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Political Dimensions Of Us Immigration Policies

Decent Essays

Political Dimensions of US Immigration Policies
Japanese and Chinese Immigration and Exclusionary Immigration Policies
Anti-immigrant driven exclusive immigration policies barred Japanese and Chinese immigrants from immigrating to the United States and accessing the privileges of citizenship. Through the Immigration Acts of 1917, 1921, and 1924, the US government insured that Japanese and Chinese immigrants could not immigrate to the United States by creating an artificial geographic area or “Asiatic Barred Zone” that denied entry to any immigrants who migrated from this area—most likely Chinese or Japanese (Lee 2003, 39). The Immigration Acts intentionally deprived Japanese and Chinese immigrants the privileges of US citizenship based on …show more content…

Despite their initial economic adversity, German and Italian immigrants accessed more privileges because of their increasingly perceived whiteness among native-Born Americans. As I have mentioned, the ideas of American immigration therefore refer to immigrants who conform to the “Crevecoeurian Myth.”
Reconciling the Paradox of US Immigration
Despite the radicalized economic, social, and political dimensions of US immigration, policymakers like President Obama continue to sustain a singular view of US immigration that I have argued is oriented around a white and European immigration experience. By revealing how Chinese, Japanese, Italian and German immigrants have faced economic, social, and political adversities, I have disproved President Obama’s claim that the United States has been “a beacon to the world” to these immigrant groups. President Obama’s claim is particularly problematic because it highlights how the paradox of immigration has diminished the severity and scope of United States’ exclusive immigration policies. As policymakers begin to address the current issues of the American immigration system, I argue that this objective is difficult to achieve.
The Paradox of US Immigration and Its Impact on Future US Immigration Policies
Demilitarization: The US-Mexico Border
As policymakers reform the US immigration system, I advise that they consider demilitarizing the

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