Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2011

Abstract

Immigration regulation is defined here as any policy that has the objective of encouraging or discouraging immigration. There are two major categories of immigration regulation: those policies that directly affect the inflow of immigrants and those that influence the everyday lives of immigrants and processes related to the acquisition of legal permanent residency or citizenship. Immigration regulation is quite diverse across time and space; immigration policy is fluid and dynamic and is affected by socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. Thus, immigration regulation evolves in response to current conditions in a specific country. The role of race in immigration regulation also has an evolving character. This article will briefly discuss immigration regulation comparatively across countries with an emphasis on policies that seek to manage the inflow of immigrants. The more in depth discussion of the role of race in immigration regulation and the impact of immigration regulation on the racial composition of a receiving country will be devoted to the United States experience.

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