A Brief History of Immigration in the US

  A Brief History of Immigration in the US

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Summary

Immigration was unregulated at first in the United States because the US needed settlers to fill up the newly-organized territories that extended and needed for labor.

In 1880, a change kept immigration narrow is the first restriction in form of the Chinese Exclusion Act because low-cost labor demands was no longer needed.

Ethnic groups form Africa, Asia, and most of Latin America were primarily affected by early immigration laws because they were often poverty, lack of education, totally different from cultural, religions, colors.

In 1920s, the US started the quota system based on ethnicity because business no longer needed supply of unskilled labor from these ethnicities. This required worker must obtain a visa before leaving their country to arrive the US, so it might have conditions to filter workers.

The gates and doors used to imply that immigration will stop, check, and review papers or  other checking before entering the country, and it will be tricker.

In the Cold War, refugees from Communism were allowed to enter in the US in this time.

The President threw out the racist quota system because the racist system was injustice and privilege.

The new immigration law preference based on skills and residential status of family rather than nationality.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the problem of illegal immigration happened. Americans feared French immigrants would bring revolution in the 1840s, some claimed the Irish were a separate race that took away American jobs...

The term "illegal immigration" started to use in 1880s because before 1880s, there were no illegal immigrants, there were no limits on immigration.

Naturalization - the process by which a person becomes a citizen. The process for naturalization today is still  process by which a person becomes a citizen, but it has become more difficult and expensive. Two requirements endure: a residency period and belief in American ideals and values as represented in the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, and ability to speak English.