Immigration. For real this time!

Two posts ago I threatened to talk about immigration policy, which was actually very relevant to the ideas of global cities and even terrorism, but the post was running long so I cut it out. But I just read yet another article that got me riled up about US immigration policy, so I thought I'd do a quick post to share my disgust at current American policy towards immigrants. It's a globalizing world people! Putting up walls and creating childish policies that create tit-for-tat responses with our allies is NOT the solution!

My list of immigration articles/issues that have frustrated me (and I'm being nice here) over the last month or so:

• Bush administration readying immigration crackdown on employers, an article about how illegal immigrants are facing tough times ahead because Congress couldn't get its act together and pass a reasonable immigration law.


• Towns Get Tough on Immigration and Virginia County Cracks Down On Immigration, two versions of the same story from NPR that discuss the implications of local governments trying to tackle immigration reform on their own. In this case, a Virginia county is now making mandatory checks for proof of citizenship/residency for all government affairs. Checking out books at a library for example. Or when stopped by a cop for any violation (which is the really scary bit!).


• Europeans fear 48-hour notice plan will impede travel to U.S. about the '21st century' approach to visa-free entry for our closest allies in Europe that requires submittal of travel itinerary 24-48 hours in advance of travel into the US over the Internet. Of course there is also trouble in the EU because it would treat different member countries differently. See for example U.S. bill could keep some European countries from joining visa-free travel program. And I can't find the article, but one mentions that the EU is now considering similar restrictions on American visa-free entry to Europe in retaliation. Will the madness never cease?! Please Europeans, take the high road on this one!