When did imigration become a problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:College student here trying to find out the roots of the immigration problem.
Natives from the land never asked the Pilgrims for their visas once they jumped out of the Mayflower.
Nobody in Central America asked Columbus for his visa either. When did immigration became an issue?
Please try to focus the discussion! TIA

Immigration historian, here. Immigration has been a "problem" since the Europeans' arrival--and I'm sure there were "problems" with internal migration before then.

After Independence, the US was already dealing with issues of immigration in the Naturalization Acts of 1790 and 1795, and the Alien, Sedition, and Naturalization Acts of 1798.

Honestly, I think you need to focus your topic, as your approach seems pretty simplistic. What's the purpose of your assignment?

[Anonymous]

Immigration is a paradox. Immigrants are perceived as competition by the people who are already here struggling to make a living. Yet immigrants have consistently driven growth in our economy. Pick any group other than the slaves or the first people off the boat, and the story is pretty much the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Immigration is a paradox. Immigrants are perceived as competition by the people who are already here struggling to make a living. Yet immigrants have consistently driven growth in our economy. Pick any group other than the slaves or the first people off the boat, and the story is pretty much the same.

Driven growth and drained a lot of resources as well. I'm not against immigration but of course it has to be structured. Every country has rules and regulations set up for immigration and for good reason.

[Anonymous]

As a 4.0 college student you probably know this, but just to get it in the official record of this seminar: Wikipedia is not an authoritative source.

Nevertheless, it's a good place to find things quickly. Just be sure to document any important material you find there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: so, no, we didn't do a lot to give safe harbor to Jews. (Something I learned only later in life -- as a kid I had always assumed WW II was about rescuing the Jews.)

Jews were not the only ones killed in the haulocaust.
And on a side note, the masses that were killed by Stalin were not counted.
The world did nothing to help those either.

and nobody even made any noice when 3 million were killed in Rwanda

[Anonymous]

I think each successive wave of immigration into the US has been a "problem" for the people already here. I am thinking of the discrimination faced by each new wave of immigrants. Specifically, I personally am thinking of the Irish around the turn of the century. "Irish Need Not Apply". Same thing happened to the Polish, the Italians….

The same cold welcome awaited so many immigrant groups, who hey, let's face it (and these are my ancestors I am talking about here) left their home countries for a reason(s): they were probably poor, uneducated, perhaps not overly healthy (i.e. may have carried diseases) and if poor, may have been tempted to make a living through less than respectable means, like crime, prostitution, mafia (later), drugs, etc.

These people came into the country and their arrival was somewhat unpleasant and... disruptive to the people living here. They took jobs. They needed whatever passed for "social services" back then. Their poverty added to the "crime problem". They were foreign, different sounding, different looking, different behaviors and beliefs and food….. Then their descendants grew up, integrated into society, and discriminated against the newest wave of “those people” and passed judgment on what they concluded were the inherent flaws of THOSE groups. It’s an American tradition.

I think what’s sad is that we don’t seem to have learned all that much from these past experiences. We need to have an effective program for preventing immigration that we don’t want and for successfully integrating immigrants we do allow into this country. Language classes, health care (heaven forbid!), assistance finding housing and jobs, etc.

If we are going to allow immigration then we need to effectively deal with the “problems” that necessarily accompany it. Also, another thing to note, for good or ill: It used to be the goal of immigrant groups to assimilate into American society, for the most part. Now it’s cool to be multicultural and it’s not PC to try to assimilate immigrants. The failure to integrate may or may not be best for new immigrant groups and their descendants over the long haul. Time will tell.

