America Where Dreams Are Made or Where Nightmares Begin?America Where Dreams Are Made or Where Nightmares Begin?Throughout American history, millions upon millions of people around the world have left their countries for a chance to start a new life in this country, and they continue to come here to this day. For the past 400 years, immigrants have had a myriad of reasons to come to America. Some came to escape the troubles of war, others for the freedom to practice the religion that they desire. Others came for the opportunity to own land, start a business or simply for a prospect to work, earn money and elude poverty. Shortly, after the eighteenth century a new cluster of immigrants made their way towards the shores of America. All anticipating for a new start, a new chapter in their lives. However, not all immigrants were greeted with roses and welcome signs. In fact, there were many factors that made their arrival to America rather depressing than cheerful. In the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century, the policy of the US government, along with the consensus of its native-born population towards immigration was largely negative. There are multiple sources that help justify my view, which will be later demonstrated in my upcoming paragraphs.
From the end of the nineteenth century to the early twenty-first, the federal government started taking control over the immigration policy. Throughout the duration of this time period, the nation also witnessed the two greatest immigration waves in the American history, with it also came highly restrictive immigration laws. Until the end of the nineteenth century, immigration in the United States was under the control of the states. In 1875, the Supreme Court ruled that state laws regulating immigration were unconstitutional because they were erratic with the power of the U.S. Congress to regulate foreign commerce. This recognition of the exclusive power of Congress over immigration lead the way to immigration policy, therefore, the establishment of procedures and locations for federal control of immigration. In 1891, The construction of the Ellis Island federal immigration facility symbolized the beginning of a new chapter in American immigration history.
By 1800, German and Irish immigrants came to the United States in larger numbers. Irish people depended mainly potatoes as their food source. When this crop failed for three years in succession, it led to horrendous consequences. Germans escaped to the United States to avoid economic hardship. With an immeasurable number of immigrants arriving, Americans bursted with hostility. This was due to many aspects such as religious, political, and careers. The Irish, as well as many of the Germans, were Roman Catholic. Anti-Catholic Rioting occurred in many northern cities, and the largest occurred in Philadelphia in 1844. Nativists political parties rose up, the most powerful was known as, the “Know Nothings.” This group wanted to enlarge the amount of time it took immigrants to become citizens. The Know-Nothings believed that, only native-born Americans were superior to the immigrant groups on the basis that Irish and German immigrants tended to be impecunious and insignificant. The Irish, in particular, became economic scapegoats during periods of economic uncertainty.
Not all Americans welcomed the new immigrants with greeting cards and hugs. As stated in an immigration article “Many religious leaders were awestruck at the increase of non-Protestant believers. Racial purists feared the genetic outcome of the eventual pooling of these new bloods.” Some Americans believed that the immigrants were vermin specimens washing up into their shores. These “Nativists” solicited successfully to regulate the flow of immigration. In 1882, Congress passed the “Chinese Exclusion Act.” The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 was the first significant law forbidding immigration into the United States. Congress passed this act to placate worker demands and assuage prevalent concerns about maintaining white “racial purity.” By the 1880s, Chinese immigrants were seen as inferior and an undesirable population,
The Immigration and Nationality Act
A number of immigrant groups have come up with an ordinance that governs all immigration from the United States to:
• California;
• New Mexico;
• Vermont. These laws, which include laws requiring public schools, government boards and local government personnel to keep records of the immigration status of any American who immigrates in that state, have drawn backlash from citizens who say the bill gives illegals too much control.
While states, municipalities and non-profit organizations have created separate categories of immigrants — individuals who live in California, Washington D.C. and New York — they must comply with the laws by both registering as residents of that state and paying taxes. Those who file for a California permit, along with those who apply to buy a house, must also adhere to certain requirements. This has led the federal government to classify non-citizens among its federal grantees, a class that makes it extremely difficult for the federal government to enforce.
Non-citizens are not eligible for any federal grants, but a small percentage of non-citizens who apply for a California permit must pay a premium tax to support the state, according to a recent report. This may seem counterintuitive, because it can be pretty darn costly for any taxpaying non-citizen to buy or live here. But in this case, it turns out, that doesn’t make the process very difficult for people who are already here; in fact it may be even fairer than the other way around.
The Immigration Ordinance is the first of its kind to be enacted, and will not change with time, it said. The reason for enacting it will simply be to make it easier for Americans to live here and that is what they are doing. Many state and federal immigration officials will be coming to San Francisco and other locations where there will be no trouble for them in becoming residents. And while many in the public and nonprofit sectors have been eager to see immigration law passed because of the “economic growth” promised by its passage, many business individuals who would like to work here don’t consider themselves eligible or pay taxes directly.
It is perhaps fair to say that this action would have a great deal of political impact, especially because the legislation was designed to be seen as a way to reduce the costs for all Americans who want to come to the Bay Area. More specifically, it will make it easier for those who want to work here for less than a year, because while you can apply for a permit, you are required to pay the same registration fee and apply to stay in this community, as long as all the paperwork is clear and you stay here for at least 20 years until you move out of the state. Since the bill requires an additional four months to pay the registration fee for a residency permit, those living in any one of the two California counties can also apply to stay here by phone if they choose to. Of course, this will likely be much harder for many New Yorkers to do, because they have already registered their identity — even if they are already here — with their birth certificate.
While many Californians would welcome newcomers here, some, like myself, are concerned that the program will be more of a burden than a benefit for them. Most