Natives and immigrants, men and women, people from all regions, races, and religions, and people from all walks of life have brought varying perspectives to the long-running debate on immigration. Drawing from a large cast of characters - from Thomas Jefferson, Booker T. Washington, and Cesar Chavez to Jane Addams, Henry Ford, and Patrick McCarran - this book introduces students to people who have contributed to U.S. immigration policy from the Revolution to the present.

Showing how each person's opinion drew from personal experience and thus added a new dimension to the debate, the book encompasses such issues as immigration and economics, partisan politics, culture, public opinion, and ethics.