Mr. President. it has often been observed that one of our Nations oldest themes is immigration. Except for native Indian citizens. we are all immigrants or refugees or the descendants of immigrants and refugees. Yet. over the years. our memory of this unique national heritage has faded. For many Americans immigration has become a controversial issue. clouded by misunderstandings and false stereotypes and fears. We have tended to focus on the problems of immigration. rather than on the benefits migrants have brought to our country. This has been especially so during the recent congressional debate on current proposals for immigration reform. Both on the Senate floor last month. and recently in the House Judiciary Committee. there has been a tendency for some to see immigration "reform" as immigration "restriction"-restrictions that are contrary to our immigrant traditions as well as to our national interests. However. this week the New York Times initiated a series of articles on "A New Melting Pot"-on what recent immigration has meant for New York City. The first article yesterday reminds us again of the important contributions immigrants have brought to our society. It is a story filled with both success and failure. but mainly of overwhelming confidence in America and the opportunities it offers. Mr. President. as we consider proposals for immigration reform I believe it is important for us to keep in mind the kind of stories in yesterdays New York Times. They remind us that we can continue to be proud of our immigrant heritage. and confident that reasonable and humane immigration pollcies remain in our Nations best interests. I ask that the text of the article be printed at this point in the RECORD.
Identified stereotypes
Generalizations about misunderstandings, false stereotypes, and fears surrounding immigration.