in the 1840s), or violence (e.g., in the 1930s and 1940s, before and during the
Nazi genocide).
First-generation immigrants of any era have often faced difficulties, struggling
to earn a living while adapting to a new language and culture. People who were
already living here sometimes viewed them with disdain or outright hostility.
Their legal situations varied as well. Sometimes new arrivals entered legally in
large numbers—through Ellis Island, for example. Sometimes laws prohibited
an entire group, such as people from China, from entering the country at all.
Jeffrey Austin
Life as an “Illegal”
Deported immigrants are dropped off by
U.S. officials along the Arizona-Mexico
border.
In recent years, of course, it has primarily been immigrants from Mexico and
Central America, particularly those who are here without authorization, who
are at the heart of the immigration debate. In many cases,
they have become integral parts of their new communities—particularly children and teenagers, who soon sound
just like everyone else in school. But all too often, their reception is influenced by anxiety about social and economic
changes and what these might mean for American citizens.
Such concerns are one of the primary motivations behind
proposals such as building a fence along the entire southern
border or requiring all non-citizens to produce on demand
proof that they are here legally.
The position of today’s unauthorized immigrants is rarely an enviable one. Many people have left all their family
members behind, w