The Politics of Immigration: Controversies and Consequences by David M
This book examines the complex and controversial issues surrounding immigration in the United States. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including legal documents, personal accounts, and scholarly research, David M. Reimers examines the history of immigration policy, the current debates surrounding immigration, and
Throughout United States history, the country experienced successive waves of immigration, particularly from Europe and later on from Asia and from Latin America. Colonial era immigrants often repaid the cost of transoceanic transportation by becoming indentured servants where the employer paid the ship's captain. In the late 19th century, immigration from China and Japan was restricted. In the 1920s, restrictive immigration quotas were imposed, but political refugees had special status. Numerical restrictions ended in 1965. In recent years, the largest numbers of immigrants to the United States have come from Asia and Central America.