Debates on U.S. immigration

This issues-based reference work shines a spotlight on immigration policy in the United States. The U.S. is a nation of immigrants. Yet while the lofty words enshrined with the Statue of Liberty stand as a source of national pride, the rhetoric and politics surrounding immigration policy all-too-often have proven far less lofty. In reality, the apparently open invitation of Lady Liberty seldom has been without restriction. Throughout our history, impassioned debates about the appropriate scope and nature of such restriction have emerged and mushroomed, among politicians, among scholars of public policy, among the general public. In light of the need to keep students, researchers, and other interested readers informed and up-to-date on status of U.S. immigration policy, this volume uses introductory essays followed by point/counterpoint articles to explore prominent and perennially important debates, providing readers with views on multiple sides of this complex issue. While there are some brief works looking at debates on immigration, as well as some general A-to-Z encyclopedias, we offer more in-depth coverage of a much wider range of themes and issues, thus providing the only fully comprehensive point/counterpoint handbook tackling the issues that political science, history, and sociology majors are asked to explore and to write about as students and that they will grapple with later as policy makers and citizens.

Political debates -- Introduction / Elaine M. Replogle and Daniel J. Tichenor -- Admission and membership -- 1. Legal immigration selection system / David W. Haines, Madeleine Sumption -- 2. Gender and refugee status / Priscilla Yamin -- 3. Naturalization process / Karey Leung -- 4. Legalization (amnesty) for unauthorized immigrants / Andrew D. Linenberg -- 5. Birthright citizenship / Alexandra Filindra, Edward J. Erler -- 6. Immigrant voting / Ron Hayduk, Rodolfo O. de la Garza -- 7. Nativism / Carolyn J. Craig -- Control and enforcement -- 8. Federal policy versus decentralized policy / Ali Noorani, Anna O. Law -- 9. U.S. Border control / Melysa Sperber, Catalina Amuedo-Dorantes, Cynthia Bansak -- 10. Immigrant detention and deportation under the Obama Administration / Kathryn Miller -- 11. Arizona's S.B. 1070 / Calvin L. Lewis, Roberto Suro -- 12. Driver's licenses / Michele Waslin, Julie Myers Wood -- 13. Crime / Trista R. Chaney, Walter A. Ewing.

Economic, labor, and demographic debates -- Introduction / Judith Gans -- 14. Cost to taxpayers / Marshall Fitz and Philip E. Wolgin, Ann Robertson -- 15. Depression of wages and price levels / Sarah E. Bohn and Magnus Lofstrom -- 1…