Responses on: "What is your view on immigration?"

Informant #18499: People should be free to immigrate to wherever they like. I have no problems with people of other nationalities migrating to the United States. In a sense I wish boundaries were open.

Informant #18503: I've heard the term "melting pot" used about America. That's the way our country began and I think it's fine to have influence from many different cultures, so people should be allowed to immigrate. There are many problems that occur with immigration though, like illegal immigrants, and paying immigrants a different salary than citizens.

Informant #18504: The present immigration policy should be made more liberal.

Informant #18544: It needs to stop. We have millions of American citizens already going hungry and homeless. We don't need any more people here.

Informant #18579: should be regulated

Informant #18605: it needs to be controlled otherwise it may get even more out of hand.

Informant #18654: Immigration is a two-edged sword.

Informant #18661: Immigration should be banned!

Informant #18667: It is another form of opportunism

Informant #18669: It is essential for the refurbishing of the "American Dream." The US is slowly but surely turning towards a view of immigration that is akin to its stance in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This bodes very ill for its future, and for the continuation of a free, fair and open society.

Informant #18680: It should NOT be an "open check". The immigration laws must be amended from time to time to suit evolving new geo-political and demographic circustances.

Informant #18686: Neutral.

Informant #18687: System needs to be fixed

Informant #18693: Should be used to attract the brightest and the best from all over the world, while providing a refuge for those who are persecuted in their own homeland.

Informant #18697: History shows us that people migrate in search of better life i.e. material life. In the process they gain something and loose something. Sometimes the gain is worth but not always. Human desire for prosperity, security and dignity is the driving force that makes people leave their homeland and go somewhere else.

Informant #18700: Only people who can contribute to american society and not be a burden on its welfare programs should be allowed to immigrate.

Informant #18702: It benefits both the country and the person. It should be made more easy.

Informant #18706: There should be no borders between countries.

Informant #18707: Strongly in favor of increased immigration.

Informant #18711: WHole world is my family. I can live in any nation that presents opportunities to me.

Informant #18716: I feel immigration is a good thing, it is what made the United States what it is today.

Informant #18724: It improves the USA and other countries socoally and economocally

Informant #18726: I like it

Informant #18750: Immigrats help America. The personal life of the immigrant is benifitted but his/her country suffers as a long run.

Informant #18751: Immigrants are the life blood of this country bringing in new ideas . They are very hard working, going the extra mile to prove themselves. The day immigration stops, that will be the beginning of end of America as we know it today.

Informant #18752: It should be an open door policy with easy process but controlled and policed appropriately

Informant #18760: It is exremely important to allow continued immigration to maintain the vitality and continuance of the American way of life.

Informant #18765: Immigration should be more open and directed at making the USA better place with preference to people qualified to make a positive contribution.

Informant #18767: there needs to be 'quality control' which i think is already in place

Informant #18769: Immigration is always good to any country. In US the immigrants have given and are giving more than 100% which reflects in the prosperity of America.

Informant #18790: Like most policies, it is too complex, has too many special cases, and takes too long. However, the growth in terrorism makes it necessary to handle immigration and security in a coordinated manner. Illegal immigration should be drastically curtailed and penalized. Legal immigration should be simplified and delay shortened.

Informant #18791: It is an absolutely necessary ingredient for the survival of the U.S.

Informant #18792: Immigration is good for individuals and the countries. Immigration should be encouraged not curbed.

Informant #18794: Immigration is good. Thanks to the nomadic way of life of our ancestors, we have evolved into the present generation of people.

Informant #18799: It's a process of luck.

Informant #18825: Should be allowed

Informant #18829: Immigration helps the needs of big business at lower and upper levels.

Informant #18853: I think we need to limit it because we have too many people here already.

Informant #18860: It is a good oppurnity given to people of other land to come here and improve their life and fulfil their dreams.

Informant #18861: Immigration has made the world smaller. This creates a melting pot and makes us more tolerant of other people's views. We worry more about the environment than individual nation's boundaries. One country's economic problems quickly become another counrty's worries also. We are all interdependent.

Informant #18863: open immigration

Informant #18864: non-restricted immigration

Informant #18919: I donot know much about it.

Informant #18952: It is a necessary part of the influx of people that come to America. This country was founded by immigrants, produced by immigrants and changed by immigrants. I welcome them as long as they understand the American lifestlye and learn the language as fast as possible. That is the only downside that i can contest about. I understand people want to keep their culture, but learn the language if you expect to stay in this country. Past immigrants have had to and present ones should do the same.

Informant #18957: I'm not sure what is meant by this question. I think that immigration is necessary and appropriate.

Informant #18959: I have also had the pleasure of living down in Texas where i was able to see immigration first hand. For the majority I believe that immirgration is good, but when we start letting any/every one in the country it could possibly make it rediculously hard for a natural citizen to hold a job. Yes i believe it is up to fate where you are born and that everyone should have a chance to go somewhere else, but i also believe that a line has to be drawn somewhere otherwise the growing problems of our country will just continue to increase very rapidly.

Informant #18964: it is good in the hardest situation becuase i feel working in my country is better that anywhere else. It is the place that it help me reaching the top, but if the situation is hard for me to live, i should try to go out and repair my self

Informant #18974: people should be allowed to go where the opportunity is. unfortunately, if everybody goes to one country or place, the opportunities will greatly diminish.

Informant #18978: i think it should be controlled....its not fair to let immigrants in and then have them employed while there are many americans without jobs.

Informant #18999: The US is the 'melting pot"