Ethnic Lobbying and Immigration Reform

in the Post-War Era

I.   Introduction

II.  Jewish Americans

A.  Reasons for Their Lobbying Success

1.  Emotional Commitment to Israel

2.  Support through Focus on Historic Tragedies

3.  Organizing Ability

a.  A weak and divided Arab-American Community

B.  Jewish American Political Activism

1.  Suez Crisis

2.  Kennedy and Johnson

a.  Six Day War (1967)

3.  Carter and the Camp David Accords

a.  Andrew Young

4.  Bipartisan Support

a.  American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)

b.  Ronald Reagan

5.  Hard-ball Pressure Tactics

III. Latino Political Activism

A.  Ripple Effects of the Civil Rights Movement

B.  Nativist Cries vs. Employer Needs

1.  Bracero program (1945-1955)

C.  Mexico's Internal Problems

1.  Immigration as a Pressure Valve

D.  Mexican American Lobbying

1.  Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Bill (1986)

E.  Cuban Americans

IV.  Immigration Reform and Asian Americans

A.  The 1965 Immigration Act

B.  An End to Racial Quotas

C.  Beneficiaries of Reform:  Asians

D.  Asian American Political Activism

1.  Japanese Americans

2.  Vietnamese Americans

3.  Chinese Americans

a.  Bill Clinton, John Huang, and the Campaign Finance Scandal

V.   The Disuniting of America?