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Looking Back to Look Forward
Immigration
 Chinese boys playing mah jong at an immigration station, Seattle, 1938 PEMCO Webster & Stevens Collection, MOHAI Seattle  During the mid-1880s, a nationwide economic depression led to
widespread unemployment. Many white workers accused immigrants of
taking their jobs. On the west coast, Chinese laborers were the targets
of mob violence. Credit: MOHAI Seattle |
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A look at what social forces and legislation has shaped immigration in the United States, and how the two candidates plan to reform the system.
Note: Story airdate is Tues, Oct. 7
Reporter's Notebook
Jennifer Wing
 When you hear the word “immigration” do you think of Ellis Island? Or does an image of men and women walking under the deadly heat of the desert to enter the United States illegally come to mind?
Whatever your association is with the word, the decision people have made to come to the United States, legally and illegally, has shaped our country in so many ways. It continues to carve our political and economic landscape. It’s an emotional subject that generates a lot of anger from people who are tired of paying for illegal immigrants’ healthcare and education. It also stirs passion from those who say immigrants play a vital role in our society and that we’d be lost without them when it comes to farming, construction and technology.
Immigration reform might be the one topic Barack Obama and John McCain seem to share a lot of the same views on. They both speak about illegal immigrants with compassion and want to create a path for these people to become US citizens.
Do you agree with this? What would you do?
Click here to give us your thoughts.
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