Naturalization and United States Citizenship in Two Periods of Mass Migration: 1894–1930, 1965–2000

DOROTHEE SCHNEIDER

THE NATURALIZATION OF immigrants has been an important facet of American constitutional and immigration history ever since the early days of the Republic. Although the history of naturalization spans over two centuries, and must always be seen in the context of the development of American citizenship rights in general, a comparative analysis of naturalization in the two most recent periods of mass migration illustrates some of the most salient aspects of this history. In both periods of mass migration naturalization laws have reflected the fact that the nation tried to welcome millions of immigrants from many parts of the world and make them part of the fabric of the American citizenry. But the Federal government also had to negotiate a central dilemma of American national consciousness through the use of naturalization laws: on the one hand it was an important part of American national identity to show that citizenship for immigrants was accessible and easy, while on the other hand, large-scale naturalizations of diverse immigrant groups also raised fears about the quality of new citizens and the nature of their commitment to the nation. Both periods are therefore characterized by attempts to increase the number of new citizens and the urge to control the naturalization process in the name of creating better citizens.