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America's Immigration Policy

America's Immigration Policy Johnson , Kevin R. The “Huddled Masses” Myth: Immigration and Civil Rights . Philadelphia , PA : Temple University Press , 2004 . In this timely, highly readable and comprehensive book, Kevin R. Johnson explores the restriction and deportation of immigrants from a civil rights perspective. The “Huddled Masses” Myth demonstrates how the courts' treatment of non‐citizens has paralleled the treatment of citizens of color, sexual minorities, and other groups designated as problematic or dangerous over the nation's history. However, while citizens may appeal to the courts for protection of their rights, this avenue has proven limited, even hostile, to the claims of non‐citizens. Citing past and present traditions of classifying immigrant groups for restriction and deportation, Johnson presents immigration law as a persistent “source of shame to those who are committed to equality under the law,” (p. 2). Contrary to the reigning national mythology, it is the “poor,”“wretched,”“huddled masses” glorified in Emma Lazarus's famous words who persistently face unequal treatment before the law. This inequity arises from the distinction the nation draws between citizens and aliens, as well from legislative response to xenophobia, racism, and mass hysteria about the social and political ills wrought by immigrants. While http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Analyses of Social Issues & Public Policy Wiley

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Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2006 Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
ISSN
1529-7489
eISSN
1530-2415
DOI
10.1111/j.1530-2415.2006.00094.x
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Johnson , Kevin R. The “Huddled Masses” Myth: Immigration and Civil Rights . Philadelphia , PA : Temple University Press , 2004 . In this timely, highly readable and comprehensive book, Kevin R. Johnson explores the restriction and deportation of immigrants from a civil rights perspective. The “Huddled Masses” Myth demonstrates how the courts' treatment of non‐citizens has paralleled the treatment of citizens of color, sexual minorities, and other groups designated as problematic or dangerous over the nation's history. However, while citizens may appeal to the courts for protection of their rights, this avenue has proven limited, even hostile, to the claims of non‐citizens. Citing past and present traditions of classifying immigrant groups for restriction and deportation, Johnson presents immigration law as a persistent “source of shame to those who are committed to equality under the law,” (p. 2). Contrary to the reigning national mythology, it is the “poor,”“wretched,”“huddled masses” glorified in Emma Lazarus's famous words who persistently face unequal treatment before the law. This inequity arises from the distinction the nation draws between citizens and aliens, as well from legislative response to xenophobia, racism, and mass hysteria about the social and political ills wrought by immigrants. While

Journal

Analyses of Social Issues & Public PolicyWiley

Published: Dec 1, 2006

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