Cracking Open the Golden Door: Race, Great Society Liberalism, and the Immigration Reform Act of 1965 (thesis)

Abstract

Given the attention that immigration has received lately, it is clear that this topic is extremely contentious when it comes to politics. One wrong move with respect to immigration, visas, and refugees, could tarnish a president’s time in office. However, Johnson’s push on immigration reform and signing this law into action actually bolstered his Great Society Legacy. Although this legislation is often absent in conversation or overshadowed by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, or the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, it deserves as much attention as these other hallmarks of the Great Society. In fact, all of these go in hand together to working towards righting wrongs that the U.S. committed against minorities and people of color. For it is largely due to this legislation that our nation has increased our standing as a world power – with the education, technology, drive, work ethic, and even manual labor that immigrants have been bringing over since the passage of this act, they have helped shape the American identity and expanded what it means to be “American.” [From Introduction]