Report on the Integration of Minority Groups in the US and EU
In this comprehensive integration policy report, the current integration efforts in the United States and European Union are explored and compared to produce recommendations for effective cross-learning. How coming demographic changes are handled is hugely important. Poor integration comes with security implications. Preventing alienation, resentment, and potential backlash from socially excluded immigrant and minority groups is a concern on both sides of the Atlantic.
While the risks to the U.S. and EU are similar, there are distinct differences in how the regions look at these issues. While there are debates within the U.S. on the proper pathways to legal residency and how best to integrate immigrant and minority groups, there is an expectation among Americans of all backgrounds that most legal immigrants will one day be able to become citizens. Most tensions arise over how to stop the flows of undocumented immigrants.
The European Union also struggles with how to stem the tide of undocumented immigrants.. Additionally, there are disagreements about whether to grant citizenship to documented immigrant families who have lived in Europe for years, even generations. “The complex nature of immigration policies hamper a quick-fix to coming demographic changes,” comments Migration Diversity speaker Michael Stuber. “We are facing new challenges such as long time residents who choose to reside in a country but are not interested in citizenshipEU member states must become more aware of the value and need of immigration and reduce their mutual stereotypes.” As the U.S. and European Union work to develop new federal and supranational policy tools and guidelines for addressing integration, respectively, there is much to learn from each other. The most recent EU anti-discrimination directives lead the way for comprehensive protection of many societal groups, say Stuber. The US has been more pro-active in regards to citizenship rights, as the research comfirms. For a full copy of this report, visit here.
