- Website: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25103317?origin=JSTOR-pdf&
Citation: How We Restrict Immigration by Joseph H. Senner
The North American Review, Vol. 158, No. 449 (Apr., 1894), pp. 494-499
Summary: This document is a primary source and was written in 1894 by Joseph H. Senner, who was the United States Commissioner of Immigration. In this article, Senner discusses the policies that brought immigration to a “standstill.” He mentions how the hope that originally brought immigrants to the shores of the United States has been replaced by suffering and a longing for their country of origin. He is saying that not only are fewer people immigrated to this country, but the immigrants that are here are returning to their original countries. He provides statistics to support this point and talks about how certain classes of people are restricted from entry. This article stresses how the enforcement of the restrictions that the United States puts on which immigrants they allow into our country were increased, making the process very selective, and difficult. In addition, he discusses the strict and lengthy documentation requirements that immigrants needed to complete before entering the country as well. These harsh restrictions that the United States put on incoming immigrants contributed the Anti-Immigration Movement in the late 1800’s. Senner talks about how he sees immigration as being a large problem and threat to the United States, and that measures such as the harsh restrictions must be taken. “We have to look back beyond the year 1880 to find figures so low as those for the months of January and February 1894. We may well state that immigration has substantially ceased.” The main goal of members of the Anti-Immigration Movement and of Joseph Senner was to stop immigration or decrease the amount that took place, and he did what he could to accomplish this. Senner states that the number or immigrants decreased from 1800 to 1894; a statistic that shows that his goal was accomplished.
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