“_Those who have come to our shores, representing many kindreds
and tongues, have been welded by common opportunity into a
united patriotism._”—FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT.
Long before the Revolutionary War, the colonies enacted restrictive
immigration laws. Many of these laws were based on religious prejudices,
which, although somewhat softened in intensity, still existed when the
new nation was born. Fear and consequent hatred of foreigners and foreign
influence were widely prevalent in the early years of the Republic.
John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, John Jay, and other
prominent statesmen opposed the introduction of aliens into the political
or economic life of the country. Thomas Jefferson believed that natural
expansion of the existing population would be sufficient to meet the
country’s needs. Even George Washington, in 1794, said:
My opinion with respect to emigration, is that except of
useful mechanics and some particular descriptions of men or
professions, there is no need of encouragement.
The prevailing spirit found expression in stringent naturalization laws
which, however, were soon modified.
_The Open Door_
While the Federal Government was not unmindful of its inherent right to
determine who might or might not come or remain within its borders, yet
for a hundred years after the Revolutionary War ended, the country’s
doors were open to all who chose to enter regardless of race, of
physical, mental, or economic condition, of religious or political
affiliation, or even of moral character.
An era of comparative tranquillity prevailed toward immigration until the
1840’s when a great flood of immigrants focused hostility against the
Germans and Irish, a feeling which continued until the outbreak of the
Civil War. A strong movement developed in Congress in favor of regulating
or even limiting immigration. But nothing came of it. In a message to
Congress in 1841, President Tyler gave expression to a sentiment that
grew stronger with the passing of the years. He said:
We hold out to the people of other countries an invitation to
come and settle among us as members of our rapidly growing
family, and for the blessings we offer them we require of them
to look upon our country as their country and unite with us
in the great task of preserving our institutions and thereby
perpetuating our liberties.
The open-door policy continued, for Congress was reluctant to abandon
the time-honored belief that the United States had been dedicated at
the beginning as a refuge for the oppressed people of all nations. Such
legislation as was enacted during this period, including three laws for
the improvement of conditions on immigrant-carrying ships, indicated the
sympathetic attitude of Congress toward the incoming multitudes.
Congress again favored the foreign-born by providing that aliens who had
declared an intention to become citizens might enjoy the benefits of the
Homestead Act of 1862. This privilege was later on destined to accelerate
the settlement of public lands in the West.
Because man power in industry and agriculture had been depleted during
the War Between the States, a Federal law to stimulate immigration was
enacted in 1864, but it was soon repealed when peace was restored.
_Federal Control_
In the absence of federal action, several seaboard States attempted
immigration control but, after many years of effort, the Supreme Court
held that Congress alone had such power. Congress assumed this power in
1882 when it reluctantly passed the first general immigration law which
provided only that idiots, lunatics, persons likely to become a public
charge, and criminals other than political offenders should be denied
admission. This law marked the beginning of a policy of _quality
selection_ which dominated all subsequent legislation.
In 1882, because of Western opposition, Chinese laborers were excluded—a
policy subsequently extended to include practically all Orientals. In
1884, a law forbidding the importation of foreign labor under contract
was passed but necessary skilled laborers and members of learned
professions were exempted. Thus was Washington’s opinion unwittingly
honored.
While Congress was developing a more stringent selective policy,
immigration increased by leaps and bounds with a shift in the incoming
tide from Northern and Western to Southern and Eastern Europeans. Unable
to function economically, socially, or politically in their home lands,
a steady stream of immigrants was spreading over the United States in
answer to the demand for unskilled labor. For more than thirty years, the
words of Emma Lazarus, carved on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty,
had vital meaning:
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, the tempest-tost, to me:
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
_Checking the Tide_
The endless stream of newcomers, whose economic and political backgrounds
differed from those of the earlier immigrants, led to a search for some
method of checking the new immigration. With this end in view, the
application of a literacy test was advocated. Presidents Cleveland and
Taft had vetoed acts which contained this provision and President Wilson
twice repudiated it. However, it became part of the General Law of 1917
over presidential objection. In a reference to the immigrants, President
Wilson said:
Some of the best stuff in America has come out of foreign lands
and some of the best stuff in America is in the men who are
naturalized citizens of the United States.
In the meantime, during the administration of President Theodore
Roosevelt, a Gentlemen’s Agreement had been made with Japan in 1907,
whereby Japan undertook to check the emigration of Japanese laborers to
the United States.
Immigration from Europe was largely suspended during the World War, but
it rapidly increased thereafter until it was checked by the temporary
Quota Limit Law of 1921 and definitely limited by the permanent Quota
Limit Law of 1924. By this law, immigration was restricted to 150,000
annually, with quotas allotted to the various nations based on the Census
of 1890. In 1929, the quota based on the Census of 1920 went into effect,
bringing the total immigration quota to about 153,000 annually.
_Our Present Policy_
The theory that America should be a refuge for the oppressed of all
nations has been quite generally honored in shaping our immigration
policy. However, the United States is no longer a refuge for the
oppressed peoples of all the world in the same way as it was in the past.
Our present policy is that immigration shall be limited to a fixed
number, that such immigrants shall be of good character and well disposed
toward American institutions. For, in the words of former President
Coolidge:
Whether one traces his Americanism back three centuries to
the Mayflower or three years to the steerage is not half so
important as whether his Americanism today is real and genuine.
No matter on what various crafts we came here, we are all now
in the same boat.