Evaluate the effects of US immigration reform on people of Hispanic descent after 1945.

The question requires that candidates make an appraisal of the effects of US immigration reform on people of Hispanic descent after 1945. Effects may extend beyond the timeframe but they must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may refer to President Eisenhower’s “Operation Wetback” targeting barrios for expulsion in the southwest, the expiration of the guest worker program in 1964 (leading to increases in illegal immigration), passage of the 1965 Immigration and Naturalization Act which favoured family reunification and was generally favoured by Hispanics, the 1966 decision to grant permanent resident status to Cubans arriving after 1959 and President Clinton’s “Operation Gatekeeper” (1994) increasing border security to reduce entry from Mexico. Other relevant factors may be addressed, for example application of the “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy toward Cuban migrants, but with a focus on the issue in the question. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

Evaluation of the effects of US immigration reform on people of Hispanic descent was rarely selected and the few responses most often demonstrated little relevant knowledge.