Author Description

The author of this volume is executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a research group in Arlington, Virginia. He was formerly head of policy at the Immigration and Naturalization Service and staff director of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee. This volume is a comprehensive and practical guide to the history, economics, and contributions of immigrants, written by a former key policymaker who is now a leading researcher in the field. It is an examination of U.S. immigration policies and their impact on the nation, combining a historical overview and a guide to how immigration works in practice. In this one-volume compendium on the history, politics, culture, and contributions of immigrants to the United States he offers an analysis of the economic, fiscal, and other impacts of current immigration policies, and he recommends reforms and policy solutions for the thorniest immigration issues, such as illegal immigration. He uses his experience in key immigration policy posts to provide an insider's perspective on a broad array of immigration-related issues. Immigration to the United States directly affects the lives of millions of people every year, whether someone is seeking to visit, work here, or immigrate to join family members. Yet, reliable sources estimate the population of illegal immigrants in the United States to be as high as 11 million, demonstrating the ineffectiveness of current policies and the need for a new approach. But the book does not ignore the fact that immigration has always enriched and strengthened our nation. Along with policy considerations, it also encompasses enlightening profiles detailing the many contributions of individual immigrants in such diverse areas as science, sports, the military, and business.