Immigration And National Security

The initial difficulty in determining whether immigration to the United States constitutes a national security threat is determining what constitutes national security. Terms such as “national interest” and “national security” do not have a universally agreed-upon meaning. The term “security” covers a range of goals so wide that highly divergent policies can be interpreted as politics of security. (Wolfers December 1952) Traditional notions of national security are represented by theorists such as Hans J. Morgenthau for whom the national interest contained “. . . two elements, one that is logically required and in that sense necessary, and one that is variable and determined by circumstances” (Morgenthau December, 1952) The survival of the

For example, the admission of scientists fleeing from Germany and Italy before World War II was instrumental in the United States being the first to produce atomic weapons and gave the U.S. a distinct advantage in nuclear research. Highly-skilled immigrants supply talented workers for America’s world-class medical establishment, engineering sector, and higher education (Reform September 1997). These immigrants enhance the research and development capacity of U.S. firms and bring foreign language skills, contacts, knowledge, and experience that appear to offer a unique advantage in a global business community.

Strong immigrant support for family values strengthens and reinvigorates American values. Immigrants often play important and visible roles at the highest levels of the U.S. military and federal and local government. Renowned immigrant artists, performers, and athletes strengthen and diversify cultural institutions (Reform September 1997) The United States has been the world’s largest multiethnic and multicultural society, successfully integrating new immigrants from diverse heritages. (Reform September

Immigration is closely intertwined with foreign policy and national security, with each acting upon and being influenced by the other. To advance national security, U.S. foreign policy has been used to stimulate or inhibit migratory movements. The historical lack of attention by foreign policy decision makers to immigration has resulted in unintended migration to the United States. Virtually every type of foreign policy tool—economic, military, trade, or propaganda— has been used at one time or another to respond to concerns arising from immigration. The perception of and response to immigration by U.S. policymakers is seen in the context of U.S. national security. (Reform September 1997)

During the Cold War era when communism posed a clear and imminent threat, immigration policy was used to stimulate defections from communist countries and inhibit it from repressive allies. In the post-Cold War era, where no such obvious and imminent threat exists, immigration policy has become more restrictive in response to domestic political perceptions. Immigrants and their descendants attempt to influence U.S. foreign policy in the same manner as other interest groups. (Reform September