Immigration has shaped the foundation of America, built by generations of hardworking individuals seeking a better future. Yet, throughout history, shifting policies have dictated who is welcomed and who is excluded. From early laws limiting citizenship to harsh deportation measures and asylum restrictions, immigrants continue to face unjust barriers.
Let me give you a brief timeline to understand immigration and how much policies and laws have changed today:
A law passed in 1790 was the first to declare who could be a citizen, limiting the privilege to free whites with “good moral character” who had lived in the U.S. for at least two years. It was not until 1870, that this law was extended to African Americans.
In 1875, restrictions on immigrants were placed. These restrictions banned criminals, people with contagious diseases, anarchists, etc. However, other restrictions targeted the rising number of Asian immigrants, first limiting migration from China and then from many other countries in Asia.
Immigration restrictions started to shift in 1943 when a law allowed a limited number of Chinese people to migrate. In 1952, legislation allowed a limited number of visas for other Asians, removing race as grounds for exclusion.
In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act abolished the country-of-origin quotas and created a preference system that favored family reunification and skilled immigrants. This law also imposed the first limits on immigration from the Western Hemisphere. Before then, Latin Americans had been allowed to enter the U.S. with few limitations. Since the enactment of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, immigration has been dominated by people born in Asia and Latin America, rather than Europe.
Since then, laws have mainly focused on refugees, paving the way for the entrance of Indochinese refugees fleeing war violence in the 1970s and later including relief for other nationalities, including Chinese, Nicaraguans, and Haitians. The Immigration Act of 1990 created Temporary Protective Status (TPS), a temporary immigration status that protects people from deportation, mainly Central Americans, from deportation to countries facing natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions.
In 1986, Congress enacted another major law called the Immigration Reform and Control Act. Although this act granted legalization to millions of undocumented immigrants, it also penalized employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants. Afterward, laws in 1996, 2002, and 2006 emerged as responses to concerns about terrorism and unauthorized immigration. These measures emphasized border control, prioritized enforcement of laws on hiring immigrants, and tightened admissions eligibility.
In 2012, former President Barack Obama took executive action and established Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to allow young adults who had been brought to the country illegally to apply for deportation relief and work permits. In 2014, Obama expanded that program and set up a new program to offer similar benefits to some unauthorized immigrant parents of U.S.-born children.
The Current Situation:
Since taking office on January 20, 2025, Trump has announced several immigration-related executive orders, “aggressively pursuing removal of noncitizens, pressuring states and localities to cooperate in immigration enforcement, limiting access to humanitarian forms of relief, and closing the southern border, to name just a few actions to date.”
The first major immigration policy Trump has enacted is the mass deportation of migrants. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as ICE) has been spotted in multiple areas around America, and there has been talk of multiple ICE sitings near both the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Illinois State University.
The Pentagon also announced that they would be fortifying the U.S-Mexico border, deploying “1,500 active duty troops to the southern US border. This is in addition to 2,500 active-duty personnel already there, officials said – marking a 60% increase in Army troops in the area.”
Additionally, Trump’s new executive order blocks all undocumented migrants from entry, denying asylum hearings as well. Previously, migrants had a legal right to seek asylum. Trump also ended the U.S. refugee resettlement program. “Under Biden’s term in 2024, the US accepted more than 100,000 refugees – its highest since 1995. He also ended a major Biden-era programme that allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to fly into the US on humanitarian grounds.” Currently, there is roughly a 3.6 million case backlog. Migrants are facing even longer waits, which was worsened by Trump’s dismissal of top immigration court officials.
Furthermore, Biden created the CBP One app, an app to organize “and streamline the entry of migrants who are fleeing prosecution.” Trump put a halt on this immediately, therefore leaving 30,000 people stranded in Mexico with canceled appointments and 270,000 more waiting for access. Many migrants have traveled for months now only to come and have no clear path to entry. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a legal challenge against the app’s closure.
With Mexico now anticipating an influx of migrants from Trump’s deportation orders, Mexico has started to build large shelters to temporarily house them. The shelters will provide food, medical care, and assistance in getting identification documents. Transportation will also be available to help transport Mexicans back to their hometowns. “It is part of a larger effort called “Mexico Embraces You”, a government-wide campaign to welcome citizens who may be deported from the US and help them reintegrate in their home country.”
As a child of an immigrant herself, it’s disheartening to rising hatred toward immigrants, especially today. The United States of America was built by immigrants, hardworking people striving to provide for their families and create a future where they belong. Yet, instead of fostering that sense of belonging, America has completely done the opposite. The consequences of this hostility are truly devastating. On February 3,11-year-old Jocelyn Rojo Carranza attempted to take her own life after enduring relentless bullying and threats about her family’s immigration status. On February 8, she passed away due to her injuries. She was a sweet daughter, sibling, and friend to all. Her story is truly a heartbreaking one to tell.
The recent anti-immigrant rhetoric and discrimination have led to widespread protests, with many standing in solidarity against these injustices. At both Illinois State University and Illinois Wesleyan University, students have actively responded to recent policy changes enforced by Trump, organizing protests to voice their support for immigrant communities. These demonstrations have not only served as a platform for advocacy but also have sparked a strong sense of community, bringing students together in a shared commitment to justice and inclusivity. Through collective action, ISU students are making it clear that they will not remain silent in the face of discrimination.
Ultimately, the ongoing changes to immigration policies have left countless individuals in uncertainty and fear, reinforcing a system that punishes rather than protects them. History has proven that the U.S. has long struggled with fair and humane immigration policies, yet recent actions have taken this struggle to new extremes. Despite these challenges, resistance continues to grow. Students, activists, and communities are coming together, using their voices to advocate for justice, inclusion, and the fundamental rights of immigrants. The fight for a more compassionate and equitable system is far from over, but it is a reminder that change is possible when people stand together.