The number of legal immigrants accelerated in the 1990s to an average of more than a million a year. That was up from just over 300,000 a year in the 1960s and 600,000 a year by the 1980s. When the number of illegal immigrants is added to this, the total inflow during the 1990s was approximately 12 million. That compares with 500,000 in the 1930s.

Crowded Land of Liberty examines how this developed into a crisis contributing to overcrowded schools, soaring demand for social services, new burdens on taxpayers, increased urban congestion, and heightened job competition. The author explains how recent waves of immigration differ from those of earlier eras, and he explores new public policy alternatives.