The Immigration Road
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part I
INTRODUCTION
I stood along a dirt road in New Mexico watching an
archeologist poke a stick into a very small depression on the side of a the
hill. The depression’s only unique
feature was its color. Unlike the tan
color of the desert, it was very black.
The archeologist stood up and said, “You may not believe this, but a
family of about 12 people lived here. I
would estimate somewhere between 6 to 9 thousand years ago.” My job as a
training instructor included doing site surveys of areas we planned to use for
training. This included looking for
archeological sites. I was often amazed
at how the archeologists could tell by the slightest changes in the ground that
people had lived in an area.
Recently, in terms of
political time, immigration, especially illegal immigration has become a hot
button topic. It is important that
before we make any changes in our present immigration system, that we
understand the history of immigration in the United States and the purpose of
immigration laws.
To approach this issue I have divided immigration into 6
distinct periods. These periods are: The
Land Bridge Period, The Pre-Columbian Period,
The Colonial Period,
The
Early Republic, Post Civil War Period, and The Current Period. These periods are distinguished by the
immigration pattern, immigration purpose, immigration benefits, and immigration
legislation. I will use an apolitical
approach in an attempt to not become embroiled in individual political passion.
In the course of this series I will present the demonstrated
facts about immigration. This
perspective will always be from the impact it has on American
society and economy. Keep in mind that
the mindset of these distinct periods is not in keeping with many present day
norms. It is critical that any
discussion does not compare morality of 10,000 BC, with 2013 AD. It is also critical that no comparison be
attempted between immigration in Asia, Europe, or Africa to the immigration in
America.
This series is not presented to argue a point, or particular
solution to immigration in America. Instead, it is intended to spur discussion
based on the information provided. It is
important that you do not read into, or attempt to jump ahead of the articles
as they are presented. Discussion of the
individual articles is important, but discussions about current situations
should be left until that article has been presented. What follows one article may not be what you
expect, and sifting through the noise ahead of an article is annoying. Feel
free to comment, or correct anything you think is wrong. I do not propose to know it all, and as with
any article, no matter how hard I try, some of my own prejudice will find its
way into the discussion.
As the articles progress I will update each with links to
the other articles in the series. I
really do not like series blogs, but this is such a complex subject it is
impossible to boil it down to a single 750 word blog post.
The Immigration Road
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part II
The Land Bridge
Period
Approximately thirty thousand years ago a land bridge
stretched between present day Siberia, and
Alaska. The most popular theory is that
people who would become known as American Indians crossed this land
bridge. This began the Land Bridge
Period of immigration to the
Americas.
For eighteen thousand years people this land bridge allowed
for both animals, and later man, to spread across the Americas. These people created
hundreds of cultures, and sub-cultures, each with their own ethnic identity,
religion, and methods of survival. Given
the sheer size of the Americas
there was plenty of room for these cultures to develop with very little
interference from the outside, or one another.
The environment controlled the migration of animals and
people. As the planet began to warm
during the last Ice Age
,
animals in particular began to migrate to warmer and more fertile land. Since man at this point was very dependent on
wild game, they followed these animal migrations across the Land Bridge. This immigration to the
Americas was based solely on the
food source.
The pattern of immigration during the Land Bridge Period at
first would have been family groups of about 40 people. Given the vast lands of
the Americas, these groups
would have found themselves free to spread over both Americas. During this period these
groups consisted of nomadic hunter gatherers.
They would continue to follow the food sources further into the Americas.
The important point to remember is the reason these people
migrated. It was for survival and the
journey to improve their lives by maintaining a constant and secure source of
food, water, and shelter. Although it is
possible that some of the groups migrated to escape enemies, this was not the
primary reason.
Approximately twelve thousand years ago the land bridge
between Siberia and Alaska
was once again swallowed by the sea. By the time the land bridge closed there
were hundreds of thousands of people spread across the Americas. And though you would
think this was the largest migration of people the Americas would experience, you
would be wrong.
The Immigration Road
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part III
The Pre-Columbian
Period
The Pre-Columbian Period of Immigration was one of internal
immigration within the United
States. It was during this period that some
tribes combined with others, and other tribes split completely and migrated to
entirely new areas. There are also some
great mysteries.
Social development flourished in the southern portion of America. One group of interest were the mound
builders, and the most interesting of these was the Mississippian Culture.
