Immigration is an issue that is not going away. It has dominated the coverage of the early stages of the 2016 presidential campaign and is likely to continue to do so. And with good reason. Today, there are more than 11 million people living in America illegally. And although a majority of Americans favor allowing them to stay — provided certain requirements are met — sizable majorities want the government to deport criminal aliens, stop rewarding (indeed, incentivizing) illegal immigration with government benefits, and improve border security to stop the flow of uninvited guests.
Behind these practical complaints, however, looms a larger, more philosophic, question: What does it mean to be an American?
This article includes an interactive quiz at the end of the story.
BOSTON – On a sunny October afternoon, 368 immigrants from dozens of nations rose to their feet in Faneuil Hall's dignified upper chamber and swore allegiance to the United States of America, marking their entry into U.S. citizenship.
