Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 15.djvu/37

 THE IMMIGRANTS BILL OF RIGHTS 23

ment of Commerce and Labor at Washington. The secretary may, after reviewing all the evidence, reverse the decision ren- deed at the port of arrival and permit landing. Thus aliens to the number of 1,600, debarred during the fiscal year of 1908, availed themselves of this privilege, and in about one-half the cases the appeal was sustained. Of this number two hundred and fifty were landed under bond. Some six hundred and fifty additional were also admitted on bond as provided by law in reference to certain types of medical cases. ^

One would suppose that the responsibility of the federal gov- ernment in the case of a rejected immigrant, or of an alien ordered deported, ceased at the time of his delivery aboard the vessel selected for his passage to the country whence he came. Experi- ence, however, has proved the contrary. To square the records of deportation with the modern demands of humanity it has been necessary further to protect the excluded immigrant in two direc- tions. Suitable penalties have been provided, in the first place, for the punishment of a steamship master or agent who enforces payment from a rejected alien or his relatives for the cost of the return passage;^ and in the second place special provision has been made in the cases of debarred immigrants, as well as of aliens returned within the statutory period of three years from the date of landing, whose mental or physical condition is such as to require particular care and attention on the ocean voyage. Under the existing regulations the steamship company (repre- sented during the voyage by the ship's surgeon) becomes respon- sible for this special attendance. The company is required to return a signed report showing the condition and care of the

'It may be of interest to know that during the fiscal year 1908 (ending June 30, 1908) there vrere turned back at the ports of arrival about 11,000 aliens, or 1.3 per cent, of the total number of nearly 800,000 applying for admittance. (See Annual Report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1908, pp. 14-16).

'The law specifically provides that a debarred alien, or one deported within three years from the date of landing, shall be returned at the expense of the steamship company bringing him to the United States. Occasional reports of successful attempts on the part of steamship agents or officials to secure reim- bursement for the cost of return passage called for the remedy which is now provided.