fficient. Congress must also find a way to slow the flow of illegal immigration by enforcing the laws already in place. What this paper will attempt to do is bring the immigration issue into perspective. America most certainly has immigration problems but they will not be fixed by eliminating immigration all together. In fact, America will never totally eliminate immigration, because no matter how tightly the door is closed some illegal immigrants will get through. As long as America continues to be seen as a nation of prosperity, opportunity, and freedom there will be those who wish to come to America. Immigrants have always come to America looking for a better life and Americans are always forgetting that their forefathers were once looking for that same life. As a nation there must be a decision on whether immigration is an issue of conscience or economics. History of Immigration Laws Though most Americans see immigration as a modern problem it has been heavily debated since the 19th century. Throughout most of America’s history immigration was seen as a natural process that benefited the nation (Divine 2). Until the 1890’s there were no clearly defined policies on immigration. During this time the country started questioning the economic benefits of more immigrants, so things have note changed in that respect. In May 1921, the first bill in American history restricted European immigration and created the quota system (Divine 5). This turn toward restriction could be justified by the downward turn in the economy. Who could argue for more immigrants when the nation’s own citizens couldn’t find work. The slowing economy and the “spirit of intense nationalism” in the United States at this time made immigration a hot topic (Divine 23). After the depression hit everyone was in agreement that there was a “need to limit immigration,” of course the extent of those limits were not easily agreed ...
