Wrapping Up “Immigrant Priorities”

After taking my students through the current immigrant priorities (family, employment, diversity), I spent some time this semester talking about the RAISE Act (S. 1720) and the Securing America’s Future Act (H.R. 4760). I showed the students this chart, helpfully compiled by the folks at the Cato Institute.

It is important, I think, for our students to understand that, in the words of David Bier and Stuart Anderson over at the Cato Institute: “In the entire history of the United States, the only policy-driven cuts in legal immigration that rival the effects of these bills were the Emergency Quota Act of 1921 and the Quota Act of 1924[.]”

Politicians have been grappling for decades over how to get a handle on our nation’s undocumented population. For the first time, however, we are seeing politicians who want to cut legal migration and, specifically, to reduce the number of lawful permanent residents. That is radical.

By the by, if you’re looking for more reading about the RAISE Act, Kevin has a number of great posts here, here, here, and here. RASIE even made Kevin’s  list of 2017’s Top 10 Immigration Stories, coming in at number 8!

-KitJ