By Claire L. Adida, Adeline Lo, Lauren Prather, Melina Platas and Scott Williamson
Which was the first generation in your family to arrive in America? Do you know why your family came to the United States?
Members of President Joe Biden’s administration – and key nominees – have answered these questions in their first days in office.
Upon his nomination as Biden’s secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, a native of Cuba, tweeted: “When I was very young, the United States provided my family and me a place of refuge.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Vice President Kamala Harris, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Xavier Becerra, nominee for Health and Human Services secretary, have conveyed similar messages about their immigrant roots.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has moved quickly to relax immigration restrictions, issuing executive orders to halt or reevaluate many of former President Donald Trump’s policies.
And Congress will soon consider the administration’s expansive immigration reform bill. Polls suggest 60% of Americans support some of its policies, such as a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally.
But the legislation faces strong opposition from Republican lawmakers.
Our research suggests that reminding Americans of where they came from – such as the statements by Biden administration officials – creates empathy for immigrants, generating more favorable attitudes toward immigration.
A history of migration – and xenophobia
Migration is a key component of the American story. Successive waves of migrants have reshaped the U.S. socially and politically from the 16th century to the present.
Yet this history of migration has coexisted with xenophobia: a form of prejudice against people from other countries. This prejudice has fluctuated over time, sometimes acquiring significant political influence.
U.S. immigration policies have often been highly restrictive as a result, particularly for nonwhite and non-Christian peoples. The 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act and the immigration quotas of the early 1920s are just two instances.
Trump is the latest example of a political leader leveraging anti-immigrant attitudes to seek votes and limit migration into the country.
While Americans have become more supportive of immigration since the 1990s, including during Trump’s presidency, public opinion toward immigration has also polarized along partisan lines.
Using family histories to advocate for immigrants
Biden administration officials are not the first political leaders to reference family migration histories when talking about immigration.
The narrative of America as a “melting pot” has a long history.
Educators have used radio programs, school curricula and history textbooks to draw explicit links between America’s migration history and contemporary immigration issues.
Some curricula use structured exercises to have students reflect on how their own families’ migration experiences relate to immigration issues.
Our own research shows that this narrative can shift U.S. public opinion to become more favorable toward immigrants.
Across three surveys conducted in 2018 and 2019, we asked 6,000 respondents to remember their family migration histories. We also asked them about their views on immigration.
Respondents – including both Democrats and Republicans – who were randomly assigned to think about their family history before telling us their immigration preferences expressed more favorable feelings toward immigrants.
They also showed a preference for more open immigration policies than respondents who were not asked to think about their family history first.
Our results suggest that thinking about family history had this effect because it creates more empathy for contemporary immigrants.
Empathy and attitudes toward migration
Our findings indicate that immigration advocates are pursuing an effective strategy when they remind Americans of their migrant heritage.
When the George W. Bush Presidential Center emphasizes that the U.S. is “A Nation Built By Immigrants,” or the Carnegie Corp. asserts that “America’s Story” is “An Immigrant Story,” Americans who hear these messages tend to reflect on their own connections to immigration. It also spurs them to empathize more with today’s immigrants.
Our research may also help explain why Americans are more supportive of immigration than citizens of many other countries, where immigration typically plays a smaller role in their self-perceptions.
Negativity toward migrants, stoked by factually inaccurate threat narratives – that migrants steal jobs and overrun schools and hospitals – is the norm in many countries. But reminding people what they share with immigrants can help build support for more inclusive policies.
Claire L. Adida is Associate Professor of Political Science, University of California San Diego; Adeline Lo is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison; Lauren Prather is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California San Diego;
Melina Platas is Assistant Professor of Political Science at New York University Abu Dhabi; Scott Williamson is a Postdoctoral Associate at the Division of Social Science, New York University Abu Dhabi.
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Mark says
Having over 80,000 in my family bush from various countries I am open to immigration. LEGAL Immigration!
