Situational Ethnicity

Evolution of Immigration from Ellis Island to JFK

How They Got Here

From Boats through the Ocean to Jet Planes to JFK in New York

Research Question

Why are undocumented/illegal immigrants stigmatized and maligned in contemporary America while European immigrants who came to the US illegally through Ellis Island in the turn of the century are regarded as "real" Americans and not perceived negatively?

Who are the Immigrants

Russian Jews, Italians 1900s

more laborers

Asians, Latin Americans, Caribbean, Chinese, Jamaicans, Dominicans post 1964

lots of skilled professionals

US laws not stringent

Ellis Island welcoming

Laws became more strict post 1960 as more non-Europeans flock to New York

Why They Come

economic opportunities, fleeing persecution and violent political regimes and oppressions

Conclusion: Old European immigrants are perceived as heroes and "noble sufferers" due to the hard and traumatic experiences they had to face in getting to New York. Today's immigrants aren't very poor and came to New York as middle class professionals. They had it relatively easy and the race/ethnicity of most undocumented immigrants now aren't from Europe which contributes to why they are perceived as dangerous and unwanted.