Immigration is a central issue that illuminates the United States’s view of its role in the world. Because immigration laws codify our definition of whom we accept as "one of us" and whom we distance as "aliens," they reflect our understanding of our national character. Today, immigration issues do not divide along traditional ideological or partisan lines. Conservatives and liberals include among their numbers people who would repeal nearly all restrictions on immigration, as well as those who would reduce drastically the numbers of people admitted each year. This course examines the history of immigration policies, the arguments surrounding current policy debates, and the problem of naturalization, addressing these issues from economic, demographic, environmental, and cultural perspectives.