Analysis of Party Approach and Immigration Policies in the US (1993–2020)

The growing number and population of immigrants, especially after the Second World War, made different administrations pay special attention to immigration, its outcomes, and relevant policies. Meanwhile, the immigration policies of the United States of America have been much more dynamic and serious than those of other countries. These policies have consistently held special importance to every administration and political party in the US. In fact, the immigration policies of the US have historically been subject to change induced by both domestic and international conditions, incidents, events, and overarching national goals. Among the factors affecting the immigration policies of the US are the end of the Cold War, the September 11th attacks, the 2007–2008 financial crisis, the competitive atmosphere of the international system, and the shift away from a unipolar order. This study aims to address the following question: how effective is the administration’s affiliated party in changing immigration policies and laws? For this purpose, a qualitative-comparative approach was adopted in this paper to analyze the security and economic factors underlying immigration policies in the four elected administrations of Clinton, Bush, Obama, and Trump. The paper also aims to identify the similarities and differences in their approaches and the changes made to immigration laws and policies during their respective tenures. According to the research findings, the immigration policies of the US are not solely affected by the affiliated party. Rather, factors such as security and economic considerations are involved in shaping these policies.