W h o s a y s E u r o p e a n s d o n ' t w a n t t o c o m e h e r e ?
Aug 8th 2001, 12:52 pm
#1
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We read that Hispanics are now the largest minority group in the nation, numbering
some 35 million. A recent study in New York City showed that another rapidly growing
group, Asians, now make up 10 percent of that city's people.
To sum up, the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) reports that
almost 3 out of 4 new immigrants are either from the Americas or Asia. The flood of
immigrants from 1991-8 (the last recorded year) numbers 7.6 million, rivaling the 8.8
million who came to the United States during the 10-year peak period from 1901-1910.
To some, the new immigration is positive; others see it as making cultural
integration more difficult. But one fact is clear above all:
While in the first decade of the 1900s, some 92 percent of all new Americans came
from Europe, today, European immigrants number only 15 percent of the total,
about 1 in 7.
Why?
When the INS was questioned, it responded gibly that probably not many Europeans want
to live here: Conditions in Europe are much better today than in 1901. Sounds
logical, but the reality is quite the opposite. Millions of Europeans want to
emigrate to the United States, as we shall show, but their way is blocked by
immigration laws that openly discriminate against them.
Until 1965, the quota for new immigrants was based on the ethnic makeup of our
country. Since the nation before then was predominately of European background, so
were the immigrants. But the 1965 law, the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments
of Oct. 3, 1965, changed all that. The law, as the INS itself says, "abolished the
national quota system."
Instead, it substituted the idea of "family reunification." U.S. citizens could bring
in parents, children, spouses, brothers, sisters, while non-citizens could bring in
spouses and children, even unmarried adult children, in unlimited number.
The "reunification" system, sometimes called "chain immigration" naturally favored
recent immigrants rather than the long-time European ethnic base of the United
States. The ancestors of most Americans had come here from Europe a century or so ago
and their descendants no longer have relatives with whom they can reunite. The effect
on European immigration has been disastrous.
On two separate ocean cruises, I met educated young women, one from France, another
from Hungary, who wanted to emigrate to the United States, but found the dream to be
hopeless. Instead, they worked on a ship, hoping to meet and marry an American, still
a sure-fire way to immigrate. Since there was no quota for their nations, the only
other way was to have a skill, like being a Ph.D. scientist.
The result of the 1965 law is shown in the numbers: Last year, 120,000 Mexican
immigrants came here. And from France? 2,352.
Again the question. Do Europeans really want to come here? The answer is that they
do, desperately do, but are blocked by U.S. law.
How do we know this? To compensate for nationalities who find it hard to immigrate,
Congress set up the nicely named "Diversity Visa Lottery," which each year hands out
50,000 green cards for permanent residence to winners. It's a popular lottery, which
last year attracted 10 million would-be immigrants from around the world.
Who says Europeans don't want to come here? They applied for the green card lottery
in droves. One in 200 won the lottery, so its easy to calculate how many apples.
Let's take France. Two hundred and seven won, which means that 41,400 Frenchmen
applied for green cards vs. only 2,352 from that nation who were admitted as
immigrants in the last recorded year.
Surely the Germans, who live in Europe's most prosperous nation, have no desire to
emigrate to the United States. The opposite is true, even more so than in France.
Last year, 218,000 Germans applied for the green card lottery, yet only 5472 Germans
were admitted as immigrants.
In all, millions of frustrated Europeans including 21,000 usually self-satisfied
Swiss applied for the "diversity" lottery. In fact the exact number of Europeans who
wanted to become Americans was 4,999,600, just shy of 5 million.
How many of these anxious Europeans actually made it here? A total of 92,911.
The reason is clear. "Reunification" is of no value to would-be immigrants whose
people came here generations ago and are no longer alive.
The answer? Repeal the 1965 immigration law and stop the blatant discrimination.
Let the 5 million Europeans win without their having to win a high-stakes,
slim-chance lottery.
More Europeans would only help America's diversity.
some 35 million. A recent study in New York City showed that another rapidly growing
group, Asians, now make up 10 percent of that city's people.
To sum up, the federal Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) reports that
almost 3 out of 4 new immigrants are either from the Americas or Asia. The flood of
immigrants from 1991-8 (the last recorded year) numbers 7.6 million, rivaling the 8.8
million who came to the United States during the 10-year peak period from 1901-1910.
To some, the new immigration is positive; others see it as making cultural
integration more difficult. But one fact is clear above all:
While in the first decade of the 1900s, some 92 percent of all new Americans came
from Europe, today, European immigrants number only 15 percent of the total,
about 1 in 7.
Why?
When the INS was questioned, it responded gibly that probably not many Europeans want
to live here: Conditions in Europe are much better today than in 1901. Sounds
logical, but the reality is quite the opposite. Millions of Europeans want to
emigrate to the United States, as we shall show, but their way is blocked by
immigration laws that openly discriminate against them.
Until 1965, the quota for new immigrants was based on the ethnic makeup of our
country. Since the nation before then was predominately of European background, so
were the immigrants. But the 1965 law, the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments
of Oct. 3, 1965, changed all that. The law, as the INS itself says, "abolished the
national quota system."
Instead, it substituted the idea of "family reunification." U.S. citizens could bring
in parents, children, spouses, brothers, sisters, while non-citizens could bring in
spouses and children, even unmarried adult children, in unlimited number.
The "reunification" system, sometimes called "chain immigration" naturally favored
recent immigrants rather than the long-time European ethnic base of the United
States. The ancestors of most Americans had come here from Europe a century or so ago
and their descendants no longer have relatives with whom they can reunite. The effect
on European immigration has been disastrous.
On two separate ocean cruises, I met educated young women, one from France, another
from Hungary, who wanted to emigrate to the United States, but found the dream to be
hopeless. Instead, they worked on a ship, hoping to meet and marry an American, still
a sure-fire way to immigrate. Since there was no quota for their nations, the only
other way was to have a skill, like being a Ph.D. scientist.
The result of the 1965 law is shown in the numbers: Last year, 120,000 Mexican
immigrants came here. And from France? 2,352.
Again the question. Do Europeans really want to come here? The answer is that they
do, desperately do, but are blocked by U.S. law.
How do we know this? To compensate for nationalities who find it hard to immigrate,
Congress set up the nicely named "Diversity Visa Lottery," which each year hands out
50,000 green cards for permanent residence to winners. It's a popular lottery, which
last year attracted 10 million would-be immigrants from around the world.
Who says Europeans don't want to come here? They applied for the green card lottery
in droves. One in 200 won the lottery, so its easy to calculate how many apples.
Let's take France. Two hundred and seven won, which means that 41,400 Frenchmen
applied for green cards vs. only 2,352 from that nation who were admitted as
immigrants in the last recorded year.
Surely the Germans, who live in Europe's most prosperous nation, have no desire to
emigrate to the United States. The opposite is true, even more so than in France.
Last year, 218,000 Germans applied for the green card lottery, yet only 5472 Germans
were admitted as immigrants.
In all, millions of frustrated Europeans including 21,000 usually self-satisfied
Swiss applied for the "diversity" lottery. In fact the exact number of Europeans who
wanted to become Americans was 4,999,600, just shy of 5 million.
How many of these anxious Europeans actually made it here? A total of 92,911.
The reason is clear. "Reunification" is of no value to would-be immigrants whose
people came here generations ago and are no longer alive.
The answer? Repeal the 1965 immigration law and stop the blatant discrimination.
Let the 5 million Europeans win without their having to win a high-stakes,
slim-chance lottery.
More Europeans would only help America's diversity.
