Rives Childs, US Consul General in Tangier, Algeria, 1944

Rives Childs, the head of the US legation in Tangier, Algeria, made connections with the Spanish authorities in Madrid and Morocco.  He persuaded Spanish authorities to issue the Jewish refugees visas and access to Spanish safe houses until they could emigrate from Algeria.  Childs worked closely with Renée Reichmann and her rescue committee and Luis Orgaz, the Spanish High Commissioner for Tangier.  Orgaz helped obtain Spanish transit visas for Jewish refugees trapped in Nazi and Arrow Cross occupied Budapest, Hungary.  As a result, the Spanish government allowed the Spanish legation to issue protective passes to Jews in Hungary.  Many other legations began issuing visas to Jews as well.