In the dawn of the 21st century the typical impression an American can hold when the word ‘immigration’ is brought up may include a lot of controversey. Immigration in the late 18th century was essentially a norm for the newfound American society. With Congress introducing bills like Arizona’s SB 1070 it is quite apparent that immigration is now one of America’s biggest discussions in U.S. Politics. Two interpretationa of the topic at hand can be illustrated by examining Jacob Hornberger’s essay “Keep the Borders Open” and Peter Brimlow’s essay “A Nation of Immigrants”. Jacob Hornberger makes it clear in his opinion that the main cause of an immigration problem is the establishment of laws restricting immigration; which he believes that the founders of the United States would not condone restrictions on immigrants. In comparison, Peter Brimelow takes a definitive approach by addressing America’s lack of homogeneity, which Brimelow feels is an essential characteristic of a nation. In both essays each author takes an indirect stance on the topic of immigration. Hornberger implies that people should be allowed to do and live freely. Brimelow argues that America is not so much a nation, but a ‘polity’ and the only way for the United States to become a nation is to restrict immigration and begin a process that would lead to unity and homogeneity. Jacob Hornberger Jacob Hornberger urges the reader to look at a time in American history not only before immigration restriction, but also government interference in its citizen’s lives. By this the author means Social Services, Welfare, and other programs. He states that “[T]he bedrock principle underlying American society was that people should be free to live their lives any way the... ... middle of paper ... ...ain small groupings of persons that don’t understand one from another. The differences could be within socio-economic grounds, gender grounds or most importantly ethnic grounds. The one thing that all these things attribute towards is clashing differences. In West Hollywood a gay man of any ethnicity can live safely within a neighborhood holding any socio-economic status and without little to no discrimination, yet about six miles south of this neighborhood the same man could be beaten to a pulp for simply being himself. You could then take this same man and drive him 4,000 miles east of California and he could be discriminated against for 300 miles in any direction--That is America-- Brimelow understands this and executes it very effectively while speaking about a possible nation ahead... under one condition: close the borders, and allow the process to take place.
Since they lacked certain physical and/or cultural characteristics needed to belong in the American nation, they were not considered worthy enough to receive the same rights and privileges they deserve. Therefore, Takaki hopes that with his book, people would acknowledge how America developed a society centered to benefit only white people with the creation of laws hindering these racial groups from receiving the same and equal rights they deserve.
In Chapter 8 of Major Problems in American Immigration History, the topic of focus shifts from the United States proper to the expansion and creation of the so called American Empire of the late Nineteenth Century. Unlike other contemporary colonial powers, such as Britain and France, expansion beyond the coast to foreign lands was met with mixed responses. While some argued it to be a mere continuation of Manifest Destiny, others saw it as hypocritical of the democratic spirit which had come to the United States. Whatever their reasons, as United States foreign policy shifted in the direction of direct control and acquisition, it brought forth the issue of the native inhabitants of the lands which they owned and their place in American society. Despite its long history of creating states from acquired territory, the United States had no such plans for its colonies, effectively barring its native subjects from citizenship. Chapter 8’s discussion of Colonialism and Migration reveals that this new class of American, the native, was never to be the equal of its ruler, nor would they, in neither physical nor ideological terms, join in the union of states.
In the United States, the cliché of a nation of immigrants is often invoked. Indeed, very few Americans can trace their ancestry to what is now the United States, and the origins of its immigrants have changed many times in American history. Despite the identity of an immigrant nation, changes in the origins of immigrants have often been met with resistance. What began with white, western European settlers fleeing religious persecution morphed into a multicultural nation as immigrants from countries across the globe came to the U.S. in increasing numbers. Like the colonial immigrants before them, these new immigrants sailed to the Americas to gain freedom, flee poverty and famine, and make a better life for themselves. Forgetting their origins as persecuted and excluded people, the older and more established immigrants became possessive about their country and tried to exclude and persecute the immigrant groups from non-western European backgrounds arriving in the U.S. This hostile, defensive, and xenophobic reaction to influxes of “new” immigrants known as Nativism was not far out of the mainstream. Nativism became a part of the American cultural and political landscape and helped to shape, through exclusion, the face of the United States for years to come.
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.
The United States has often been referred to as a global “melting pot” due to its assimilation of diverse cultures, nationalities, and ethnicities. In today’s society, this metaphor may be an understatement. Between 1990 and 2010, the number of foreign born United States residents nearly doubled from 20 million to 40 million, increasing the U.S. population from almost 250 million to 350 million people. With U.S. born children and grandchildren of immigrants, immigration contributed to half of this population growth. These immigrants, consisting of mostly Asian and Hispanic backgrounds, have drastically changed the composition of the U.S. population. In 2010, Asians and Hispanics made up 20 percent of the U.S. population, in contrast to a 6 percent share of Asians and Hispanics in 1970. It is predicted that by 2050, the share of immigrants in the United States will increase to one half of the entire population. With this rapid increase in diversity, many citizens have opposing views on its impact on the United States. In my opinion, an increase in immigration does contain both positive and negatives effects, but in general it provides an overriding positive influence on America’s society (“Population”).
American history is plagued by three differently focal schools of thought: Progressive, Neoconservative (consensus), and New Left. Because each represents a different time in history, the historical data is interpreted differently. Such is the case for immigration during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Due to the time in which these schools of thought came to be, ideas are carried off from one decade to another. The New Left is possibly the most influential school of thought in that it acknowledges everything stated in the latter two, while it also brings up new concepts.
