What You Need To Know About The Us Immigration

By Author: Annette Kiernan
Total Articles: 3
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Any US immigration lawyer will have you know that all Americans are immigrants, only the Red-Indians have the right to declare themselves as the indigenous people.

Any US immigration lawyer will have you know that all Americans are immigrants, only the Red-Indians have the right to declare themselves as the indigenous people. Immigration started way before the declaration of independence, which was back in 1776, when America was a colony. At all its different junctures in history, America has always been the land of opportunity. US immigration lawyers will be sure to know that immigration policies from the past were centered on seclusion, but eventually they have turned to inclusion, after the American society continues to come of age. US immigration history may be split to five distinct periods:

The colonial era (1600-1775): Approximately 175,000 British people migrated to Colonial America. More than half of all the Europeans to arrive in colonial America were indentured servants. Any New York lawyer will explain to you indentured servant means a worker from Europe who would travel to America for free, and work ...
... to pay off the travel costs incurred. During this period, they would not be paid wages, but taken care of their basic amenities. After finishing their payment period, they would be free again with a set of new clothes, but indentured servants gradually started to be faced out by black slaves who were cheaper and had no promise of freedom.

Immigration 1790 to 1849: After the colonial period, US immigration slowed down, until it started to pick up in the 1830s. The first naturalization act was in 1790 but it was only available to whites. There was significant emigration to Canada by around 50,000 British loyalists known also as the Tories. During the 1830s, most countries in central and northern Europe resumed large scale immigration, as they were attracted to the cheap and large trucks of land available. Also, in 1848 the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican war, extended citizenship to 50,000 Mexicans in the New Mexico territory with 10,000 in California.

Mid-19th Century (1850-1930): Here there was a large surge of immigration as 5 million Germans immigrated during the period. However, the period between 1820-1930 so 3.5 million British immigrants and 4.5 million Irish immigrants. Irish immigration was fueled also in large part by the Great Famine. Also, a great factor that fueled this immigration was the invention of faster and larger ships with cheaper fares. US immigration lawyer is sure to have the year 1865 in mind, as the year slavery and involuntary servitude was abolished; a huge reprieve to the black community of the time.

20th Century (1930-2000): Any New York lawyer will be able to tell you that legislation from the late 19th to the early 20th century was centered on seclusion. However, after the First World War a lot changed. The immigration act of 1924, which lasted until 1965 had its quota system though it was not used in the Western hemisphere. Immigrants from the Caribbean and Mexico moved freely as they pleased. The Hart-Cellar act in 1965 replaced the 1924 legislation, and has been in use until today with some amendments here and there. The act removed the quota system and placed preference to immigrants with potential relatives or immigrants offering skills that can be beneficial to the nation.

Just about 14 million immigrants made their way to America in 2000-2010. Any New York lawyer will be sure to express the sentiment that US immigration throughout its history is about seeking freedom, greener pastures, and opportunity for all.
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