We often imagine that the American Indian as settling is
villages that were small, and that they lived in tents or grass huts. This was true in America when the Spanish arrived in
1539. However, the Mississippian culture
existed in the mid-west, south-east, and as far west as present day Arkansas. Often called the “Mound Builders” because of
the large earthen mounds they built, the culture goes beyond just making hills.
The Mississippian people built wooden temples, or houses
atop the mounds to form large cities.
They had moved from hunter/gatherers to an agrarian society
. They developed a chiefdom system of
government and power was held by a few, or one.
They also constructed palisades.
The question of the palisades, especially in the later part of the
culture is interesting.
You build walls for two reasons. The first being defense, the second being to
contain something, or someone. There is
no doubt that this culture was involved in the conquest and enslaving lesser
peoples. Immigration control is a means
to control population. This need to
control the population of your nation by controlling immigration is not new,
but the fact is had been practiced within the Native American culture in
general is highlighted by the Mississippians.
A mystery surrounds this culture…it disappeared with little evidence as
to why long before the arrival of the Europeans.
Another example of this is the Iroquoian Nations. The Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga and Cayuga tribes shared the
same language and culture. They were
co-located and formed league in the late 15th or early 16th
century. Known as the 5 Nations they
were a powerful force in the New York
area. These tribes demonstrate how 5 Nations coalesced into a single
force. However, there is the anomaly of
the 6th Nation.
At some point the Tuscarora Nation migrated south leaving
the area controlled by the 5 Nations.
This migration was probably forced by the increased competition of the
coordinated actions of the 5 nations.
Once settled in the eastern areas of North Carolina they became the largest and
most powerful force in the area. It
would remain there until just before the American Revolution.
This pattern of tribes with like language and culture
combining, or breaking apart is repeated throughout the United States as power struggles
led to forced migration.
Each tribe had rules concerning the introduction of foreign
people into the tribe. In many cases
foreign people were introduced as captives, or slaves. In a few cases someone from another
culturally connected tribe may be allowed to join a group, but they would have
been required to demonstrate their value to the tribe.
It would have been inevitable that the American Indian would
have once again built huge complex cities, had it not been for Christopher
Columbus.
The Immigration Road
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part IV
The Colonial Period
The rediscovery of the Americas
brought change throughout the entire New World. The new immigrants did not initially arrive
as family units, but as military units with the desire to explore, exploit and
convert. When you think of the early
Colonial Period, the Spanish are the leading immigrants. Immigration is seldom
though of in terms of the early Spanish expeditions, but whether the sailors
and soldiers of these expeditions realized it, it is what they did.
Spanish immigration began with explorers who discovered new
areas that could be exploited for their material resources. They did this with government funding, and
the moral support of the Catholic Church.
The Church saw souls as a resource.
The Spanish practiced the harsh methods of immigration, not only one the
American Indians, but also on their own soldiers and sailors. These sailors and soldiers did not realize
that in many cases the plan did not include them being returned to Spain.
Spain also introduced the
first African slaves into America.
The British Empire began an immigration that would have the
greatest impact on America. The British pattern of immigration differed
from that of the Spanish. The British
commercialized the idea of immigration.
The British Government backed commercial permanent immigration to America. They also allowed totally independent
commercial immigration. This would
provide Britain
with new sources of materials and income, as well as expanding the empire.
Immigration during this time consisted of like minded people
to develop societies free of Government interference. These people immigrated to escape political
intimidation based on religious belief.
This change in the reason of immigration was a new pattern of
immigration to the new world.
Unlike the Spanish, the goal of converting the natives was
not a priority. That is not to say that
the British immigrants did not try, or want to convert the natives, it was not
one of the goals of immigration. The conversion methods when used were not nearly
as harsh as those used by Spain
were.
The Colonial Period consisted of the introduction of new
ideas in government, religion, and culture.
People from throughout Europe and their
African slaves replaced, assimilated, or forced Native Americans to migrate
west. This shift in demographics took place in less than 100 years and
propelled America
toward a new destiny.
This new idea of many religious points of view existing in
relatively close proximity, combined with varied cultures were doing something
in America that they were unable to do in Europe. Of course the wars in Europe
created many conflicts in America…these
were conflicts that extended to America…not
created in America.
There were certainly conflicts that existed between the Native Americans and
the new immigrants, but those are to be expected.
Displacement of the Native Americans was a major issue among
the Native Americans. Some, like the
Cherokee tribe, assimilated to the new culture.
