examination. Ordinarily the examination of an alien coming to this country takes place at the port of entry, and he is detained until the examination is complete - detained at Ellis Island sometimes. Because of the great hardship on people coming to the United States and then finding they weren't admissable we had tried to establish in various European ports and countries, in the American consul's office, a technique of pre-examination there. That had done a great deal to prevent hardship. A person who had tiberculosis and wasn't admissible under the law didn't even get started over. He went to the American consul's office and discovered that Johnny couldn't come in. Then the family had to recanvass the situation, deciding whether they would come without Johnny, leaving him at home, or whether they would all stay behind, or whether some of them would. It had the effect of letting the family decide beforehand. Frequently one or two members of the family would stay with Johnny and the others would come. That was just one type of problem. There were many others.

For instance, a person who had a criminal record wouldn't be admitted. If that was disclosed at the American Consul's office, they didn't get started. Lots of problems were evaded that way, although there was still always the examination in this country.





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