America has always been seen as a land of opportunity, a place where people from all over the world come to start fresh. But let’s be honest—the reality hasn’t always matched the dream. Despite the famous words welcoming the “huddled masses yearning to breathe free,” the U.S. has a complicated history with immigration, one marked by exclusion and inequality.

Take Donald Trump’s policies, for example. His second inaugural address doubled down on a vision of America that’s locked tight against immigrants. He spoke of restoring safety by expelling “dangerous criminals” and ending birthright citizenship. It’s a far cry from the welcoming image often painted of the U.S.

But the tension over immigration isn’t new. Back in the 1870s, Chinese immigrants faced intense backlash. White workers blamed them for stealing jobs and driving down wages. This led to the Page Act in 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, laws that banned most Chinese immigrants and fueled violence against Chinese communities. The Rock Springs Massacre of 1885 is just one horrific example, where 28 Chinese workers were killed by white miners.

Even the idea of citizenship hasn’t been safe from attack. Wong Kim Ark, born in San Francisco to Chinese parents, had to fight all the way to the Supreme Court to prove his right to U.S. citizenship. The court ultimately ruled in 1898 that birthright citizenship applies to anyone born on U.S. soil—a principle that’s now under threat again.

The truth is, America’s identity as a nation of immigrants has always been messy. Immigrants have shaped the country in countless ways, but they’ve also faced systemic racism and exclusionary policies. And when those policies chip away at the rights of immigrants, they ultimately erode the rights of everyone.

So, what does it mean to be a nation of immigrants? It’s a question America still hasn’t fully answered. But one thing’s clear: the promise of a welcoming America has yet to be fully realized.