Americam Immigration System

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American Immigration System

Introduction

During the turn of the century, America was constructed through the citizenship and immigration policies which according to the famous historian Aristide Zolberg was a composition of a “nation by design”. Before entering into the arguments in favour or against the above statement or discussing the original formulators of immigration policies, there is need of understanding the social, political and economic situation discussed by Erika Lee in At America’s Gate and The Invention of National Origins by Mae M. Ngai. The issues of immigration are vibrant and used by America for the fulfilment of national interests throughout the history. In “The Three Worlds of Relief” author has reflected that progress is connected with fair immigration for a diverse US society. Same is the case discussed by Kelly Lytle in “A History of US Border Patrol” that how problems of immigration created vast differences and inequality among Mexicans and white superiors living in other parts of the United States.

Discussion

As the title mentioned about border patrol, there were formative days in the Texas-Mexico borderlands which turned towards policing Mexican immigrants. The practices were developed according to the changing situations and dynamics by the policy makers controlling immigration department through the support of the Pentagon and White House. The unique conditions in the areas forced the immigration department to enforce white men’s idea of superiority and let the immigrants faced crises situation and remain under their control (Kelly 218). The apprehension of numerous immigrants along with the borders illegal activities contributed towards strict policies imposed and enforced by the immigration department. However such steps lead to the creation of differences and a sense of inequality among the foreigners those trying to serve for the progress and development of the USA.

Since 1924 there was 40 per cent of the unsanctioned border crossers who evaded the line of border patrol and entered illegally in the United States. Immigration officers are of the view that Mexicans crossed the border illegally at most times and they were under suspicion for their activities. In the purview of the situation, there was the idea by Federal immigration service that better scheme for these people is to repatriate them with certain incentives (Kelly 231). It was different from deportation which used the tool of force to send back the immigrants. Scholars and historians during the era of the Great Depression unfolded that the policy of mass repatriation was used illegally and there was specific community targeted by the characters, scope and scale of the system. Funds for immigrants were not used for their welfare; instead, it was used to force them out.

Similarly certain individuals wrote to the public officials by arguing that expulsion of mass immigrants would help in resolving the economic crises. This was the level of nativism actively operating among the people and immigration officials (Kelly 236). The popular and academic discourse in this regard discourages immigration during the turn of the century from a national origin. Immigration Act of 1924 lead to rising in differences, and it was passed by a legislative process which shows that how Congress deals with transnational issues in single and national terms. Against the backdrop of what statutory authorities have done with Mexicans, there was an emergence of new forms of political organisation within the working class of the deprived region (Cybelle 299). The newly organised groups have pushed a political project to transcend the national political discourse by reorganising the economic and cultural melding. After these initiatives, transactional politics increase with significant force and influence among the ethnic Mexicans and Latino community members.

Similarly the case of Chinese which by some scholars were excluded from the United States reflect the way policies are formed and create differences among the various communities in the country. A lawyer in Francisco stood before the Standing Committee in 1876 by commenting that how can we get rid of the Chinese who are coming with evil of unarmed invasion. There was a campaign against the Chinese immigrants for their continuous social, political and moral influence (Cybelle 311). Even the Senate Standing Committee hearing was also part of driving the question of the Chinese role in the USA, and their voice was reached to the national audience. There were dozens of Californian individuals who wanted the federal immigration department to take action and restrict them appropriately. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was the result of what people were looking for and what was the sense of immigration for whites who considered themselves as superior.

Other than these events the fear in the people and policy makers of America provide them to be aware of any influence by foreigners coming to their land. There were social and economic interest groups which have a significant role in engineering the immigration policy. Funding and local influence on the immigration department was controlled by these groups (Cybelle 349). A nation by design unfolded the nativist ideologies, ethnic lobbies, labour union, and interests of business that played a significant role in shaping the immigration policy. US has opened its doors for migrants and people from diverse communities, but there lies a difference in composing and formulating of policies for foreign people. A struggle was continuous during the turn of the century in the past and present era for what kind of population should be part of the immigration process (Critical 648-653). Insightful discussion on the immigration policy by Professor Zolberg is a case in point to understand that the US might not be constructed by design, but its immigration plan is formulated especially by a specific project.

The analysis of history and the events related to it shows how Americans think about identity and demographics, law and membership, belonging and citizenship. The boundaries of ideas, periods and disciplines should not be marginalised with poor and discriminatory policies. Immigration policy has a critical role in the development and progress of the USA, and it is connected with foreign relations that is based on national interests. In other words, national interests are reflecting in the immigration and dealing by the state enterprises against the migrants (Lee, N.p). The examination of the asylum seekers, low-wage jobs and illegal immigration also ensures the discriminatory practices done by a state with foreigners.

The time was changing, and different interests groups were in difficulty for sustaining their business and economic condition. These people used the tool of immigration policy and services for the expulsion of foreigners and shaping their contemporary arguments and social structures. Even in the present scenario, there are multiple cases reported every day by the law enforcement agencies and the concerned authorities regarding the exploitation and banning of immigrants to enter in the USA. Recent attempt of President Donald Trump is an act which sparks the entire nation as for how they should deal with Mexicans during the past decades and in the contemporary age. Installation of a wall at Mexican border is not a recent idea, but its implementation by those interest groups like White Jews and superiors is recently injected into the policy making process.

Conclusion

Concluding the discussion scholars, historians and the writers have argued that the creation of American is through citizenship and immigration policies. Incidents do not create nations; instead, there are specific plan to construct them in a particular manner. The arguments are not only valid but also encouraging small groups to control foreign nationals whether they are Mexican or from other regions of the world.

Works Cited

Kelly Lytle Hernández, A History of the U.S. Border Patrol, 1st ed., University of California Press, 2010, pp. 218–234.

Critical Genealogies Collaboratory. "Standard forms of power: Biopower and sovereign power in the technology of the US birth certificate, 1903–1935." Constellations 25.4 (2018): 641-656.

Lee, Erika. The making of Asian America: A history. Simon and Schuster, 2015.

Cybelle Fox, Three Worlds of Relief: Race, Immigration, and the American Welfare State from the Progressive Era to the New Deal, Princeton University Press, 2012, pp. 299–370.