Immigration Perspectives The American Dream (Letters From an American Farmer) (1782) Immigration/Naturalization Policy (1790-present) –Race –Country –Hemisphere Americanization Movement for 21 st Century (2008)

The American Dream: (Letters from an American Farmer) Hector St. John de Crevecoeur ( ) France to Canada to New York First to describe “American Dream”

Crevecoeur’s America Expansive Geographically variable Abundant resources Land cheap Laws “indulgent” “Here individuals of all nations [England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany] are melted into a new race of men”

Americans Ubi panis ibi patria (Where there is bread, there is my country) –Equal; no aristocratic class –Self-interested, industrious –Religiously diverse/tolerant –Friendly, disciplined, grateful

Immigration/Naturalization Policy 1790: Congress: Free white persons of good character welcome Immigration laws primarily state-based

Excluded Indentured servants African Americans –Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857): No African American can become U.S. citizen Native American Indians “not taxed” –Those on reservations or in unsettled parts of country –Not included in census

Citizenship Defined 1868: 14 th Amendment –Citizenship based on “jus soli” –Authorizes naturalization Policy premise: If immigrate, goal is naturalization

U.S.Naturalization Service 1906 Need uniform naturalization procedures Racial eligibility requirements create persistent interpretive problems “List of Races or Peoples” as practical guide for immigration officials

Relationship between race and nationality? Asians –1882: Chinese Exclusion Act – 1922: Ozawa v. U.S.: Japanese born in Japan cannot be naturalized. “White person" means Caucasian Indians –1923: U.S. v. Thind: Do not qualify for citizenship Are “Caucasions” according to anthropologists BUT “the average man knows perfectly well that there are unmistakable and profound differences.”

“Average Man” definition of race Webster’s Dictionary 5 races –Caucasian (white): Europe and western Asia –Mongolian (yellow): China, Japan, and region – Negro (black): Africa –American (red): natives of North and South American – Malay (brown): islands of Indian Archipelago region

Immigration Acts Limit immigrants from Latin America Exclude immigrants from Philippines, Guam, Samoa and Hawaiian Islands Exclude “idiots, imbeciles, feeble-minded persons, epileptics, insane persons"

Shift from race to national origins : Congress adopts per-country quotas 70% given to UK, Ireland and Germany 1922: Indian (Native American) Citizenship Act

WWI – 1920s Immigrant Fears Different languages, customs, and/or religions threaten American unity –Italians, Greeks, Poles, Portuguese, E. & S. Europeans, Asians Laborers Political ideologues Poor

Abolition of per-country quotas 1960-present Hemispheric limits replace country limits Factors of race, birthplace, gender eliminated Focus shifts to undocumented aliens and terrorism 2003: Department of Homeland Security takes over immigration & enforcement

“America has never been united by blood or birth or soil. We are bound by ideals that move us beyond our backgrounds, lift us above our interests and teach us what it means to be citizens. Every child must be taught these principles. Every citizen must uphold them. And every immigrant, by embracing these ideals, makes our country more, not less, American. President George W. Bush Inaugural Address, January 20, 2001

Contemporary Snapshot Legal Permanent Resident Flow by Country of Birth: 2007 Mexico 148,640 China 76,655 Philippines 72,596 India 65,353 Colombia 33,187 Haiti 30,405 Cuba 22,405 Vietnam 29,104 Dominican Republic 28,691 Korea 28, : America a nation of minorities; no dominant racial/ ethnic group 2050: 47 percent 29 percent; 13 percent 9 percent.

“American identity is political” Embrace principles of American democracy Identify with U.S. history Communicate in English Task Force on New Americans (2008) “The cultural sphere— traditions, religion—is up to the individual.”

How Achieved? Department of Homeland Security & 19 other federal agencies coordinate Initiatives/partnerships –State/local governments –Community/faith-based organizations –Public libraries –Adult Education –Business/private sector initiatives –Foundations/Philanthropies –Civic Organizations/service clubs

Public Schools NCLB NCLB changed 1968 Bilingual Education Act to English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement Act –Decreased federal funds for bilingual education –Emphasizes English-language acquisition

Common Core Establishes English Language Arts standards –Oregon adopts in 2010 –BUT: 2008: Initiative on English immersion defeated 56-43% (Measure 58)

Discussion Who are “us”? Who are “aliens”? (Does “alien” help define “us”?) Which “aliens” should be allowed to become “us”? How? US Alien