Immigration and migration are consistent themes throughout U.S. History, and debates about immigration policy have long dominated the political landscape. This collection explores immigration and migration issues at particular points in the recent history of the United States.
What the World War II-Era Bracero Program Reveals About U.S. Immigration Debates
This short doc traces that history from mass deportations during the Great Depression to the Bracero guest worker program during World War II, into today’s debates over unauthorized immigration.
How the U.S. Has Treated Wartime Refugees
What obligation countries have to refugees fleeing war, destruction and despair across the globe? Today, as Afghan and Ukrainian migrants settle in the United States, this video asks whether refugee resettlement is better now than it was for the Vietnamese 50 years ago.
How Prop. 187 Transformed the Immigration Debate and California Politics
Immigration policy has exposed some of the sharp divisions in the United States, but much of the rhetoric in the news today is eerily similar to an anti-immigration movement that swept the country decades ago. It started in California, one of the most liberal and immigrant friendly states in the U.S. (*This story has a Spanish transcript.)
How Today’s Debates on Immigration Were Shaped by a 1980s Church-Led Refugee Network
Today’s debates over sanctuary cities have roots in the 1980s, when churches defied the law to shelter refugees fleeing civil wars in Guatemala and El Salvador.
Teaching About Immigration and Migration Webinar
An in depth look at how to engage your students when teaching issues like immigration and migration, presented with our partners, New American History and Re-Imagining Migration.
