American Immigration: Origins, Shifts, and Consequences

This page explores the legislative, demographic, and fiscal history of immigration to the United States—from the Naturalization Act of 1790 to the post-1965 Hart-Celler paradigm shift—integrating findings from recent economic impact studies and Census projections.

Historical Foundation

- 1790 Naturalization Act: Limited citizenship to “free White persons of good character.”  
- 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act: First significant federal restriction targeting a specific ethnic group.  
- 1924 Johnson-Reed Act: Capped immigration by nationality to preserve historic U.S. demographics.  
- 1965 Hart-Celler Act: Abolished quotas; shifted focus to family reunification and skills, radically altering immigration origins.

*Note: The “Give me your tired…” poem was added to the Statue of Liberty in 1903 by Emma Lazarus, 17 years after the statue was gifted. It was not part of the statue’s original meaning.*

Demographic Projections

• - 95% of U.S. population growth by 2060 will come from immigration and their descendants.  
• - Raising the retirement age by two years has the same effect on dependency ratios as all projected immigration.

Fiscal Cost of Immigration

Immigration and the Fiscal Burden on the Dutch Welfare State

The 2023 report Borderless Welfare State presents a comprehensive analysis of immigration's impact on Dutch public finances. Between 1995 and 2019, immigration—including the second generation—incurred a net fiscal cost of approximately €400 billion. Projections indicate that, if current patterns continue, this figure could exceed €1 trillion by 2040.

This cost arises from increased per capita spending on education, healthcare, social security, and justice services for immigrants, combined with lower average tax contributions. In 2016 alone, the net fiscal cost of immigration peaked at €32 billion.