Missing in History by DoSomething.org.
WEEK FOUR: 3 Things About Immigration Your Textbook Doesn’t Want You to Know
And what they have to do with DACA and the Muslim ban today
From the multiple versions of the Muslim ban to the reversal of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), 2017 has been filled with crackdowns on immigration.
While the US is often referred to as “a melting pot” or a “nation of immigrants,” our history education does little to recognize the centuries’ long struggle many have faced to attain citizenship.
Read and share this guide to show others how recent events are part of a larger legacy of discrimination towards immigrant groups. By acknowledging our history, we can understand today’s struggle and fight for justice together.
1) From the start, the country’s immigration policy has only viewed one group as being “true Americans.”
The History: The Naturalization Act of 1790 limited American citizenship to “free white people of good character,” excluding those indigenous to the country and those whose ancestors had been brought here against their will. Most minorities didn’t receive citizenship until well into the 20th century.
Today: 27 years later, the notion that only certain people have the right to American identity persists. Ahead of last year’s election, conservative commentator Ann Coulter tweeted that President Trump would win in all 50 states if only those “with at least 4 grandparents born in America” could vote. Coulter’s comment essentially referencing a Nazi law, which used the identities of grandparents to deny rights and citizenship to Jewish people.