Lessons on the history of US Immigration Policy #1: Is the US a nation of immigrants?

It is quite common to hear from politicians, the news media and other centers of social and cultural influence this idea that the United States of America is a nation of immigrants. This sentiment was used by Grand Rapids City officials during last night’s City Commission meeting.

Not only is this belief that the US is a nation of immigrants historically inaccurate, it is a form of erasure and exclusion. 

Indigenous historian and author Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, in her book, Not “A Nation of Immigrants”: Settler Colonialism, White Supremacy, and a History of Erasure and Exclusion, provides us with 4 overarching reasons why the idea that the US is a nation of immigrants is not only wrong, but it is harmful.

• Settler Colonialism is not immigration, it is a violent invasion that functions on Indigenous elimination. America was founded by Settler Colonialism, which is a type pf colonialism that functions as an invasive structure dependent on the ongoing elimination of Indigenous populations in order to assert settler sovereignty. This elimination is seen through the genocide of 80+ million Indigenous peoples, forced assimilation (through Native boarding schools), continued disappearances of Indigenous women and Two Spirit peoples, resource extraction/violation of treaties, and much more.
• Kidnapped Africans who were forcibly brought to Turtle Island as slaves, were not immigrants. African slaves were considered “property” by colonizing forces and were violently transported by slaves ships to build the Settler Colonies on stolen Indigenous lands.
• Racist laws opposing immigration have been the norm. American state propaganda says, “Give me your tired, your poor….” But in reality they meant “Give me your white people.” In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act was passed, prohibiting all immigration of Chinese laborers and the US Border Patrol originated as the “Mounted Guards” in El Paso, Texas, whose primary purpose was to restrict the illegal immigration of Chinese people. 
• Saying “American is a nation of Immigrants” is a violent form of erasure, white-washing, and state propaganda. 

If your organization or community group would be interested in a presentation or class on the history of US Immigration Police, please contact Jeff at sjeff987@gmail.com.