Warm-up What is your ethnic heritage?

21st-Century United States Immigration

History of Immigration The U.S. began by people coming over for freedom, opportunity, & to escape religious persecution---immigrants. Four different “waves” from different areas at different times

Immigration 2006 – more than 35 million (11% of population) Wider variety of backgrounds (1965 Immigration Reform Act) 1965 – 90% of population Caucasian 2014 – 62% of population Caucasian Majority of immigrants of 21st-Century are Hispanic from Central and South America (47%)

Hispanics the second largest population percentage after Caucasian with 55 million (17%) The next largest group of immigrants was Asian, the majority of whom settled in California. By 2065 it is believed that the Asian immigrants will surpass the Latin American immigrants

However, throughout history immigration has been a topic of longstanding debate. In the late 20th century, American immigration policy changed as limits were relaxed. One issue is bilingual education. Many people think all immigrants should learn English. Another is illegal immigration. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 was designed to stop the flow of illegal immigrants by penalizing employers who hire them. The Immigration Act of 1990 increased quotas by 40% and eased most remaining restrictions on immigration. Immigration is still a debated issue with President Obama saying he will use his Executive Order privilege if Congress can’t come to an agreement about the issue of immigration reform. 8

President Obama’s Executive Order Traditionally Republicans are against immigration Approximately 11 million illegal immigrants in US today Cracking down on illegal immigration at the border Deporting felons, not families Accountability—criminal background checks and taxes

Origins of Immigration - 2010