[Anonymous]

Times have indeed changed.
There are 2 categories. Workforce has become more international with more demand for cross cultural, international work experience.
Some do it as part of their degree and study some years at a foreign university, some come with the intent to get 2 years or working experience and do it as a career move. some are sent by their host countries.
Many Americans do the same.
And people have always been on the move.
The immigration that comes across from Mexico is not the only one, and the US is not the only country with an immigration problem. A lot of the immigrants crossing from Mexico are not Mexicans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: so, no, we didn't do a lot to give safe harbor to Jews. (Something I learned only later in life -- as a kid I had always assumed WW II was about rescuing the Jews.)

Jews were not the only ones killed in the haulocaust.
And on a side note, the masses that were killed by Stalin were not counted.
The world did nothing to help those either.

and nobody even made any noice when 3 million were killed in Rwanda

I'm the person who wrote that about WW II and the Jews. Yes, I agree with you -- there were many others besides Jews killed in the Holocaust -- gays, mentally disabled, political activists among others. My point was that we in the United States think we're sensitive to the downtrodden and persecuted but not when we consider them to be troublesome minorities. Back in the 30s, that's how mainstream America viewed European Jews but no one wants to recall that now. I'm guessing some day mainstream America also won't take responsibility for the persecution of Muslims and Arabs (both immigrant and native-born) going on today.

[Anonymous]

I'm half German and half Italian. The Germans were forced to stop teaching German language to the children. As a result, no one in my family remembers German.

The Italians worked very hard to assimilate, but there was a long period where they were known as Wops or dagos. Some Italians (not my family) were lynched, and a decent number were sent to internment camps during WWII, although I think the Japanese got it worse.

Now no one would have a problem hiring an Italian or a German, but back then it was a different story. Mostly today discrimination is just in the movies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Mostly today discrimination is just in the movies.

I am shocked that you just said that. Someone just said she won't even interview people with "stupidly" spelled names. Discrimination isn't out in the open like it used to be, but it hasn't gone anywhere.

[Anonymous]

At this pont in our nations evolution there is zero reason for immigration not to be a rational law driven process. People from around the world seek opportunity here; let 's encourage our pluralism by inviting people from around the world to
come legally: but not illegally. And yes, celebrate heritage but encourage integration into the value system and culture that I'm presuming drive people to come here ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Mostly today discrimination is just in the movies.

I am shocked that you just said that. Someone just said she won't even interview people with "stupidly" spelled names. Discrimination isn't out in the open like it used to be, but it hasn't gone anywhere.

I was specifically referring to discrimination against people of Italian and German heritage.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:At this pont in our nations evolution there is zero reason for immigration not to be a rational law driven process.

One would think. However, if you have had any experience with our country's immigration process, you would not use "immigration" and "rational" in the same sentence. Most of those coming here illegally would have zero chance of legal immigration. The laws are a mess and corrupted by politics and money.

[Anonymous]

You do know we give a transparent lottery every year that anyone who applies, barring criminality etc, is eligible for...? We also have a quota for every country in the world. Yes, mostly filled by relatives of those who already immigrated through the quota. We could expand that. But I am NOT for sanctioning illegal immigration in any way shape or form. It is OK to be a sovereign nation with laws and boundaries. Yes, immigration and growth are good for this country. I don't understand why people who are sympathetic to illegal immigrants don't focus on expanding our immigration system for future legal immigrants from all over. Why the focus on a massive second amnesty of record proportions, with no reforms? What is the goal, amnesty after amnesty after amnesty after amnesty? Is that a good way to begin your career as an American citizen, by breaking the law?

http://travel.state.gov/visa/immigrants/types/types_1318.html

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At this pont in our nations evolution there is zero reason for immigration not to be a rational law driven process.

One would think. However, if you have had any experience with our country's immigration process, you would not use "immigration" and "rational" in the same sentence. Most of those coming here illegally would have zero chance of legal immigration. The laws are a mess and corrupted by politics and money.

I understand the point you're making here; I am just saying, why not focus on rationalizing the law (?) rather than bypassing it? Also, how is legal immigration corrupted by politics and money? I am interested in how the actual immigration law is corrupted by politics and money--whose money? Whose politics?