The immigration issue in the USA
Immigration into the USA is the movement of people from all over the world into the borders of the USA to settle there permanently. For a long time, immigration has been a massive contributor to the growth of the population in the USA, contributing 48 million people that represent approximately 14 percent of the entire US population. It has had a lot of significant impacts on the history of the county and contributed to some cultural enhancements as people adopt new cultures from different parts of the world. The question of immigration has, however, been a thorny issue in recent times, with a lot of stakeholders taking diverse opinions on the regulation of movement and settlement in the USA. Some of the questions that have come out sharply are employment and job creation, as well as the rights that immigrants can enjoy while in US soil. This paper will elucidate on the question of immigration, its history, and reasons that led to migration into the USA.
History of immigration in the USA.
The USA is a country of migrants as a large part of its population consists of people who formerly were from other countries. The history of migration in the USA is long and is made up of four significant episodes that brought an influx of foreigners who occupy the present-day USA. The colonial period was one of the periods that saw a large number of people make their way towards North America. The period between the 17th and 18th centuries saw a lens of thousands of English, Scottish, Dutch, Germans among other white Europeans. They majorly occupied the present-day states of New York, new jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
The second epoch of migration occurred in the early stages of the formation of the nation of the USA. During this period, a large number of French escaping the slave revolution in Haiti, as well as the Chinese of the gold rush, made way into the USA in large numbers. The period of 78 years from 1836 saw a total of over 30 million Europeans make their way into the USA following the relaxation of naturalization laws that allowed more and more people, including blacks and Asians, to acquire citizenship. However, the influx of the Chinese was checked for a brief period until 1943, when the laws were lifted.
The period of the early 20th century also saw several people move to the USA from Southern and Eastern Europe, including Jews, Italians, and the Slavs. Immigration caveats were put into place to stop the influx, backing up the caveat on the Chinese immigration that slowed down the immigration of Asians into the USA. The government also put in place a repatriation program that moved close to half a million citizens into Mexico, a majority against their will. Later on, over a million Mexicans were also deported during the same period, which saw more movements out of the USA than into it, caused by the great depression.
Reasons for immigration
One of the significant causes of migration into the USA is the lack of safety in the parent countries of the migrants. Several people flee their countries and come to the USA due to civil strife, war, gang activities, and government persecution. These people seek asylum in the USA as refugees and end up becoming citizens, even calling up their families to follow them. Countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador saw a large volume of their citizens cum migrants move into the USA following protracted streak violence and insecurity. Several countries are still battling to set up fully democratic institutions, especially in some parts of Asia and Africa. Their citizens are persecuted by the governments and have to flee the situations there.
Another cause of movement into the USA is the economic challenges experienced by people around the world. A large number of people move from developing countries like Mexico into the USA in search of jobs and better wages. Countries like Mexico have lost a sizeable amount of its population to the USA due to economic factors. The American agricultural sector has proved an able employer to several Mexican immigrants crossing the border, with the two countries having strained relationships in recent times over the migration issue. These economic improvements have a long-term effect on the quality of life of these immigrants who quickly move up the social ladder.
The other big reason for immigration in the USA is environmental factors in the parent countries include crop failure that could lead to famine and natural disasters and pollution. Most people around the world grapple with water, soil, and air pollution and have the push to move up to cleaner spaces where they can raise their families. Natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes also contribute immensely to the influx of immigrants as people are forced to move. Disasters such as the Haitian earthquake and the Syrian famine was a massive motivator for movements to major cities and countries like the USA.
The USA is a vast country whose diversity is among its major strengths. The history of migration is part of the US folklore and is a source of pride. However, the underlying reasons must be considered to understand the question of immigration fully. These reasons overlap as people could have several reasons for moving to the USA. These reasons are just the major ones as there could be other reasons, such as the spirit of adventure. To address the debate on migration, it is essential to address the root causes, such as lack of safety in some places in the world and political reasons.