How has American immigration policy shifted over our national history? What can these changes show about how the U.S. defines “us” and “them”? 

Heather and Joanne discuss the politics and prejudices surrounding the two 1790s Naturalization Laws, the Immigration Act of 1924, the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, and the current Republican rhetoric about migrants at the Southern border. 

Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history

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For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/immigration-defining-us-and-them/

Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

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