Immigration to the United States stretches back hundreds of years, and a review of its arc shows that at different points in history, the flow of people to its shores has been managed—and manipulated—in different ways. Analyzing the National Security Strategies (NSS) of three successive modern administrations will show that contemporary American immigration policy has been used as a clandestine tool to support the country’s needs: First, for the sake of economic progress, then to meet national security demands, and now, a mix of both. In conducting this review, noting the inflection point in policy caused by 9/11, and raising awareness of climate change’s impact, the reader should understand that if America continues to wield immigration policy as a tool to manage national security, it must do so openly, intentionally, and humanely to be effective.

Continue reading The Immigration & National Security Nexus: Balancing Security, Openness, and Humanity