WALLS AND WELCOME MATS

A fact-based look at both historical and modern arrivals in what is now the United States, including European colonization, profiles of notable immigrants, and an overview of current events.

Ortiz approaches the complex history and issues surrounding migration with a scholarly but accessible and compassionate tone, beginning with humanity’s early fossil records. Readers explore early Colonists’ travel to North America and the reasons behind it. The book continues, covering modern immigration, how authorities define legal versus illegal immigration, and how someone becomes a U.S. citizen. The text aptly supplements readers’ basic history knowledge with often overlooked aspects of America’s past, including the effects on and of Indigenous peoples, contributions immigrants have made to American industry and culture, and the backlash immigrants often face. The plight and power of new arrivals are not soft-pedaled: Readers are given facts on topics such as slavery, the Chinese Exclusion Act, the impact of the Mexican-American War, and the xenophobia faced by people of many different origins. Nativism and its impact on modern immigration policy, as well as the fallout of Covid-19, are also explored along with common immigration debates and myths. Readers are encouraged to explore their own families’ immigration stories, no matter how far back they go. A combination of real-life examples, critical historical context, and engaging graphics and data presentation makes this a solid choice.

An inviting, thorough, and accessible introduction to an important and perpetually relevant topic.