Oddly for a nation made up mostly of immigrants, the United States has always had a problem with immigration. Long before President Donald Trump called for building a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, generations of Americans have advocated limiting immigration. In the 1800s, the Irish were a favorite target, and newspaper want ads commonly included the phrase, "No Irish need apply." Also in the 19th century, anti-immigration sentiment was codified in federal laws that singled out Asians. Subsequent federal laws targeted Italians and other Southern Europeans.
Scholars have identified three waves of immigration: the first era, the second era and the current era. As the U.S. once again debates who should be let into the country, perhaps it's time to review major immigration laws passed from 1870 to the present day. Some tried to bring order to the immigration process. Others aimed to keep out those perceived as un-American.
