The American dream is a concept that was pursued by many in the 1900s. Consisting of owning a home, starting a family, and having a good job , these formed the ideal lifestyle. For many Japanese immigrants, the American Dream provided an important incentive to move to the United States, as the idea of ​​owning land and being able to use it was particularly appealing. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay However, Japanese immigrants were not received kindly. Racism was widespread and endemic throughout the country, and many neighborhoods tried desperately to keep Japanese people away from their neighborhoods, their homes, and even their schools. The book, The House on Lemon Street, explains the case of Jukichi and Ken Harada, a couple who moved to the United States and purchased a house on Lemon Street. Almost immediately, the couple was subjected to scrutiny and oppression from their neighbors and the issue eventually escalated into a Supreme Court case called People of California v. Jukichi Harada. In the end, the Haradas won the case and won the right to stay in their own home. But others weren't so lucky. A series of pieces of legislation and laws were passed to prevent Japanese immigrants from participating in the American dream. For example, in the 1800s, California authorities attempted to control Japanese immigrants and tax them, but were unsuccessful due to the Passenger Cases of 1849, in which it was determined that Congress would handle the matter. immigration. One of the major laws passed was the 1913 Act, which stated that foreigners eligible for citizenship were granted the same property rights as U.S. citizens, but due to earlier laws, Chinese and Japanese immigrants were not cannot become naturalized citizens and are therefore excluded from property ownership. land. These laws were not created out of concern but out of racism. Racism was widespread during this time and Japanese people were not allowed to live a simple life simply because of their appearance. It is disgusting that racism does not just come from individuals but has been supported by Congress, its members, and the President. They bought into the hysteria and the hype and instead of doing what was good for the people, they did what they had to do to please the people. When Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese Americans faced severe discrimination and the constant fear of suddenly becoming the enemy. It is sad to note that although many of them immediately declared their fierce loyalty to the United States and proved it by ransacking many valuable items from their home countries, they did not receive the same answer. Instead, President Roosevelt implemented his Executive Order 9066 which effectively sent Japanese immigrants to concentration camps. It broke my heart when I read this because it reminded me of the Holocaust. Of course, we didn't kill the Japanese immigrants, but we treated them like animals and called them enemies without any proof. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized article from our expert writers now. .Get a Custom Essay Immigration is still a hot topic today. With President Obama, America took a more welcoming stance and he sought to undo the damage we, as a nation, had inflicted on so many.”