The unsuspected success of Donald Trump’s campaign for president has proved to be the spark of a new nativist moment in the United States. Open hostility and opposition to immigration has moved into mainstream culture, as Americans become increasingly intolerant of migrants as a result of their financial and cultural woes. Nativist sentiments are not a novel fixture of American political culture, however, as throughout history there have been countless crusades against migratory movements of the Irish, Chinese, Japanese, and countless other minority groups. The rationale behind nativist movements, however convoluted, seems to reduce to the notion that it is in the nature of the immigrant to cause economic and cultural harm to a nation, as immigrants steal jobs, scrounge off social welfare benefits, contribute the rising crime rates, and warp the indigenous culture of the host country. However, the reality is that immigrants are essential components in the U.S. economy and cultural fabric, playing a key role in the creation of economic well being and contributing positive influences to the American experience. Calls by Mr. Trump and past demagogic leaders to essentially ban immigrants can be traced back to racism, xenophobia, and the urge to scapegoat a helpless group for the economic troubles facing many Americans. Perhaps the strongest tool that Trump has abused in his campaign is his appeals to genuine economic hardships facing Americans stemming from the Great
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
In his book, Not Like Us: Immigrants and Minorities in America, 1890-1924, Roger Daniels explores the true history of American nativism in a time period where immigrants entered the country in greater numbers than ever before, or since. Instead of focusing on politics or economic growth at the turn of the twentieth century, Daniels instead discusses the social context of the time and the treatment of immigrants and minorities. Born in New York City and educated at both the University of Houston and UCLA, Daniels holds a Ph.D. in History, is the Charles Phelps Taft Professor at the University of Cincinnati, and has written several books on the matters of race and ethnicity.
Immigrants began moving to the United States in the 1850s in search of new freedoms and opportunities. They were soon viewed as threats by the American people because they could potentially take away job opportunities from native born Americans. Additionally, the morality and capabilities of these foreign people were unknown. As a result, new social and economic policies that favored “real Americans” were enforced. These affected a large group of foreigners, including Jews, Catholics, Italians, southern Europeans, and the Chinese. (Fry 1)
Immigration through out the late 1800’s and early 1900’s created nativism throughout the United States. Millions of immigrants flocked to the United States trying to find a better way of life to be able to support their families. Industrialization in the United States provided a labor source for the immigrants. Native born Americans believed immigrants were a “threat to the American way of life” (ATF chapter 11) Social and economic fault lines developed between natives and immigrants, through out the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, going unnoticed until the late 1920’s when the Sacco and Vanzetti case brought awareness of issue to much of the United States.
After the American Civil War, immigration has played a critical role that was seen as a problematical threat on religious, cultural, economic, and political aspects. Due to immigration from Europe, the United States population increased exceptionally in which has allowed a diverse view or perspective in Nativism and Racism. Both of these ideologies have various differences with definite degrees being successful during the elements of American history. Elements contained by immigrant groups or policies such as the “Jim Crow Laws” or “Ku Klux Klan” have significantly reformed patterns within America’s settlements.
In the United States, the cliché of a nation of immigrants is often invoked. Indeed, very few Americans can trace their ancestry to what is now the United States, and the origins of its immigrants have changed many times in American history. Despite the identity of an immigrant nation, changes in the origins of immigrants have often been met with resistance. What began with white, western European settlers fleeing religious persecution morphed into a multicultural nation as immigrants from countries across the globe came to the U.S. in increasing numbers. Like the colonial immigrants before them, these new immigrants sailed to the Americas to gain freedom, flee poverty and
In “The Right Road to America?,” Amy Chua informs her audience about the possibility of America’s national identity becoming lost due to the influence of immigrants. Chua’s defines her thesis by stating “Around the world, nations face violence and instability as a result of their increasing pluralism and diversity,” (336). The key points of the text includes Chua explaining why America and other nations could lose their core identities, how the United States could become unglued from its true meaning, and how citizens can fix this imminent problem. The information in this text is significant, especially in today’s society. With all of the issues about immigration coinciding with our current president, this text relates to current subjects
Immigration has always been a topic of conversation in politics, especially in the last election. People’s views towards whether immigration is a bad or good thing for the economy is up for debate. Many people find that immigrants destroy the economy, and have no right coming into the United States. Whereas some people view immigrants as a vital part of the United States’ social class, and they view immigrants as strong, willful people who made the difficult decision in coming over to the United States. In the two articles, “In Trek North, First Lure Is Mexico’s Other Line” written by Randal archibold, and “The Heartache of an Immigrant Family,” written by Sonia Nazario, it gives people an insight into the struggles and hardships families endure
Reducing the issue of xenophobia, the fear of foreigners or strangers, is not a simple task. Two ways today’s society is attempting to reduce xenophobia is through satirical representations, such as the animated show Futurama, and through non-satirical ways like serious articles in magazines like The New York Times. Both representations attempt to bring awareness to serious issues faced by Americans today, but both use completely different methods to get their point across. Dowell Myers’ article in the New York Times, “The Next Immigration Challenge,” observes the assimilation of Mexican immigrants into the U.S. and the problems faced by these immigrants in the way of skeptical Americans and uncooperative government policies. He examines the different ways that immigrants have and continue to contribute to society, and how current government policies hinder more successful strides in the future.
