Immigration in US & UK

An immigrant is someone coming into a country from abroad to make their home there.
The US has received large groups of immigrants from all over the world throughout its history. In the 19th century large numbers of Europeans, especially Italians and Irish people, came to the US as immigrants. They left their home countries because they could not get work there or because they were treated badly because of their religious or political beliefs. Many people came to live in the US because they saw it as the “land of opportunity”, a place where you could become rich and successful.
The UK has received large numbers of immigrants. Some were refugees, especially before and during World War II. In the 1950s and 1960s, many people went to the UK from the Commonwealth, especially from India and Pakistan. In the 1970s a number of boat people from Vietnam were allowed to live in the UK.
Today there are strict laws preventing people from going to live in the US and UK, and unless one of their parents is from there, they are married to a US or UK citizen, or they are bringing a large amount of money with them, it is very difficult for someone to live in either country permanently.