Illegal Immigration in America—A Reference Handbook

Few issues have provoked as much controversy over the last decade as illegal immigration. While some argue for the need to seal America's borders and withdraw social and governmental support for illegal migrants, others argue for humanitarian treatment--including legalization--for people who fill needs in American industry and agriculture and have left situations of economic hardship or political persecution. The study of illegal immigration confronts a broad range of migrants--from the familiar border crossers to those who enter illegally and overstay their visas, to unrecognized refugees who seek protection under U.S. asylum law. This book provides a comprehensive, up-to-date review of this volatile subject.

David W. Haines is associate professor of anthropology at George Mason University. His earlier books includeRefugees as Immigrants: Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese in America (1989) andRefugees in America in the 1990s: A Reference Handbook (Greenwood, 1996). He is a past Chair of the American Anthropological Association's Committee on Refugees and Immigrants. His other academic work focuses on Vietnamese social history, American culture and society, and refugee and immigration policy.

Karen E. Rosenblum is currently Vice-President for University Life at George Mason University. Her PhD is in sociology, and her other publications includeThe Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, and Sexual Orientation (1996, 2nd ed. forthcoming 1999). Her publications focus on gender, language, and the social construction of minority groups.