Throughline Seeking Asylum in the U.S.
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Dec 5, 2024 Ruth Wasson, a former immigration policy researcher, and Maria Cristina Garcia, a Cornell history professor, dive into the complexities of seeking asylum in the U.S. They highlight how historical crises shaped immigration policies, from Jewish refugees during the Holocaust to the Cuban and Haitian struggles during the Cold War. The discussion reveals the unequal treatment of asylum seekers and the urgent challenges they face in today's political climate, emphasizing the need for systemic reforms to uphold the nation’s promise of refuge.
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1924 Immigration Act
- The 1924 Johnson-Reed Act severely restricted immigration based on 1890 census data, targeting groups like Italians and Russians.
- Rep. Emanuel Celler, grandson of immigrants, protested against this discriminatory law, citing its divisive impact.
Drivers of Restrictive Immigration
- Nativist sentiments and concerns about the impact of mass immigration on American culture and institutions drove the restrictive laws.
- Economic, cultural, and political anxieties fueled these draconian measures.
Limited Refuge for European Jews
- Despite Nazi intentions becoming increasingly clear, the US did not fill its immigration quotas, failing to offer refuge to many European Jews.
- Some historians attribute this to national security concerns and anti-Semitism.