Immigration reform: American attitudes shift

Thursday, March 20, 2014 - 15:00 StudyHall.Rocks

The last time Congress passed comprehensive immigration reform, the hottest girl band was the Bangles and their top song, Manic Monday, played incessantly on the radio, the movie Top Gun with a young star named Tom Cruise was in theaters, and Ronald Reagan was in the Oval Office.

That was 1986. Nearly 30 years later, roughly 11 million people are living in the United States illegally. Politicians talk often of immigration reform -- indeed, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., championed a proposal during a visit to Florida International University March 21. But attempts to compromise on legislation have sputtered. An estimated 1.6 million undocumented residents were deported between 2009 and 2012, according to the Pew Research Center.
During a meeting with immigration reform advocates, President Barack Obama said he would review his administration’s deportation policies. But even as political leaders appear stuck in neutral, American attitudes are shifting. To test your knowledge of immigration attitudes, try this quiz:

1. First, the background: Think of immigrants, and farm workers come to mind – specifically, Mexican farm workers. But in the late 19th century, the first major law restricting immigration focused on another ethnic group. They were:

A) German

B) Russian

C) Chinese

D) Canadian

~~Answer Next Page~~