Thursday, April 7, 2011

Response to Sassen

          I think Sassen's essay is a valuable resource when thinking about immigration. I think she makes some interesting comparisons between the United States and Europe when it comes to immigration, especially with immigration policy. I think she makes an interesting point with borders. She explains that the EU has caused more open border type policies between its member states, and this idea has effected Europe's immigration policy. The United States, on the other hand, has a strict border control policy. This is one large difference between the two.
         Another interesting point I think Sassen makes is why people immigrate. I think a lot of people are under the impression that it was the immigrants number one choice to immigrate. However, Sassen explains that most people immigrate because they have to, not because they want to. Many people may feel that their space is being invaded by immigrants, but they forget or do not know that it probably was not the immigrants choice to be there. These are the two points I found most interesting in Sassen's article.