Lorraine says
By looking at the past, many immigrants came to this country and followed the laws in place for citizenship. It was just not handed to them because they took the “illegal” action of entering our country. Further there “was not” a pandemic killing off many people at the time of these legal immigrations. Also immigrants were required to read, write and speak English. There has never been a time when a president opened borders and allowed a “free for all” entry forcing a depletion of taxpayers monies to support the action. They did not allow criminals, gangs, human traffickers and drug runners to freely enter our country. The border is so over run with illegals that Border Patrol can’t maintain security at the border. People who think “illegals” are not carrying Covid have their head in the sand! The Covid virus doesn’t discriminate and only attacks all but “illegal” immigrants. It only take 1 Covid positive person to infected thousand in a crowd. This is not a Democrat or Republican issue….it is an issue that effects all of us!!
Dennis says
Legal immigration is fine. Illegal is not. Biden snd the democrats could care about America, just looking for future votes. That’s why they demand everyone should be able to vote without any ID. Corruption always at work in America. I wonder when the CDC will recommend closing the border to prevent the spread of this disease rather than releasing infected illegals into out country. Biden talks out of both sides of his mouth. Lies worse than Trump ever did.
Fredrick says
When I recall my roots, I recall my family entering this country legally. All are welcome. Get in line and do it legally and there are no issues. What is so damn hard about that? If we can’t take care of our own citizens that are living in our streets, we can’t take care of people entering here illegally and putting them up in hotels and moving them around the country.
Jane Gentile-Youd says
The word ‘LEGAL’ is inexplicably , and obviously intentionally, omitted. This article insulted my grandfathers on both sides of my family who both saved and waited their turn to come to the USA and both kissed the ground literally. My maternal grandfather worked and saved his pennies for over a year to send for my grandmother , my mom and 4 other children.
The waited their turn , just as many others still do today who are waiting in many countries, many for several years, who all respect our LAWS and don’t resort to paying ‘mules’ to take them across -FREEDOM RIVER, a/k/a/ Rio Grande
In closing it is impossible, and also unjust and unfair to try to send illegal immigrants who are now here working and are law abiding contributing and tax paying citizens who abide by the laws of our land. Yes, they should be allowed a path to citizenship because WE let them in – can’t say yes and then say no…
TC says
All the mentioned democrats were from legal immigrants, my parents came here legally we have very good legal immigration laws we can’t take the hoards of illegals most don’t offer anything to the USA they’re takers not contributors
Travis M. says
The headline is misleading. Most Americans are not against immigration. They are against the massive wave of illegal immigration across the southern border. There are immigration laws on the books for a reason but most politicians seem to not care much about them. There are consequences to unbridled illegal immigration, including money that could be going to infrastructure being diverted to increased needs for public health, public education, law enforcement, etc. Our nation’s debt has almost tripled since 2013 and no one seems to care that spending is out of control. So, it’s not an opposition to legal immigration. It’s a concern for the country’s well-being moving forward.
One more time from the Borderlands says
You need to take another look at the science, and stop mixing the pandemic issues with immigration issues. Illegal imigrants are no more likely to be carrying COVID than more than half the citizens of Florida, Texas, Louisiana and a number of other states.
Furthermore, you need a class in civics: few, if any of the immigrants from any country other than England could even speak English, to say nothing of being able to read and write it. In fact, many could not even read and write in their native language!!! Becoming a citizen is another matter: yes, they had to pass some tests in civics and history, which you likely could not pass yourself! And no one is allowing an open border and “free for all” entry. No one is suggesting that all these people just be “handed” citizenship: the requirements for becoming a citizen have not changed. “Criminals, gangs, human traffickers and drug runners” are NOT being allowed to freely enter this country.
Yes, we have an immigration problem and it needs focus on two components: managing those who are coming to this country to escape poverty, chaos, intimidation and persecution as well as solving the problems in their home countries which create poverty, chaos, intimidation and persecution.
reflecting says
Not quite accurate….some of our families entered the country by various means and for various reasons WAY before there were “borders”. Many people no doubt were fleeing jail and even death in their home countries. They fled because they backed the “wrong” King, or were of the “wrong” religion. They were considered “criminals” in their own countries and had their land, homes, etc. confiscated by a despotic ruling class and were forced to flee for their lives. And what better place to come to than a huge continent that had remote wilderness areas to hide out in? The only problem is that OUR ancestors were the UNWANTED invaders of North America. White men came to this continent and took by force land that we were not entitled to, but yet somehow they seemed to think they were entitled to own and possess. Now, look at the result, some Native American groups were literally exterminated by violent means and by seemingly non-violent ways by carrying diseases, previously unknown in North America, from Europe and elsewhere. The pandemics caused by diseases passed from Europeans to Native populations were devastating. Some Native groups were basically eliminated by these diseases that they had no immunity for. Interesting how we gloss over our own atrocious actions and yet have the nerve to point the finger at specific populations (pick your ethnic group) and accuse them of carrying diseases, etc. into our country.
