WHAT IS AN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT?

I get so tired of the denigrating term “illegal immigrant” even though I am aware of the problems it brings with it.

My grandparents came to this country in the beginning of the last century legally, with all the proper paper work, looking for a better life for them, their children and future generations.  I am lucky.  I am not descended from that class of people “illegal immigrants.”

But many of the loud haters of those people who fall into that class know nothing of their own history and the history of our country.

To begin with prior to 1875, when the Page Act was passed by Congress, there was no barrier to immigration and the doors were wide open.  This first federal law prohibited the entry of immigrants considered “undesirable” and any individual from Asia coming to America to be a forced laborer and any Asian women who would engage in prostitution. The Act was supposed to strengthen the ban against “coolie” laborers (today’s migrant Hispanic farm workers, home builders and day laborers.)

So in effect we could say that even though there was no law against it anyone entering this country before 1875 did not have either permission from the Native Americans, who lived here, or from the Colonial Government or from the early American government.  In effect they were what we today call “illegal Immigrants.”  They were people who bore hardships to leave their country of origin to find a better, safer life for them and their families.  Sound familiar?

Maybe the Daughters of the American Revolution should change their name to the Daughters of the Illegal Immigrants American Revolution.

Of course there are some who would point to the U.S. Naturalization Law of 1790 which dealt only with citizenship and not immigration.  This law granted citizenship to “free white persons” of good moral character.  Left out were Native American Indians, indentured servants, slaves, free blacks and Asians.  How and when these people entered the country was not a factor. How many times in our country’s history have exclusionary laws like that been passed?

I don’t know the answer, but the time has come to find a way to turn all these “illegals” into “legals” and give them a chance to enjoy what our ancestors found.  The Senate is now looking for a way.  Let’s hope that between the Senate and House they find a way to do it RIGHT.