Customer Reviews

Defining America: Through Immigration Policy (Maping Racisms)

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DEFINING AMERICA THROUGH IMMIGRATION POLICY by Law Professor Bill Ong Hing, is divided into two parts. The first part is a general history of immigration and legislation concering immigration from the late 1700's through the post-quota era of the 70's and 80's and the September 11th fall-out. The second part deals mostly with clandestine border crossers from Mexico and other parts of Latin America.

The first part is a little dry and repetitive with information already covered in part in such books as CIVIL RIGHTS IN IMMIGRATION by Milton Konvitz (Cornell, 1952) and Oscar Card in NATIONALISM & RACE IN AMERICA (Anchor Books, 1957). However, Professor Hing does provide some info not included in these other books.

The second part is more exciting, covering the 1986 amnesty bill and Operation Gatekeeper with brief detours to former Nazi collaborators, John Lennon's case and Iranian students during the hostage crisis. One excellent argument Professor Hing makes here is how the US spends more and more money on the "War on Drugs" Crusade to little effect while repeating the same mistake on human smuggling and clandestine crossings. (A libertarian irony is how many Americans favor legalized drugs--or at least decriminilization of marihuana, but tighter punitive measures on the border for clandestine crossings. Rand Paul, for instance.) He also, surprisingly, points out the "morality" of certain US border-enforcement policies--namely, the Clinton-initiated "Gatekeeper." True, this point may be subjective to a degree and difficult to argue for, but it is comforting to hear older liberals and progressives still use the word "moral" and "morality." Another example, would be when one of the producers of the documentary film, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH was making his acceptance speech for an Academy Award, he referred to global warming as a "moral issue" as opposed to a mere environmental one. The reason I point this out is that both conservatives and liberals relegate morals and morality to mere sexual ethics, when in reality it is much more than just that. My own opposition to the Death Penalty, for example, is a moral choice and has ABOSULUTELY NOTHING to do on whether it serves as a deterrant or not or even out of fear of executing the wrong person.

A final note is that the book could have used better editing or at least have been more tightly written. However, it still remains a very much recommended book.

Provacative. Lots of information. The author has a definite voice and opinion. Wonderful for building a knowledge base about America's history of immigration.