Welcome to the Sunday Discussion segment! Each week here on Geek Alabama, Sunday Discussion will feature a serious topic that needs to be featured and talked about. You can “discuss” it on your own social media networks as comments are banned here on Geek Alabama.
In the history section on ICE’s website, one line reads: “Despite U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s relatively young age, its functional history predates the modern birth of the agency by more than 200 years.” That phrasing of “functional history” stands out. We know that ICE was created in 2003. So what exactly do they mean by that? To unpack this claim, Vox producer Nate Krieger examines the history of immigration enforcement in the US.
The story of American immigration is one of gradual change. Over time, the role of the immigration services slowly changed, morphing from an agency that managed labor and benefits to one that saw itself as law enforcement, with a focus on national security.
And with that shift came a growth in capacity. The first federal immigration agency was created in 1891 with a total staff of 4 people. Today, with ICE, that number is over 22,000.
So how did immigration restrictions and enforcement change over the span of American history? By examining the centuries of events that culminated in the creation of ICE, we can begin to understand the context that created this modern agency.
Categories: Discussion Talk Stuff
