The tension over border security and immigration, both legal and illegal, will most certainly ramp up during the upcoming election cycle as it is, and was President Donald J. Trumps signature issue in 2016. It concerns the future of our way of life and the continuance of America’s form of government.
The last great surge of immigration occurred in the period 1880 to the 1920’s where some 25 million rushed in, primarily from Europe, with token numbers hailing from other countries around the world. Fearful of the sweeping changes this posed to America’s character, wanting to insure assimilation the Immigration Act of 1924, also known as the Johnson/Reed Act, was passed during the Wilson administration. The new law reduced foreign immigration to, first 5% and then 3% of each ethnic groups current resident population on an annual basis. So, if there were 100,000 Poles living in the U.S. 3000 were allowed to apply for visas per year. This slowed immigration to a mere trickle compared to the previous numbers. The Act’s flaw was the Asian Exclusion clause prohibiting Asian immigration entirely. With the obvious exception of Asian exclusion, the law was rightly successful in controlling immigration numbers and promoting assimilation. Many brought cultural traditions with them, but readily embraced America’s.
By 1965 the Johnson administration, with a big push from Ted Kennedy, signed into law the Immigration and Nationality Act lifting the 1924 Act’s restrictions and opening the flood gates again. Within the width and breadth of that law lies the origin of our present lenient enforcement policy and associated border problems. Encouraged in the aftermath of Reagan’s ambush by Simpson/Mazzoli, assured that amnesty for a few already in residence would stop the flow, unchallenged millions more have rushed in reaping the benefits within America’s borders. It will never stop unless it is stopped; President Trump’s intent.
Many Chinese immigrants have contributed greatly to the strength of America, so their exclusion in the Johnson/Reed Act was a travesty. That said, the remainder of the acts provisions gave us four fabulously controlled decades of border and immigration control which benefited all but the gate crashing element we now face on our southern boarder. We need the wall and strict immigration policy enforcement; the break point has been reached, America’s future lies in the balance.
Randy Edwards
Prescott
