America is often called the ‘land of immigrants’ because its population largely consists of people who migrated from other countries, chiefly from European nations such as England, France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic, which began colonising North America in the late 16th century. Despite the negative origins of settler colonialism, the imagery of the benign Uncle Sam was overlaid to give a positive spin to the ‘land of immigrants’ appellation.

With an area nearly three times that of India but a population less than one-fourth of India’s, the US attracts immigrants from across the globe, offering job and investment opportunities. It has long been a crucible of multiculturalism and a hub for talent.

Cubans and Mexicans sneaking into the US, thanks to the porous borders, in search of job opportunities of the blue-collar variety have been a mainstay of the nation insofar as menial jobs are concerned, along, of course, with the Afro-Americans. Chicago boasts a sizeable population of German ancestry. The nation has China towns numbering around 50, spread across spatially that incidentally corresponds to the number of states, 50, the US has. While that smacks of a ghetto mentality, Indians and Jews have assimilated themselves into US society much better. Out of a population of 34 billion, the Indian diaspora is 45 million.

But the question that is often asked is whether the US, especially under the Republicans, makes a virtue of necessity when it comes to granting citizenship and green cards. That said, it must be conceded that the US is not the only country to clamp down on ‘birth tourism’.

The US itself remains divided along party lines on the issue, with Democrats favouring a more liberal citizenship regime. Democratic President Obama........

© News18