Hot Topic: Illegal Immigration

Illegal immigration and the rights of undocumented immigrants in the United States have been topics of ongoing controversy. In recent years, independent groups have formed along the U.S. side of the U.S.-Mexico border in order to discourage illegal immigration (most border patrol agencies do not condone the existence of these groups). Reasons given for opposing illegal immigration range from concerns about undocumented immigrants using tax-payer funded social services to worries about crime (such as drug smuggling) and even terrorism-after Sept. 11, 2001, the prospect of individuals illegally crossing the U.S. border became especially alarming for many Americans.

Below you will find a list of articles, books, and web sites that will help you learn more about illegal immigration and related border issues.

Beyond smoke and mirrors : Mexican immigration in an era of economic integration
Douglas S. Massey, Jorge Durand, and Nolan J. Malone.
New York : Russell Sage Foundation, ©2002.
325.272/MASSEY

Forging the tortilla curtain : cultural drift and change along the United States-Mexico border, from the Spanish era to the present
by Thomas Torrans.
Fort Worth : TCU Press, ©2000. 972.1/TORRANS

On the line : inside the U.S. Border Patrol
Erich Krauss, with Alex Pacheco.
New York, NY : Citadel Press, ©2004. 363.285/KRAUSS

Operation Gatekeeper : the rise of the "illegal alien" and the remaking of the U.S.-Mexico boundary
by Joseph Nevins.
New York : Routledge, 2002.
363.285/NEVINS

The U.S.-Mexican border in the twentieth century : a history of economic and social transformation
David E. Lorey.
Wilmington, Del. : Scholarly Resources, 1999.
972.1/LOREY

Wetback nation : the case for opening the Mexican-American border
Peter Laufer.
Chicago : Ivan R. Dee, 2004. 972.1/LAUFER

The tortilla curtain
T. Coraghessan Boyle.
New York : Viking, 1995. FIC/BOYLE

Failed Amnesty Legislation of 1986 Haunts the Current Immigration Bills in Congress Rachel L. Swarns. New York Times (Late Edition (East Coast)). New York, N.Y.: May 23, 2006, p. A.20 (ProQuest)

Panic Builds up Behind America's Great Wall; [final 1 edition]. Andrew Sullivan Sunday Times. London (UK): May 21, 2006. p. 4 (ProQuest)

The Latino Giant Awakes. Stephen, Andrew. New Statesman, May 1, 2006, Vol. 135 Issue 4790, p 30-31, 2p, 1c; (AN 20724660) (MasterFILE Premier)

Illegal Immigration: the Missing Link Revise NAFTA, Says Leo W. Gerard, to Stop Giving Millions of Mexicans the Incentive to Cross the Border; [region edition]. Pittsburgh Post - Gazette. Pittsburgh, Pa.: April 23, 2006. p. H.1 (ProQuest)

Inside the Life of the Migrants Next Door: Thirty Years of Migration--Mostly Illegal--Connect a Small Town in Mexico to New York's Wealthy Hamptons. How Both Sides Have Benefited, and Paid a Price.(cover story/society)(cover story). Nathan Thornburgh. Time. Feb 6, 2006, p 34. (Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center)

The Border: Illegal Immigration is Once Again a Potent Political Issue. (the Nation in Numbers). Ross Douthat, and Jenny Woodson. The Atlantic Monthly. Jan-Feb 2006, p 54(2).(Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center)

Alaska, Latino Style: Like the Hispanics in the Lower 48 States, These Hardy Workers Help Keep the American Economy Afloat. Paul Scanlon. America. Oct 17, 2005, p 14. (Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center)

Tailgate Vigilantes, Vote-hungry Politicians, Ratings-chasing Media, and Mexicans Looking for Work Scrimmage on the Border. Michael Scherer. Mother Jones. July-August 2005, p 50(8). (Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center)

Under the Sun. (Illegal Immigrants). Liz Halloran U.S. News & World Report. June 20, 2005, p 20. (Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center)

The Borderlands Encyclopedia:
http://www.utep.edu/border

Center for Immigration Studies:
http://www.cis.org/

Illegal Immigrants - Estimates and Statistics (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services):
http://uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/Illegals.htm

LANIC US/Mexico Border (Latin American Network Information Center):
http://lanic.utexas.edu/la/mexico/#usmexico

US/Mexico Border Counties Coalition:
http://www.bordercounties.org/

U.S.-Mexico Border Issues (Smithsonian Institution Libraries):
http://www.sil.si.edu/silpublications/us-mexico-border-issues.htm

The United States-Mexico Borderlands/Frontera (Smithsonian Institution):
http://www.smithsonianeducation.org/migrations/bord/intro.html#his