Immigration Then and Now

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In the 17th and 18th century the white settlers migrated to what is now America. Their culture and beliefs provided the groundwork and outline the U.S expansion (PBS). Today a different kind of immigration exist; the unwanted Mexican. The U.S government has gone to great extent to make sure the illegal immigrants stay out, building a concrete barrier comparable to the Berlin wall (A Nation). It’s apparent that the American people have forgotten how they once migrated to Indian Territory. The difference between the Mexican and White migration is the amount of support the white people had from the Federal Government. In addition white emigrant were given a head start in the 1800s when the Removal Act forcefully relocated the Natives to make room for white immigrants (PBS). Today things haven’t changed much, as the white people continue to harvest negative opinions about the Mexican blaming them for the drug and other problems of the U.S (Southern) During the 1800s, many whites were encouraged to migrate west. The government even offered incentives such as The Homestead Act of 1862 that gave any white person who had rendered services to the military, acres of land free of charge or for a miniscule amount. Over 300 million of acres that once belong to the Natives, now in the hands of the white people; settling without much of a sacrifice, while the Native people were pushed to the west of the Mississippi River and dispossess of their land. Though for some reason many choose to turn a blind eye and opt to believe that everything they possessed was acquired by their own merit (PBS) Though immigration was welcoming for the white people in the 1800s, today immigration has taken a new form. The groups who oppose immigration have portrayed ... ... middle of paper ... ...ppened to presidents Reagan most memorable speech after the fall of the Berlin wall, about welcoming change and openness “for we believe that freedom and security go together that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace” (A Nation). I believe that the fear of the anti-immigrant groups is the fear of Hispanic dividing the United States into two cultures languages and ethnic groups. The Anti-immigrant groups feel that unlike the past white immigrant groups, the Mexicans have not incorporated themselves into the U.S. culture, they claim that the Mexican has created their own bureaucratic empire. I would have to ask it’s this so bad isn’t the United States a free country with diverse cultures and ethnic groups. This is the very same thing that makes our country beautiful, different people, languages, cultures and beliefs (The Hispanic)

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