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Migration

USA

The United States is often regarded as the definitive "immigrant nation". After more than two hundred years of significant inflows, immigration to the US is characterised by its diversity. Each year large numbers of people from different socio-economic, educational and ethnic backgrounds are drawn to the country. Immigration is now both a symbol of the very essence of the US and a controversial political issue. Security has played an increasingly important role in the debate since the terrorist attacks of 11th September 2001, as has the controversy surrounding the unauthorised immigrant population. (Version from 8/2007)

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Background Information

The United States is often regarded as the definitive "immigrant nation". After more than two hundred years of significant inflows, immigration to the US is characterised by its diversity. Weiter...

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Immigration Policy

Throughout much of the twentieth century, US immigration policy sought to limit admissions according to countries or regions of origin. The terrorist attacks of 11th September 2001 provided a new impetus for administrative reform of the immigration system. Weiter...

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Current Admissions Policy and Inflows

Non-US citizens can be admitted to the US on a permanent basis in three general categories: family reunification, employment sponsorship and humanitarian cases. Weiter...

Top 10 countries of birth of the foreign-born population in 2000

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The Immigrant Population

In recent years, the immigrant population in the US has risen significantly. The majority of the foreign-born population was born in Latin America. Weiter...

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Citizenship

All persons born in the US are automatically granted US citizenship. People who are not US citizens by birth may obtain US citizenship through the process of naturalisation, which requires the fulfilment of a series of criteria. Weiter...

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Integration

Debate about integration of new immigrants and challenges for the US focuses largely on Hispanic Americans and specifically Mexicans. There is a wide ranging discussion about the current influx of Mexican immigrants. Weiter...

Figure 1: Refugee arrivals, fiscal years 1980-2006

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Refuge and Asylum

Refuge and asylum are similar in that they apply to non-citizens who are unable to return to their country of origin as a result of persecution or well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group or political opinion. Weiter...

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Irregular Migration

There are an estimated 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the US, forming nearly a third of the total foreign-born population in the country. The issue of irregular migration is fiercely debated in the context of security concerns. Weiter...

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Current Issues

Pressure has been mounting for a reform of the US immigration system. Political debate tends to centre on three interrelated aspects: border control and the national labour shortage, the impending skills shortage, and accommodating the large number of irregular immigrants. Weiter...

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Future Challenges

Any successful legislative proposal on migration issues will almost certainly have a significant emphasis on security – not only on border controls, but on enforcing the laws on employer sanctions – as well as some means of accommodating irregular immigrants already residing in the US. Weiter...