Why Are U.S. Borders Straight Lines?
The ever-shifting curve of shoreline and river is no match for the infinite, idealized straight line.
The Problem with “Public Charge” Rules
Historically, public charge rules have been a threat to immigrants dismissed as too disabled to be full contributors to the country.
Birthright Citizenship Basics
Birthright citizenship, which holds that individuals are citizens of the nation in which they are born, was codified with the 14th Amendment in 1868.
The Cries Heard Around the World
ProPublica's audio of crying children in detention centers touched a nerve. Humans are keenly attuned to the sounds of crying, in part because of evolution.
When “Foreigners” Were Blamed for a Baseball Scandal
In the early 20th century, baseball was a magnet for illegal gambling. But when the Chicago White Sox threw the World Series, Jews became the scapegoats.
Celebrating Immigration on the Fourth of July
For many immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th century, July 4th was deeply significant: Their own home countries were fighting for independence.
The Cooking Classes that Americanized Jewish Immigrants
At the end of the 19th century, a Wisconsin woman named Elizabeth “Lizzie” Black Kander tried to help immigrants assimilate, through the food they ate.
Are Our Environmental Policies Making Us Broke, Hungry, and Infertile?
Forestry wages fall, hunger is increases, and infertility may be growing because pesticide residue clings to food. Time to overhaul environmental policy?
Inventing the “Illegal Alien”
What's an illegal alien? The idea that the most important question about immigrants is their legal status is a relatively new one.
The Case for Open Borders
Is a world without borders an idea so crazy it just might work? Scholars weigh in on how open borders might solve the world's immigration problem.