Brouhaha over immigration is nothing new

"Why should Pennsylvania, founded by the English, become a colony of aliens, who will shortly be so numerous as to Germanize us, instead of our Anglifying them?"

George Washington also apparently did not encourage immigration and did not want settlers grouped together in the colonies because he thought this would lead to the preservation of separate values.

The concept of "legal" and "illegal" immigrants is relatively new, according to Marian L. Smith, historian for Citizenship and Immigration Services.

"Before that ships were just dumping people out," Smith said. "Even back then, Ellis Island in the 1890s, if they were turning away too many people, businesses complained they needed labor. There's always been a balance between the number of immigrants and economics."

Before the 1920s, immigration was based on so-called "desirability," not quotas. In the 1850s, some states started using officers to meet ships of immigrants. They were looking for criminals, prostitutes and those with dangerous diseases. Federal agents eventually took over the task.

It didn't, however, set any quotas for individuals from countries in the Western Hemisphere. That meant Canadians and Mexicans could enter and leave the country at will.

In fact, the first Border Patrol agents weren't concerned so much about Mexicans as about Europeans and Asians without documents trying to sneak across the border.

But in 1882, Congress passed the first immigration act that kept out "lunatics" and "idiots" who likely would become the states' responsibility.

Also in 1882, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, barring all Chinese laborers.

In 1891, under a broad wave of anti-immigration sentiment, Congress established a permanent superintendent of immigration and added more restrictions on immigration.

With the exception of the Chinese Exclusion Act, it wasn't until 1920 that the United States started its first quota system, requiring visas for immigration. The policy was finalized in 1924.

The policy kicked off another round of newspaper headlines.

"Committee opposes opening alien gate," The Washington Star, 1923.

"Stop Aliens before they start," Washington Evening Star, 1927.

"Identity card may be issued to aliens," Boston Christian Science Monitor, 1927.

"Official warns against influx of many aliens," Arizona Silver Belt, 1930.

Concern about Mexican immigration really started during World War II, Smith said.