Since the beginnings of civilization, human beings have been migrating from one region to another. The ongoing process of immigration has continually altered the demographics of the world.

Yet, in 2005 the topic of immigration will be of utmost importance to both Europe and the United States. The recently enacted intelligence bill passed by the US Congress was stalled for weeks, until the issue of immigration was removed and shelved to be dealt with as a separate issue, early next year.

Prominent senators, such as Hillary Clinton have already announced that the illegal immigrants swarming into the United States must be stopped.

In Europe, the issue of immigration has forged right-wing parties such as Jorge Haider in Austria, Pia Kjaersgaad in Denmark and Filip Dewinter in Belgium, who are building political strength campaigning against immigration. The irony is that it is impossible to prevent immigration from impoverished regions to more affluent areas and the future of countries involved in this dilemma depends upon accepting these new members into their societies. A hundred years ago, the countries that make up today’s European Union accounted for 14 percent of the world’s population. They now represent six percent and by 2050 they will account for just four percent, according to the United Nations. Even if the EU continues their current level of immigration, their overall population count will decrease by 7.5 million over the next 45 years. The United Nations predicts that an aging Europe will require 160 million immigrants to meet their labor requirements over the next 25 years.

In Italy alone, in 1950 there were eight workers for every pensioner, now there are less than four and without immigration that number will dwindle to 1.5 by 2050. The problem created by low birth rates and longer— living, aging populations is very much the same in the United States. The reality that without immigration these societies will have to eliminate many, if not all, of their social programs is not being addressed.

What is needed within these nations is a good dose of realism that begins with the recognition that the immigrant is not their enemy; he is their means to survival. In the United States, where it is estimated that eight million illegal immigrants are living, a number that is increasing by one-half a million each year. The scare tactics of increased security concerns, increasing financial burdens and a lack of assimilation are overshadowing the central issue of immigration transformation.

The United States and the countries in Europe need to completely overhaul their immigration policies, beginning with an increase in the number of legally admitted foreigners. While over one million legal immigrants were admitted into the US in 2001, only 700,000 were admitted in 2003. This results in illegal immigration and encourages the lesser skilled and educated to migrate.

The Center for Immigration Studies estimates that of the eight million illegal immigrants in the US, two-thirds do not have a high school diploma. These governments should be encouraging well-educated and skilled families to immigrate, not turning them away. The unskilled labor forces are also necessary. In Spain, due to the decline of their population, entire migrant armies of North Africans do most of the orange and grape picking and countless Poles and Romanians do manual jobs in construction.

As for the concerns about assimilation the issue in some European countries is that the immigrants are Muslim and not Christian. Yet, these same countries are proud of their secular governments and institutions. In the United States, the Mexican immigrants are accused of refusing to learn English and thus not melting quickly enough into mainstream America. Yet, history has proven that it requires a minimum of one full generation for any group of immigrants to begin to assimilate into any new society. This modern era of mass immigration can prove to be a great success for both the immigrant and his new nation. However, for this to happen it requires an open mind and a willingness to recognize that the immigrant will change but so will the country and that these changes have historically been for the best.

— Adrienne McPhail is an American journalist located in Yokosuka, Japan.