Immigration System is Established For Good Reasons

Thousands of years ago, the first immigrants to North America, now United States and Canada as well as Central and South America were people who walked across what is today the Bering Strait in Alaska. These people became Native Americans, settling in the interior and the East and West coastlines of North America. These people thousands of years later were contacted by first Vikings on the northeast coastline and then later by Europeans making up Spanish, French, Dutch and English settlers and traders. The Spanish originally were more prolific in their exploration with settlements established in what is now Florida and California.

The French arrived as explorers and tradesmen who utilized North American resources, establishing trading posts in the Great Lakes region and along the Mississippi, including what is now Louisiana. Unlike the other Europeans, they mingled with Native Americans taking wives and establishing a better relationship than the Spanish and English did. The French and English established themselves in Canada as well.

After the American Revolution and establishment of the United States with the creation of the Constitution of the United States, the 19^th century was a period of the greatest amount of immigrants from European countries. The Irish came in droves during what is called the Potato Famine era, arriving in New York and while some stayed there, others moved westward. 

During the American Civil War, many Irish immigrants arriving signed up to serve in the Union army, recruited as the Irish disembarked in New York City. It was instant employment with a steady monthly income. So many Irish had arrived to the United States, jobs were becoming scarce. It was because of this and factors of health concerns, people arriving without any medical examination that the immigration system was established at Ellis Island.

The US Supreme Court declared in 1875 that regulation of immigration was a federal responsibility, not state government. The Immigration Act of 1882 established a “head tax” of fifty cents on each immigrant and blocked entry of idiots, lunatics, convicts, and persons who likely would not find employment. In the 20^th century, an annual quota of immigrants allowed was established so what happened in the 1800s would not happen again where there were more immigrants than employment available. Ellis Island made it important for medical examination of immigrants and quarantine if necessary of newly arrived immigrants.

In the 1880s, state boards or commissions enforced immigration law under direction of the US Treasury Department. US Customs Collectors at each port of entry collected the head tax from immigrants while “Chinese inspectors” enforced the Chinese Exclusion Act [1885]. The Alien Contract Labor Law was passed in 1887 prohibited certain laborers from immigrating to the United States.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) was established in 1933, creating the first permanent resident cards known as “green cards”.

In 1952, when Ellis Island closed, the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) established immigration policies structuring the system to meet requirements and restrictions. The INA is within the United States Code (U.S.C.) that is a collection of all the laws of the United States. Title 8 of the U.S. Code covers Aliens and Nationality.

The system under the US Constitution and how it works today - Congress provides the president authority to conduct daily operations of the immigration system. The president then delegates those duties to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which then spreads those duties to other organizations under its control.

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services handles immigration applications to include green card replacements and renewals. It also collects fees associated with immigration applications.

The immigration system was developed in order to establish medical examinations and ensure that the quota system is not exceeded. In addition to providing temporary working visa, the system has developed a method of background checking to ensure that convicts and criminals do not enter.

In recent history, the Democrat Party has established an agenda of open borders and amnesty of those who arrive here illegally – without background and medical checks. This is dangerous in several ways:

1. Criminals and Cartels are arriving and establishing criminal activities like drug trafficking and human trafficking.
2. People are arriving without medical examination – which can create an epidemic or increase one.

One can see that it is important to screen immigrants to ensure criminals are not trying to enter our nation for the common safety of Americans.

As can be seen with the Wuhan Virus pandemic (COVID19) – states and cities that have declared sanctuary to immigration law breakers have been hardest hit by this horrific pandemic. It shows how important medical screening is for the health and welfare of Americans.

Another problem with illegal immigrants is that too many end up in the public system establishing welfare benefits.

Too many immigrants can lead to more people unemployed – more people than jobs.

It is unfair for those who use the legal immigration system when those who invade our country receive a “free ride” instead of being sent back over the border and from whence they came. It is unfair to tax payers that government sanction providing benefits to illegal invaders. It increases the national debt and that funding could be used elsewhere.

Some people say that not accepting illegal immigrants is cruel or harsh, but compared to other nations the system of the United States is more lenient.

The system, like the Constitution, is set up with purpose and reason and just as constitutional law, all state governments and municipalities must comply. If they do not, that issue must be addressed by the Department of Justice and the US Supreme Court.