Immigration in America: cause and effects

Globally, the United States has been known as "a nation of immigrants" almost from its inception. Beginning in the 1600s with English Puritans and continuing today, America is a melting pot of culture and ethnicity. In fact, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, immigration was the major source of U.S. population growth. Looking over our 200+ years we find that to clearly be true, with approximately 1 million immigrants coming to America during the 17th and 18th century. Almost 3 million arrived during the 1860s, and another 3 million in the 1870s. In the next four decades, the number of immigrants rose to over 25 million people, most from various European nations, most arriving in New York or one of the Eastern seaports (Damon, 1981). Despite the politicization, as of 2006, the United States actually was the number one country globally to accept legal immigrants into the country, with a current immigrant population of almost 40 million (Terrazas and Batalova, 2009). In fact, the peak of immigration was 1907, when over 1.2 million Europeans entered the country beginning a push towards legislation limiting immigration in the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1924 and the 1921 Congressional Quota Act. These immigrants came for two sociological reasons: the push factor (wars, famine, persecution and overpopulation) and the pull factors (jobs and the promise of freedom). Most came by ship, and a passage often cost the equivalent of an entire life's savings causing many

Over the years, the rates of immigration in the United States has fluctuated. As time progresses, the change in migration to America is undeniable. Between now and 1990, there have been various events, political conflicts, and new legislatures which have each had their own major impact on the flow of immigrants into the country. The Immigration Act of 1990 kick started a notable shift in this flow. Today, in the present, with struggles against programs like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement seeking people out, America is forced to see the unsettling turn which immigration has taken. The 1990 Immigration Act fueled skilled immigrants in their migration to America, causing an increase in visa distribution. Whereas, now, America’s

Throughout history, we have known the people known as “Americans,” to have come from England, Ireland, Germany, and China. They risked everything immigrating to America as they saw the land as an opportunity and chance to have a fresh start of life. Some even risked migrating west across America that brought them farther away from civilization  and sanity. The migration and immigration of people has contributed to the American identity and changed American history in three distinct periods. These periods include the pre-civil war period, Civil War/ Industrialization era, and the 20th century.

Immigration has had a huge impact on the United States since we can remember. A steady stream of immigration, notably from the 1830s onward, formed a

Immigration has affected the United States in many ways. It has created many social and economic differences. One economic factor that immigration has affected is the job market. Many low wage jobs are going to immigrants because they will work for less pay and benefits. This is creating a large unemployment rate. Jobs that could be given to United States Citizens, they are being taken away immigrates. Another economic factor that immigration has affected is the welfare system. People from different countries can easily come to the United States and use our welfare systems. They can receive food stamps, Housing, and WIC. While citizens today that work a 9 to 5 job cannot receive any government assistant. As the author states some political

In order, for immigrants who come to the United State to work they must have documents in order to prove to their employers they are eligible to work. If they are not able to prove that they are eligible to work in the United States, they must take in a cash only paycheck where they have the possibility of being mistreated as workers and are being paid under federal minimum wage. The major key, in order to work in the United States is to have a Social Security number or have a work visa. If those immigrants have neither of those things they have to find a way to get the documents they need in order to work, even if it means that they have to get illegal and fake documents to provide for their family. As the tightening of the United States border has continued over the years. It has been getting harder and harder to prove that fake documents are the real deal, and many immigrants are trying to find documents that are allowing them to work as well not getting caught by the United States government. “A decade ago one could purchase simply ‘identify kits’- a driver’s license, a green card, and social security card-for only $100, but since the United States sealed it borders undocumented residents are willing to pay up to $5,000 for the mandatory national ID cards implemented by the DHS last year and hailed as a breakthrough in surveillance technology” (Romero, 2008). As the more and more things, the United States does to tighten up the border from illegal immigrants. The prices

Immigration has been a controversial topic for the United States for many years and immigration law, which is structured to import workers and family members (Posner, 2013), has been a concerned with mid-term elections and recent events. There has been a lot of attention in the media as of lately due to the entrance of over 57,000 unaccompanied Central Americans entering the country illegally. To take control of the situation Sen John Carnyn and Rep Henry Cuellar proposed a bill that would give birder control the opportunity in deciding rather children should be sent back immediately or if they should be allowed to have a court hearing. If they are allowed to have a court hearing, judges would then be required to make a final decision within seven days. The push for immigrants cases to be moved to an earlier date could undermine children’s rights and lead to a greater backlog of cases considering that it takes children longer to acquire lawyers and the chances of being granted citizenship without a lawyer is significantly lower than the chances of staying if you had a lawyer which is nine out of ten. By speeding up the process such cases would be ignoring the due process rule, would create a higher risk of legal errors, and clients are not being properly aware of their changed court date. For example, in the passage the author mentioned the case in which two illegal immigrants were seeking shelter with their Guatemalan father in Virginia received