The Cherokee even began to participate in the culture as land holders,
and slave owners. Others, such as the
Tuscarora, fought hard against the new immigrants, and in the end were forced
to return to the rest of the Iroquoian Nation.
Throughout the Colonial Period there were no controls on
immigration imposed by the colonizing nations.
If you could afford the passage, which few could, then you could
immigrate to America. One method that many people chose was to
become indentured servants. An
indentured servant would enter into a contractual agreement to serve as labor
for someone for a particular period.
After this period was complete they were free to go where they
pleased. This becomes an important issue
in later periods.
The Colonial Period ended abruptly with the onset of the
American Revolution. A new nation was
born from the colonies and immigration took on a new meaning.
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part V
The Early Republic
The Treaty of Paris signed
September 3, 1783 ended the American Revolution. The former British Colonies were now faced
with the problem of creating a Government. On March 4, 1789 the United States
Government began work, the Federal Government had been born. Suddenly, nearly 4 million people
came under the control of a new
government.
Since the new republic required
participation of its citizens there needed to be a definition of what a U.S.
Citizen was. The 1790 Naturalization Act
set out to define who was a citizen, and how an immigrant became a citizen. The
1790 Act consisted of 4 sections.
Under the 1790 Act to be
considered for naturalization a person must first be a free white person, of
good moral character. The Act prevented
Native Americans, Blacks, Slaves, Indentured Servants, and Asians from becoming
citizens. Your moral character was determined by a common law court.
In addition to being a free
white person of good moral character you had to have resided in the United States
for 2 years, and at least 1 year in the State that you file the
application. The 2 year provision was
intended to show that the new immigrants had established themselves and not
been involved in any criminal activity that would indicate a bad moral
character. The 1 year in the state in
which the application was made also allowed the courts access to any criminal
activity.
Finally, the 1790 Act allowed for
the children (under 21) of naturalized citizens to be considered citizens as
well. In this part of the act a citizen
was the father. Lineage had to follow the father.
The 1795 Naturalization Act
increased the time of residence from 2 to 5 years. It also required that a citizen renounce all
previous allegiances and hereditary titles 3 years before being granted
citizenship.
In 1802 Act directed the clerk
of courts were instructed to record the entry of all aliens to the United States. The alien’s name, birthplace, age, nation of
allegiance, country of emigration, and place of intended settlement was
recorded. The clerk of court would issue
a certificate that established the time of the aliens entry into the United States.
By the time of the Civil War
the population topped 16 million. In
addition to natural growth
, there were mass immigration events. These include the immigration of Irish due to
the famine of the 1840’s, and the Chinese.
The Chinese were culturally,
linguistically, and religiously extreme in terms of the dominant language,
religions and cultures of America. They immigrated due to famine and a failed
economy in China.
They immigrated as large family groups drawn by the promise of wealth gold rush
in California. They established self-contained communities
within established American communities.
These “China
Town’s” can be found in
many of the western states, some of which actually existed below the streets of
many cities. This Chinese sub-culture was seen as anything but one of “good
moral character.” This sub-culture
consisted of opium dens and prostitution. However, it also highlighted the
American ideal of hard work and persistence. The Chinese understood business
and provided services to the growing mining communities of the American West.
The 1802 Act remained unchanged
until after the American Civil War.
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part VI
The Post
Civil War Period
After the Civil War the United States suddenly had approximately
200,000 new residents in the form of freed slaves. During the war in 1862
anyone who had been honorably discharged from the Army had the 5 year residency
requirement waived. In 1894 this was
extended to members of the Marines and Navy.
Even with the addition of former slaves to the mix, the
majority of immigration continued to be from Britain,
with Ireland
leading the way. Due to the continued
hostile environment set up in Ireland,
along with famine Irish Catholics were streaming into the United States. The common port of entry for most of these
immigrants was New York.
This created an issue for New York.
Prior to 1891, the states were required to log, and issue certificates
of citizenship. With so many immigrants
arriving in New York,
the State was absorbing all of the costs associated with recording the entry to
the country, and the courts were clogged with petitions for citizenship. The 1891 Immigration and Naturalization Act
created the Immigration Bureau. This now shifted the responsibility of logging
and tracking the petitions for citizenship to the Federal Government.
By 1900, immigrants began to include people from Italy, and
Eastern European Nations. This new surge in immigration was still creating
backlogs in civil courts throughout the nation.
