History of Deportation in the United States

Deportation has been a long-standing practice of the United States of America. With the Alien Act (1798), the president was able to deport an alien classified as dangerous, and the new Naturalization Act stated that 14 years, not 5, was the acceptable period for an immigrant to reside in the US before being considered for naturalization.

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With the promise of a better life a shiny beacon to people in struggling countries, the U.S. has seen a steady influx of immigrants of various ethnicities and religions. Thus, the rate of U.S. deportations is well into the millions, with Ellis Island acting as a microcosm from which 12 million deportees, between 5 and 10 thousand per day, were deported during a 32 year period. Many were expelled for failing medical exams due to illnesses they picked up during their sea-voyages. A recorded 3000 took their lives after being turned away.

While these cases may be viewed as straight-forward instances of deportation, more muddy accounts exist which show violations of human rights with the decisions of who are and are not U.S. citizens. Deportations due to overcrowding, shaped around controlling political dissidence, or as a matter of race have taken place. In the 18th century, the removal of African-Americans to either specific areas within the U.S. or other countries was a further atrocity of slavery on a people who had been brought to the new world as cattle.

The great purge continues today as European, Asians and those in the western hemisphere continue to be sent home in droves. The debate on Mexican immigration continues, as states like Texas and California, once part of the Mexican map, are increasing means of keeping aliens out. Haiti has already been warned to expect thousand of deported Haitians back to their devastated shores.

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