The Politics of Immigration

In the spring of 2006, hundreds of thousands of immigrants and supporters organized in cities across the United States to protest recent changes to immigration policy. Those protests, labeled "A Day Without an Immigrant," called on immigrants and their children to boycott their jobs and schools for a single day in an effort to both demonstrate their opposition to the harsher, more restrictive HR 4437 legislation, and to show the force of their economic power as workers and consumers. With each election, the debate surrounding immigration reform continues to grow. The fate of millions of hard-working families hangs in the balance as well-funded anti-immigration groups like the Minutemen and the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) rally public and congressional support for their closed borders campaigns. "The Politics of Immigration" takes a fresh, honest look at immigration policy in the United States. Its up-to-date analysis, presented in question-and-answer format, aims to dispel the myths and clarify the issues. Those who support more restrictive enforcement in the belief that immigrants are a threat to U.S. society - taking jobs from Americans, driving down wages, straining public services, and avoiding paying taxes - will find reasoned and compelling evidence here against such assumptions.
Those who welcome today's wave of immigration will find the answers they need to respond to the cynical and arguably racist anti-immigrant forces. Those still undecided will find the solid data and clear reasoning they need to form their own opinion. Backed with a wide range of cited sources, "The Politics of Immigration" confronts common questions about immigration with convincing arguments and hard facts, laid out in straightforward language and an accessible format.