Immigrant integration : a missing component of Homeland Security strategy and policy

Abstract

CHDS State/LocalThis thesis will add to emerging discussion in this country on immigrant integration and tie this issue to national security. Long after the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processes their paperwork, many immigrants may be left struggling with the issue of identity. Some may resolve these issues and become thoroughly integrated Americans who weave their own cultural traditions into an American way of life. Others might question, for example, whether their sense of duty as a Muslim outweighs their sense of duty as an American, especially when the United States is conducting the "War on Terror" in two Muslim countries simultaneously while American television highlights any mistreatment of Muslims by U.S. soldiers (e.g., Abu Ghraib). It is this latter group that may be most vulnerable to radicalization. An immigrant integration strategy that provides a pathway for immigrants to invest themselves in American society makes sense from a policy perspective, if the end result is a feeling of pride and belonging that would make attacking the United States similar to harming one's own self. This thesis offers a comparative study of the Dutch and Canadian integration models, which reflect vastly different policies. Both offer lessons learned and possible strategy attributes for U.S. policymakers' consideration.http://archive.org/details/immigrantintegra109455421Asylum Officer, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) author (civilian)Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited