Ben Wattenberg

Immigration benefits America, argues Ben Wattenberg in the following viewpoint. The birth rate in the United States and other Western nations has been decreasing, he points out. Lower populations in the Western world could make it more difficult for beneficial Western values—such as pluralism, democracy, and individual liberty—to be globally influential. But if the United States continues to take in immigrants—including immigrants from third world and non-Western nations—its population will grow and help to fortify American power and influence around the world. Wattenberg is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. He is also the author of The Birth Dearth and Survival 101.

As you read, consider the following questions:

1. What is absurd about rigid racial definitions, in Wattenberg’s opinion?
2. According to the...