In a recent commentary, Phil Loring expressed some awkwardness regarding a perceived contradiction between a movement to save Ellis Island and the grass roots furor overillegal immigration which probably had a share in defeating Comprehensive Immigration Reform, the Dream Act, and New York state’s Driver’s License initiative. There is an important distinction, however, which has been overlooked in his commentary. Whatever your feelings towards Ellis Island, it was a processing center for immigrants. By definition, those immigrants admitted through the Island station were legal. There is no connection between those immigrants and measures in Texas and Florida that are designed to prevent illegal immigration. (more…)

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