A New Immigration Age

By Nicole Moore

Immigration is taking place on an unprecedented scale in places all over the world, President of the Migration Policy Institute Demetrios Papademetriou told state legislators and legislative staff today at NCSL's Fall Forum in San Antonio. And because of this new mobility, he urges policymakers not to always see the immigration issue preceded by the word "illegal."

"We have to think about how to manage and take advantage of immigration and put it to the service of our countries and communities," Papademetriou said. ... "How do we become the architects of a mobility system that lets us put immigration in our economy in ways that are consistent with our values? That's a much harder and a much more consequential question (than how to deal with illegal immigration.)"

He asked to be seen not as a soft heart, but instead as a pragmatist. Listen to Papademetriou discuss what he calls this Age of Mobility. (6 minutes)

Papademetriou also said America has never really been a melting pot (6 minutes, 6 seconds) in sense of requiring those who come here to assimilate entirely. Instead, it's been more of a two-way street. The nation has changed those who come here. And those who come here have changed America.

Comments

[Walt Fuller]

Mr. Papademetriou may be a pragmatist but the fact remains that we have a major problem with "illegal" aliens. There is a reason the laws were created and that is part in parcel management of the persons entering this country.

The American Voter does not ignore the first act committed by these "immigrants" when entering the country is breaking a law. The politicians are forcing us to turn a blind eye to that fact with proposed legislation that will eventually grant amnesty to those "illegal aliens".

The politicians rhetoric is lip service that hides the amnesty eventuality.

[eric1]

I have to disagree in the sense that the majority of the immigrants who came here at the turn of the 20th century strove to learn English and assimilate. Today the federal government is allowing many into our country who have no interest in assimilating and are even advocating jihad and the return of portions of our country to other nations. It is very clear that the federal government has little desire or WILL to secure the border, to make the learning of English a requirement for incoming immigrants, and to keep our nation primarily(that's not to say others aren't welcome) one of European
ancestry. For these and other reasons, a push is now being made for a National Constitutional Convention(Article V) whose ultimate aim will be the dismantlement of the federal government in its present configuration, and then reassemblement at the regional level where it will hopefully be more responsive to the NEEDS and desires of the states. See link below for more info:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NationalConstitutionalConvention06