Immigration Policy Typically, American Textbooks

Immigration Policy

Typically, American textbooks refer to the United States as a "Nation of Immigrants," and use this as a paradigm of successful integration over the past 200 plus years of peoples coming from all over the world to become part of a new nation. There were peaks and valleys regarding immigration policy in the United States however, prior to 1900 over 35 million came from Europe, the Orient, and Africa -- some willingly, others brought as slaves or workers. In 1921, though, Congress passed an Emergency Quota Act, followed by another Immigration Act of 1924. This primarily restricted Southern and Eastern Europe immigrants which, at the time, were seen as a tax upon society rather than a positive. In 1965, Congress abolished the quota system based on national origin, and by making the policies more equitable, a new immigration wave from non-European nations began. Between 1965 and 1970, immigration doubled; then again between 1970 and 1990 also doubled. President Bush signed the Immigration Act of 1990, which increased legal immigration by around 40%. In the 21st century, 2000 to 2005, nearly 8 million new immigration arrived, about 1/2 illegally, but more than any other 5-year period in the history of the United States (Canelos, 2008; Immigration Surge Called Highest Ever, 2005).

Almost all scholars agree that the new era of mass immigration post-1960 dramaticaly changed America, increasing its diversity and robustness. It changed the way American education worked (ESL, bilingual programs), the demographic and socio-economic breakdown of political spheres, and even the way that the workplace was organized and accepted civil rights and established laws dealing with diversity.

The new immigrant and second generations are a significant presence in cultural affairs, in neighborhoods, schools, and workplaces in almost every urban area of the United States -- with a considerable influence in both the political and commercial arena. Much of the difference in assimilation patterns between this group of Latins and previous European and Asian groups surrounds the restructuring of the American economy and the sheer volume of immigrants. Contemporary immigrants face a dichotomous situation: "either they maintain their cultural and communal distinctivness, thus selectively acculturating while keeping some distance from the mainstream, or they will be forced into the position of racial minorities, imposing great disadvantages on themselves and their children" (Alba, 2006, p. x).