Immigration is the movement of human population, other than temporary movements such as those of casual visitors or travellers, across national borders. Therefore, immigration is only as old as the nation-state. Prior to the nation-state, the movement of human population is regarded as
migration.
Immigration is the reverse of emigration. However, the bringing in of slaves was not usually considered immigration. The long term and/or permanent movement of human population in general, whether into, out of, or within countries (or before the existence of recognised countries) is regarded as migration; this is often hard to distinguish from nomadic or seasonal movement.
See also:
General Immigration topics
US Immigration topics
British Immigration topics
Further reading
- Peter Brimelow, Alien Nation: Common Sense about America's Immigration Disaster, HarperTrade, 1996, trade paperback, 384 pages, ISBN 0060976918, hardcover, Random House, 1995, 327 pages, ISBN 067943058X
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