The U.S. Immigration Policy In The Roosevelt Times, 1933-1945

The immigration policy in Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Times was formed in the great depression followed by the Second World War. The old quota system formed in 1920's and the Public Charge Provision implemented by the Hoover government hindered the FDR Government from loosening the immigration limits and handling the immigration issues effectively. Those afforded the historical background of the immigration policy in the FDR Times.The regulations of the FDR Gov. covered the immigration policies of European quota zone, Asian forbidden zone and of American free zone, exhibiting a characteristic of being all-around and comprehensive.Meanwhile, the FDR Gov. attempted to extend the distribution principles to the areas outside the Europe and carry out a balance policy, which displayed a characteristic of being relatively fair. In addition, the asylum policy provided for intellectual refugees was a brand new content and made up an important portion of the immigration policy in the FDR Times.The policy typical of being all-around and fair broke through the old immigration system, which was revealed in such aspects as revising some provisions and bills of the old system, changing traditional immigration principles, establishing new immigration principles, developing the useful and discarding the useless of the traditional immigration consciousness and ideas. Accompanied with the changes of the old immigration policies, the leading power of immigration policy was transferred from the U.S. Congress to the President. This transference would surely strike the old immigration system further, which supplied an important basis for the foundation of new immigration system.In the FDR Times, the government's attitude to the old immigration system was ambivalent. The FDR Gov. tried to reform the old system for the sake of national benefit, yet it showed a will to hold out. Thus reform and compromise existed simultaneously. It is this contradiction that turned the immigration policies of the FDR Gov. into a significant transition and joint between the old and the new immigration systems so that favorable conditions were provided for the smooth transference between the two systems. The establishment and implementation ofthese immigration policies had far-reaching influences on the development of postwar American society, especially on the development of international relationship, science and technology, and of democracy. Besides those influence above, it profoundly affected the direction of international migration.Besides introduction and conclusion, this paper is divided into three chapters. Chapter One sets forth probe into the historical background of the appearance of the immigration policies in the FDR Times. Chapter Two introduces the main content of immigration policies. Chapter Three probes into the characteristics and influences of FDR Times' immigration policies. The main purpose of the dissertation is to reflect a faithful changing panorama of the U.S. immigration policies and system and to provide the immigration system circumstances of the development of the postwar American society.