Back to the Future: The Migration Challenge in Trumps America

James Hollifield argues that the United States “is trapped in a ‘liberal’ paradox:” Like many aging societies, the U.S. needs immigration to keep its economy strong, but it must deal with the socio-political ramifications of immigration, especially the status (rights) of immigrants. Through a review of US immigration history and the recurrent themes of nativism and nationalism, Hollifield explains that this paradox is not new, and that we can balance openness with valid concerns for security and societal values. As a high immigration nation, the USA is enviably able to shape its demography through immigration policy.

About the Speaker
Dr. James Hollifield, Professor of Political Science and Director, Tower Center at Southern Methodist University. Global Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.