Re:Morocco earthquake kills more than 1,000
by slashdev on Sunday September 10, 2023 @09:36AM
(#37455657)
You’re right, that’s an important exception. To be fair that’s a decent policy in an era before taxes and social programs, and when you’re presiding over a vast, largely empty new territory.
I would make the case that the cost of a one way sea ticket to the US in those days was something of a restriction. But still very unrestricted compared to today.
The world was different, of course, but the USA basically (and I thought rather famously) behaved this way until around the Civil War period, and it remained relatively open until about the First World War.
From the horse’s mouth:
https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/our-history/explore-agency-hi...
And specifically: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/our-history/overview-of-ins-h... https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/our-history/mass-immigration-... https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/our-history/overview-of-agenc...