Introduction
Shifts in immigration policies in the United States reflect the attitude toward refugees, asylum seekers, and foreign workers. It is necessary to assess how these changes come into existence, as society dictates their occurrence. American politics recently passed through a phase of major anti-immigration policies. The opposing parties aimed to introduce policies that focused on different economic sectors that were affected by immigration (Joo 191).
However, a turning point has passed in recent years, causing a rift among U.S. citizens. By analyzing this topic, one can predict the direction of the public’s support for the expansion or reduction of annual refugee admissions. The source of the controversies around immigration policies in the United States lies in the country’s history and political forces.
Historical Context
The United States has a history of conflicting views on immigration despite being founded by people with such origins. It is vital to consider the influences that led the country to adopt this approach to foreigners who want to relocate. Throughout the past two centuries, power swings have led to increases and decreases in immigration restrictions. After the Civil War, the path to citizenship in the United States began to worsen via the exclusion of people from particular origins from applying for it (Baxter and Nowrasteh).
Fearing growing conflicts and labor competition, the government enforced severe restrictions on immigrants. These policies continued to weigh in during the twentieth century, further prohibiting people from entering the country regardless of their goals (Baxter and Nowrasteh). Moreover, this hostility shaped the views of many future generations.
In the second half of the twentieth century, the rate of immigration grew further, prompting new issues for the United States and its complex admission policies. Moreover, this subject was affected heavily by racism that was present in the legal system of the United States during that time (Martínez 598). People who were unable to live safely in their countries sought shelter overseas, yet society was not ready for such an inflow of foreign cultures.
The ceiling for immigrant admissions per year has been established and kept ever since. Trying to balance the interests of its citizens and refugees, the United States accepted the National Origin Act, giving each country a different quota (Baxter and Nowrasteh). However, the incoming globalization did not change the views of people due to a tragic event. In the early twenty-first century, the United States limited the possibility of immigration severely out of fear of another terrorist attack akin to 9/11 (Baxter and Nowrasteh).
This horror shaped the nation’s views on foreigners for many years after the event. The motivation of those who seek entry became a prime topic for research for agencies granting citizenship or refugee status (Massey 2). Past policies regarding this subject reflect the ideas that continue to affect public opinion on this matter.
Political Context
The issue with public support for the acceptance of refugees, asylum seekers, and undocumented immigrants stems from the two-party system that represents the division within society. Reasons for granting citizenship or refugee status are also perceived differently by Republicans and Democrats. The former seeks to ban refugees from war-torn countries and prohibit those who have already crossed the border illegally from legalizing their presence in the United States, while the latter takes the opposite stance (Oliphant and Cerda).
As a result, when a candidate from either party becomes a President, the nation’s policies around this subject change drastically, often contradicting and canceling the actions of former Presidents if their political alignment differs. For example, unlike former President Trump, President Biden doubled down on pro-immigration policies and focused on supporting and protecting asylum seekers and refugees from unjust persecution (Villarreal). The country’s foreign politics have a profound impact on the public’s views on immigration. For example, during the conflict in Syria, former President Trump banned all refugees from that country from entering the United States (Thorson and Abdelaaty 1). Overall, people’s sentiments toward immigrants align with the geopolitical situation across the globe.
Navigating the political environment under such challenging circumstances becomes harder with each new cycle of changes. In order to preserve the information regarding the changes in immigration policies, the USCIS Policy Manual has been created to ensure consistency in the enforcement of recent laws in this field of justice (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services).
Moreover, the impact of the past policies remains, as fundamental rework has yet to be done. For example, per-country limits are still active, as no more than 7% of green cards within a year can be granted to individuals from a single nation (Krogstad and Gonzalez-Barrera). This notion worsens the situation for refugees who may have a legal path to citizenship yet have to wait for a significant period to obtain it. Such a political situation puts the lives of those who seek to flee threatening environments.
Involved Parties
Two opposing parties constantly strive to push their views on immigration through policies. The Republicans take a firm stand against further expansion of admission policies. During the presidency of Donald Trump, it became clear that the sentiment of anti-immigration among the population continues to affect policies on that subject. Notably, former President Trump gradually lowered the admission ceiling throughout 2017-2020 from 110,000 to 18,000 refugees that can be accepted per year, causing discontent among Democrats (American Immigration Council).
This is only one illustration of such a swing, which reflects the country’s divided views on this topic. In fact, this notion is widely represented among the population who elect individuals from this party, as their support for pro-immigration policies and refugee admissions is significantly below average (Thorson and Abdelaaty 5). This factor complicates many political affairs, as Southern states that are commonly opposing the expansion of such government initiatives experience their impact first.
Democrats have a different perspective on individuals who seek to cross the border to the United States. Democrats seek to fix the situation with undocumented immigrants in the country by providing easier options for gaining legal status (Krogstad and Gonzalez-Barrera). The speed of processing people awaiting citizenship or asylum is among the priorities, yet the safety of managing such admissions remains on top as well. The Biden-Harris Administration considers people’s needs that drive them to leave their countries to be the primary cause for accepting immigration requests, thus giving greater access to a safe and secure environment (The White House). While such a process requires a significant investment of resources, it also addresses issues caused by hostilities toward undocumented immigrants.
Relevance of the Problem
Currently, the immigration policies in the United States remain unstable. President Biden continues to undo prohibitive policies after former President Trump, which pro-Democrat platforms describe as cruel and inhumane (Ibe). However, this fact also causes discontent among the Republicans, who perceive such acts as deteriorating the country’s integrity. Republican news websites note that the policy changes taken by President Biden increased the number of undocumented immigrants significantly (Binder). Expenses stemming from this problem continue to grow as well, as neither approach enables the United States to optimize its admission process sufficiently.
The balance between granting people safety and protecting the stability of the country is yet to be found. There are further changes to immigration policies intended by President Biden, which will increase the control over undocumented individuals within the country (Rascoe et al.). The struggle for border enforcement and refugee admission limitations continues today. Republican officials continue to block President Biden’s attempts to lift more restrictive policies enacted by former President Trump (Gilmer). Further changes in these laws are required, as the current state of immigration policies causes division in views on a proper course of action. If nothing is done regarding this subject, disputes between political parties can lead to civil unrest.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the situation around immigration policies in the United States remains unpredictable, as political forces strive to direct the country into opposing paths, which contradict each other. Each President redraws the boundaries for annual refugee admissions depending on their political party’s views. Immigration policies that limit people’s paths to citizenship came into being over a century ago and continue to transform up to today, adapting to the nation’s sentiments toward refugees, undocumented workers, and asylum seekers. Nonetheless, people continue to seek ways to enter the United States and gain a better future for themselves and their children.
Works Cited
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