Nebraska: If Not Immigrants, Who?
Summary
Mike Baen who is the vice president of University of Nebraska Agi Natural Resources presented a lecture with the theme of “ Think Global, Act Local”. The theme explains what is going on the world has to do with the Nebraska in past, present and future. Session started with Dr Lortus Gouveia who is specialized in Migration and Latin American development. Nebraska is a state that is founded on migration, almost every community is living over there. Government played key role in allowing immigrants to come and settle up their territories. Several thousand native Americans from different nations inherited became the Kansas (Nebraska) territory in 1858. Gouveia main focus was to examine the role that immigrants have played in the social, economic, cultural development of Nebraska and its diversified communities. In 1860 25% of the Nebraska population were immigrants which is almost twice in number of what is left now in 2016 (7%) . Immigrants ent to Nebraska mainly due to the demand for labor at that. It is not important to just let immigrants roll into your country but to provide them with their basic necessities along with the atmosphere of the community they are living in is also important. This was one of the main reasons that in 1858 the percentage was 25%. At the start demand for labors were high in the industrial sector, Meatpacking sector and for an Agricultural sector. Most of the immigrant ts were Czechs, Europeans, Mexican a Germans. Most of the Czechs who came to Nebraska were intended to be farmers but along with them many tradesman and professional came too. The experience of groups like Czechs resulted in more than two million Europeans immigrants setting on the plains between 1870 and 1900. The immigration policies were so simple back in 19th century and in 1900’s. Big politicians and influential people were hired to help out immigrants in the citizenship matters. People now use to say get in line, pay the court fee, wait for your turn and get the citizenship. Its as simple as that. But is this really as simple as its told. No it’s not. Now a days citizenship procedures are not simple as they were used to be. Race enters the whole discussion of deserving, not deserving, legal or illegal and right at the time with enormous force. Somehow America becomes racialized. Now everyone has to fit in between White or No white. Sometimes an Irish man treated as a No white. When Mexicans immigrated to America, they were hired by the sugar beating industries, later on declared as the industry of Mexicans. During the depression war of 1930, about half the Mexican immigrants were deported mainly due to their criminal activities. From 1960to 1970 Mexicans were considered as foreign-born and they were growing at the slow pace, more Mexicans were coming into America. By 20th century more capital was invested on Agricultural sector and this sector was beginning to grow at the faster rate. A new breed of meat packing company led by IBP which is now owned by Tyson brought a revolution by implementing a number of changes like relocating the meat packing factories from urban to rural areas to create more jobs and opportunities for people living on those areas. After a while, again the meat packing industries was known as the industry of Mexicans because most of the workers were Mexicans. Now politicians, chamber of commerce, influential people working together to welcome new immigrants . New legislation policies have been adopted by the country providing immigrants with equal rights and basic needs especially to the foreign students, providing them with the knowledge opportunities to work for their companies. This was one of the reasons that the percentage of immigrants in Nebraska rose again to 7%. Now every big industry in Nebraska has a share of immigrants working with them ((Immigration| Nebraska: If not Immigrant, Who? 2017)
Conclusion
From the lecture what I have learned is that immigrants plays an important role in the development of the country they are living in. If the government takes care about the immigrants coming into their country and the procedures are not complex it would result in more immigrants coming into the country. For me it was a informative lecture that enabled me with how things can go on to your way and how things would change for you if you’re an immigrant.
References
Immigration| Nebraska: If not Immigrant, Who?. (2017).
