America is turning 250. Here’s how immigration may shape its future.

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As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, there is much to be proud of, with the nation having evolved into a historically prosperous, multiracial, and multicultural society. To be sure, there have been periods of racial and ethnic division and strife, and many of the inequities driving those issues are still unresolved. But through various periods of our history, waves of immigrants from different parts of Europe—and more recently, from all parts of the world—have made positive contributions to the economic, political, and socialfabric of our nation.

Yet at this juncture in our history, the future of immigration has again become a source of political contention, with many Americans subscribing to the views of the current presidential administration.