Immigrants and the American city

American immigrants are often considered symbols of hope and promise. Presidential candidates point to their immigrant roots, Ellis Island is celebrated as a national monument, and "the melting pot" remains a popular, if somewhat tarnished, American analogy. At the same time, images of impoverished Mexicans swarming across the Mexican-American border and boat-loads of desperate Haitian and urban refugees depict America as a nation under siege. While governments and business interests generally welcome aliens for the economic benefits the generate, the success of these groups paradoxically stirs distrust and envy leading to discrimination, oppression, and, in some cases, deportation. Surveying the political and economic history of American immigration, Thomas Muller compellingly argues that the clamor at America's gate should be a cause of pride, not anxiety; a sign of vigor, not an omen of decline.^ Illustrating that recent waves of immigration have facilitated urban renewal, Muller emphasizes the many ways in which aliens have lessened our cities' social problems rather than contributing to them. Los Angeles, New York, Miami, and San Francisco, traditional gateways to other contin