Who Gets to Belong?
A brutally honest look at how race shaped America's immigration policy—and how it still happens.
“We want their work, but not their families.”
“We welcome refugees—some more than others.”
"We are a nation of immigrants. But not all immigrants."
These contradictions have haunted America since its founding.
Today, immigration raids are back. Walls, bans, and detentions dominate headlines. And behind every “policy,” a familiar ghost lingers: race.
But has it always been this way?
Let's rewind.
Only the 'Right Kind' of People Were Ever Welcomed
In 1790, the US passed its first naturalization law: only “free white persons of good character” could become citizens.
That meant:
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No Native Americans
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No enslaved Africans
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No indentured servants
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No “non-whites”
The law quite literally defines Americanness by race.
Even the first US Census excluded Native Americans and counted enslaved Africans as property—not people. The message was clear: whiteness = legitimacy.
Not All Whites Were Equal Either
Immigration wasn't just about race—it was also about the right kind of whiteness.
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Germans and British? Welcomed.
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Italians, Jews, and Slavs? Treated like invaders.
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Chinese workers? Built the railroads—then banned for 60 years.
The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was the first (but not the last) time America closed its doors by race. It was driven by “scientific racism”—the belief that some races were biologically inferior.
"They work. But they can't ever belong. "
Laws That Engineered the Population
By the 1920s, US lawmakers weren't hiding their intentions. The Emergency Quota Act (1921) and National Origins Act (1924) capped immigration from “undesirable” regions—mostly Southern and Eastern Europe—and shut out Asians entirely.
Refugees from Nazi Germany? Turned away.
Jews fleeing death camps? Denied entry.
The laws weren't about border security. They were about preserving a white, Protestant majority.
“We want the country to stay like it was in 1890,” one senator openly said.
Mexican Labor? Yes. Mexican Neighbors? No.
During WWII, the Bracero Program brought millions of Mexican workers to the US legally. But once the crops were picked, they were pushed out.
Operation Wetback (1954) deported over a million people—many of them US citizens—because they “looked Mexican.”
“We want their labor, not their lives.”
This double standard continues today.
1965: A Hopeful Shift—But Not for Long
The Civil Rights Movement helped end the racist quota system. The 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act opened doors to immigrants from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
But that didn't mean racism disappeared. It just adapted.
Immigrants with lighter skin still found it easier to assimilate. And in the post-9/11 era, Muslim immigrants faced intense scrutiny. Visas slowed. Surveillance increased. Stereotypes hardened.
Obama Deported Millions—But Also Protected DREAMers
Barack Obama tried to walk a tightrope. He deported over 5 million people—more than any previous president—while shielding children of undocumented immigrants through DACA.
“Higher walls, bigger gates,” one analyst said.
Harsh on enforcement. Soft on language.
But many immigrant families were still torn apart.
Trump Took the Gloves Off
In 2015, Donald Trump ran on banning Muslims, ending DACA, and building a wall. After winning, he followed through:
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Muslim Ban
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ICE raids
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Family separations
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Drastic visa cuts
Immigration was no longer a “debate.” It became a moral battle.
“We're not just choosing who comes in,” said one protester. “We're choosing who gets to be human.”
2025: What Now?
The debate hasn't cooled. It's intensified.
There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US Many do the work no one else will. Yet they live in fear of deportation.
And policies still reflect racial bias:
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Wealthy white asylum seekers (eg Afrikaners from South Africa) are welcomed.
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Black and brown migrants face cages, courts, and cruelty.
Even US citizens are leaving—disillusioned by a country that once promised freedom and now offers fear.
So... Has US Immigration Always Been Racist?
Yes.
From the 1790 Naturalization Act to the 2025 deportation surges, race has consistently shaped who gets to belong—and who doesn't.
It's not just about borders or jobs. It's about power.
And the question isn't just historical. It's urgent.
“What kind of nation are we becoming—and who gets to call it home?”
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