The History of America’s Immigration Policy

US Immigration Bonds takes a look back at our immigration policy before it really broke. If you think the current system is broken, which it seems people from both sides of the aisle agree it is, well this might shock you.

The immigration policy in the United States has always been an issue of contention, so it would seem. The truth is that the modern immigration policy, the one that we all see as either stereotypically xenophobic or completely incompetent, is broken. Interestingly enough, that broken immigration policy has only existed since the 1960’s.

Up until a few decades ago, the United States was far more open and the system had far fewer issues than we see today. The more immigration policy reform was introduced, the more convoluted it became, and apparent “fixes” for a broken system actually caused the breaks in the system. Now, we have immigration lawyers, immigration judges, immigration bonds and bail bondsmen, and detention centers to house illegal immigrants and their families.

For much of the United States history, we had a lenient immigration policy that was welcoming. There was no border control at Ellis Island reminiscent of today’s Mexican wall. In fact, the most immigration action that was taken was only carried out if an immigrant carried a virus, and it went as far as containment for a while until the virus was cleared or you absolutely had to go back to your country. Anyone who has visited Ellis Island will even note the guards talking about how millions of Europeans simply arrived, signed their names, got some documents, and were released into the streets of New York to find their own American Dream, opening businesses and sending their children to America's great schools.

So, what happened and where did this modern immigration policy come from? Why is it that an entire industry exists based on immigration bonds and law?

In the 1970’s, the government declared immigration to be a federal concern, but all that really happened was that we began counting incoming immigrants. The point was to attempt to only allow immigrants that we agreed to, to come into the United States, but even then the system was nowhere near as strict as it is today.

It was not until 1965 that the modern day, discriminatory, strict, but incoherent and seemingly indecipherable, immigration system came into existence. Immigrants from the western hemisphere were limited when arriving to the United States, and for the first time ever, not just anyone could walk into the U.S.

Today, both sides of the political spectrum believe that there is a need for immigration reform. That detention centers and immigration bonds may be the answer for now, but that it is temporary. The truth is, the United States needs better immigration policies. If we can get back to allowing immigrants to enter the U.S. in a legal fashion, the benefits to the tax system will be undeniable and the economy may flourish as it once did back before the 1970s.