US Citizenship By Natural Essay Research Paper

US Citizenship By Natural Essay, Research Paper The United States is a nation of Immigrants. For centuries people have come to the U.S. in search of prosperity, freedom and financial success. By definition of the Microsoft Bookshelf Encyclopedia an immigrant is a person who leaves one country to settle permanently in another country or region to which one is not native. People immigrate for different reasons — A group of people may immigrate to another country because of some conditions which make it difficult for them to live in their home environment. According to Microsoft Bookshelf Encyclopedia, the reason for immigration is often social for example, population increases, defeat in war, desire for a better life through material gain and the search for religious or

political freedom. These reasons have usually prompted many more immigrants to the U.S. than natural causes have. The website of the Federation for American Immigration Reform explains how the first great wave of immigrants came to the U.S. In the early 19th century, large numbers of people from Western Europe left their countries to escape poverty. Many of the immigrants also came to escape religious persecution and political oppression. By the end of the 19th century, the majority of the immigrants were from Southern and Eastern Europe. After 1921, immigration declined due to new and better conditions in Europe and to limitations established by the U.S. government. The first law was passed by the United States Congress in 1862, restricted immigration to the U.S.. This law

forbade American vessels to transport Chinese immigrants to the United States. Later, in the 1800s, the U.S. Congress passed acts which prevented convicts, polygamists, prostitutes and persons suffering from contagious diseases to enter the U.S. In 1917, Congress passed an immigration law that required a literacy test. Aliens unable to meet minimum mental, moral, physical and economic standards were excluded form the U.S. as well. In 1921, a congressional enactment created a quota system for immigrants, by which the number of aliens of any nationality admitted to the United States in a year could not exceed three percent of the number of foreign-born residents of that nationality living in the United States. It would seem that the number would be quite small, however, the year

was 1919 and the majority of the U.S. population was foreign born. In 1924, the basic immigration quotas were changed to a system based on the desirability of the different nationalities. A congressional act of 1943 repealed the laws keeping the Chinese from entering the United States. (Microsoft Bookshelf Encyclopedia) One will probably agree that it is important that every nation controls the flow of people who enter and exit. To this extent, the United States has an agency which controls and regulates these events. The Immigration and Naturalization Service will determine how many people may enter, seek employment, and settle within the U.S. Territory without altering the opportunities for U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents to develop their own lives. The INS agency of the

United States Department of Justice is empowered to administer federal laws relating to the admission, exclusion, deportation, and naturalization of aliens. The agency investigates the qualifications of applicants for citizenship and provides public schools with materials required for educating candidates for citizenship. Another duty of the INS is to patrol the borders of the United States to prevent the illegal entry of aliens. The agency also registers aliens residing in the country. ( Encarta Encyclopedia article on immigration, http://www.usdoj.gov/ins ) Before a person can apply for Citizenship in the United States, one has to be a lawful, permanent resident for five years. In the case of permanent residency that has been acquired through marriage to a U.S. citizen the time