Throughout the United States, and many other places around the world, the name Donald Trump is easily recognizable. Trump, who is running in the 2016 presidential campaign, is famous for his desired immigration policy. Some people, mostly Republicans, support his view on immigration on the method in which way unauthorized immigrants should be dealt with. Others, mostly Democrats, believe he is wrong and unjust. Immigration policy has come to even more people’s attention lately because of its potential future if Trump is president. Throughout history, however, immigration has always been a conflict in the United States. For example, in 1795, the Naturalization Act allowed only free white people who had lived in the United States for over five …show more content…
As years went by, citizenship status began being more inclusive, yet some anti-immigrant movements would take place, such as the Oriental Exclusion Act (Mears). This act prohibited most people in Asia from migrating to the United States: “foreign-born wives and children of U.S. citizens of Chinese ancestry...as well as actual family immigration” was not allowed (Mears). Since the Oriental Exclusion Act restricted only families in Asia from migrating to the United States, many employers took to hiring people in Mexico and Central American countries as a source of cheap labor, which is one of the reasons as to why today there is a large group of Mexican immigrants living in the United States. Today, this immigration group is now being targeted, as can be seen through the presidential campaign of Donald …show more content…
State governments have the power to regulate the education, employment, health, law enforcement, public benefits, and driver’s licenses for the unauthorized immigrants living in each state (Morse, et. al.). However, the states are not allowed to pass laws that will violate the civil rights of the people living in that state; the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment “prohibits states from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws” (“Equal Protection”). This clause prevents people from being denied the right of a law that is granted to everyone else. In the case of immigration, there are laws passed that specifically apply to unauthorized immigrants. However, there are other laws, such as in the case of Plyler v. Doe, where a state’s law that is supposed to apply to everyone, gets neglected from immigrants. In this case, the restriction placed on immigrants and their right to attend a public school without documents proving their authorization in this country is in violation of the Equal Protection Clause; thus, the Supreme Court declared “states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education on account of their immigration status” (“Public Education for Immigrant Students: States Challenge
One particular ethnic group that suffered severe discrimination was the Chinese people. They first came to America for several reasons. One of them was the gold rush in California in 1849, in which they were included in a group of immigrants called the “Forty-Niners” (179). From gold mining, they switched to other jobs with resulted in the rise of anti-Chinese sentiments. People felt that Chinese people were taking the jobs away from them, because Chinese people worked for much smaller salaries that businesses preferred. This mindset gave way to the creation of The Chinese Exclusion Act passed in 1882, which prohibits more Chinese immigrants from coming to America. In addition, the act states “no State or court of the United States shall admit Chinese to citizenship”. Like the Naturalization Act, the Chinese Exclusion Act was created to hinder Chinese people from becoming citizens so that America could remain homogenously white (186). It also aimed to stop Chinese people from establishing a bigger community in the country in hopes of eliminating the threat of competition to their white counterparts (186). Like African-Americans, Chinese people were considered racially inferior and have struggled to prove that they were worthy to be called true Americans, rather than
1. Our great country was founded upon a high set of principles, values, and laws. Many of these are easily seen when looking at the United States constitution. The first ten amendments are what is commonly known as the Bill of Rights. This is good and all, but until the fourteenth amendment was passed, the Bill of Rights only was applied to the Federal government. The 14th amendment has a clause that says, "no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States." The Supreme Court ruled against “Total Incorporation”, but instead ruled in favor of “Selective Incorporation”. This meaning that the Supreme Court would define the constitutionality of the treatment of a citizen by the state.
