Eleanor Roosevelt said, "the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." This statement is strong for immigrants to America. Equal access to opportunity allows immigrants to achieve the American dream. Their success correlates with America's success because of the contributions immigrants make to America. Unfortunately, America's current immigration policy denies many immigrants the American dream. It is critical to understand the historical context of immigration to America. Initially, most immigrants came from Europe and were not limited by any immigration laws. Today, most immigrants come from Latin America, but they are bound by strict immigration laws. The Latino community is one of the most severely affected groups because the current immigration system disproportionately affects Latinos. Recognizing how the experience of Latino/a immigrants has been similar to and different in the past from that of other immigrant groups and dispelling common misconceptions about Latino/as today leads to awareness of how Latino/as are affected. Latino/a immigrants share similar experiences of anti-immigrant rhetoric just as other immigrant groups. Many Latino/as in America have faced negative comments based on their identity. For example, Rush Limbaugh, a radio host, makes negative comments towards Latinos, especially Mexicans. He claimed that Mexicans are “a renegade, potentially[ly] criminal element” who are “unwilling to work” (Media Matters for America, 02/28/06). These snide comments were similar to those of other immigrants. When other immigrant groups of non-English descent began to arrive in America, there was an immigrant phobia against the newcomers. During the mid-1700s, Benjamin Franklin said… middle of paper… many immigrant groups such as Indians, Chinese, and Germans demonstrated that previous policies were based on anti-immigrant rhetoric at that time. Therefore, immigration policy reform today should not be based on racism or nativism. Additionally, it is important to dispel misconceptions about Latino immigration today because it is a mistake to formulate policies based on preconceptions of racialized groups. Works Cited Aoki, Andrew, and Okiyoshi Takeda. Asian American Politics. Polity Pr, 2009. Print.Fernandez, Lilia. "Introduction to Latino/Latino History of the United States." History 324. The Ohio State University. Jennings Hall 0040, Columbus, Ohio, United States. Address.Media Matters for America n. page Network. "World War II by the numbers." National Museum of the Second World War n. page Net. .