The Problem of Immigration in a Slaveholding Republic: Policing Mobility in the Nineteenth-Century United States

The movement of enslaved and free black people was regulated by the federal government, which resulted in a national immigration policy between the American Revolution and the end of Reconstruction. States passed their own laws prohibiting the arrival of foreign convicts, requiring shipmasters to post bonds or pay taxes for passengers who might become public charges, ordering the deportation of immigrant paupers, quarantining passengers who carried contagious diseases, excluding or expelling free blacks, and imprisoning black sailors. The Civil War and the abolition of slavery removed the political and constitutional obstacles to a national immigration policy, which was first directed at Chinese immigrants. Today, the federal government continues to control admissions and exclusions, while some states monitor and punish immigrants, and others offer sanctuary and refuse to act as agents of federal law enforcement.

Format: Hardback
Length: 328 pages
Publication date: 25 July 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The regulation of the movement of enslaved and free black people between the American Revolution and the end of Reconstruction played a significant role in shaping the national immigration policy of the United States. Prior to the Civil War, the federal government had minimal involvement in regulating immigration, and states had the authority
responsibility to establish their own immigration policies. States enacted various laws to control the entry of foreign convicts, regulate the transportation of immigrants, free blacks, and enslaved people, and protect public health and safety. These laws included prohibitions on the arrival of foreign convicts, requirements for shipmasters to post bonds or pay taxes for passengers who might become public charges, orders for the deportation of immigrant paupers, quarantines for passengers with contagious diseases, exclusions or expulsions of free blacks, and imprisonment of black sailors. To the extent that these laws impacted foreigners, they formed the immigration policy of the United States.

In his book, "The Problem of Immigration in a Slaveholding Republic," author Matthew Delmont argues that the existence, abolition, and legacies of slavery were central to the emergence of a national immigration policy in nineteenth-century America. During this period, states had control over mobility within and across their borders and set their own rules for community membership. The fear of Congress gaining control over immigration, which could also regulate the movement of free black people and the interstate slave trade, was a significant concern for defenders of slavery.

The Civil War and the abolition of slavery marked a turning point in the history of immigration policy in the United States. With the abolition of slavery, the federal government gained more authority over immigration, and Congress began to establish policies that regulated the entry of immigrants from different countries. These policies included the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, which barred Chinese immigrants from entering the United States, and the Immigration Act of 1924, which established strict quotas for immigrants from certain regions.

The legacy of slavery continues to shape immigration policy in the United States today. The history of racial discrimination and segregation, which was prevalent in the United States until the mid-20th century, has led to ongoing challenges for immigrants from marginalized communities, including African Americans, Latinos, and Asians. Discrimination in housing, employment, and education can make it difficult for these immigrants to achieve economic success and integrate into American society.

In conclusion, the regulation of the movement of enslaved and free black people between the American Revolution and the end of Reconstruction played a significant role in shaping the national immigration policy of the United States. The existence, abolition, and legacies of slavery were central to the emergence of a national immigration policy that aimed to control the entry of foreign convicts, regulate the transportation of immigrants, free blacks, and enslaved people, and protect public health and safety. The Civil War and the abolition of slavery marked a turning point in the history of immigration policy, with the federal government gaining more authority.

Weight: 608g
Dimension: 166 x 244 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197580080