Daniel, Roger is a highly respected author and professor who has majored in the study of immigration in history and more specifically the progressive ear. He’s written remarkable works over the history of immigration in America, in his book Not like Us he opens a lenses about the hostile and violent conditions immigrants faced in the 1890’s through the 1924’s. Emphasizing that during the progressive area many immigrants felt as they were living in a regressing period of their life. While diversity of ethnicity and race gradually grew during this time it also sparked as a trigger for whites creating the flare up of nativism. Daniel’s underlines the different types of racial and ethnical discrimination that was given to individual immigrant
Immigration has existed around the world for centuries, decades, and included hundreds of cultures. Tired of poverty, a lack of opportunities, unequal treatment, political corruption, and lacking any choice, many decided to emigrate from their country of birth to seek new opportunities and a new and better life in another country, to settle a future for their families, to work hard and earn a place in life. As the nation of the opportunities, land of the dreams, and because of its foundation of a better, more equal world for all, the United States of America has been a point of hope for many of those people. A lot of nationals around the world have ended their research for a place to call home in the United States of America. By analyzing primary sources and the secondary sources to back up the information, one could find out about what Chinese, Italians, Swedish, and Vietnamese immigrants have experienced in the United States in different time periods from 1865 to 1990.
According to Lee, Erika, and Reason (2016), “The Chinese Exclusion Act ...barred Chinese laborers for a period of 10 years and allowed entry only to certain exempt classes (students, teachers, travelers, merchants, and diplomats” (p. 4). The Chinese immigrants were excluded from certain rules and laws like Blacks and other minority groups. Also, they were not permitted to request citizenship or settle in the United States. For decades, the Chinese laborers did not have legal rights to enter into the United States until the decision was overturned. Lee, Erika, and Reason noted, “Chinese activist turned their attention to opening up additional immigration categories within the confines of the restrictions…some 300,000 Chinese were admitted into the United States as returning residents and citizens” (p. 4). The activists fought for the rights of the Chinese people to overturn the decision for leaving and entering as pleased to the United
-Despite the already severe legal and social restrictions on Asian immigration, some European Americans felt that immigration should be forbidden altogether with a specific Asian Exclusion Act. In arguments which seem familiar to modern followers of the immigration debate, Asians were accused of taking white jobs and causing social
Starting in the late nineteenth century until the end of World War II, the immigration policy in the United States experienced dramatic changes that altered the pace of immigration. High rates of immigration sparked adverse emotions and encouraged restrictive legislation and numerous bills in Congress advocated the suspension of immigration and the deportation of non-Americans (Wisconsin Historical Society). Mexican American history was shaped by several bills in Congress and efforts to deport all non-Americans from the United States. The United States was home to several Spanish-origin groups, prior to the Declaration of Independence. The term “Mexican American” was a label used to describe a number of Hispanic American groups that were diverse and distinct from each other (Healey). Between 1910 and 1930, Mexican’s immigrated to the Southwest regions of the United States and began to work as low paid, unskilled physical laborers. Mexican immigrants took jobs as migratory laborers or seasonal workers in mines or on commercial farms and ranches. These jobs resulted in isolation and physical immobility with little opportunity for economic success (Mitz). Mexican Americans were not alone in their struggle to adapt to mainstream America and fight racial discrimination in education, jobs, wages and politics.
The United States is in the midst of a major debate over immigrants and their place in our economic and political life. As during other times in our history, immigrants, are being blamed for causing or contributing to the social, economic and political ills of our society. Politicians from both major parties, at both the national and state levels, are promoting a range of punitive legislative proposals that single out immigrants for adverse treatment by the government. Many violate basic civil liberties principles.
