I am not sure what to think about America's changing immigration policies. Beginning next month, aliens entering from "high risk" countries are to be fingerprinted at their port of entry. If they remain in the US longer than 30 days, they must register at an INS office and check in annually.
Here in Japan, all resident aliens register with their town office and must renew their registration if they move or after 5 years. When we arrived, fingerprinting was required but was dropped about two years ago. I don't mind being registered with my ward because every alien is treated equally. And, after all, I'm a guest here and I have no rights, really. However, if I were being subjected to a policy that applied only because I am a (insert characteristic here), I would be annoyed.
Which is why I think the new policy of US Immigration and the DOJ is a little creepy--no, it's a lot creepy. They are targetting just the people that are fashionably suspicious.
Sadly, that's always been the case--the US's immigration policies are historically reactionary. Anarchist killed our President--no more anarchists allowed! Chinese laborers took over gold panning and railroad jobs--Asians are restricted from becoming citizens.
Where does it end? What's coming next?
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