Second Wave Immigration

There a few ways how the Western Frontier and Immigration are the same. And there are a few differences as well.

In Rachel St. John’s book, “Line in the Sand: A History of the Western U.S.-Mexico Border,” the author offers up “a history of how and why the border changed” (St. John 1). This is her central thesis that she presents, providing evidence and historical context concerning the border and its changes over the course of the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. In seven chapters plus and introduction providing more general information and a conclusion that brings the U.S.-Mexico border situation into the present day, Rachel St. John’s focus is both periodical and geographical. St. John moves across both space and time in her book, looking at how region and era affected the border situation and how these effects differed in significance.

Since the oversight of the border control was regained during President Clinton admiration, smuggler became known more heavily. The number of smuggled illegals was at an all-time high during 1993 to 1996. Smuggler began to cross illegals over the border as a new source of business. This new issue affected the economic integration, many illegals found jobs off the books, which did not contributed to taxes and tax payer. The issue faced by this smugglers was that many for those who enter the United States where here at one point. 40% to 50% of illegals are set to enter this country legally on visas and stayed past their expiration (Andreas, 5, 100). The American Free Trade Agreement may it difficult for a closer border crossing control. It allowed Mexican and U.S immigrants to cross borders to work. This became a thin line between enforcement and facilitation (Andreas, 5,

“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 United States Border Patrol has seen an ever increase in funding, especially since its collaboration and indoctrination into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Through the history of the “War on Drugs” brought on by the Nixon Administration, it is clear that the ever expanding costs in order to combat an ever increasing thirst for illegal drugs, and weapons. Border Security is most definitely detrimental in order to continue increasing homeland security, along with keeping the citizens of the United States not only safe from harm, but safe from legal and economic implications direct towards the legal citizens at the cost of illegal immigrant behavior. It takes the works of all forms and sources in order for the nation to be

In "Migra! A History of the U.S Border Patrol", By Kelly Lytle Hernandez, she explores the controversial issue today known as the dissension that surrounds our border with Mexico. Hernandez also outlines the policies and ideology of the U.S Border Patrol that were discovered and really brought out in the early 1920s to the late 1920s. She does a detailed research on the beginning to what becomes the authorized United States Border Patrol.

Prior to 1965, immigration was set up on a quota system and allowed 2% of nationalities that America favored, which was Western Europe. Some countries were not allowed to immigrate to the U.S., such as China and the Philippines. From 1924-1965 approximately 6 million people legally immigrated to the United States. By 1960 some countries were claiming that the U.S. immigration policy was discriminating against them. With the civil rights movement happening, President John F. Kennedy and the Democratic Party moved to change the immigration policy.

In this paper I will explore how the U.S. government developed such strict laws and attitudes regarding Mexican immigration.

The 1965 Immigration Act, which resulted largely from the civil rights movement and Democratic Congress of the 1960s, played a vital role in the change in demographics of the United States (“History of U.S. Immigration Laws,” 2008). Replacing the existing system of assigning specific countries a limit on the number of people that could immigrate to the United States each year, the 1965 Immigration Act established quotas for each hemisphere: 170,000 immigrants a year for the Eastern Hemisphere and 120,000 a year for the Western Hemisphere (Hatton, 2015). Although the limit was expanded to 700,000 immigrants a year in 1990 and has been adjusted many times in the years since (“History of U.S. Immigration Laws,” 2008), the 1965 Immigration Act has been the most significant of all of the immigration reform legislation because it allowed more immigrants from individual countries to come to the U.S., a

While the two immigration groups discussed are about one and a half centuries apart, the reactions of political figures and the general public are highly similar. In the 19th century, the United States federal government sought to curtail alien labor and immigration through legislative means. In contemporary times, legislators and the executive branch has been seeking to accomplish the same goal through executive and legislative actions. The motivation behind these actions have remained relatively unchanged in both instances.

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.

Before the passage of the Hart-Celler Act, the United States had an unevenly distributed immigration policy. There were quotas in place for each individual country that limited the number of how many

When we think of Immigrant rights, we tend to only focus on one group of immigrants. Latinos are the face of immigration policies in the United States. Where does change come from? Does change come from above or below? Change comes from above because they are the ones that implement new laws that either target or help immigrant rights. Once these laws take effect, immigrant right groups then look at these laws from all angles and challenge anything they deem violating. Prior to the civil rights movement in which Immigration reform was enacted. Mexican immigrants were allowed to migrate into the U.S through the Bracero Program in 1942. The Bracero program was a pact between the U.S and Mexico where a controlled number of Mexican migrants were

For generations, many Americans have seen their country as a haven for immigrants, a “melting pot,” of different cultures. These different cultures and traditions brought from countries across the world shaped the modern American identity, some would argue. While it is true many cultures from Europe, Africa, Latin America, etc. have contributed to molding the modern American society, immigration history is marred by resistance. Patterns in immigration throughout American history have created a culture de jour that is at the center for the most ardent opposition. From the Irish, to the Asians, and now Hispanics, it is easy to interchange the culture or race, while keeping the hysteria in any given decade from America’s past. The United State’s

This was the issue of strict immigration rules that prevented many immigrants from coming to the United States. These were called National Origin Quotas (1921-1924). It limited immigration from Europe which consequently led to a high immigration rate from Americas. Demand for labor increased too and was now supplied by immigrants from Americas (Lecture 4). Major industries mainly agriculture became intensively depended on Latino labor leading to expansion of Latino immigrants. Then to limit Latino immigration a pact named “The Bracero Program” was signed. Many Americans sought to maintain “Ethnic Composition” of the 1870s and therefore limit immigration from countries with fewer or none currently residing immigrants in the US (Lecture 4). American public’s anti-immigrant demands could clearly be seen in the American (“Know Nothing”) Party (the 1850s), and the Red Scares at the end of World War I (“Defining Who We Will Be: U.S. Immigration Policy"). There were similar ongoing issues which forced the Congress to pass the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965. It was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson at the Liberty Island where the very first immigrant put her step into the US (Remarks at the Signing of the Immigration Bill, Liberty Island). Compared to VRA of 1965 this was not as much of an important topic and therefore received little attention plus its initial effects were thought to be very minimal (Lecture