US Immigration Flashcards
What issues have made immigration controversial, both historically and today?
Size (Jobs/culture) Race Religion “Diversity is good in moderation”- Epstein Urban slums Concentrated areas of poverty
What brought European immigrants to the U.S.?
Overpopulation in Europe Religious persecution War Industrialization, poverty, squalor Potato Famine
Who came from Europe and when?
1800s, 80% of immigrants came from Europe
First Immigrants (1600s to early 1800s):
-Mostly British Isles, Africa
Old Immigrants (1840s to 1880s):
-Potato famine in Ireland
Mid 1800s industrial revolution= Germany, France, and Belgium causing people to leave Europe for land in US
Homestead act (1862)
New Immigrants (1880s- early 1900s)
Industrialisation= Italians, Scandinavians, Slavs, Jews (southern/eastern Europe)
Who came from Asia and when?
Chinese immigrants (1848-1880s) Need for labour: Mining Railroad Agricultural workers
What was the impact of increased immigration into the U.S. (including restrictions/labor)?
Increases population in cities Poor living conditions (urban slums) Resentment Immigrants worked for less Less educated “Not like us” Religion, race, culture, language, and politics Immigration Restrictions: Targeted Italians Capped number from country at 2% of 1890 US population Barred immigration from Japan
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What was the purpose of the Immigration Reform of 1965?
- Created more selective immigration formula
- Shifts immigration from Europe to Asia, Americas, Africa
- Foreign born population all-time low in 1970
- Increased multiracial marriages
- Make immigration less racist
- Previous laws privileged europeans
- New law were more open to people from other places, like africa
What were key elements of the failed 2013 immigration reform bill
Secure border
Making sure those who enter on visas leave.
Border fence
More temporary Visas for high tech/high skill workers
For agricultural workers.
Penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants. (Residency ID)
the number of people who are currently believed to be in the country illegally
11-12 million
Why was the earlier wave of immigration (1890-1920) ‘successful’ according to Kennedy?
- Foreign born population in the US never made up more than 14% of US population
- Coincided with period of economic growth
- Immigrants from many different backgrounds, speaking different languages, and distributed over a large area, so assimilation was inevitable (distinct culture would not last more than a generation)
What is true of immigration today?
-Foreign born population is US still relatively low (11%)
-Again coinciding with period of general economic growth
-Difference is that today most immigrants are from one language and even national group (spanish speaking mexicans) and they make up a very large minority (and even close to a majority in some cases) of the population in states of the southwest.
-Concern that some populations will not assimilate, and instead will create a mini version of their old countries in the communities they settle in.
-Most immigrants are not coming from europe
-Largest amount from China, Mexico second
Immigration has a bigger impact on state budgets rather than the federal budget
How does immigration impact the federal budget?
Positive contribution of $2-4 per year per native-born household, with annual contribution of $10 billion per year (insignificant to the economy of $13 trillion)
How does immigration impact state budgets?
Significant for state budgets:
New Jersey: $232 per year per native-born household
California: $1,178 per year per native-born household
Immigrants place a large cost on schools
Know the countries where most immigrants have come from in recent years
Mexico China Philippines India Cuba Vietnam El Salvador Korea Dominican Republic Guatemala
What has been the trend in the share (%) of foreign born people in the U.S. over the last century?
-The percentage of foreign people born in the US nowadays is close to the non foreign people born.
2044, US will be majority-minority
-It started increasing in 1970s
Process for those now in country illegally to gain legal status
- 11-12 million
- Pay penalty/back taxes
- Go to “back of line” for green card, possible citizenship
