Hello, Reader..
Immigrants built early America and the early United States. Today, they're often portrayed as threats.
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Current headlines show how divided the United States has become over immigration. But two hundred years ago, the story looked very different: the United States sought more immigrants, not fewer.
This week, let's explore how the United States' immigration stance has changed over time.
π§ How a Nation's Identity Turned Inward
πΌοΈ The Big Picture: During the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Americans viewed immigration as essential to the young republic. The United States needed people--to farm land, fuel its economy, and secure the frontier. Land policies like the Land Act of 1796 were designed to attract immigrants westward. Although not all Founders agreed on the risks of immigration, many believed that a larger, industrious population was essential to securing American independence and prosperity. [1]
βοΈ Why It Matters: Fast forward to the present, and the contrast is striking. The return of Donald Trump to the presidency has brought a revival--and expansion--of his previous immigration agenda. On his first day in office, he signed 10 executive orders related to immigration including:
- β Halting refugee admissions, affecting thousands already approved for resettlement--including 15,000 Afghans.
- βοΈ Ending humanitarian parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans--leaving over 500,000 in limbo.
- π¨ Resuming large-scale arrests of undocumented immigrants, including many without criminal convictions.
- β Announcing plans to end birthright citizenship--a move 56% of Americans oppose, according to Pew Research Center.
- β οΈ Declaring a national "invasion" at the southern border to invoke emergency powers.
These actions reflect more than a policy shift--they represent a redefinition of who is welcome in the United States.
Public opinion underscores the divide:
- 73% of Republicans say illegal immigration is a "very big problem," compared to 23% of Democrats.
- 86% of Republicans support increased deportations, and 88% favor deploying the military to the border.[2]
In the founding era, immigration was often framed as a national strength. In today's politics, it is more often portrayed as a national threat.
So who gets to be an American--and who gets to decide?
This question isn't new, but it may feel more urgent than ever.
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π Go Deeper: The Founders' Perspectives on Immigration
The founding generation did not speak with one voice on immigration--but many saw it as vital to building the new republic.
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βGeorge Washington welcomed "the oppressed and persecuted of all nations," writing that the United States's openness should extend to all who contributed to its prosperity. Read his letter.β
Benjamin Franklin worried about cultural assimilation, particularly among German immigrants in Pennsylvania, yet acknowledged their contributions and industriousness. Read his letter to Peter Collinson.
Thomas Jefferson believed immigration could strengthen the republic--if newcomers embraced American civic values. He supported education and integration into democratic life. Explore his perspective.β
Alexander Hamilton emphasized immigration's economic benefits. He praised the "industrious habits" of immigrants as essential to American growth. More on Hamilton.
James Madison shared concerns in 1798 that new immigrations laws could violate civil liberties and damage the republic's character. He questioned whether the restrictions stemmed more from fear than reason. Read his letter to Thomas Jefferson.
The Declaration of Independence charged King George III with trying to stop immigration to the colonies--calling it a denial of liberty and growth. Sam Haselby writes for Aeon.
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π§ Tune In For More
Want to explore early American immigration and citizenship history in greater depth? Check out these episodes of Ben Franklinβs World:
π Episode 356: Discover how the Moravians, a small immigrant Protestant group, shaped early American religious and cultural life.
π Episode 277: Explore the meaning of July 4th and American belonging--especially for those historically excluded from full citizenship.
π Episode 188: Learn about one of the earliest federal crackdowns on immigrants and political dissenters.
π Episode 255: Investigate how Black Americans fought to secure citizenship and define the meaning of the republic.
π Episode 119: Examine how global events and British immigration policies influenced the Declaration of Independence.
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π§ Share Your Thoughts!
What do you think?
How do you think we should remember--and teach--the long history of immigration debates in the United States?
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π© Hit Reply to share your thoughts.
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π¬ Join the conversation our Facebook community.
Have a good weekend,
βLiz Covartβ
Host, Ben Franklinβs Worldβ
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π End Notes
[1] United States Congress, "An Act providing for the Sale of the Lands of the United States, in the territory northwest of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of Kentucky river," Acts of the Fourth Congress of the United States, https://maint.loc.gov/law/help/statutes-at-large/4th-congress/session-1/c4s1ch29.pdf, accessed April 10, 2025.
[2] Perla Trevizo, "Donald Trump's immigration executive orders: Tracking the most impactful changes," Texas Tribune, February 7, 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/02/07/donald-trump-immigration-executive-orders/, accessed April 10, 2025; Zolan Kanno-Youngs, Tyler Pager, and Hamed Aleaziz, "As Trump Broadens Crackdown, Focus Expands to Legal immigrants and Tourists," The New York Times, March 21, 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/21/us/politics/trump-immigration-visa-crackdown.html, accessed April 10, 2025; Christian Paz, "Trump's harshest agenda item is also his most popular," Vox, April 2, 2025, https://www.vox.com/immigration/406697/trump-immigration-deportation-poll-public-opinion-economy-approval-border, accessed April 10, 2025; J. Baxter Oliphant and Joseph Copeland, "What Americans think about Trump's immigration actions early in his second term," Pew Research Center, February 7, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/07/what-americans-think-about-trumps-immigration-actions-early-in-his-second-term/, accessed April 10, 2025; Anna Jackson, "Where Americans stand on the economy, immigration, and other issues as Trump addresses Congress," Pew Research Center, March 3, 2025, https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/03/where-americans-stand-on-the-economy-immigration-and-other-issues-as-trump-addresses-congress/, accessed April 10, 2025.
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π Further Reading
Steve Pincus, The Heart of the Declaration: The Founders' Case for an Activist Government, (New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2016).
Philip Otterness, Becoming German: The 1709 Palatine Migration to New York, (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2006).
Noel Ignatiev, How the Irish Became White, (New York: Routledge, 2008).
Kevin Kenny, The Problem of Immigration in a Slaveholding Republic: Policing, Mobility in the 19th-Century United States, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2023).
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