Ok, this is now a sarcastic statement, but isn’t it karma to think that most of the “illegal” aliens that the good ole boys point the finger at are mostly comprised of Indigenous populations from south of the border. And the good ole boys are all focused on them being criminals and riddled with disease? Well, just maybe, just maybe, karma is returning the same type of favor that the white invaders granted to the Indigenous Nations when they invaded and pushed them off of their ancestral lands. Karma can be a bleep, bleep!
deb says
I have NO problems with a person coming to this country legally and working and striving to become a US citizen. I do however have a problem with illegals coming to this country and are welcomed and treated like saints and given housing, food, medical and education while US citizens are homeless, without medical care, can’t get food and for darn sure have a difficult time getting an education. Why is it so hard to take care of our US citizens before we bow down to illegals all while seeking those political votes. Something is wrong with this picture.
Pierre Tristam says
Of course it’s opposition to immigration, otherwise we wouldn’t have spent decades trying to get an immigration policy in place fair to immigrants, legal or not, and citizens alike. The argument that it’s just about the undocumented is a mask, a convenient ruse. We keep behaving like the undocumented on US soil are subhuman. When we stop referring to them and treating them as subhuman, the canard that it’s only about the undocumented may be a bit kore believable. Meanwhile the article and its spot-on headline is an appeal to more ethically defensible perspectives.
Pogo says
@Thank you: One more time from the Borderlands, reflecting, & FlaglerLive
I seriously question if any of the usual commenters read beyond the title. Their knee jerk regurgitation of boilerplate nonsense is just that — and less:
“When in conversation, do you listen, or do you just wait to talk?”
— Mia Wallace, Pulp Fiction
@To Whom It May Concern
The Know Nothings are STILL with us:
“…The Know Nothings
• 1849-1860
One of the earliest populist political parties in America was the Know Nothings in 1849. Opposed to immigrants and Catholics, the Know Nothings used the beliefs of white Christian supremacy to seize political power over minority populations.
The Know Nothings grew out of a Protestant secret society known as the Order of the Star Spangled Banner. Members formed urban gangs that harassed immigrants and spread political propaganda against them. These groups then developed into a third political party taking advantage of blind spots of the Whigs and the Democrats.
In 1854 the Know Nothings officially adopted the name the American Party, which took hold of the Massachusetts legislature. Eventually, however, the party lost support mainly when its members refused to craft any policy addressing slavery. By 1860, most party members had jumped ship to join the Republicans…”
https://www.history.com/topics/us-politics/populism-united-states-timeline
Turn off your hate radio, Fox-Newsmax; there’s more to life than the ringing in your ears
https://www.history.com/topics/immigration/immigration-united-states-timeline
Think first — then speak
https://www.google.com/search?d&q=history+of+us+immigration+policy
“Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.”
— Mark Twain
Fredrick says
You just can not accept the fact that the majority of Republicans and Democrats alike, (aka American citizens) have no issue with immigration, no issue with people getting inline just as like most of our ancestors and family did and come here legally. Get the fuck in line…..and not a problem. How many Americans would rather have our tax dollars spent on helping our homeless citizens before we hand out our tax dollars to people who have entered the country illegally. Yes my heart bleeds for the children, the poor mothers and fathers that are trying to escape poverty and despair in their own country. But we can not be everything to everyone…. We owe it to our own citizens, to take care of them first. Or even at the very least to treat them equally…..
MikeM says
We have an immigration policy that is already law. Over decades it has been argued but not changed. That may be too bad but opening up our borders is not the answer. Obey the law . Either they come in legally or they are law breakers. Try sneaking into Mexico or Canada and see what happens ?
Ray W. says
Actually, many of the Guatemalans, Hondurans, Nicaraguans, El Salvadorans, and other Central Americans who make it to various American state borders snuck into Mexico.
Amistad Tears says
Not to mention the Africans that were rounded up, chained together and shoved into hot boxes and brought to north America. Reverse immigration?