The Founding Fathers Favored a Liberal Immigration System

Alex Nowrasteh had  an excellent post yesterday on how the western tradition on immigration and naturalization formed the basis of the Founders’ views on those subjects and resulted in the most liberal policies in the world at the time. The debates at the Constitutional Convention highlight his point, showing just how liberal the Fo unders had become on immigration and naturalization.At one point,Gouverneur Morrisoffered an amendment that would require 14 years of citizenship, rather than four, before a person could serve as a senator, “urging the danger of admitting strangers into our public Councils.” Charles Pinckney of South Carolina seconded the motion, recalling “the jealousy of the Athenians on this subject who made it death for any stranger to intrude his voice into their legislative proceedings.”Yet as Alex notes, the Romans —rather than the Greeks—informed the views of most founders on naturalization, and most of the representatives at the conventionopposed the Morris amendment for fear of, as future Chief Justice of the Supreme CourtOliver Ellsworth put it, “discouraging meritorious aliens from emigrating to this Country.”Alexander Hamilton argued that the “advantage of encouraging foreigners was obvious and admitted,” asserting that “persons in Europe of moderate fortunes will be fond of coming here where they will be on a level with the first Citizens.” Father of the ConstitutionJames Madison“was not averse to some restrictions on th...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - Category: American Health Authors: Source Type: blogs