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Borders have become tighter in the past year, making it harder for immigrants to enter the country. President Biden has been increasing the enforcement of border laws. Over 143,000 immigrants were deported in 2023, over twice the amount from the year before! Despite the country being very careful about who comes in and out of the country, there is an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants living throughout the United States. The United States has warned immigrants that anyone who crosses the border illegally will face serious penalties.

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The Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)

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The Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)

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This Act protects jobs in the United States for who they are legally entitled to; American citizens, and aliens who have permission to work in the United States. This act (IRCA) also legally prevents businesses from hiring any alien who is unauthorized to work in the United States while being aware of their authorization status. Employers are now required to verify their employee's identity and their employability. If this is violated, fines will be placed. By violating this act, you are risking your employment, and your credibility for future employments.

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During WWII, the United States suffered from labor shortages. To compensate for the loss of workers during the war, the United States and Mexico came up with a program, which allowed Mexican agricultural workers to be in the United States temporarily, or until the program ended in 1964. Mexican workers easily filled the gaps in the United States during WWII, as soldiers were overseas at the time and the country needed the extra hands to keep it running smoothly during a time of war. The Bracero Program lasted from 1942-1964.

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Essentially, the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 was an attempt to protect the homogeneity of the United States. It excluded any immigrant from the United States who by race, and or nationality was not eligible for citizenship. After the Act was set in motion, Asians who were previously allowed into the country would no longer be permitted access into the United States. Despite Japan's retaliation to this discriminatory Act, Congress pushed on and kept the Act in effect. The United States prioritized keeping its racial integrity pure over its friendly ties with Japan.

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At the beginning of WWI, the United States established a literacy test for immigrants coming into the country. The United States also attempted to almost entirely stop immigration from Asian countries into the United States. In 1924, the country also added nationality quotas, limiting the number of people who could enter the country each year based off of their country of origin. Immigration was still open to the Irish, British, and Germans. Restrictions were placed on immigrants coming from central, southern, & eastern Europe, yet immigration from any Asian countries was banned.

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Ellis Island was an immigrant processing station. Over the first 62 years of opening, over 8 million immigrants passed through its gates into the country. Immigrants arrived to New York on barges. Not all immigrants were required to be process through Ellis Island. Sick passengers or ones who faced legal problems were sent to Ellis Island for processing and a further inspection. If immigrants were healthy and had the proper papers and information, processing at Ellis Island would only have to take a maximum of 5 hours. Immigrants at Ellis Island were treated gracefully and courteously.

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In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was set in motion. It was signed by President Chester A. Arthur. The Chinese Exclusion Act placed a 10 year ban on any Chinese immigrants coming into the United States. Heavy restrictions were put on who could and could not enter the states if they were Chinese. When the act finally expired in 1892, Congress decided to extend it for another 10 years under the Geary Act, which regulated Chinese immigration into the 20th century. In 1943, when China became a member of the Allies in WWII, the United States dropped all current bans on Chinese immigrants. Despite the bans being dropped, some quotas still remained in place; for example, only 105 Chinese immigrants could enter the states each year.

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After the United States and Britain were once again on good terms after the war of 1812, immigrants from all over Western Europe poured into the United States. Between 1820-1860, Irish immigrants made up one third of all immigrants in America! Popular port cities like New York were totally overwhelmed by the massive wave of European immigrants coming in. Many new-coming immigrants arrived in disgusting conditions and filthy ships. Appalled by this, the U.S. passed the Steerage Act of 1819, which ordered ships to have better conditions.

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The Statue of Liberty is a pillar of hope for new-coming immigrants. Seeing the magnificent statue as they enter New York City brings comfort and feelings of welcome to immigrants. A poem written about the Statue of Liberty expressed the feelings of comfort New Yorkers hope to give to immigrants looking for a home. The quote "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!" is from a famous poem written by Emma Lazarus expressing the way the country spreads its open arms and welcomes in immigrants by the Statue of Liberty.

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The first instance of immigration took place 20,000 years ago. Historians believe there was a strip of land connecting the continents of Asia and North America, enabling early Neanderthals to migrate to the new continent. This is the first display of immigration in human nature, but we were not the first ones. For thousands of years, animals had been migrating depending on their food supply, predators, climate, or conditions. Animals had figured out how to migrate and expand their packs and grow their numbers long before Neanderthals discovered they could do the same.