Immigration: then and now

 

Resources:  

  1. Edgenuity 
  2. U.S. Immigration Timeline - HISTORY 
  3. Key findings about U.S. immigrants | Pew Research Center 
  4. Push or Pull Factors: What Drives Central American Migrants to the U.S.? - National Immigration Forum 
  5. Immigration Data and Statistics | Homeland Security (dhs.gov) 


Immigration then & now 

Mid-1800's through 1924 

Present Day 

  • Around 1815 most immigrants were Irish and German 
    • Push factors: famine in Ireland, political unrest in Germany 
    • Pull factors: job opportunities and political/religious freedom 
  • 1849 - the Know-Nothing Party was formed as a retaliation towards immigrants entering the nation  
  • In 1875 the Supreme Court declared that it’s the responsibility of the federal government to make and enforce immigration laws. 
  • In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act passed banning Chinese immigrants from coming to the U.S. 
  • Many migrants were unskilled workers 
  • Immigration Act of 1917 required immigrants to be able to read and write 
  • 1921 - Emergency Quota Act placed limits on immigration from each country. 
  • 1942 the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act created quotas. It made it harder for Southern/Eastern Europeans to come to the US but made it easier for Northern Europeans to come to the US. 

 

  • Today, immigrants account for 13.7% of the U.S. population 
    • Push factors - Political unrest, high crime rates, gang violence, high poverty 
    • Pull factors - family ties, economic opportunities and physical safety 
  • In 2020, 41% of all legalized immigrants came from India, Mexico, China, the Dominican Republic, the Philippines, and Brazil 
  • From 2016 to 2018, it is estimated that most unauthorized immigrants are from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, India and Honduras 
  • In 2020 78% of all refugees arrived from Burma, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Syria, Iraq, and El Salvador  
    • Many migrants and refugees are children and families 
  • Today there is a big push for immigration reform to make the system more equitable, less confusing and more doable for those seeking citizenship and asylum. 

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