Florida, Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at St. Petersburg, Florida - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
''' NARA Administrative History Note The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was established in the Department of Labor by Executive Order 6166, dated June 10, 1933. By the President's Reorganization Plan V of 1940, approved June 4, 1940, and effective JUne 14, 1940, the INS was transferred to the Department of Justice. The INS administered laws relating to the admission, exclusion, deportation, and naturalization of aliens, and investigated alleged violations of those laws. It patrolled U.S. borders to prevent unlawful entry of aliens, and supervised naturalization work in designated courts. During World War II detained alien enemies were entitled to a hearing before an Alien Enemy Hearing Board. The Attorney General had established a nationwide network of such boards, under the supervision of U.S. Attorneys. The recommendations of the Hearing Boards were forwarded to the Alien Enemy Control Unit of the Department of Justice's War Division, which reviewed the decisions and sent them to the Attorney General for determination. It was not unusual for the Attorney General to overturn the recommendations of the Hearing Board and/or the Alien Enemty Control Unit.

By the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (116 Stat. 2135), November 25, 2002, as implemented by the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan, November 25, 2002, INS was abolished, effective March 1, 2003, with the following transfers of functions: INS functions relating to the care of unaccompanied alien children, which had been performed in INS by the Office of Juvenile Affairs (functioned April 17, 2002-February 28, 2003), were transferred to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) in the Administration for Children and Families of the Department of Health and Human Services. Within ORR, those functions were vested in the Division of Unaccompanied Children's Services (DUCS). All other INS functions were transferred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS, established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002), with INS functions relating to immigration and citizenship vested in the newly established Bureau of Immigration and Citizenship Services; INS functions relating to investigations, detention and removal, and intelligence vested in the newly established Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and INS functions relating to inspection (as performed by the U.S. Border Patrol) vested in the newly established Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.

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Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in the state of Florida.
 * Beginning Research in United States Immigration and Emigration Records
 * Beginning Research in United States Naturalization Records
 * GuidedResearch:Florida
 * Florida Record Finder
 * Florida Research Tips and Strategies

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