For the most part, when there is talk of exclusion of certain ethnic or racial groups from entering the United States, it is fueled by economic reasons. Loss of jobs or businesses to newcomers is a big reason, but so is the fear of rising crime in some areas. This has been perhaps the biggest reason for the demand by some for the government to do something about the illegal immigration from Mexico. The other part of this resistance to new immigrants is of course, the fear of terrorism. The latest spate of terror acts in New York/New Jersey area by Ahmad Khan Rahami, an Afghan-American, and Dahir Adan, a Somali-American in Minnesota only helped fuel the fear of many and reinforced the belief that Muslims should be barred from entering the United States.
Actually, the exclusion of some ethnic or racial groups from entering the United States is not something new. It has taken place in our history, in the past, several times. Laws were passed by our Congress that barred entry of Asians into America going back to the 19th Century. The more recent Asian Exclusion Acts, as they were called, were passed in 1917, 1924, and 1934. These acts barred immigration for people from specific geographic area, identified as Asia-Pacific Zone, which essentially barred all Asians from entry into the United States. The 1934 Act was specifically aimed at Filipinos, while the 1917 and1924 Acts were more directed at Chinese and Japanese (Korea being a Japanese colony at the time was included as part of Japan). The 1924 Act essentially said that no one forbidden from becoming a U.S. citizen would be allowed to enter the U.S. as an immigrant. At that time, the earlier Asian Exclusion Act which disallowed Chinese and Japanese from property ownership and naturalization as citizens was still in effect. The only Asians that could become U.S. citizens were the ones that were born on U.S. soil!
As grossly unfair, unjust, and racist these Exclusion Acts were, they remained in effect for a long time, until almost a decade after the end of World War Two! It wasn't until 1952 with the passage of McCarran-Walter Act that amended the 1924 and 1934 Exclusion Acts and essentially struck them from the books. Believe it or not, even at that late date, there was resistance from some in Congress! Essentially, the argument that won over the majority was the contributions and sacrifices made by Asian-Americans for the war effort, both on the battlefield and the home front.
The current situation is completely different, so to compare today with America of more than half a century ago is like comparing apples with oranges. Yet, let's face it, both apples and oranges are fruits! Times may have changed and perceptions also changed with times, but some basic things remain the same. People come to America to seek a better life, better opportunity. That is how America was settled. The founding fathers may have come from one place, England, and started this great country. That is why our language is English. But believe it or not, more than 50% of European-Americans are of German descent, not English. The English and Irish make up about 25%! The rest are a mixture from various European countries with a good number from the Mediterranean and Eastern European countries.
The population of the United States is roughly 325 million souls as of 2016. Of this total, the majority, about 62% or so is comprised of European background. Hispanics make up about 16% while the African population is around 12%. Asians make up less than 5%, and the rest is made up of various other groups including Native Americans. Hispanics are the fastest growing group in America when you consider that less than decade ago their numbers were only at 12%. At this rate, some experts predict that the Hispanics will become the majority in less than half a century! Whatever the case may be, there is no denying that the Hispanic population in this country is increasing rapidly. But, so is the Arab or Middle Eastern population which a decade ago was less than Asian but now is nudging ahead!
Despite talk from some political quarters about barring certain racial or ethnics groups from entry into the United States, I don't believe any such thing will happen. Exclusion Acts as such are things of the past, at least for our government, our country. I believe some European countries have already instituted forms of Exclusion Acts and built fences to stop the flow of refugees from the Middle East. Mexico, which has had a very draconian system set up for many years to bar illegals from their south, from Guatemala in particular with whom they share a border. But we will never be able to do anything even remotely resembling what our European and Mexican critics are doing themselves. With even our current, inadequate border fencing and policing receiving so much criticism from abroad and from our own liberal camps, there is no way that we will do anything more!
According to some, the solution to our problem on our southern border is political, that it can be solved with a political settlement after negotiation with Mexico. That is "pipe dream," a utopian concept. What exactly can Mexican government do to stop the flow? People are leaving their country because they have no jobs and they want a better life! Short of giving everyone good jobs and good pay, there is no way that the Mexican government can stop the people from going north. Do you think that will happen? It will be a cold day in hell, as they say, when that will happen! So there is no political solution. The only way to stop the flow is build fences and enforce the border with more Border Patrol. Do you think that will happen? I don't see that happening anytime soon.
As for stopping the entry of Muslims, Middle Eastern people into our country, that won't happen either. Short of passing an Exclusion Act such as the ones that we had for Asians, we're not going to stop the flow of Muslims into our country. We may cut the number of Syrian refugees, but its not just Syrians.....note that the latest incidents involved people of Afghan and Somali descent, not Syrian! We can't bar all Muslims, all Middle Eastern people! Besides, the latest terror acts were committed by home grown terrorists! They may have been Muslims, but they were U.S. citizens!
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