How significant was government policy in shaping the pattern of US immigration in the years 1917-80?
Immigration Quantity:
- Government policy encouraging immigration
o Before WW1, ‘open door’ policy, immigration rose – 1.2mil 1907
o Bracero Programme (200,000 migrant labourers entered each year 1948-64)
- Gov policy deterring immigration
o 1921 Emergency Quota Act (357,000 150,000 1924)
o Depression, 400,000 deported – deterred immigration
However…
- Exemptions to acts (e.g. 1965) meant caps weren’t strictly adhered to
o Increased numbers to 3.2 million in 1960s, 4.2 million 1970s
- Government had to deport many, indicating policy was ineffective in achieving aims of restricting
immigration (e.g. 1980 1mil illegal immigrants arrested/deported)
Nature of immigrants:
- Policy to restrict certain groups
o 1954 Operation Wetback (though arguably backwards-looking)
o 1976 Western Hemisphere Act (cap of 20,000 from nations in Central and South America)
o WW2 ‘enemy aliens’, German/Japanese (120,000 internment camps)
- Policy leading to groups from different countries entering
o 1965 Act abolished quotas – Asian immigration quadrupled in next 5 years
- Preference system increased skilled immigration (e.g. medical care, engineering)
However…
- Many immigration laws didn’t apply to west, contributed to ‘illegals’ (7mil unregistered mid-1970s)
- Gov policy arguably changed perceptions of immigration more than actual nature and scope of
immigration (e.g. 1980 shift to ‘nativism’)
Immigration Quantity:
- Government policy encouraging immigration
o Before WW1, ‘open door’ policy, immigration rose – 1.2mil 1907
o Bracero Programme (200,000 migrant labourers entered each year 1948-64)
- Gov policy deterring immigration
o 1921 Emergency Quota Act (357,000 150,000 1924)
o Depression, 400,000 deported – deterred immigration
However…
- Exemptions to acts (e.g. 1965) meant caps weren’t strictly adhered to
o Increased numbers to 3.2 million in 1960s, 4.2 million 1970s
- Government had to deport many, indicating policy was ineffective in achieving aims of restricting
immigration (e.g. 1980 1mil illegal immigrants arrested/deported)
Nature of immigrants:
- Policy to restrict certain groups
o 1954 Operation Wetback (though arguably backwards-looking)
o 1976 Western Hemisphere Act (cap of 20,000 from nations in Central and South America)
o WW2 ‘enemy aliens’, German/Japanese (120,000 internment camps)
- Policy leading to groups from different countries entering
o 1965 Act abolished quotas – Asian immigration quadrupled in next 5 years
- Preference system increased skilled immigration (e.g. medical care, engineering)
However…
- Many immigration laws didn’t apply to west, contributed to ‘illegals’ (7mil unregistered mid-1970s)
- Gov policy arguably changed perceptions of immigration more than actual nature and scope of
immigration (e.g. 1980 shift to ‘nativism’)
