Summary
Dating back to the colonial period, immigration is now one of the most important—and divisive—issues facing citizens of the United States today as they enter the 21st century. A dramatic rise in illegal immigration, the demise of the cold war, a rapidly aging population, and the emergence of an international war on terror have combined during the past 20 years to create an untested environment in which immigration policy must be developed. Despite the failure of the anti-immigrant lobby to pass Proposition 187—which would cut off social services to illegal immigrants—both the Democratic and Republican Parties adopted platforms calling for enforcements of immigration laws. Today, more than 7 million undocumented aliens reside in the United States, yet there is no consensus as to how they should be handled. As a result, many Americans view immigrants with mistrust, fearing economic competition and possible terrorist infiltration from outside parties, causing a great social, economic, and political divide between migrant workers and middle-and upper-class Americans.
Immigration presents objective information to help readers understand and research this topic. This one-stop resource includes an introduction that traces the history of immigration from its earliest years to the present day in the United States, as well as all the social and economic issues attached to it; a chronology; a glossary; an annotated bibliography, an integral part of the Library in a Book series; appendixes; and an index. Covering immigration legislation and policies, controversies, major court opinions, and related documents, this invaluable volume offers students a balanced look at this timely topic, including an extensive section on additional resources for further research.