Was it easier for "legal" immigration circa 1840-1930 than it is now?

[maveric]

Millions were accepted during that time. But Mexicans are not as welcome now?
What if millions of Mexicans waited in line at our borders as Europeans did at Ellis Island for "legal" immigration? Would they be accepted like immigrants from Europe or China?

[PVK]

1. No. Times have changed and laws/quotas change with them. n/t

[DBoon]

5. racists anit-immigration laws after WW I stopped it

WW I caused many to question the loyalties of immigrants.

Racist theories were also fashionable - it was thought that eastern and southern europeans were inherently inferior to northern europeans - less intelligent, more prone to crime and drunkeness, etc.

[MSgt213]

2. This would happen in any country that believes it has all the people it

needs. If we were a country that had a low birth rate or if it was 200 years ago we would be begging people to come here, if they weren't already.

[Horse with no Name]

3. Americans have become selfish

They are afraid someone is going to take away something they think belongs to them.

[ret5hd]

4. like dogs pissing on trees.

[brook]

6. Found this...

Short, historical outline of US Immigration

Note the "Chinese Exclsions Act"; a ban on contract workers, etc. The patterns suggest to me that economic demands heavily influenced what was and what wasn't allowed or encouraged. Some things never change, eh?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. Immigration has always had its racist tinge

There were anti-Chinese immigration laws in the late 1800s, when people feared the West would be overrun by people from China. I think immigration from Mexico was frowned upone ever since we stole-er, "won" the Mexican War (a war that a young Congressman from Illinois opposed, btw, saying it was like the farmer who said, "I'm not greedy, I only want all the land that ajoins mine.")

[Odin2005]

9. I read that we could of annexed ALL Mexico...

But people didn't want to annex areas with lots of hispanics.

[Bridget Burke]

14. We annexed enough land to cause problems....

The fight over whether the new lands would be slave or free helped lead to the Civil War.

Annexing all of Mexico would have made it worse, since slavery had been abolished there.

[showpan]

8. Immigration for the politics of the times

Our government uses immigration as a tool either for or against rivals such as during the civil war when they "bought" a million immigrants to fight for the union and as recently as the republicans turning their backs on the borders to wash out the liberal/democratic vote.

[newyawker99]

10. Hi showpan!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Minnesota Libra]

11. There were strict laws then - many were turned away from..............

......entering this country and if they did get in they were expected to assimilate into our society. Do a google search on Ellis Island and go from there.

[Bridget Burke]

13. Only 2% of those who showed up at Ellis Island were rejected.

Generally, anybody healthy was allowed in. I do know there were racial restrictions for non-Europeans.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellis_island

About "assimilation"--why is Lutefisk still available in the frozen North?

Thanks, I'll stick with Tex-Mex. Or Cajun/Creole. Or any of the fine Asian cuisines available here in Houston.

[Minnesota Libra]

15. The point being they came here LEGALLY then but not any more nt

[Bridget Burke]

16. If it were as easy to come in legally nowadays....

We'd have lots more legal immigrants.

And...what about that Lutefisk?

[Minnesota Libra]

18. Doesn't matter if coming here LEGALLY is easy or hard, it's...........

....our laws - don't like our laws then fine go home and stay there.

What about Lutefisk?? It's a Norwegian dish. So? I have no problem what so ever with ethnic food or customs. As long as it is ALL DONE LEGALLY. BTW, I happen to love sausa and burritos - not the super hot stuff - but medium to hot is great.

Now, let's get back to dealing with the LEGAL immigration thing.

Here's something to consider in the name of fairness
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=7324

[Bridget Burke]

20. Ethnic foods & customs indicate a LACK of assimilation.

You stated that "they were expected to assimilate into our society."

In the middle of the last century, people marched throughout the South to change racist laws. If the laws don't serve today's reality, they need to be changed.

[Minnesota Libra]

22. I agree totally concerning OUR LEGAL citizens, when laws...............

.....don't serve our LEGAL citizens then yes they need to be changed. On the other hand, I DON'T agree with changing OUR LAWS to accommodate ILLEGAL ALIENS - don't matter the country they come from - if they are here ILLEGALLY they need to go home and then start all over applying LEGALLY. Notice I AM NOT picking out one country over another - they ALL do it legally or get shipped back where they came from.

[Bridget Burke]

24. Well, you backtracked on assimilation....

So maybe there's some hope for you.

[Minnesota Libra]

26. No, I never have backtracked - for me there has ALWAYS been........

.....the big distinction between legal immigration and illegal aliens. This is the ONLY issue I consistently disagree with fellow Democrats/Liberals on.

[AllieB]

17. I'll take my Italian food and Brazilian food

over bland 'assimilation' food anyday! :-)

[Minnesota Libra]

19. I don't have a problem with ethnic anything just ILLEGAL anything nt

[AllieB]

21. Whatever you say

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. My grandmother crossed the border after WWI.

She started out in Ireland, then England, then Canada, then the USA. With 4 kids in tow. I don't know for sure, but I doubt very much that she ever bothered with getting citizenship. My mother married an American and got her citizenship that way.

[DemonGoddess]

23. well...

my grandparents (3), and greatgrandparents(2) ALL immigrated legally between 1901 and 1926. Every one of them made an effort to learn English if they did not already know it, and every one of them did not have an easy start here.

I think that's probably why I have such a hard time with illegal immigration myself. It can be done legally, and SHOULD be done legally.

[Bridget Burke]

25. My ancestors probably came in legally., but

...it was so much easier back then. If the process were as simple now, we'd have far fewer "illegals."

Most of mine had an unfair advantage with the English language. They came from a fortunate island with centuries of English influence in its history.