Immigration : Law, Politics, and Crime

Immigration: Law, Politics, and Crime provides students with a balanced collection of readings that reflect various perspectives on immigration, the politics of immigration, and the question of immigration’s relationship to crime. Devoid of overt ideology, the anthology challenges readers to consider multiple viewpoints and think critically about these complex and timely issues. 

Over the course of nine chapters, students read articles and essays regarding immigration and growing diversity, who should control U.S. immigration policy, immigration enforcement programs and their effect on immigrant communities, and sanctuary cities. Additional readings address the avenues available for legal immigration and permanent resident status, divergent perspectives on the relationship between immigration and crime, and views on immigration and terrorism. The final chapter discusses immigration and elections, including readings about whether non-citizens vote in U.S. elections and the negative shift in presidential immigration rhetoric. 

Offering students a thought-provoking and multi-perspective reader on a timely issue for the United States, Immigration is an excellent supplementary resource for courses in criminal justice and political science, especially those with focus on immigration policy.

Jeff Bumgarner, Ph.D. is a professor and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Political Science at North Dakota State University. His research interests include federal law enforcement, federal crime policy, and homeland security. Dr. Bumgarner is the author or editor of seven books and several articles and book chapters that cover such topics as federal law enforcement, immigration, homeland security, criminal profiling, and other issues. In addition to his 18 years of full-time teaching experience in higher education, Dr. Bumgarner served several years in law enforcement as a deputy sheriff, police chief, and federal agent.