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Introduction | xxiii a more hostile American public, the majority still sought American life for the usual reasons: „economic opportunity and political freedom‰ (Elliott 2006). As a result of the attack on the Twin Towers and already evident resentment against all, and especially undocumented, immigrants, various states and the fed- eral government passed laws making it more difficult for legal and illegal immi- grants to secure driverÊs licenses, and for employers to hire illegal aliens. Some state legislatures also disallowed undocumented immigrants from receiving unem- ployment insurance. Federal law made citizenship mandatory for all airport screen- ers and legal immigration required for any other airport worker (Swarns 2003). The new Department of Homeland Security also had an impact on immigrants, and particularly those from certain nations. Since 2003, Homeland Security has been in charge of enforcing the immigration laws. The Immigration and Naturalization Service was placed under the new Department of Homeland Security and renamed the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division (ICE). This had an effect on immigrant detentions, asylum seekers, and employers of illegal immigrants, who faced more investigations and raids (Bernstein 2004 Editorial 2009 Manrique 2009 Preston 2006 Preston 2007). Controversy remains strong, particularly on the undocumented immigration issue, and Congress has yet to develop a new comprehensive immigration act. Meanwhile, due to congressional inaction, more states, particularly on the Mexi- canăU.S. border, have begun to formulate tougher laws. Arizona in 2010 passed the nationÊs most severe law dealing with illegal immigrants. The law, which is considered „the broadest and strictest immigration measure in generations,‰ in- creases police authority over illegal immigrants and requires immigrants to be able to prove their legal status in this country if the police stop them for a legal violation. Opponents felt that these provisions would lead to ethnic profiling and allow the police to harass legitimate Hispanic immigrants as well as U.S. citizens (Archibold 2010). U.S. government lawyers have challenged the law on the basis that it is un- constitutional, since past Supreme Court decisions have authorized only the federal government to regulate immigration. In July 2010, U.S. District Court Judge Susan Bolton suspended the implementation of significant parts of the law. Arizona is fil- ing an appeal (Reuters 2010). The many and diverse immigrants who have arrived in America since 1965 in- dicate in some ways a divergence from the last period of large-scale immigration in the 1880ă1920 period. Besides coming from different world regions, they are generally better educated and higher skilled and thereby more upwardly mobile. The immigration laws now stress family reunification, which encourages chain migration and networks. The job preference aspects bring in a greater variety of occupational skills than before. Many immigrants already have a familiarity with English and with American culture due to American movies and TV programs. As- similation into American life can be easier and quicker. Furthermore, there is less