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WASHINGTON (October 2005) -- How can we cultivate in immigrants an emotional attachment to America? How does the spread of dual citizenship complicate the process of strengthening American national identity?

At a time when Congress and the administration are considering proposals to amnesty million of illegal aliens, launch huge new “temporary” worker programs, and increase legal immigration, these questions are more important than ever.

A new book addresses just these issues: The 50% American: Immigration and National Identity in an Age of Terror, by Stanley Renshon, a political psychologist at the City University of New York. Renshon describes the topic of his book (from Georgetown University Press) this way:

Trying to reconcile two different nationalities, cultures, and psychologies is no easy matter. Yet that is precisely what tens of millions of Americans must now attempt to do. The subject of this book is whether that reconciliation is possible and, if it is, how we may assist immigrants while keeping the needs of the American national community in view.

The Center for Immigration Studies will sponsor a panel discussion of the book on Monday, October 24, at 9:30 a.m., at the National Press Club’s Murrow Room. The panel will include:

• Stanley Renshon, author of The 50% American: Immigration and National Identity in an Age of Terror; professor of political science at the City University of New York and a certified psychoanalyst
   

• David Frum, Resident Fellow, American Enterprise Institute; contributing editor, National Review
   

• James Pinkerton, Fellow, New America Foundation; columnist, Newsday
   

• Mark Krikorian, Executive Director, Center for Immigration Studies

Available at the event will be “Reforming Dual Citizenship in the United States: Integrating Immigrants into the American National Community”, a new Center for Immigration Studies paper adapted from the book, on line at http://www.cis.org/articles/2005/dualcitizenship.html

The panel discussion is free and open to the public. For more information, contact John Keeley at (202) 466-8185 or jmk@cis.org

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The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute
which examines the impact of immigration on the United States.