Immigration and Eugenics, Past and Present

Abstract

The transnational eugenics movement that flourished during the early twentieth century is often thought to have ceased with knowledge of the Nazi reliance on and use of its underlying concepts to justify the extermination of various groups.  Although scholarship has extensively explored the short- and long-term consequences of many eugenic strategies, including marriage restrictions, enhanced public health measures, and involuntary sterilization, little attention has been paid to the use of immigration measures as a eugenic strategy.  This article addresses this gap, noting how the interplay of law, science, and politics supported the use of such measures.  The article concludes with a discussion of the practical and ethical issues arising from continuing reliance on eugenic-inspired immigration provisions.