preview

Immigration Policy Essay

Decent Essays

In immigration policy, there has been several programs and acts that are represented through significant moments. The first to discuss is the Chinese Exclusion Act, which was among one of the first immigration policy to exist within the United States. As stated in American immigration: a very short introduction, Gerber explains that Dennis Kearney, a Californian politician, had a disdain for Chinese immigrants and feared they would take over the workforce in California. In 1882, Kearney succeeds in promoting his agenda and passes the Chinese Exclusion Act, which calls for the deportation of Chinese immigrant workers (Gerber 35). Furthermore, Gerber quotes historian Mae Ngai, as she states that this act soughts “for massive racial engineering” …show more content…

As such, the Bracero program is also another immigration policy that is significant in United States history. Also, this program was created with an intention for Mexicans to return back to Mexico after the war ended, but several of them stayed which is also why this program is significant in the immigrant narrative. Lastly, another piece worth noting is the internment of Japanese folk which happened after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Due to this act, Japanese immigrants and Japanese-Americans were forced into internment camps, revoked of rights as citizens for Japanese-Americans, and lost all their belongings, such as homes, businesses, and cars (Daniels 88). Between the three of these moments, they have differences, For example, they all targeted different population, the Japanese were placed in internment camps, the Bracero program encouraged immigration, and the Chinese Exclusion Act forced Chinese immigrants to leave the country. Some of the similarities that these moments share is that they all targeted a specific population and sentiments towards these populations grew after these moments

Get Access