Whether immigration helps or hurts the United States economically, socially, and culturally is a complex question that has both troubled and defined North America since the first colonists arrived. At various stages in American history, the country has both welcomed immigrants as the backbone upon which the nation was founded and rejected them because of their religious, cultural, or linguistic background or because of their economic status. This book outlines the legal and social history of immigration to the United States and frames the immigration debate today. Through full-color photographs and insightful sidebars, readers will gain a nuanced understanding of the many factors that continue to define immigration policy.