Current Affairs: U.S. Immigration

Illustration of immigrants passing the Statue of Liberty, 1887

Introduction

Some refer to the U.S. as a "nation of immigrants." With a rich immigration history and many citizens who trace their lineage to family members born abroad, the U.S. has certainly earned that moniker. Immigration is at the heart of what the U.S. is and one aspect of what makes the country unique. 

Yet immigration debates about who and how many should come in are as old as the country itself and even well before that, from the earliest colonial days. They are, too, a part of U.S. history.

Today, as in the past, many U.S. immigration debates are taking place. They are often fervent. We're not looking to delve into the debates in this article. Rather, we're looking to provide an overview of the history and explore some of the questions that are being posed. 

For the analysis, we'll be exploring the following questions:

• What is the total number of immigrants in the U.S.? What is their percentage of the total U.S. population?

• How does immigration in the U.S. compare to other countries?

• Where do immigrants immigrate from?

• Where do immigrants settle in the U.S.?

• Which industries have the largest percentage of foreign-born workers?

• What are the voting rules for immigrants?

• Which party do immigrants align with once they become citizens?

• What is the net cost of undocumented immigration?

• What is the yearly number of immigrants deported or who voluntarily leave?

Let's start with the history.

Immigration During Colonial Times