Mr. Dulles. I assume that that was motivated probably in one of the letters from the Texas immigration office to the Department of Justice or the Immigration Service here.
Mr. Coleman. Yes; well what happened, the record was referred to the immigration field officer in Texas, and the record was the history of the fact that Oswald had defected or attempted to defect, and the statements he had made. So they, therefore, made the determination on the field level that they would not waive the sanction.
Mr. Chayes. That is right. The sanction was waived only after urging from the Department.
Mr. Dulles. Yes, that appears in this Commission Exhibit, this document that I have referred to. But we do not have in our files the letter of the Texas immigration authorities first refusing as far as I know.
Mr. Coleman. We will have that. That testimony will be put in through Miss James and Miss Waterman.
Mr. Dulles. They have that. All right, if they supply that, that will be adequate.
Mr. Coleman. So I take it that, in your judgment after reviewing the file, you think that the waiver should have been granted?
Mr. Chayes. Well, I think there that it was not an improper exercise of discretion. That is correct.
Mr. Coleman. Just one other question. Is there any policy in the Department to delay the acceptance of attempted renunciation of citizenship?
Mr. Chayes. Well, delay, I don't know that there is a stated policy that you put the person off. The general policy of the Department is first I think to discourage renunciations, to make it clear that the person has a right to renounce, but nonetheless to discourage them.