The Immigration Act of 1965, which ushered in a new period that was more comprehensive for some and exclusive for others, is still the foundation of the US immigration system today. The time has come to choose which achievements will be carried on. There lacks immigration policies that adequately address the needs of the country while also allowing for the free flow of people, goods, and concepts across international borders (Massey, 2008). The refugee crisis that Europe is experiencing now is a portent of things to come rather than an isolated incident. The United States faces a similar test today as it did in 1965. How America deals with the new era of global immigration will demonstrate whether it truly deserves the label of a country of immigrants.
Specific Changes
If present demographic patterns continue, prospective immigrants and their descendents will be an even more significant source of population increase in the United States. Almost 60 million migrants have entered the United States in the nearly 60 years since the enactment of the landmark statute that altered American immigration policy, increasing the percentage of the foreign-born population to almost 15% (Lopez et al., 2021). Although 84 percent of the US population was white, non-Hispanic, in 1965, that percentage had dropped to 62% by 2015 (Lopez et al., 2021). Comparatively, the Hispanic population’s portion in the United States increased from 4% in 1965 to 18% in 2015 (Lopez et al., 2021). A surge from less than 1% in 1965 to 6% in 2015 was also seen among Asians (Lopez et al., 2021). Over half of the population growth during the previous century can be attributed to contemporary immigrants and their descendants, who have altered the country’s racial and ethnic makeup.
The racial and ethnic diversity of the United States would look substantially different today if immigration stopped after 1965. The race distribution would be 76% white, 15% black, 9% Hispanic, and less than 2% Asian (Lopez et al., 2021). The nation’s median age, when half of the population is aged and 50% are younger, has decreased slightly due to the influx of immigrants (Leong, 2022). The median age of the US population is expected to reach 42 years old by 2065, up from 38 years in 2015 and 28 years in 1965 (Lopez et al., 2021). Without immigration, the median age in the United States would have been 40 in 2015 (Lopez et al., 2021). The nation’s racial and ethnic makeup has shifted, attributable to increasing immigration since 1965 and the country’s rapid population growth.
Native Populations’ Response
The opinion of the native population in the United States is divided on the effect immigration has had on American society. In a national survey, 45% of respondents said they believed immigrants improved American culture over the long term, while 37% said immigration made it worse (Leong, 2022). There is widespread pessimism over the economy and criminal activity. Half of Americans believe immigration is worsening these problems (Leong, 2022). While 28% believe immigrants positively impact the economy, only 20% hold this view (Lopez et al., 2021). However, only 7% of respondents believe immigrants are improving crime rates (Leong, 2022). In comparison, 41% of respondents say they cannot identify whether immigrants positively or negatively affect felonies in the United States (Leong, 2022). Half of Americans want to see immigration curtailed, and eight out of ten say the US immigration process requires either major adjustments or a complete rebuild (Leong, 2022). The native population’s perception of immigrants’ influence varies widely in various spheres of American life.
When asked about the influence of immigrants on other parts of American life, most people tend to take a neutral stance. Less than half of Americans believe that immigrants significantly impact the country’s social and moral fabric, while more than half say the same about scientific and technological advancements. However, nearly half of all individuals believe that immigrants are improving the quality of American cuisine, pop culture, and the arts. Several groups of immigrants from different parts of the world in the United States have diverse effects on American culture (Leong, 2022). Over half of the American respondents believe that Asian immigrants have improved American society more than European immigrants. Most Native Americans feel that African immigrants have had no discernible effect on the country.
Immigrants from the Middle East tend to be seen negatively by the Native American population. Three in ten Native US citizens believe Latin American immigration has negatively affected society. In contrast, a similar percentage believe they have had no discernible effect. Similar opinions are held regarding immigrants from the Middle East. 39% of US adults think they have had a primarily negative impact on American society, 39% say they have had no impact at all, and only 20% affirm they have had a primarily favorable impact (Lopez et al., 2021). Adults in the US are split on whether or not immigrants now want to assimilate into American culture; 63% say they want to keep some ties to their homeland’s traditions, while 32% state that they want to accept US norms (Leong, 2022). 60% of Americans believe that the latest migrants do not learn English promptly, while 39% believe that they do (Leong, 2022). There is a widespread belief among native-born citizens that immigrants need to be integrated into American society.