In 1906 the Immigration Bureau changed into the Bureau of Immigration
and Naturalization. This new Federal
bureau was placed in charge of all matters pertaining to immigration.
The 1906 law also changed the process for becoming a
citizen. The process began with the immigrant
filing declaration of intent. After filing this declaration within a period of
2 to 7 years they could then petition for citizenship. Previously the court decided if the person
was of “good moral character.” The 1906
law now only required that the applicant provide two witnesses with personal
knowledge of the individual who would sign an affidavit of that stated the
applicant had lived in the United
States for 5 years, and was of good moral
character. Next the petition would be investigated and by the Bureau of
Immigration and Naturalization and they would submit a preliminary report with
recommendations to the judge. The last step was a hearing before a judge. If the judge found in favor of the petition
the immigrant would take an oath and renounce all previous allegiances. The law
did not change the fact that Native Americans and Asians were denied
citizenship.
Several pivotal laws during this period were the Emergency
Quota Act of 1921 and the Immigration Act of 1924.
The Emergency Quota Act of 1921 was intended to be a short
term cure to the problem of immigration.
Wide spread unemployment after World War I spurred the need to curtail
immigration. The Act limited immigration to 3 percent of the people from that
same country living in the United
States as of the 1910 census.
The Immigration Act of 1924 further restricted immigration
by dropping the quota to 2 percent. In
this act the barriers to race were removed.
For the first time Native Americans and Asians could petition for
citizenship.
The Post-Civil war period saw a great deal of immigration
from across the globe, and this combined with economic issues within the
country created more stringent guidelines to control immigration. War, famine, persecution and a chance to make
a better life drew people to the nation, and set the tone for immigration well
into the Current Period.
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part VII
The Dream for a
Better Tomorrow
Everyone dreams for a better tomorrow. Many people say they want a better life for
their children than they had. Though
this is true, they need to improve their own lives to make this possible.
Although the original immigrants were unwittingly trapped in
a new world, it was their need to stay fed, clothed, and sheltered from the
storms that drove them forward. Like the immigrants that followed them, they
came with the clothes on their backs.
They would give birth to great leaders.
Men who recognized what it meant to be a leader, and the great
responsibility that came with leadership.
Of course, not all of these were benevolent leaders. Just like in the
world they left, some would become despotic and practice the most evil of all
arts. A study of the cultures that
developed in the microcosm of Pre-Columbian America is a study of world
history.
The rediscovery of America led to immigration from
something to something. Many of the
early immigrants were seeking fame and fortune.
And as with any risky endeavor, many lost their lives both figuratively
and literally. Some of these immigrants
were thrown into a world and abandoned. Like anyone they made due with what
they had, they learned from the people who had migrated thousands of years
earlier, and they brought to these people new ideas.
The problems of the Old World and New
World combined with the solutions to those problems gave rise to a
new nation, and most importantly a new way in which people and Government
interacted. The rise of individualism,
the right to think and live in the way you saw fit became a beacon that
attracted the disenfranchised moths of the human race. Well before the rise of republican democracy,
people began to vote for a better life with their feet.
Like the Mississippian, Inca, Mayan, Iroquois, and others in
America, the new immigrants
posed problems, brought disease, and threatened the balance of the New World. However,
instead of destroying the cultures that existed before, the new ideas of
freedom allowed for the melding of new ideas, and the rejection of the
old. These ideas spread beyond the
borders of the New World and crossed the globe
to replace the old ideas of Emperors, and Monarchs. Government no longer held to the whims of
one, or a few, but became one that was of the people, and by the people.
Like a life boat in a sea of drowning people, the United States of America
is seen as the dream of a better tomorrow.
Like a life boat nearing capacity America struggled with how to
filter those who immigrate and educate them as to what the idea of freedom
means. Something the nation began to struggle with at the turn of the 20th
century, and is still struggling with today.
The first half of the 20th century saw two World
Wars, and the rise of a new type of war with the beginning of the Cold
War. Although the issue of immigration
was certainly addressed during this period, it was never answered. That brings
us to the Current Period of Immigration.
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part VIII
The
Current Period
Author’s
note: In an attempt to keep these articles as short as possible, and the
complex nature of the Current Period in Immigration this article will briefly
describe the legislation during the period.
A more detailed discussion will follow in a future article.
The
1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act
In the early morning hours of 9 March, 1916
five hundred men under the command of Pancho Villa attacked the small town of Columbus, New
Mexico.
