User:Publicus/Sandbox
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[edit] Historical context
- Further information: Nativism (politics) and History of Immigration to the United States
In the United States, anti-immigration views have a long history. Nativist movements included the American Party of the mid-19th Century (formed by members of the Know Nothing movement), the Immigration Restriction League of the early 20th Century, and the Order of the Star Spangled Banner. More recently, immigration reduction groups such as the Minuteman Project have formed with the intention of monitoring and reporting on violations of the U.S. borders. Every wave of immigration into the United States has faced fear and hostility, especially during times of economic hardship, political turmoil, or war.
[edit] Irish and French experience
U.S. nativism appeared in the late 1790s in reaction to an influx of political refugees from France and Ireland. Nativism first gained a name and affected politics in mid-19th century United States because of the large inflows of immigrants from cultures that were markedly different from the existing American culture. Initially, nativists had an anti-Catholic bias and objected primarily to Roman Catholics (especially Irish American) because of their loyalty to the Pope and supposed rejection of American ideals.
[edit] Japanese experience
In addition to the Gentlemen's Agreement" regarding Asian immigrants, Japanese immigrants and Japanese citizens suffered greatly due to anti-immigration policies and movements. Most notably in 1942 when 120,000 Americans of Japanese descent were interned in camps until the end of World War II, of which about one-third were naturalized or native-born citizens.
[edit] Chinese experience
In 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was passed due to the belief that Chinese laborers were unfair competition and lowered wages of native born Americans. Anti-Chinese sentiment was also present for fear that Chinese immigrants were unable to assimilate. In 1882 the Chinese Exclusion Act had cut off nearly all Chinese immigration. The first laws creating a quota for immigrants were passed in the 1920s, in response to a sense that the country could no longer absorb large numbers of unskilled workers, despite pleas by big business that it wanted the new workers.
[edit] Red scare
During the Red Scare of the 1920s, thousands of foreign-born people suspected of political radicalism were arrested and brutalized. It was during this period that the Sedition Act of 1918 was passed which led to the Palmer Raids on suspected radicals and perceived undesirables. During this period many immigrants were deported without a hearing.
