Department of State Message, December 12, 1956

This message was sent to all the Governors' Committee chairmen and members regarding the Refugee Relief Program. It reports that all visas available under the program for Hungarian refugees—over 6,300—have been issued within four weeks, with expedited processing and coordination from voluntary agencies. The memo highlights the growing total of issued visas and an emergency expansion of the program to admit an additional 21,500 Hungarian refugees under the Immigration and Nationality Act.