Screaming, “Villa, Villa, Viva Mexico,” the raiders set about
looting and burning the town. What they
had not counted on was the fact that nearly all of the residents were armed. When
the detachment of the 13th Cavalry that was garrisoned in the town
recovered from the initial assault the attacking Villa was forced to withdraw.
The early part of the 20th century
was marked by socialists, anarchists, communists, and revolutionaries. The
threat posed by immigrants to the homogenous ethnic makeup of the United States
spurred the immigration laws of that period. The Immigration Act of 1924 had
created quotas, the requirement to have a visa, it defined the term
“Immigrant,” and established the naturalization processes that would remain in
effect until the second half of the century.
At the end of World War II the world was awash
with refugees. Escaping the horrors of
post war Europe, Asia, and Africa these refugees were drawn to the first Super
Power, the United States. The very first shots of the Cold War had
begun in a small peninsula in Asia.
In 1952, the Current Period of immigration
began with the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952. Until this time the rules of immigration and
naturalization had been contained in wide variety of statutes. The 1952 act
combined all of these statutes into a single act.
The 1952 act removed the racial barrier to
naturalization. No longer was a person required to be a free white of good
moral character. This requirement had
been in effect since the Naturalization Act of 1790. It retained the quota
system for immigration, but modified it to include preferential ethnic groups
and those with special skills. It also
defined three types of immigrants.
The first group consisted of immigrants with
special skills, such as engineers, doctors, and scientists were given a fast
track to immigration. This group also
included relatives of present citizens; they were exempt from the quota system.
The Second group consisted of the average
immigrant. This group was limited to 270
thousand per year.
The Third group consisted of refugees. This created the idea of Political Asylum that
is used heavily today.
The Act also allowed for the deportation of
immigrants, and naturalized citizens who were engaged in subversive
activity. This was specifically used to
target communists and other revolutionaries who were considered dangerous.
To become a naturalized citizen the act states
“The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 requires an alien to apply for a petition for naturalization. This form may be obtained from any office of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, a division of the Department of Justice, or from any court authorized to naturalize aliens. Before applying, an alien must be at least 18 years old and must have been lawfully admitted to live permanently in the United States. He must have lived in the United States for five years and for the last six months in the state where he seeks to be naturalized. In some cases, he need only have lived three years in the United States. He must be of good moral character and "attached to the principles of the Constitution". The law states that an alien is not of good moral character if he is a drunkard, has committed adultery, has more than one wife, makes his living by gambling, has lied to the Immigration and Naturalization Service, has been in jail more than 180 days for any reason during his five years in the United States, or is a convicted murderer.”[7]
The Act was not without controversy. President Truman vetoed the act, but Congress overturned his veto. This is an interesting debate to note. It is an example of what is missing in politics today. The Act was sponsored by two Democrats. It was Vetoed by a Democrat, and over ruled by Democrats.[8]
President Truman’s veto statement reads,
“Today, we are "protecting" ourselves as we were in 1924, against being flooded by immigrants from Eastern Europe. This is fantastic...We do not need to be protected against immigrants from these countries–on the contrary we want to stretch out a helping hand, to save those who have managed to flee into Western Europe, to succor those who are brave enough to escape from barbarism, to welcome and restore them against the day when their countries will, as we hope, be free again....These are only a few examples of the absurdity, the cruelty of carrying over into this year of 1952 the isolationist limitations of our 1924 law. In no other realm of our national life are we so hampered and stultified by the dead hand of the past, as we are in this field of immigration.”[9]
In response, Pat McCarran stated,
“I believe that this nation is the last hope of Western civilization and if this oasis of the world shall be overrun, perverted, contaminated or destroyed, then the last flickering light of humanity will be extinguished. I take no issue with those who would praise the contributions which have been made to our society by people of many races, of varied creeds and colors.... However, we have in the United States today hard-core, indigestible blocs which have not become integrated into the American way of life, but which, on the contrary are its deadly enemies. Today, as never before, untold millions are storming our gates for admission and those gates are cracking under the strain. The solution of the problems of Europe and Asia will not come through a transplanting of those problems en masse to the United States.... I do not intend to become prophetic, but if the enemies of this legislation succeed in riddling it to pieces, or in amending it beyond recognition, they will have contributed more to promote this nation's downfall than any other group since we achieved our independence as a nation.”[10]
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965
If you want to point to one act that has had the most significant effect on America this is the one. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 came amidst a time of turmoil within the United States. The Civil Rights Movement was at its height and the present system of national origin quotas was seen as counter to that movement.