In this short essay I will address the issue of whether or not nations should restrict immigration. It is important to note that my perspective is derived from years of living in an American society. When I speak of immigrants in many cases I’ll be referring to illegal immigrants, as they are the ones to whom the restrictive laws are made in as a preventative means. Additionally, they are the ones people fear and refer to primarily when discussing immigration.
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.
Among many of the highly disputed issues in the United States, illegal immigration is near the top, as it is continually growing and must be brought to an end. The term “illegal immigration” is used to describe the migration of people into another country without the government’s permission. Due to the United States’ highly desirable lifestyle, illegal immigration is more common than many other countries in the world. Even before the Constitution was written, significant political and social idols, such as Benjamin Franklin worried about the outcome of immigration. His ideas were particularly towards the increase of German immigrants, for he would caution that “Pennsylvania will in a few years become a German colony; instead of their learning our language, we must learn their, or live as in a foreign country.” Although Franklin’s thoughts influenced a large number of people living in the country, the first hundred years of the nation were established with an open border (Hing). This would welcome foreign nationals displaced by the ravages of war or persecuted by totalitarian governments in hope of a better life. The fourteenth amendment, ratified in 1868, would establish the rights of citizens, or legally recognized subjects or nationals of a state or commonwealth, either native or naturalized (McClenaghan). Many illegal immigrants refuse to assimilate into their surroundings of which they have brought themselves upon. They also take a variety of unskilled jobs that citizens could use, but instead become unemployed. The concept of immigration is what allowed the United States to flourish in its early years to the present day; however, when it is done illegally, it can hurt the domestic tranquility and security of the nation, as we...
America is sometimes referred to as a "nation of immigrants" because of our largely open-door policy toward accepting foreigners pursuing their vision of the American Dream. Recently, there has been a clamor by some politicians and citizens toward creating a predominantly closed-door policy on immigration, arguing that immigrants "threaten" American life by creating unemployment by taking jobs from American workers, using much-needed social services, and encroaching on the "American way of life." While these arguments may seem valid to many, they are almost overwhelmingly false, and more than likely confused with the subject of illegal immigration. In fact, immigrants actually enhance American life by creating, not taking jobs, bolster social service funds through tax payments, and bring valuable technical knowledge and skills to our country. If we are to continue to excel as a nation, the traditionalists who fear an encroachment of foreign-born Americans must learn to accept that we achieved our greatness as a result of being "a nation of immigrants."
Every year, hundreds of thousands of immigrants, legal and illegal, from around the world, come to the United States. These immigrants come because they want a chance at a better life; others are refugees, escaping persecution and civil wars in their home country. Many people believe the United States is the best place to go. There is more freedom, protection, and benefits, which seems like a good deal to immigrants. But the large number of immigration is affecting the current citizens of the United States. Taxpayers are forced to pay for the welfare and schooling for many of these immigrants, some who are illegal aliens. Some citizens believe that immigration can be hazardous to the environment. Others blame crime, poverty, and overpopulation on immigration. About sixty-eight million immigrants have been added to the United States since 1970, and it is estimated that 130 million people will be added over the next fifty years. The government has tried somewhat to restrict immigration but the laws are still too lenient. Nearly every other advanced country in the world is moving quickly towards stabilized population or has already achieved it. The United States is moving towards it very slowly. This country would have to reduce immigration down to 255,000 a year to do this (Beck 1). If nothing is done to stabilize the immigration to this country, what will become of population in the next decade? The population will continue to grow even faster - not due to births, but to massive immigration to this country. Immigration can become a serious problem to this country if the government does not produce stricter laws.
On the subject of immigration, one student at J.E.B. Stuart High School in Falls Church, Virginia commented, “we make America more interesting” (Swerdlow 61). As true as these words are, the question of how much more interest should be allowed to cross our borders each year, and what exactly defines an American these days puzzle the already 281 million residents who find comfort in the freedoms of America. America is a land of immigrants, also referred to as the “melting pot of the world.” However, the possibility that America’s kettle is over-flowing concerns its citizens and some politicians.
The problem of immigration has been a controversial issue in the United States, particularly the issue of illegal immigration. Therefore, immigration can be defined as the act of immigrating/moving to another country, meaning that one moves to another nation, where he or she was not born, or where he or she is not a native of; thereby, using the new nation as a permanent residence either legally or illegally. Therefore, this essay presents that immigration (both legal and illegal) is good and leads various benefits to a nation, including fostering economic growth, contribute to labor markets, and contributes to taxes as well as social contributions; though, it can sometimes harm
The Restriction of Immigration in the United States Immigration should be restricted in the United States. There are many political, social, and economic reasons why restrictions should be put on immigration. The United States Government and the welfare of its citizens are chaotic enough, without having to deal with the influx of thousands of new immigrants each year. Along with the myriad immigrants to the U.S., come just as many economic problems. Some of these problems include unemployment, crime, and education.
In recent discussions, the topic of immigration and the fundamental question of what is to be done with immigration? has been circulating in many american homes today, especially the closer we get to election day. As David Cole puts it in his essay Five Myths about Immigration “But just as in the 1850’s, passion, misinformation, and shortsighted fear often substitute for reason, fairness, and human dignity in today’s immigration debates”(185). Despite misconceptions of immigrants, Cole believes that immigrants positively affect society in several ways. In addition, Cole challenges and questions the beliefs of others in his essay. Whereas, Victor Davis Hanson’s essay Our Brave New World of Immigration focuses