Does Illegal Immigration Harm Society?

The titles in this series cover hot topics that begin with history and background of the controversy, present viewpoints on both sides of the issue, and conclude with an annotated list of organizations to consult, source notes, and index. A glossary in the science-related topics would have been helpful. Excellent graphic organization includes vibrant color photographs, quotations on “sticky notes,” concise viewpoints in sidebars, and quick facts at the end of each chapter. One drawback is that pro and con viewpoints are intermingled within the text, not segmented like the Opposing Viewpoints series (Gale). The use of opinion polls in the fact boxes provides a teachable moment of what is fact and what is opinion. While the text of the book is heavily sourced, studies and the fact boxes are not. However, most of them can be found easily by using keyword searching on the Internet. The cited sources are very recent, most from 2007 to 2009.

Gr 9 Up An excellent series, providing unbiased information on a range of controversial topics. Each volume provides a rigorous investigation of its topic, with chapter titles structured as questions to encourage students to think about the issues. For example, chapters in Illegal Immigration include “Does Illegal Immigration Harm the American Economy?” and “Does Illegal Immigration Lead to Increased Crime and Terrorism?” Each volume is attractively designed, allowing plenty of white space to contrast with the color photos, reproductions, charts and graphs, maps, and sidebars. Quotes are well-cited, and the writing is consistently high. For in-depth research into a topic, these are first-rate resources.

Gr 9 Up–An excellent series, providing unbiased information on a range of controversial topics. Each volume provides a rigorous investigation of its topic, with chapter titles structured as questions to encourage students to think about the issues. For example, chapters in Illegal Immigration include “Does Illegal Immigration Harm the American Economy?” and “Does Illegal Immigration Lead to Increased Crime and Terrorism?” Each volume is attractively designed, allowing plenty of white space to contrast with the color photos, reproductions, charts and graphs, maps, and sidebars. Quotes are well-cited, and the writing is consistently high. For in-depth research into a topic, these are first-rate resources.

Gr 9 Up–An excellent series, providing unbiased information on a range of controversial topics. Each volume provides a rigorous investigation of its topic, with chapter titles structured as questions to encourage students to think about the issues. For example, chapters in Illegal Immigration include “Does Illegal Immigration Harm the American Economy?” and “Does Illegal Immigration Lead to Increased Crime and Terrorism?” Each volume is attractively designed, allowing plenty of white space to contrast with the color photos, reproductions, charts and graphs, maps, and sidebars. Quotes are well-cited, and the writing is consistently high. For in-depth research into a topic, these are first-rate resources.

Gr 7 Up This title in the In Controversy series examines the vexing issue of illegal immigration. Barbour starts with context—an overview of nineteenth and early-twentieth-century legislative attempts at regulating immigration—and then examines a clutch of contentious issues surrounding the current impact of illegal immigration upon America’s economy, culture, crime, and national security. His strategy is to offer the sometimes inflated, sometimes reasonable views of advocates from both sides of the issue(s). The result is generally balanced, though his coverage of crime and terrorism does seem skewed in the conservative direction (could it be the quote Barbour includes from the magazine New American without informing readers it’s published by The John Birch Society?). One also wonders why, of the five Web sites listed in the appended “For Further Research” section, three are conservative and two libertarian. To be fair, the unbiased Pew Hispanic Center is often cited and readers are also referred to such immigration-friendly sources as La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Yes, a controversial issue—and perhaps a controversial book?

This title in the In Controversy series examines the vexing issue of illegal immigration. Barbour starts with context—an overview of nineteenth and early-twentieth-century legislative attempts at regulating immigration—and then examines a clutch of contentious issues surrounding the current impact of illegal immigration upon America’s economy, culture, crime, and national security. His strategy is to offer the sometimes inflated, sometimes reasonable views of advocates from both sides of the issue(s). The result is generally balanced, though his coverage of crime and terrorism does seem skewed in the conservative direction (could it be the quote Barbour includes from the magazine New American without informing readers it’s published by The John Birch Society?). One also wonders why, of the five Web sites listed in the appended “For Further Research” section, three are conservative and two libertarian. To be fair, the unbiased Pew Hispanic Center is often cited and readers are also referred to such immigration-friendly sources as La Raza and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Yes, a controversial issue—and perhaps a controversial book? — Michael Cart