The Act removed the quota system that was established in the 1920’s excluded immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The purpose of the acts from the 1920’s was to maintain the status quo of the demographics of American culture. The 1965 Act was not popular with the majority of Americans. The concern was that by allowing unfiltered immigration would greatly impact the American demographic.
The 1965 Act changed immigration by focusing on the skills and family relationships of immigrants. The family relationships did not just include naturalized citizens, but residents. This meant that a person related to someone who was legally in the United States would receive preferential treatment. This opened a flood gate to immigration from Latin America. The supporters of the bill assured the American people that this change would not greatly affect the demographic of the country.
The Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966, created a pathway for legal immigration to virtually anyone from Cuba based on a very loose set of criteria. If you could find your way to the United States you were all but guaranteed a visa.
The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Recognizing the problems caused by the Immigration Act of 1965, and the failure of controlling immigration along the borders, this act sought to rectify the problem. The 1986 act made it illegal to hire illegal immigrants, while at the same time legalizing the hiring of certain seasonal illegal workers.
The act also legalized illegal immigrants that had entered the United States Prior to 1982. The immigrants were required to turn themselves in, pay a fine, back taxes, and admit they had entered the country illegally.
The Immigration Act of 1990
This Act increased the number of legal immigrants per year to 700,000. This was an increase over the previously allowed number of 500,000. It created new types of visas and continued the preferential treatment of those who had family in the United States. It also removed many barriers to immigration. Previously those who had serious diseases were barred from entry. In particular, this act removed AIDS as a barrier to immigration.
The Illegal
Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996
The last major act of congress that has had the greatest
impact was the 1996 Act. Given the
complexity of this act it will be discussed in detail in the next article in
this series.
Summary
The current period of Immigration differs very little from
the periods of the past in terms of why people immigrate to the United States. However, legislation has had a huge impact on
how new immigrants are allowed into the United States. The discussion now changes from the history
of immigration to the cause and effect of both immigration and the laws
presently in effect, and proposed concerning immigration.
The Immigration Road
By
CaptBlackEagle
Part IX
Conclusion and the
Future of Immigration
The future of the United States, as a free nation, is
tied to immigration, and integration of immigrants into the ideals of
freedom. This was the goal of every
immigration act passed since the founding of the nation. In the early days of the republic there was
no mass immigration from Canada,
or Mexico. In order to immigrate to the United States,
you had to take a slow boat. As they
say….change…changed everything.
Social changes in our neighboring countries, chief among
these are Latin American nations made the United States a better place to
live. We became what Gloria Steinem
called “The enormous frosted cupcake surrounded by millions of starving
people.” Our own social change put
sprinkles on the top of that cupcake.
Immigration, both legal and illegal, has created a new class
of people that have not integrated into free people. Instead, they have brought along their own
unresolved issues from the countries they are escaping, and in some cases are
attempting to create little versions of their own country within the boundaries
of America. This is demonstrated by the Irish and Chinese
immigration of the 1800’s. It is further
highlighted by Latin immigration of the 1950’s and 1960s, as well as, the
Middle Eastern immigration of the 1980’s and 1990’s.
Any reform to immigration must deal with present Illegal
Immigrants, prevention of future illegal immigration, and immigration of those
who are desirable. As a nation we must
be prepared to take consistent and conscious steps to ensure that we create
fiscally responsible and economically feasible methods to control
immigration. The methods to make this
happen will not be politically acceptable to everyone, but the alternative
would be more devastating than doing nothing at all.
Many oppose anything other than what they want…they have no
give and take, and certainly have no proposals that offer alternatives. They are, for lack of a better term, as
useless as, teats on a boar. If you fit in this category, you may want to stop
reading right here and crawl back into your bunker. If you are open to finding real solutions,
please keep on reading.
This is the last article in the series The Immigration
Road. It was provided to establish the
history of immigration in America. All of the articles that follow this series
will reference this work as a starting point for those articles. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
CaptBlackEagle.
CaptBlackEagle was
born and raised in the United
States.
As a United States
Security Forces member he has traveled to Europe, Southwest Asia, and Latin America. After
retiring from the military he obtained a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor
in History with honors. He is presently
mostly retired.
