Americans have a unique sympathy for immigrants because most of us are the descendants of migrant workers. Many of our forefathers were encouraged to come to America. Some were dragged in chains, but few were restricted entry until 1921 when Congress passed the Emergency Quota Act. It limited immigration from all countries except those in northern and western Europe. (They wanted to cut back on the Jews, Slavs, and Italians. The law cut immigration from these groups back 75%). This act was immediately followed by The Great Depression, the only period when more people left the country than came.
Some believe our current economic problems are born from the fact that we restrict the access of migrant laborers more than our fore-fathers. Foreign born residents were 14.8% of the population from 1860-1920. Now, its just 12.5%. We greedily buy products made with low cost labor made in other countries but arrest these same workers when they try to make these products in our country, under our rules and taxes. In fact, we have become the opposite of our forefathers. They imported labor and fought against imported products (Boston Tea Party). We let other countries tax our products and build laws to keep cheap labor out. Its backwards and has created the largest trade deficit in the history of the world.
America is unique because it is, "in God we trust". Punishing immigrants is counter to the Judeo-Christian story and is destroying our economy. God said it best in his command to Moses, "if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." - Leviticus 19:33-34 Jesus reiterated the point in the story of the Good Samaritan.
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