Elements of the 1965 Act
The Immigration Act, which replaced country quotas with a system prioritizing family unity and skilled immigrants, was passed in 1965 because of political, socioeconomic, and geopolitical forces. Moreover, the statute established the first quotas for immigrants from the Western Hemisphere. Before that time, there were few barriers to entry for people from Latin America (Leong, 2022). The movement for civil rights caused a reevaluation to take place. These elements should be maintained since they took into account immigrants’ expertise and family bonds with US citizens or permanent residents to address the isolation of southern and eastern Europeans. The goal was to make immigration from places other than Western Europe simpler than ever before, so facilitating family reunification and increasing the country’s diversity.
The Act’s primary strength that should be maintained was its repeal of the racist immigration laws that had existed for decades and its plea to egalitarianism in the context of the civil movement in the 1960s. This unintentionally ushered in a brain drain from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East (Lopez et al., 2021). The transition from national origin quotas favored northwest Europeans to repatriation, and labor preferences honored the highly skilled and opened doors to immigrants from places formerly.
Aspects of Immigration Policy
Even while the 1965 law was lauded for quite some time, its unforeseen ramifications are becoming increasingly apparent today. For instance, it sparked decades of conflict over illegal immigration over the US-Mexico border. This was attributed to a quota it placed on the number of migrants from the Western Hemisphere that was substantially lesser than Mexicans who had been legally immigrating to America at the time. Department of Homeland Security approximates about 12 million unacknowledged migrants in America, most of whom are from Mexico and Central America (Leong, 2022). There were a record 438,421 deportees in 2013, continuing a pattern of increasing compliance that led to almost 2 million deportations under Obama’s watch (Leong, 2022). While the global demand for unskilled jobs in agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, and services was rising, the new law left few possibilities for such employees to enter the US.
Attributable to a confluence of factors, the rate of illegal immigration skyrocketed at the twentieth century’s close. The 1965 law ushered in several policy changes that have contributed to a more diversified society but have also introduced some issues (Leong, 2022). Redesigning also takes a long period; historical data suggests at least 25 years (Lopez et al., 2021). For example, there is no easy method to change the annual share for green cards or the yearly quota for temporary working visas. The system could be improved, and the rate of unauthorized migration lowered if it were more adaptable to meet the job market’s needs and humanitarian crises.
Conclusion
The Immigration Act of 1965, which brought in a new era that was more inclusive for some and exclusive for others, remains the cornerstone of the United States’ current immigration system. America’s response to the new era of international immigration will reveal whether it truly deserves the moniker of ‘land of immigrants.’ In the nearly 60 years since the passage of the landmark law that altered American immigration policy, almost 59 million immigrants have entered the United States, bringing the proportion of foreign-born citizens to nearly 15%. The 1965 law introduced many strategy changes that have contributed to a more diverse society but have also introduced several complications. If it were more responsive to the needs of the labor market and humanitarian crises, the system could be improved, and the proportion of unauthorized migration could be reduced.
References
Leong, S. (2022). Immigration enforcement actions: 2021. US Department of Homeland Security. Web.
Lopez, M. H., Passel, J. S., & Cohn, D. V. (2021). Key facts about the changing US unauthorized immigrant population. Pew Research Centre. Web.
Massey, D. (2008). Caution: NAFTA at work. Miller-McCune Magazine, 1(1), 31-37.
Rosenblum, M. R., & Hipsman, F. (2016). Border metrics: How to effectively measure border security and immigration control. Migration Policy Institute. Web.