In The News

Habitual Blindness

Eric Rauchway July 20, 2006
The US is a creature of habit and that means repeating old mistakes, according to author Eric Rauchway. Reaping benefits of industrialization and expansion while devoting few resources to the process, thanks to immigration and foreign capital, the US too often mistakes “habit for virtue.” Rauchway contends that the US deludes itself into acting as though circumstances have changed little since...

States and Towns Attempt to Draw the Line on Illegal Immigration

Miriam Jordan July 14, 2006
Angered at the federal government’s failure to pass a bill addressing illegal immigration, many states and towns throughout the US have taken matters into their own hands. Recognizing a galvanizing issue, legislatures and communities propose crackdowns on illegal immigrants. Those favoring more stringent policies argue that illegal immigrants pose a burden on social services and taxpayers....

The Immigration Equation

Roger Lowenstein July 14, 2006
Many US opponents to immigration base their opinions on worries that immigrants pose competition for struggling unskilled workers already earning low wages. Economist George Borjas, a native-born Cuban who immigrated to the US in 1962, has compiled empirical evidence showing that the influx of unskilled, undocumented workers into the US does threaten working-class Americans, particularly those...

Immigration – and the Curse of the Black Legend

Tony Horwitz July 12, 2006
In the current US debate on illegal immigration, one argument stresses the threat posed to a unique culture by the “’invasion’” of aliens. Many assume that this culture, as evidenced by the recent push to make English the country’s official language, is based on an Anglo heritage. Many forget that US history includes Spanish exploration and settlement, according to author Tony Horwitz. Prejudices...

Fortress Europe?

Patrick Sabatier July 11, 2006
Europe’s working-age population is aging and falling in numbers, and the continent needs workers to do jobs that Europeans either will not or cannot do. Meanwhile, half of Africa’s ever-growing population is under 17 years of age, with many living on less than US$1.20 a day. Such potent conditions are building an immigration crisis in the European Union, the physical evidence of which can be...

World Puts the Brakes on the Rush to Globalization

Steven Pearlstein July 7, 2006
A backlash against globalization flourishes in countries that have benefited from active trade, including the US and China. Author Steven Pearlstein cites the failure of Doha, the polarized Mexican electorate and the US debate on immigration as evidence of the continued potency of the nation-state and the national economy. Rather than preaching about the dangers of protectionism and...

The Rush for Legal Status in France

Katrin Bennhold July 7, 2006
Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, reacting to protests against the deportation of families with school-aged children, instructed police chiefs to grant residency papers to families who fulfill certain requirements. That move toward leniency blurs his stance on immigration, especially after the French Parliament passed a tough new law proposed by Sarkozy that makes citizenship more challenging...