AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the study A Century of Evolving U.S. Immigration Law 1920 to the Present.

“When one examines the evolution of U.S. immigration law over the past century, one is struck by how national security concerns have, rightfully, towered above all others in driving change,” said Ken Oliver, senior director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Right on Immigration initiative. “Following national security, the pace and substance of change to U.S. immigration laws have also been deeply influenced by humanitarian considerations, along with our country’s workforce needs.”

“This study demonstrates that the lessons of history remain relevant to the challenges we face today. The zenith of the crisis that took place this past year along the U.S. southern border, for example, shows us that much work still needs to be done to build an immigration system based on the cornerstone of national security, and that serves the overall best interests and priorities of our country and its citizens first.”

Key Points:

  • There are parallels between the prevailing concerns over immigration today and those of nearly a century ago.
  • Humanitarian considerations, along with America’s workforce needs and economic cycles, have also driven major immigration policy changes.
  • National security is a cornerstone of sound immigration policy, that seeks to serve the overall interests of our country and its citizens first.

To read the study in full, please visit:

https://www.texaspolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Hayek-Oliver-Evolving-Immigration-Law.pdf