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Case Studies in this Unit

The history of the United States cannot be separated from the immigrant story and the experiences of those who came here against their will. Contemporary debates over immigration exist within a centuries-long historical context rooted in the most fundamental questions about U.S. identity, belonging, and citizenship. Studying the laws and policies enacted to restrict or reform immigration, to include or exclude certain groups of people, is essential to understanding the complicated history of immigration in our nation's democracy.