Frances Perkins and her fight to save refugees during World War II

Frances Perkins battled U.S. immigration policies to rescue Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany.

United States Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins sits at her desk, circa 1940. Photo by Bettmann/Getty Images

By Hayu Andini and Clarisa Sendy

Dear Miss Perkins: A Story of Frances Perkinss Efforts to Aid Refugees from Nazi Germany, by Rebecca Brenner Graham

Frances Perkins, the first woman to serve in a U.S. presidential cabinet, left a lasting legacy as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s labor secretary. Her contributions shaped modern labor rights, including the 40-hour workweek, Social Security, and unemployment insurance. However, her efforts to rescue Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany remain one of the most overlooked aspects of her tenure. Between 1933 and 1945, Perkins waged a relentless battle against America’s restrictive immigration policies, pushing for a more humane approach to asylum seekers.

While Perkins was instrumental in shaping Roosevelt’s domestic policies, she often clashed with other branches of government over immigration. Her progressive stance put her at odds with the State Department and Congress, both of which were resistant to admitting refugees, particularly Jewish asylum seekers. Historian Rebecca Brenner Graham’s book Dear Miss Perkins sheds light on this chapter of Perkins’s life, detailing her struggle to navigate an anti-immigrant political landscape while staying true to her moral convictions.

Transforming immigration policies

When Roosevelt appointed Perkins as labor secretary in 1933, she inherited responsibility for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). At the time, U.S. immigration policy was designed to restrict entry rather than welcome newcomers. Perkins sought to overhaul the system, shifting it from an enforcement agency into one that supported immigrants. To achieve this, she dismissed over 500 employees who opposed her reforms and partnered with INS Commissioner Daniel MacCormack to implement policies that reflected her humanitarian values.

Perkins faced resistance from a deeply entrenched system. U.S. immigration laws, including the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, the 1917 Immigration Act, and the 1924 National Origins Act, had been designed to limit immigration, particularly from non-European countries. These restrictions made it nearly impossible for German Jews fleeing Nazi persecution to find refuge in the United States. The State Department, led by officials hostile to immigration, actively blocked many asylum seekers by claiming they would become a financial burden on the country.

Fighting for Jewish refugees

As antisemitic violence escalated in Germany, Jewish leaders in the U.S. sought ways to bring refugees to safety. Perkins quickly identified financial concerns as a major barrier to immigration and introduced the concept of charge bonds—requiring immigrants to provide a financial guarantee before arriving in the U.S. This measure helped bypass the argument that refugees would become a “public charge.” However, bureaucratic hurdles remained, and only a limited number of Jewish immigrants were granted entry.

Another major challenge arose when advocates attempted to bring Jewish children to the U.S. Between 1934 and 1941, Perkins worked alongside the Labor Department’s Children’s Bureau and the German-Jewish Children’s Aid Inc. to facilitate the arrival of 597 German-Jewish children. However, fierce public opposition and government resistance severely limited the scope of the program. Unlike the Kindertransport initiative in Britain, which rescued thousands of Jewish children, the U.S. program was constrained by political and cultural hostility toward immigration.

Political backlash and personal attacks

Perkins’s humanitarian efforts made her a target for political attacks. In 1939, members of Congress sought to impeach her for refusing to deport Harry Bridges, an Australian labor activist accused of communist ties. The campaign against Perkins was fueled by xenophobia and anticommunist sentiment. She received hate mail, with one letter branding her a “low-down, child-murderess.” Although the impeachment attempt ultimately failed, it weakened Perkins’s influence in the Roosevelt administration.

Despite this setback, Perkins remained committed to improving working conditions and advocating for displaced refugees. She found alternative ways to assist asylum seekers, such as expediting temporary visas and securing extensions for those already in the country. She also supported an ambitious plan to establish a Jewish refugee settlement in Alaska, a proposal that was ultimately rejected by Congress.

A lasting impact on immigration and labor rights

Perkins’s dedication to refugee protection foreshadowed later shifts in U.S. immigration policy. Though she was unable to secure large-scale reform during her tenure, her work laid the groundwork for future humanitarian initiatives. She demonstrated that government policies could be used to protect the vulnerable rather than exclude them.

Historian Rebecca Brenner Graham describes Perkins as a woman of “diligence, empathy, integrity, and selflessness.” While her contributions to labor rights are well documented, her fight for Jewish refugees highlights another facet of her legacy—one that remains relevant in today’s debates over immigration policy. Perkins’s story serves as a reminder that progress often requires persistence, courage, and an unwavering commitment to justice.

Her work in shaping Social Security and labor laws changed the fabric of American society. Yet, her battle to help those fleeing persecution stands as a testament to her enduring belief in the dignity and rights of all people.

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