Who Belongs in America?

"How can the immigrant of yesterday be lionized as the very foundation of the nation's character, while the immigrant of today is often demonized as a threat to the nation's safety and stability?" asks editor Vanessa B. Beasley in her introduction to this timely book. Through their rhetoric, presidents help to create the frame for the American public's understanding of immigration. In an overarching essay and ten case studies, Who Belongs in America? explores select moments in U.S. immigration history, focusing on the presidential discourse that preceded, addressed, or otherwise corresponded to events. These chapters share a common interest in how, when, and under what circumstances U.S. presidents or their administrations have negotiated the tension that lies at the heart of the immigration issue. The various authors look at the dual views of immigrants as either symbols of hope and opportunity or as scapegoats for cultural fears, especially during trying times, and consider how U.S. presidents have navigated between these two motifs.