This book serves as the best source of answers to those interested in questions about the origin of ethnicity and race in America. Impossible subjects is divided into seven chapters, and the first two talk about the action and practices that led to restriction, exclusion and deportation. It majorly traces back experiences of four immigrant groups which included the Filipino, Japanese, Chinese and Mexican. Ngai talks of the exclusion practices which prevented Asian entry into America and full expression of their citizenship in America. Although the American sought means of educating the Asians, they still faced the exclusion policies (Mae Ngai 18). All Asians were viewed as aliens and even those who were citizens of the USA by birth were seen as foreign due to the dominant American culture (Mae Ngai 8). Unlike the Asians, Mexicans were racially eligible to citizenship in the USA because of their language and religion. However, she argues that Mexicans still faced discrimination in the fact that entry requirements such as visa fee, tax and hygiene inspection were made so difficult for them, which prompted many Mexicans to enter into the USA illegally. Tens and thousands of Mexicans later entered into America legally and illegally to seek for employment but were seen as seasonal labor and were never encouraged to pursue American
Historical Background: Colonial America and The United States that followed were created by repeated waves of immigration. Those immigrants came from every part of the globe, but particularly from England, France, Germany, and Western Europe. The descendants of this first wave of immigrants would view later immigrants from Italy, Poland, and Russia with a great deal of suspicion and uncertainty. This is not surprising as our country’s uncertainty about immigrants is reflected in our policies. For instance, there were no numerical restrictions or central regulation on immigration until one hundred years after our nation’s founding. When they were finally introduced they were created with bias against would be immigrants from certain countries. Among the first on that list were Chinese laborers followed by immigrants from the Asian Pacific (Ewing, 2012). These restrictions were first adopted in 1921, and were in favor of European immigrants. They would later be followed by national quotas that placed restrictions on immigrants based on existing proportions of the population. A shortage in laborers brought on by World War II would result in lifting those restrictions. This eventually led to a growth in immigration and a change in the origin of those arriving from Europe to Latin America and Asia. As the number immigrants from these countries began to grow, so did the concern about the number of them who were illegal (Ewing, 2012). Resulting policies issued to address those concerns would arguably lead to a resurgence of the problem that they were intended to correct.
The arrival of immigrants to the United States is often associated with fear. Immigrants are vulnerable to attacks if they are cast as threats to the way of American life. A deeper look into immigration policies reveals that immigrant restrictions are seated in racialized notions. Immigrants before the founding of the nation came for the opportunities of a better life. The immigrants who would continue to come thereafter came for much the same reasons. But government policies demonstrate repeated attempts to block the immigration of undesirable immigrant communities.
Have you ever wondered why Donald Trump’s rallies are so popular amongst young adults? They can be hard to distinguish from a WWF event, with row upon row of folks screaming and carrying on. There must be a draw, as this demographic is clearly riled up and fired up over something. That something is anger. Young adults are angry, especially the ones called “The Millennials,” and Donald Trump 's message speaks to their anger and frustration. They are angry because, for them, life is just not fair. It doesn’t matter that they have degrees or come from good homes; at the end of the day they are still debt-strapped, overworked and underpaid. They are working hard and putting in long hours, yet they can hardly afford a roof over their
Immigration has been a controversial topic for over the past centuries. However, along with the election of a new president. the public has also created a fight to overcome the challenges the government has thrown to those undocumented immigrants. Immigration can be described as a person relocating to a new place and settling in a form of advancement. While there are benefits to having immigration, people do not always view the positive side for both parties. Native people often view immigration as a threat to their country by arguing about the lack of jobs and some illegal immigrants take advantage of receiving help from the government. However, according to the Cato Journal, immigrants both legal and illegal contribute to the growth of the economy and the creation of jobs.Regardless of being a native born citizen, any person living in the U.S mus...
Millions of immigrants over the previous centuries have shaped the United States of America into what it is today. America is known as a “melting pot”, a multicultural country that welcomes and is home to an array of every ethnic and cultural background imaginable. We are a place of opportunity, offering homes and jobs and new economic gains to anyone who should want it. However, America was not always such a “come one, come all” kind of country. The large numbers of immigrants that came during the nineteenth century angered many of the American natives and lead to them to blame the lack of jobs and low wages on the immigrants, especially the Asian communities. This resentment lead to the discrimination and legal exclusion of immigrants, with the first and most important law passed being the Chinese Exclusion Act. However, the discrimination the Chinese immigrants so harshly received was not rightly justified or deserved. With all of their contributions and accomplishments in opening up the West, they were not so much harming our country but rather helping it.
Immigration in the United States is a very sensitive topic. Trough out the years the government in the United States have been developing different reforms regarding immigration that unfortunately have not helped to provide a fair solution to illegal immigrants. Looking at the history of immigration it is palpable that over the years immigration laws undergo different ways. For instance in 1950, the Internal Security Act barred admission to any foreigner who was communist because it would be prejudicial to the public interest or would endanger the safety of the United States. Different reforms had contributed to the way that illegal immigrants are treated in the United States.