The Immigration Debate

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The Immigration Debate

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By:  Jennifer Marshall, Livingston County Schools

America is thought of as "the land of the free" by many people, but what must a person do in order to immigrate to the United States? For years the US has been thought of as the land of opportunity, a place where dreams come true and anything can happen. The dream of freedom and a brighter future brought many people to America years ago, and it still brings many immigrants to the US today. People in the United States have more rights and freedoms than they do in any other county.

Throughout its history, migrants have come to America from many different places and for many different reasons. They have sacrificed much, often risking their life as well as their life's savings to make the journey. All Americans, with the exception of Native American, are descended from immigrants. The greatest number of immigrants -- more than 34 million -- arrived in the United States during the 100 years preceding 1924, when new legislation closed the country's relatively wide-open door. The second wave of immigrants arrived between 1890 and 1924.

Currently, there is much debate on the immigration process and many Americans support a comprehensive reform of the immigration system. For Americans to appreciate the many freedoms we experience on a daily basis it is important for us to learn about the past as well as the current immigration experience. Knowing about the US government policy on immigration will can help people understand both sides of the argument.  


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