The Evolution of the U.S. Immigration Policy and its Impact on American Society (1820-2002)

Abstract

Since its establishment, the United States has always welcomed big numbers of immigrants from all parts of the globe. The U.S. immigration strategy evolved throughout the history of the country and fluctuated between liberal and obstructive. It has been responsible for the racial, ethnic, and cultural transformation of the society for more than four centuries. Besides measuring its impact on American society, which is the main focus of major researches on this subject, the goal of this work is to identify the foremost factors that molded the shaping of the U.S. immigration policy. This thesis applied qualitative and quantitative methods, and examined a wide range of primary sources, government and official documents, and recent books and articles of authors and researchers of great renown working on the issue. The results revealed that the economic developments of the country and society were the driving force that shaped the U.S. immigration policy, both liberal and restrictive. The thesis came to the conclusion that the economic factor determined the evolution of the immigration process in general and the immigration policy of the United States in particular.