SMUGGLING. In this section: (1) Methods followed by land and by sea. (2) Comparative ease of illegal entry from Mexico into California. (3) Extracts from report of United States Commissioner General dated June 30, 1919, explaining the situation on the Mexican border and probable smuggling and illegal entry. and unremitting zeal on the part of immigration officers, resulting in the arrest and deportation of large numbers of contrabands of this class and the prosecution of such of the ringleaders and coconspirators of lesser importance as could be found in the United States, have served, temporarily, at least, to check the influx. The participation in this illegal traffic of domiciled aliens, without whose assistance it could not survive, has been discouraged to a no inconsiderable degree by the prosecution instituted during the past year. It should be understood, however, that the same situation has confronted the district on previous occasions and will again arise if there is any relaxation of vigilance. In order to keep the problem in hand, a sufficient force of alert, resourceful officers must at all times be maintained. Numerous Japanese fishing boats on the Pacific Coast, operating in Mexican waters, are employed to facilitate the illegal entry of Japanese laborers. The greater number of Japanese aliens arrested on departmental warrant during the year promptly claimed that they had been in this country in excess of three years, so that the government was unable to charge them with entry without inspection or at a place other than a regular port of entry, although there was ample reason to believe, even where the suspicion was not susceptible of proof, that they had but recently come from Mexico. When it became apparent that the government, nevertheless, intended to proceed in appropriate cases on the charge that the aliens entered and were within the United States in violation of the so-called passport provisions of the immigration act, the defendants promptly set up the defense of residence in excess of five years, that period being the one beyond which deportation proceedings could not prevail. In a few instances, all other subterfuges failing, the arrested contraband set up the claim to ownership of extensive property or business interests. Investigation developed that a majority of such claims were purely fictitious. It may be added that the Japanese problem as regards illegal entries, is localized, involving as it does that portion of this district within the confines of southern California; it is one, however, that possesses possibilities of a serious nature, easily susceptible of extension to other portions of the district. The force in southern California, though efficient, is wholly inadequate to handle the situation as it should be handled, and the force in other parts of the district, at all times small in proportion to the area covered, was so greatly reduced at the close of this fiscal year as to make any transfers therefrom to southern California an impossibility without letting down completely all bars to the ingress of undesirables generally over the balance of the border. With the reduction of this force at the close of June 30, 1919, and the further reductions which, it is understood, are to be made, there will remain practically no officers available for patrol duty during the ensuing fiscal year, and consequently, it is but reasonable to expect that there will be an enormous falling off of arrests. In other words, instead of apprehending some 6000 aliens of all classes and degrees of undesirability, following surreptitious entry, it is only reasonable to assume that approximately that many, during the ensuing year, will cross the frontier with absolute impunity and merge their identity with the alien population of the country. As most of the Japanese male residents in the southern part of this state, to whom the so-called "brides" are destined, are without passports, but prove by documentary evidence a residence of over three years, it is quite evident that the intent of the "agreement," at least, is being circumvented in such cases. Another means of evasion, which is believed to be practiced to a large extent, is through the production to officials in Japan of proof of a former residence in this country (notwithstanding the illegality of such residence) entitling the claimant to the desired passport and opening the way for a progressive chain of applicants, as the parents, wives, or children of resident Japanese. Because of the racial antipathy and the nonassimilative character and prolific tendencies of this class, their increasing number on the Pacific Coast is a menace to the peace and prosperity of our citizens, and it is felt that a strict adherance to the spirit of the so-called "gentlemen's agreement" should be required. This, it would seem, can only be attained by requiring as is done in the case of Chinese residents-that Japanese returning to a former residence in this country, or seeking to bring in their parents, wives, or children, prove a lawful domicile here." A descriptive map of the Mexican border district occupied by Chinese and Japanese colonies, too large to include in report, is available at any time in the office of the Board of Control. In this section: CITIZENSHIP. (1) Status of Hindus in United States. (2) Status of Chinese, both foreign born and American born. (3) Status of Japanese in United States both as to foreign born and American born. (4) Every Japanese, wherever born, is a citizen of Japan, unless expatriated. (5) Dual citizenship of Japanese. (6) Once a Japanese, always a Japanese. (7) Obligation of American-born Japanese to give military service to Japan in event of war. (8) Statement as to Japanese citizenship in America and in Japan showing the dual allegiance, prepared and submitted by Dr. Chas. E. Martin, Lecturer on International Law, University of California, assisted by Y. S. Kuno, Instructor in Japanese, University of California, and Max E. Baugh, Graduate Student International Law, University of California. (9) Copy of Japanese law of expatriation, translated by Y. S. Kuno, Instructor in Japanese, University of California. (10) Sections of Civil Code of Japan relating to citizenship of Japanese, domestic relations in family council in Japan and the subject of guardianship. (11) Digest of citizenship of aliens prepared by Prof. John Norton Pomeroy of the University of Illinois, who is now making a Digest of Treaties for the State Department at Washington. |