For the first ~century of the US’ existence, any immigrant could become a permanent resident
In the late 19th/early 20th century, however, becoming a citizen became more difficult
* Chinese Exclusion Act (1882): put off entrance of Chinese immigrants for 10 years
* Immigration Act of 1917 (1917): required immigrants to pass a literacy test
* Misc. Immigration legislation (1920s): established a quota system, limiting the numbers of immigrants from specific countries
* Hart-Cellar Act (1965): abolished national origins quota and instituted a system that gave preference to immigrants who had family in the United States or who had job skills
The Guest Worker Program
Allows unskilled laborers into the US to complete temporary or seasonal work
* H-2A program — agricultural work
* H-2B program — nonagricultural work
Workers are systematically exploited and abused
* Guest workers are often forced to live in crowded and substandard housing
Undocumented Immigration
Undocumented immigration: immigrants enter a country without going through legal channels
* Between 10 and 12 million undocumented immigrants live in the United States and make up 5% of the workforce (~7.8 million workers)
Border crossings
* Some people cross or attempt to cross the U.S.–Mexico border with the help of “coyotes”
* Coyote: a person who is paid to lead people across the border
* Nativist extremist group: a group that advocates for restrictive immigration policy and encourage members to use vigilante tactics to confront or harass suspected undocumented immigrants
Immigration Policy
Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986): made hiring illegal immigrants an illegal act punishable by fines and even prison sentences
The Trump administration implemented at least 400 restrictive policy changes on immigration
* Many have been/are expected to be overturned
Sanctuary city: a jurisdiction that has implemented rules to limit local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration regulations
Americans are sharply divided on many issues surrounding immigration policy, but there is strong support for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program
Obtaining American Citizenship
More than half of the 44.7 million foreign-born U.S. residents in 2018 were naturalized citizens
* Naturalized citizenship: citizenship granted to immigrants that apply for it and meet certain requirements
Five requirements to obtain citizenship:
* Lawful permanent residence
* Ability to read, write, speak, and understand basic English
* Being a person of good moral character
* Willingness to defend the U.S. Constitution
* Passing an examination on English, U.S. history, and government
Common myths and stereotypes about immigrants include:
* Increase unemployment and lower wages among native workers
* Drain the public welfare system and our public schools
* Do not want to learn English
* Have children in the United States as a means of gaining legal status
* Have high rates of criminal behavior