Selective Welcome: How Race Shaped Immigration Policy in the U.S and Europe

Racial hierarchies intersect with immigration policy to shape who belongs—and who doesn’t—in the U.S. and Europe.

Current immigration debates in the U.S. and Europe are frequently framed as discussions on who is deserving of entry and settlement. It is historical laws rooted in racial bias, however, that shape contemporary policies and political discourse on these divides. Dr. Terri Givens examines the historical link between race and immigration, which is crucial for creating fairer systems going forward.

“We continue to see the impact of immigration policy today that excludes people from certain backgrounds. We need to continue to pay attention to these kinds of inequities.”

Terri Givens

Professor, UBC Political Science

Key Findings

U.S. and European immigration policies have been shaped by racial and ethnic categorization. After the U.S Civil War and World Wars I & II, Global North governments increasingly targeted groups they considered racially or culturally undesirable.
In the early 20th century, U.S. immigration policies were influenced by eugenics—the belief that some races were biologically superior. These ideas led to policies which favoured Northern and Western Europeans while limiting immigrants from Southern Europe, Africa, and Asia from migrating into the U.S.
After World War II, European countries recruited migrants from former colonies to rebuild their economies. Initially welcomed as labourers, these migrants often faced discrimination and remained socially isolated, reinforcing racial boundaries.

Recommendations

Governments should eliminate nationality-based quotas and reassess temporary labour recruitment programs to ensure they do not disadvantage migrants from formerly colonized countries.
They should adjust their current immigration policies to address racial discrimination in entry, settlement, and citizenship processes.
Governments should develop programs that safeguard migrants’ rights and combat racial discrimination in immigration processes.

Implications for Current Events

On May 12, 2025, the Trump administration welcomed 59 white South African Afrikaners as refugees at Dulles Airport, citing claims of racial persecution. At the same time, the administration has expanded large-scale deportations and humanitarian protection revocation for Haitian migrants and asylum seekers. These decisions are not an isolated action. Rather, they are part of a broader pattern in which the Global North countries extend protection to specific groups while intensifying restrictions on others. These contrasting responses reinforce longstanding hierarchies over who is framed as deserving of immigration and who is not.

These contemporary examples offer only more evidence of the enduring legacy of racially motivated immigration policies. Terri Givens’ book, The Roots of Racism: The Politics of White Supremacy in the US and Europe, emphasizes how recognizing the historical use of immigration laws to maintain racial hierarchies can inform and even later produce stronger, more equitable, and inclusive immigration policies going forward.

About the Authors

Terri Givens is a Professor of Political Science at the University of British Columbia and a CMS affiliate. With a distinguished career that includes leadership roles as Vice Provost at the University of Texas at Austin and Provost of Menlo College, she has made significant contributions to higher education and scholarship. Dr. Givens is the author of several influential books, including Radical Empathy: Finding a Path to Bridging Racial Divides and The Roots of Racism: The Politics of White Supremacy in the US and Europe.

Marjorie Rugunda is a PhD student in the department of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Social Justice at the University of British Columbia. She holds a BA degree from Rhodes University, South Africa and a Master’s degree from the University of Calgary. Her current research studies how institutions within Africa represent entrenched colonial legacies that shape contemporary social and political relations in (post)colonial contexts.

Original Research

Givens, Terri E. The Roots of Racism – The Politics of White Supremacy in the US and Europe. Bristol: Bristol University Press, 2022.

Document details

This publication is part of the CMS Migration Insights Series. The research briefs synthesize peer-reviewed, published academic research by CMS affiliates.