The early days
Early-mid 20th century
Modern era I
Modern era II
Random (fun?) facts
100
This state was the epicenter of anti-Chinese sentiment during the late 19th century.
California
100
This system was established with1921 Immigration Act.
The QUOTA System
100
Two impacts of NAFTA in 1994.
Flooded Mexico with subsidized, corporate agriculture from N. America
Displaced 4.9 million Mexican farmers
Poverty rate skyrocketed in MX; poor economic performance of MX economy caused immigration to US to increase by 79% from just 1994-2000
~700,000 US manufacturing jobs lost
Mexican workers exploited in maquiladoras program
....
100
A number of studies have shown convincingly that voluntary immigrants are less likely to _____________ than native-born Americans.
Commit crimes or be incarcerated
* Some studies actually show that urban crime actually declines with an influx of voluntary immigrants.
100
True or false: Accounting for 13.7% of the U.S. population, immigrants represent a greater share of the U.S. population than at any point in our history.
False: Despite the fact the number of immigrants in the U.S. has quadrupled since the 1965 Immigration Act - and the current share is nearly triple what it was in 1970 (4.8%) – today immigrants remain below the record 14.8% share in 1890.
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/
200
The name/significance of the 1882 immigration law
1882 Chinese Exclusion Act
(Made permanent in 1904 and not repealed until 1943! Did make exceptions for merchants, travelers, students, travelers, and diplomats)
200
In the early 20th century, Mexicans were considered _________ by law, for purpose of securing citizenship status, and hence loyalty of numerous large landowners, especially in California. Popularly though, this was of course contested.
White
200
One impact of the 1965 immigration law
Got rid of quota system
Set annual 170,000 entrants for the Eastern Hemisphere, 20,000 per nation
Generous ordering of preferences in distribution of visas, with 7 categories of desirable qualifications
Separate track for family reunification
....
200
Influence of 9/11 on immigration law.
Militarization of southern border by Bush administration
Imposition of border fense
Expansion of deportation measures
Immigration decisively evolves into a law enforcement issue
200
True or false: In 1994, about two-thirds of Americans (66%) said that immigrants strengthened the country “because of their hard work and talents,” while about a quarter (24%) said immigrants burden the country by taking jobs, housing and health care. Today, it is much closer to 50/50.
False
300
One impact of 1891 Immigration Act
Centralizes immigration authority in the federal government
Establishes large bureaucratic administration (in Customs Service)
Expands list of excludable classes (All idiots, insane persons, paupers or persons likely to become a public charge, persons suffering from a loathsome or a dangerous contagious disease, persons who have been convicted of a felony or other infamous crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, polygamists, and also any person whose ticket or passage is paid for with the money of another or who is assisted by others to come . . . .)
300
Consequences of 1954 "Operation Wetback"
1 million Mexican agricultural workers were deported in act by Eisenhower Administration
300
Economic impact of immigration (according to evidence)
Fill gaps in workforce at every level
Increase size of economy (more commerce, consumption, business innovation, labor)
More taxes to prop up American welfare state
Source of renewal amid exodus of both industry and jobs in deindustrialized cities (amid outsourcing and affluent suburbanization)
300
Most common lawbreaking among illegal immigrants involves ______________.
Traffic stops!
300
True or false: More than 75 percent of all unauthorized immigrants have lived in the United States for more than 10 years.
400
True or false: The United States was exceptionally severe in its careful restriction of immigrants during the late 19th and early 20th century.
False (see pg. 40/41)
400
The Displaced Persons Act of 1948 favored X types of people (or fleeing X types of situations).
Anti-Communist Christians (mainly from Europe), including those whose countries had been allied with Germany and had been displaced by movement of Soviet troops into eastern and central Europe.
European bias in legislation later changed in 1953/1957 to later allow arrival of hundreds of thousands of Cubans and Vietnamese
400
One impact of Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
Penalized businesses knowingly hiring illegal immigrants
Legalized status of illegal immigrants who had arrived in country before 1982
400
Gerber generally characterizes immigration laws in 1978, 1986, 1990, and 1996 as ________________.
Veering in different directions simultaneously, as if policymakers were overwhelmed by the moral, societal, and international dimensions of the problem and by the need to please bitterly contending segments of the American public.
Pg. 63
400
True or false: Since 1980, immigrants from Mexico have comprised the largest share of new arrivals to the United States.
False: Mexico became the leading country of origin of U.S. immigrants beginning in 1980. But by 2013, India and China had displaced Mexico as the top origins for new arrivals. Yet amid pandemic -related mobility restrictions, Mexico regains its position as the origin of most arrivals since 2021.
500
Under this agreement, President Roosevelt and the Japanese government established a quota system that limited Japanese immigration to the United States by one-third starting in 1907.
The Gentleman's Agreement
500
The bilateral agreement with Mexico that facilitated the recruitment of temporary labor through temporary work permits in 1942
The Bracero program -- "The U.S. wanted workers, but they got human beings"
500
Unintended consequence(s) (according to Gerber) of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act
Rapid rise of immigration, largely outside of Europe
In 1990s, 60% of U.S. population growth is due to immigration; 13% from Europe, 92% from Asia and Latin America
500
Two of the reasons Gerber cites for rethinking quota system and general calls to liberalize U.S. immigration policy in 1950s/60s
Cold War politics
Increased widespread feeling that system was rooted in bigotry.”
Global image
“If the nation that emerged from the war as the world’s richest and most powerful did nothing on a much broader scale to relieve postwar misery, what trust could be placed in its professions of global leadership?
US economic prosperity
Evolving discourse → diversity as value; notion of melting pot
Pg. 43-48
500
There are _____________ immigrants living in the Madison Metro Area, the majority from Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras.
There are 51,000 immigrants living in the Madison Metro Area, the majority from Mexico, Nicaragua and Honduras – representing about 8% of the population.