“The Border Patrol State” was written in 1994 by Leslie Marmon Silko. At this time she was living in Tucson, AZ, one of the Border States. Silko writes from a Laguna Pueblo Native American background, mostly writing about the Native American people. She was born right on the outside of the reservation so she was influenced both by her Indian culture and the culture of Albuquerque. This article was published in Yellow Woman and a Beauty of the Spirit: Essays on Native American Life Today, a collection of short stories and articles that talk about her life as a Native American and the racism she has faced. This article was meant for everyone one to read but especially to show those not from these states the injustice that was happening within their own country.
The first part focuses on the formation of border control. In May 1924, the US claimed to protect its interest by enforcing strict immigration laws. However, throughout the 30s and 40s, the U.S. struggled maintaining a stable workforce without immigrants. Originally, Chinese immigrants and Native Americans were the ideal labor force and continued to provide most labor until the late 1800s. Following the Chinese exclusion act of 1882 and the general genocide of Native Americans these populations were not sufficient enough to produce enough labor. In order to fill their labor needs, the U.S. government worked with the Mexican government to encourage immigration, providing access to land, labor, and other resources. This solution proved to be temporary. While at first Mexican immigrants were not the primary targets of U.S. immigration restrictions, due to a combination socio-economic factors, they would soon become the most targeted group of immigrants. The following chapters in part one discuss the growing violence of border patrol. The Border Patrol was fairly new and immigration officers struggled to maintain ethical and fair. During this time prejudice in the form of searches and racial profiling became
In the book, Urrea describes the harmful treatment illegal immigrants often experience as they attempt to cross the border. Although Border Patrol agents should treat immigrants humanely, Urrea states there are stories “of Border Patrol men taking prisoners out into the wasteland and having their way with them…. It’s the tawdry legacy of the human hunt—ill will on all sides” (17). Urrea claims these terrible actions and attitudes toward immigrants are a continuous pattern, and he uses stories from the past to prove this cycle. During the Civil War, thousands of Chinese workers were brought from Mexico to the U.S. to
Border Patrol and U.S. Customs are the officials set in place, controlling the flow of people through the nation’s borders. While these officials take considerable precautions to ensure the protection of borders, a large number of illegal immigrants have discovered alternatives to enter our nation. As reported by CNN a rancher in Hidalgo County, Texas, a county bordering Mexico, faces a daily struggle with migrants passing through his property (Castillo, 2013). Castillo (2013) states, the rancher said to him, “this traffic in this land frustrates him – particularly the potentially dangerous drug traffic – but he acknowledges that most crossers are looking for an opportunity.” Revealed through this CNN article is the battle citizens living on the border face daily with migrants trespassing on their land due to a hole in border security. While a majority of migrants coming across the nation’s borders in pursuit of job opportunities and building a new life for themselves; there are also migrants such as drug smugglers and terrorists posing an immense threat to safety of beings within the country legally. Resulting from hazardous migrants there is a resounding cry for an increase in border patrol agents, harsher immigration policies and an increase in overall border
Hundreds or thousands immigrates legal or illegal come to the United States for jobs. Some immigrates come because they need money for their family and other's come because they want to danger us.
Citation: Lee, Erika. "Enforcing The Borders: Chinese Exclusion Along The U.S. Borders With Canada And Mexico, 1882-1924." Journal Of American History 89.1 (2002): 54. Advanced Placement Source. Web. 8 Mar. 2016. Retrieved
Immigration has been around for centuries. From the time period of slaves being transported over and Mexicans coming over to America. In 1790, the Congress passed the Naturalization Act that effectively limited immigration. In 1822 the Chinese Exclusion Act which made immigration for china illegal. The United States was concerned about the moral composition and the population. In 1872 and 890 Congress passed laws restricting illegal immigration of people, criminals, prostitutes, mentally ill and unstable people. Over the years the immigration scale has been broken and is trying to be restored. Even though the U.S border is well secured. Today the U.S has over 42.1 million immigrants.
The United States of America, being a country founded by immigrants, is known all over the world as the land of great opportunities. People from all walks of life travelled across the globe, taking a chance to find a better life for them and their family. Over the years, the population of immigrants has grown immensely, resulting in the currently controversial issue of illegal immigration. Illegal immigrants are the people who have overstayed the time granted on their US, visa or those who have broken the federal law by crossing the border illegally. Matt O’Brien stated in his article “The government thinks that 10.8 million illegal immigrants lived in the country in January 2009, down from a peak of nearly 12 million in 2007.”(Para, 2) While some argue that illegal immigrants burden the United States of America and its economy, others believe that they have become essential and are an important part of the US, economy.
In 1875 congress started to pass laws to restrict immigrants from entering the united states. The Act of March third mostly people who were convicts or who were immoral woman were denied entry into the country. August 8, 1882 the immigration statute prevented people from entering the United states who lacked intelligence, mentally ill, or anyone that poses a threat to the public charge. The same year the first Chinese exclusion law was passed the same year. Many foreigners were denied entry into the United States based on a contract labor law. Because they were denied entry many entered the United States illegally usually slipping passed the entry points. Therefor it the evolved the need for a border-control force.
People leave their countries and come to the United States to become citizens and find work to make a life for themselves. Granting them citizenship and legal status helps avoid losing their homes and being forced to go back where they came from. Immigration is a natural right, and if people want to come to the U.S. and start a life here, give them the opportunity to do so. Treating immigrants unfair and calling them “Illegal aliens” is offensive, causing racism to stir up. They are human beings trying to find a line of work and make a living for themselves. The letting immigrants stay can bring benefits to the economy, influence good values, and motivate others to chase after the American Dream.
Since the beginning of America and the ground it was built on America has been a hotspot for immigration. Since the first stipulations on immigration were put in place;
The CBP Border Patrol Agency was formed on May 28, 1924. Mounted watchmen of the U.S. Immigration service patrolled the border trying to prevent illegal from coming into the United States as early as 1904. They operated out of El Paso, Texas. They Patrolled all the way to West California trying to prevent illegal Chinese immigrants from entering the United States. They were called Mounted Watchmen of the U.S. Immigration Service before they changed their name to United States Border Patrol (USBP). Their original purpose was to protect the border from any illegal from crossing, but they mainly focused on the Chinese immigrants from trying to avoid the Chinese exclusion laws. Their mission is to detect and prevent illegal aliens, drugs, terrorist, and terrorist weapons, including weapons of mass destruction from entering the U.S. Their primary mission remains unchanged to detect and prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States with the help of other law enforcement officers.
During the 1800s, many Chinese immigrants entered America to seek substantial economic wealth and a prosperous life. The first surge of Chinese immigration occurred in 1848 at Sutter’s Mill, California when gold was discovered. Since then, many Chinese immigrants entered the American workforce, and the Americans despised the fact that these incoming immigrants were taking “their jobs”. In the year 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed by Congress to limit the amount of Chinese Immigrants entering the country. There are many factors that contributed to the passing of the Chinese Exclusion Act; however the most influential factors included the prevention of economic competition, Chinese persecution, and discrimination.
Immigration is defines as the action of leaving one's home country to start a new life in another country. Immigration has been a recent topic for politicians and the new president elect of the Donald trump. Undocumented immigrants serve as a problem to our nation's economy and well being both socially and economically.
Immigration has been a major issue in the America. Especially illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is a person who enters or lived in the country unlawfully, or without country’s authorization. There are many reasons why someone wants to immigrate to another country, such as religious freedom, economic opportunity, and political freedom. However, the main problems caused by illegal immigration are losing jobs, stolen taxpayer resources, and increase number of crimes.