Throughout history, Congress has passed laws to restrict immigration. Sometimes these laws were aimed at specific countries, like the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act, which barred Chinese laborers from entering the United States for 10 years. Others were aimed at entire regions, such as the Johnson-Reed Immigration Act of 1924, which limited immigration from Europe. Others were aimed at classes of people, such as an 1882 immigration act that barred entry to criminals, paupers, and the mentally ill, among others.
Questions to think about:
- Why do you think Congress passed some of these restriction acts?
- Rate the effectiveness of these acts? (1-5, 1 Worst, 5 Best) Explain your rating.
- Should anyone who wants to live in the United States be able to live here, or should there be some restrictions on immigration? Defend your thinking. If you believe there should be restrictions, explain what they should be.
