Unwelcome Strangers: American Identity and the Turn Against Immigration

by David M. Reimers

Overview

Is it time for America—a country founded and forged by immigrants—to shut its doors? After decades of liberal policies that welcomed ever greater numbers of immigrants, America is seeing a surge in anti-immigration sentiment. Congressional debates, polls, incidents of violence, and the growing strength of anti-immigration groups all indicate a growing nativism. In Unwelcome Strangers, David M. Reimers enters into the emotionally charged immigration debate, looking at all sides of the argument. Who are the nativists, and are any of their views legitimate? This balanced investigation traces the history of American attitudes toward immigration and offers a new perspective on the current crisis.

The core of this book uncovers the heated arguments of the anti-immigration forces, from environmental groups that warn against the consequences of overpopulation, to economic concerns that immigrants take jobs away from Americans, to assimilationist fears that newcomers—especially from Latin America, and Asia—threaten American culture. Reimers questions these arguments while acknowledging that pro-immigration forces hurt their position by not considering whether the United States can actually absorb one million immigrants a year. Reimers sees potential solutions in English language instruction for newcomers, greater accountability of sponsors, and government intervention to counterbalance the negative economic impact some immigrants have on poor communities. Reimers outlines the many bureaucratic and practical challenges faced by the INS, from determining who gets political asylum to screening applicants for criminal records.

Reimers charts the history of U.S. immigration policy and public reaction to newcomers, from the Puritan colonists to World War II refugees. The rise of nativism that began in the 1880s culminated with the highly restrictive immigration policies of the 1920s. Reimers shows how immigrant groups have historically been targeted—whether for ethnic, racial, or religious reasons. Quakers, Catholics, and Jews were the focus of anti-immigrant sentiment as were Germans, Irish, Italians, and Asians. This history of prejudice throws light on later developments in immigration history, such as the public response to the Cuban refugee crisis, the growing proportion of Third World immigrants, and the relationship between legal and illegal immigration, right up to the battles over California's proposition 187—which proposed to restrict public assistance for aliens and their children—and major congressional legislation passed in 1996 to deal with immigration.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780231109574
Publisher:	Columbia University Press
Publication date:	09/22/1999
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	218
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1610L (what's this?)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David M. Reimers is professor of history at New York University and the author of many books, including Still the Golden Door: The Third World Comes to America, and (with Frederick Binder) All the Nations Under Heaven: An Ethnic and Racial History of New York, both published by Columbia.

Table of Contents

AcknowledgmentsIntroduction
1. Toward Exclusion: American Immigration Policy Before World War II
2. The New Movement to Restrict Immigration
3. Overpopulation, Immigration, the Environment, and the New Restrictionism
4. A Broken Immigration System
5. Old Wine in New Bottles: The Economics Debate
6. Why Can't They Be Like Us? The Asimilationist Issue
7. A New Immigration Policy, 1994-1997?
Conclusions
Notes
Some Special Reading Lists
Index

What People are Saying About This

Roger Daniels

Reimers's judicious and balanced treatment in Unwelcome Strangers can only add to his reputation as our finest historian of recent and contemporary immigration.

— Roger Daniels, University of Cincinnati

Reviews in American History - Matthew Frye Jacobson

Reimers has undoubtedly lit the way for scholars and lay citizens alike to a more fruitful discussion of contemporary immigration and the newest American nativism.

Immigrants and Minorities - Donald M. MacRaild

Reimers makes a powerful case against the racist and xenophobic nature of American nativism over the past century.

Peter Kwong

Reimers has written a definitive history of our latest anti-immigrant movement, which, he argues persuasively, was as racial and as xenophobic as all other nativist movements of the past, except that the proponents this time tried to hide their true feelings under their supposed concern for the environment and taxpayers' burden.

— Peter Kwong, Hunter College

Alan M. Kraut

No other volume as clearly and concisely sorts out the environmental, cultural, and economic arguments offered. . . .No other historical detective reveals how often nativists are linked by common sources of right-wing funding. -- American University

Matthew Frye Jacobson

Reimers has undoubtedly lit the way for scholars and lay citizens alike to a more fruitful discussion of contemporary immigration and the newest American nativism.

— Reviews in American History

Donald M. MacRaild

Reimers makes a powerful case against the racist and xenophobic nature of American nativism over the past century.

— Immigrants and Minorities
— Donald M. MacRaild, University of Sunderland

Editorial Reviews

Reimers provides a useful survey of the current state of federal immigration law and enforcement policies as well as proposed changes in the existing regulations.

Boston Book Review

Reimers's judicious and balanced treatment in Unwelcome Strangers can only add to his reputation as our finest historian of recent and contemporary immigration.

Roger Daniels

Reimers has written a definitive history of our latest anti-immigrant movement.

Peter Kwong

Reimers has undoubtedly lit the way for scholars and lay citizens alike to a more fruitful discussion of contemporary immigration and the newest American nativism.

Matthew Frye Jacobson

No other volume as clearly and concisely sorts out the environmental, cultural, and economic arguments offered by contemporary anti-immigration minions. No other historical detective reveals how often nativists are linked by common sources of right-wing funding. Unwelcome Strangers is required reading for historians and current policymakers, alike.

Alan M. Kraut

Reimers makes a powerful case against the racist and xenophobic nature of American nativism over the past century.

Donald M. MacRaild

Reimers (History, New York University) puts the currently raging debate on whether the U.S. should close its doors to foreigners in a historical context that begins with the arrival of the Puritans, looks at the arguments of both sides, and proposes a solution to the problem that includes English language instruction, more accountable sponsors, and economic government intervention for inundated communities.

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