In the late 19th century the United States experienced a wave of immigrants looking for work and/or escaping worsening conditions in their home countries. These immigrants, predominantly received through Ellis Island on the East Coast, would settle down in larger urbanized cities such as New York and Chicago. This was partially due to the amount of available jobs and housing, but also because of the appeal of staying close to other families from their homeland. By gathering in these communities they were able to keep their traditions alive through things such as native language and religion. However, since many of the immigrants were low income households, the communities were largely forced to live in poverty-level housing and provided with almost no social services by the federal government. It was this need for welfare that enabled political urban machines to rise in power. By providing support such as jobs and services to impoverished immigrant communities, these organizations thrived off of the loyalty, and therefore votes, that they received in return.

New York, in its own right, is a melting pot within the melting pot that is the United States. It is a plethora of cultural variation and ethical treasure as well as a place that gives great opportunities to attain wealth. Waves of immigrants came crashing down upon the United States in search of this wealth, all seeking the American Dream that they heard of from their respective homelands. Even still, the quest to realize this dream draws in many from afar and as a result; immigrants are still drawn to the United States. Entwined with the topic of immigration is the continuing process of industrialization around the world. The wonder that this combination was brought up to be was the key to financial success as well as freedom from the past. However, it rapidly revealed itself to be a double sided coin. Reality came crashing down quickly for many individuals as in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, immigration had put people back into the same hardships they had sought to escape.

Many People can speculate if the U.S.-Mexican border is truly a significant factor for our government’s safety or just there wasting money, time and land. By allowing the government to fund the border many improvements could be made. Border Safety, can create a safer border environment by facing the multiple Issues and Challenges, like illegal Immigration, Drug Enforcement, and cross-border Transportation, and Technological improvements by Homeland security influence the agents, trying to cease these issues.

Many People can speculate if the U.S.-Mexican border is truly a significant factor for our government’s safety or just there wasting money, time and land. By allowing the government to fund the border many improvements could be made. Border Safety, can create a safer border environment by facing the multiple Issues and Challenges, like illegal Immigration, Drug Enforcement, and cross-border Transportation, and Technological improvements by Homeland security influence the agents, trying to cease these issues.

For many centuries now immigration has been important to the key developments of North American countries. From the English settlers from the original 13 colonies, to the French who settled into what is now modern day Canada, even the Irish and German settlers during the Industrial revolution, all the way to Mexicans trying to find work in the booming U.S. economy after the second world war, immigrants have always flocked to America in search of a better life. The Immigration issues doesn’t just stop there either, even in today’s time many refugees from the middle east are fleeing Islamic terrorist groups only to find their rights and safety in America threatened as well. With the recent election of Donald Trump and the promises he has

Since its founding, the United States has attracted immigrants from all over the world and consists of a variety of different cultures. Immigration has had an enormous impact on American society and economy and shaped the country remarkably.

The concern about the impact that immigration imposes on American society is not a new one. Since the discovery of the New World immigrants from all over the world moved to American continent in search of a better life, that this vast and rich in sources, yet scarce in population land had promised them. Soon the immigrants outnumbered the native population. They came from England, Europe and Asia. In addition, millions of Africans were imported as slaves. By 1700 the United States became a country of immigrants and more were still to come. At that time America welcomed everybody who ventured to settle in the new country. At the end of the last century, however, not all immigrants were gladly received. The

In a world with so many current problems, immigration remains one of the most talked about ones. Day in and day out, immigrants work hard to achieve permanent residency or citizenship in the U.S. and live in constant fear. While some Americans understand the importance of immigration and believe immigration strengthens the American society, others are taking it to social media to express their humour or anti-immigration feelings. A few are even going to the extent of approaching certain people of immigrant groups and attacking them with foul language and/or violence. One such incident occurred just a few months ago in February. Adam W. Purinton, a white Kansas resident, went back to a bar he was kicked out of for throwing racial slurs at two Indians while asking them about their immigration status and shot them both killing one and wounding the other. Purinton shot them “because of their actual and perceived race, color, religion and national origin.” Not even two weeks later, an Indian-born man was outside his house in Seattle when an attacker shouted “Go back to your own country” before shooting him in the arm. Incidents like these are leaving many Indian immigrants worried for themselves and their families. As an Indian-born immigrant myself, I feel the need to address how important Indian immigration is as well as the process it took for the immigrants to get to the U.S. and how a lot of people are still waiting to be naturalized.