John Higham
American Immigration Policy in Historical Perspective
threequarters century united states trying fix satisfactory immigration policy period vast chaotic tremendously intricate mass legislation accumulated interest subject sometimes risen high times declined almost vanishing point yet brief periods general belief problem successfully durably resolved every major movement recent american history affected course debate immigration impinges aspects american civilization partly reason every congressional action involved welter popular passions special pressures amid wrangling rancor little intelligent planning entered legislative decisions apart sheer complexity problem enmeshed many different strands american life another basic reason confusion discord policymaking restriction immigration inevitably conflicts deepest american values belief land opportunity everyone conviction american freedom universal relevancethese ideas hard square general restrictions restrictive policy moreover inevitably entails discriminations system discrimination offend democratic conscience exceedingly difficult define yet americas official values hard reconcile immigration restriction conditions modern world created imperative demands defensive regulatory action preserve existent goods american life situation restrictionists claimed hardboiled realists though realism seldom free hysteria antirestrictionists hand tend gloss dilemmas immigration poses reluctant confess problem exists fling ancient ideals opponents faces neither side vision bring traditional principles creative relation facts modern world first century united states history facts ideals happily coincided ideals anchored fast era american revolution nation immigrants shook british rule heterogeneity american people gave claim distinctive national character europe england parent country america wrote tom paine