Overview of the United States Immigration Policy

Abstract

This article discusses some major historic and current trends in the United States immigration policy. The United States has traditionally been viewed as a nation formed by immigrants but at different times the mainstream attitudes of American society toward newcomers varied substantially. In the 19th century, the most welcomed newcomers usually were European settlers whose arrival and assimilation were promoted through a number of acts. In the 20th century, public attitudes shifted dramatically and legislative
provisions largely reflected the changes taking place in the American society. The Red Scare of the 1920s and McCarthyism of the late 1940s-early 1950s contributed to the restrictive laws against travelers, immigrants and naturalized citizens suspected of Communist sympathies. Since 1971, the United States has seen a steady increase in the number of Asian and Hispanic immigrants. In recent years, a number of individual
states have carried out their own policies to regulate immigration in their respective states. The major focus of the states’ efforts is on limiting or regulating unauthorized immigration. Immigration and related issues remained hotly debated subjects in the Presidential campaign of 2016.