Immigrants and Politics Blog

With estimates of at least 40,000 dual Lebanese-Canadian citizens currently in Lebanon, Canada has been debating whether to help evacuate all dual Canadian citizens, even those with permanent residence in Lebanon. The Canada government has generally been proud of its openness to dual citizenship, but some now raise concerns about the cost of the evacuation and question whether Canadian citizens living permanently in Lebanon are “true” Canadian citizens. Not only does the issue raise interesting legal and moral questions about dual citizenship, but it could have an impact on elections, given the number of foreign-born electors in the Canadian population and the current government’s minority status.

[From The Globe and Mail, electronic edition URL below; print edition 26/07/06 Page A1.]
Ottawa to review help for non-resident citizens
ALEX DOBROTA AND GLORIA GALLOWAY
CAMBRIDGE, ONT. and OTTAWA — Canada will re-examine the practice of paying to rescue its citizens who have made lives in other countries, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday as the evacuation in Lebanon winds down.
Nearly 40,000 Canadians have registered with the embassy in Beirut, most simply making known their presence in Lebanon, since Israel began shelling towns there two weeks ago. But many have sought help in fleeing the violence.
The potential cost of evacuating huge numbers of Lebanese Canadians, including some who moved permanently to Lebanon when the violence of the 1970s and 1980s abated, has prompted some critics to suggest that Mr. Harper was being overgenerous in saying Canada would foot the bill for their rescue.
“The government has taken the view on this particular occasion that, given the circumstances, given how suddenly it came upon us, that we would spare no expense to protect and to secure the safety of any Canadians who wanted to come to Canada,” Mr. Harper told reporters yesterday.
[.]

But Mr. Harper’s suggestion that the government will review the policy of helping to evacuate Canadians who have relocated to their countries of origin is unlikely to sit well with the immigrant communities he has been courting in his bid to win a majority government. His remarks represent another example of his willingness to take a strong and occasionally controversial stand on issues of principal or that appeal to his core constituency.
[See the full story at The Globe and Mail (Toronto)]

Title:“Culture Clash? Contesting Notions of American Identity and the Effects of Latin American Immigration”
Journal:Perspectives on Politics, Vol. 4, No. 2, June 2006, pp 279-287
Authors:Luis R. Fraga and Gary M. Segura

“In this essay, we use Huntington as a jumping off point. We first examine the question of immigration and threats to national identity within the history of American political development.We consider what current and potential challenges the United States faces as it accommodates population shifts and prepares for a future where Caucasians are a far smaller proportion of the national population than may ever have been the case in our history. Further, we compare the relative abilities of Anglos and Latinos to shape that future, and whether and how those power inequalities inform competing claims regarding resistance to assimilation, cultural segregation, and national disunity. Finally, we offer some thoughts on how America might cope with its demographic evolution without resorting to xenophobia, isolationism, or cultural nationalism.”

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Symposium on Immigration

This symposium, featured as part of the June 2006 issue of Perspectives on Politics, contains articles discussing the topic of immigration as well as the concept of national identity and the role culture and population movements play in its development.

“Immigration and National Identity” (Symposium Introduction) Gary M. Segura (Perspectives June 2006)

“Culture Clash? Contesting Notions of American Identity and the Effects of Latin American Immigration” Luis R. Fraga and Gary M. Segura (Perspectives June 2006)

“Mexican Americans and the American Dream” Richard Alba (Perspectives June 2006)

“Cuban Emigres and the American Dream” Susan Eckstein (Perspectives June 2006)
“Mexican Immigrant Political and Economic Incorporation” Frank D. Bean, Susan K. Brown and Ruben G. Rumbaut (Perspectives June 2006)

Link to Download articles

In this story about the latest legislative moves in Colorado, a summary of what is happening in other parts of the country. May require registration with the LA Times. [KR]
“Polls have shown the population is similarly divided over illegal immigration, but that hard-liners are more motivated.
That appears to be borne out in statehouses, where more than 400 anti-illegal immigration measures were proposed this year. The vast majority failed, but at least a dozen states passed bills targeting illegal immigration. Louisiana approved a law stiffening penalties for businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Wyoming barred students in the U.S. illegally from receiving some scholarships, while Missouri denied unemployment benefits to workers who weren’t citizens. And states such as Pennsylvania and Maryland are considering benefit cuts modeled on those in Colorado and Georgia, which are the most far-reaching.”
LA Times story.

Here is an interesting piece about ethno-racial identification from the UK, based on a survey commissioned by a government agency official. [KR]

“Britain’s Hindus do not want to be described as “Asians”, lumped together alongside others with roots in Britain’s former South Asian colonies, according to a survey to be published in parliament. Instead, 80 percent would prefer to be called British Indian or British Hindus, rather than be identified under the British Asian umbrella with others with ties to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.”
Link to full story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060711/wl_uk_afp/britainreligionhindu