What role did labor unions play in shaping immigration policy?

Labor unions played a significant role in shaping immigration policy, particularly through their opposition to immigration because of perceived job competition. Many unions viewed immigrants as a threat to American workers, believing that an influx of low-wage labor would drive down wages and weaken the bargaining power of organized labor. Unions argued that immigrants were willing to accept jobs for lower pay, which could lead to fewer job opportunities for native-born workers. This perspective was especially prominent during periods of high unemployment or economic downturns, when workers feared that immigrants would take jobs away from them.

In their efforts to protect the interests of their members, labor unions often lobbied for restrictions on immigration and supported policies that aimed to limit the number of immigrants entering the United States. As a result, their influence contributed to the development of stricter immigration laws and policies throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including the Immigration Act of 1924, which established quotas that favored immigrants from certain countries over others.

This historical context highlights the unions' concerns about job security and wage levels, reinforcing the notion that they were primarily focused on protecting the rights and livelihoods of their members against what they saw as harmful competition from immigrant labor.