Timelines

Migration is a natural part of living systems, and human history is no exception. Yet it remains one of the most debated public issues of our time.

Both people and borders move. Who is allowed to move, and who is granted rights, lies at the heart of how nations define belonging. In Germany and the United States alike, these debates have been deeply intertwined with evolving ideas of race and ethnicity.

These timelines trace how citizenship and belonging have been constructed, challenged, and redefined through laws, social movements, global events, and cultural works — and how those histories continue to shape the present.

2015

The Ongoing Debate over Immigration Reform

For over a decade, the U.S. congress has debated a major overhaul of the immigration system to address the nation’s approximately 11.2 million undocumented residents.

Numerous bills have been proposed, but none have passed. All would include a pathway to legal residency and eventually citizenship, increased border security, and various regulations of workers and employers. Legislation has remained stuck as tensions play out between those who claim to prioritize economic interests, national security, or social equality. These debates have catalyzed strong reactions by activists both for and against immigration reform. In the absence of congressional reform, the last decade has been epitomized by widespread activism, as well as action at the executive, state, and municipal levels.