U.S. Immigration:
History and Current
Issues
Senior Capstone
Ryan Rice
Overview
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Breakdown of history of U.S. Immigration by
eras:
Open-Door
Door-Ajar
Pet-Door
Revolving-Door
Storm-Door
Including Important Legislation and Court Cases
Overview
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Following Historical Breakdown:
Look at current societal impacts of
immigration both legal and illegal.
Assimilation
Economics
Bilingualism
Multiculturalism
National Security
Open-Door Era
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Founding of the United States until 1880.
Immigration= Relatively Easy and
Encouraged.
“Old-Wave” Immigrants primarily from
Northwest Europe.
1789 Article 1, Section 8 grants Congress
power “To Establish a Uniform Rule of
Naturalization”
Open-Door Era
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Naturalization Act of 1790 – First official
act.
Two-year residency requirement
Revised in 1802 – Extended to five years
Became the Five-Year Residency Act in
1813
1819 – Began documenting all immigrants
as the left their ship
Open-Door Era
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1848 - Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo –
Citizenship to those remaining in Territory
cede by Mexico
Two Waves: 1845-1854 and 1865-1875
First- Predominantly Irish and German
Second – Included British and
Scandinavian
Open-Door Era
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1862 – Homestead Act
1868 – Ratification of the 14th Amendment
1870 – Citizenship granted to those of
African decent
1 million immigrants per year = 13%
foreign born
Gave rise to fear and anxiety in nativeborn
Door-Ajar Era
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Began in 1880 and lasted 1920
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Rate of 1 million per year continued
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Shift to South, Central and Eastern Europe
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Know-Nothings and Ku Klux Klan led
restrictionist attitude.
Door-Ajar Era
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1882 – Chinese Exclusion Act – First piece
of legislation aimed at a particular race or
nationality.
Virtually stopped Chinese immigration
ten years.
Reenacted in 1888, 1892 and 1904
Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
40,000
35,000
30,000
25,000
20,000
Chinese Immigrants
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
1881
1882
1883
1885
Door-Ajar Era
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1885 – Foran Act – illegal to fund
immigration of others.
1888 – Scott Act – extended Chinese
Exclusion act ten years/ barred return.
1889 – Chae Chan Ping v. United States
upheld Scott Act.
Door-Ajar Era
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1892 – Ellis Island
1894 – Bureau of Immigration
1898 – Wong Kim Ark v. United States:
Native born are eligible for nat.
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even if parents are not.
1907 – Dillingham Commission: Led to the quota acts of
the 1920s
Pet-Door Era
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The Pet-Door Era – 1920-1965
Pro-restrictionist groups pushed for quota
acts: 1921, 1924, 1929
Immigration shifted back to Northwest
Europe.
Era of restrictive legislation
Pet-Door Era: Quota Acts
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1921 – 3% of pop. Of a country as of 1910 census.
only 4 million entered from 1920-1930
1924 – Johnson-Reed Act – 2% of pop. Of a country as
of 1890 census.
Brought about shift back to Northwest Europe
Barred most Asians – “aliens ineligible for
citizenship”
1929 – proportion of pop. Or of each nationality for 1920
census.
Only 150,000 admitted.
Decrease in Immigration
25,000,000
20,000,000
15,000,000
Immigrants
10,000,000
5,000,000
0
Door-Ajar Era
Pet-Door Era
Pet-Door Era
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1922 – Cable Act – women can become
naturalized unless married to ineligible
alien.
Labor Appropriations Act of 1924
Established the U.S. Border Patrol
Great Depression
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Immigration slowed dramatically between 1929
and 1939
1940 – End of Depression – Congress passed
Registration Law and Nationality Act
Required all citizens to register address
annually.
Consolidated all naturalization policy into
one Act.
Pet-Door Era
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1942 – Executive Order 9066 – Japanese
Americans to relocation camps.
1943 – Hirabayashi v. United States upheld
“military necessity”
1944 – Korematsu v. United States allowed for
excluded zones
1952 – Immigration and Naturalization Act
removed racial and national-origin barrier.
Revolving-Door Era
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Began with the Immigration and
Naturalization Act of 1965
Replaced quota system with preference
system
Immigration in the following decade was
up 60%
Act was amended in 1966 to allow for
more refugees
Revolving-Door Era
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1967 Afroyim v. Rusk – Dual Citizenship
1970s – concerns over immigrants
entering illegally
5.4 million immigrants entered
1978 – Pres. Carter – Select Commission
on Immigration and Refugee Policy
Recommended closing backdoor and
opening front door.
Revolving-Door Era
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1980 Refugee Act
1986 – Immigration Reform and Control
Act (IRCA)
Immigration Act of 1990 (IMMACT)
Culmination of IRCA and SCIRP
1993 - NAFTA
Revolving-Door Era
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California passed Proposition 187
Claimed Illegal immigration was a
financial burden
LULAC et al. v. Pete Wilson et al. –
declared 187 unconstitutional
1996 – Illegal Immigrant Reform and
Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA)
Storm-Door Era
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Began in 2001 as a result of 9/11 terrorist
attacks
2001 – USA Patriot Act
2002 – INS is abolished and duties
granted to Department of Homeland
Security
2005 – USA Patriot Act Improvements and
Reauthorization Act
Current Immigration Issues
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Assimilation
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Economics
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Bilingualism
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Multiculturalism
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National Security
Assimilation
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1st step – Naturalization process
Pre-1970s – Strong pressures on
immigrants to assimilate into the culture
Large numbers – fear that immigrants
would not form emotional attachment to
new country
Assimilation
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Assimilate by acquiring skills
Naturalization – more job opportunities
Proponents: Immigrants have no problem
assimilating
Age is greatest distinguishing factor
Economics
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Pros:
more workers create more wealth
provide basis for S. Security and Medicare
most still pay income and property taxes
benefit from brain-drain of other nations
Economics
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Cons:
Immigrant wages are decreasing
Create a strain on taxpayers and government
Tax burden in most states: couple hundred $/yr
Bilingualism
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Economic and Ideological detriment
Single language unifies incredible
diversity
Multiple languages are inefficient
Argument for: too many Americans are
illiterate anyway
Multiculturalism
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Distinct Culture Groups
Organizational and Conceptual Borders
Maintain ties to home country, thus no
true American identity
Proponents: Proportion has remained
stable over the years
National Security
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Major Concern recently – Became
important in 1920s
7,000 miles of border
Department of Homeland Security
Struggle until recently
Advances in transportation security
Creative thinking to prevent attacks
Summary and Review
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Five Eras of Immigration: Open-Door, Door
Ajar, Pet-Door, Revolving-Door, Storm-Door
Immigration: history of legislation
Current Issues: Assimilation, Economics,
Bilingualism, Multiculturalism, and National
Security