Mark Krikorian, a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues, has served as Excutive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) since 1995. The Center, an independent, non-partisan research organization in Washington, D.C., examines and critiques the impact of immigration on the United States. His knowledge and expertise in the immigration field are sought by Congress, where he has frequently testified, as well as the mainstream and new media. Mr. Krikorian has published articles in numerous outlets and his most recent publication is Open Immigration: Yea & Nay, co-authored with Alex Nowrasteh of the Cato Institute.

The immigration debate in the U.S. has been contentious for decades. Most focus has been on enforcement issues. Although important, they are less fundamental than a question that too often goes unaddressed: Why limit immigration at all? Almost everyone at least pays lip service to the need for limits of some kind, but we don’t often enough challenge each other to explain what limits we support and why. If we are ever to have a rational debate about immigration, the starting point has to be a candid acknowledgment of our goals and preferences.

This is the fourth in a series of six weekly lectures. The subject is immigration. The next lecture will be on November 29. The title is LOOKING BEYOND COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM: A NEW IMMIGRATION POLITICS.