Immigration Restriction Vs. Golden Door
In 1883, a poet named Emily Lazarus penned the words that would become emblazoned on the Statue of Liberty. They mention "the poor and huddled masses" that struggled to reach "the golden door." In reality, this Golden Door was slammed shut not long after Lazarus' words were written.
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Significance of the Golden Door
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Lazarus' words created a romanticized view of immigration to the U.S. in the 19th century. Immigrants did in fact struggle to reach Ellis Island, the perceived Golden Door.
Function of the Golden Door
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This Golden Door also symbolized America's open-door immigration policy before the restrictions of the early 20th century.
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Significance of Immigration Restriction
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Immigration restriction slammed the Golden Door closed in 1921 with President Warren G. Harding's Quota Act. According to the Public Broadcast Station's "American Experience," this was the first of many immigration restrictions.
Function of Immigration Restriction
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Nativism crept through the United States in the early 1900s. It was political movement against the "foreigners" that came through the Golden Door. The quota act was quickly followed by the National Origins Act, which stopped immigrants before they reached Ellis Island, according to American Experience.
Difference
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The biggest difference between the Golden Door and immigration restrictions was perception. The Golden Door was the perceived policy while the immigration restrictions were the reality. Even before the Quota Act, immigrant through Ellis Island could expect to be detained, searched, given health physicals, jailed or deported as opposed to being welcomed with open arms.
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