Immigration, since its beginning, has caused a spur in stances as to whether or not it has really benefited the United States. Those who were arrive first to the country are often the ones to judge incoming waves of new immigrants, and question everything about them. Knowledge of someone’s past, education, circumstances, or anything possibly influential to reason of the departure of the country origin is irrelevant. For some, if an individual arrived to the American shores illegally through any means necessary, for a better opportunity or other, does not deserve to be here. The term ‘illegal alien’ is synonymous with the word ‘immigrant’ because foreigners who live in this country do not belong, and are terrorizing the way of life here. The stereotypes that have risen about immigrants have escalated, yet many only see the stereotype and refuse to see it as actual issues faced by living breathing humans who struggle daily to survive. Not only do stereotypes underestimate immigrants, but also the stress and the fact that there are people who live in constant fear that everything done at this point was futile. Andreu, author of The Secret Side of Empty challenges immigration stereotypes by putting a face to each belief to display the harsh reality of the struggles faced by millions today.
The United States has maintained a tolerate-hate relationship with undocumented immigrants, and really immigrants in general. DeSoto (2016) provides a unique perspective in regards to the system surrounding undocumented immigration, “until the nature of global capital is arranged so that such [economical] asymmetries are less extreme, people will migrate towards money and opportunity and way from poverty and lack of opportunity” (p. 2). As Hilfinger-Messias, McEwen, and Boyle (2015) emphasize, more often then not when immigrants become increasingly visible in society nativism resurfaces exclusionary tendencies, and immigration policies become increasingly prohibitive and strict,
Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Remember, remember always that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists.”. It is a common assertion that the United States is a “melting pot”-a mixture of numerous different cultures, ethnicities, religions, and people hailing from all over the world. However, just as proudly as this is proclaimed, there is another truth that becomes evident: prejudice against those who dare to make a better life by emigrating to the U.S. is alive and thriving. This unfortunate reality is nothing new. “Immigrants constantly face being discriminated against because of the color of their skin, the sound of their voice, or simply because of the way they look and their beliefs”
Throughout history, immigration has remained a complex and influential piece of presidential policy—from the Age of Mass Migration, which led to the Immigration Act of 1924, to present day policy, which may result in the construction of a border wall. The debate on immigration remains contentious, inspiring emotional and empirical arguments by politicians and the public alike. Many of these aspects are discussed and defined within Abramitzky, Boustan, and Eriksson’s paper “A Nation of Immigrants: Assimilation and Economic Outcomes in the Age of Mass Migration” and Peri’s paper “Immigrants, Productivity, and Labor Markets,” which analyze American immigration, both past and present. From these papers, it is evident that adopting a nativist
In America, there has always been a long-standing history of hostility and opposition to immigrants. In a sense, immigrants are viewed under the same light and manner as an enemy threatening the constitution and safety of American citizens. During, the introduction the author states that “the antagonism was based on fear of what the wretched refuse was doing to America” (Elliott 25). This mindset and attitude towards immigrants eventually lead to the immigrant restriction of 1920. Although the terminology has changed, the fear of the unknown and what we cannot control still remains. History has a tendency to repeat itself and if anything, the recent executive order signed by our president is proof of this.
Donald’s Trump’s victory in the 2016 election is very complex. The political mishaps that have occurred since JFK’s presidency reshaped the American psyche of who the president should be. This chain of dissatisfaction with the federal government led the American people to hope for a president who is honest, free of corruption, and supportive of the middle class. Trump recognized the American need for a new kind of president and took on a persona that perfectly exemplified this. The Trump Mythology is the belief that Donald Trump is a transparent, honest politician; however, this is only part of the equation. Belief in the Trump Mythology contributed to his victory, but it is also important to acknowledge the respective roles of demographics, voter turnout, and Hillary Clinton’s flaws. An interesting difference between the Kennedy Mythology and the Trump Mythology that is worth noting is the role of the media. Throughout the Kennedy Era, popular media fed the people’s fascination of Kennedy’s Camelot, perpetuating the mythology. Donald Trump, however, was largely hated by popular culture. American media ultimately discounted Donald Trump as a viable contender for the presidency.