The wrong American immigration debate

Washington

THE conversation - or argument - Americans have been having on immigration has been remarkably skewed. It's been all about the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants, otherwise known as the "undocumented". Actually, what counts far more are the estimated 31 million immigrants who are here legally and the roughly one million who gain legal entry every year.

Of course, the question of illegal immigrants is important. As a society, it's intolerable to have so many people living in a legal twilight zone, often despite years of responsible and law-abiding behaviour (two-thirds of illegal immigrants have been in the US for 10 years or more, reports the Pew Research Center). Still, one powerful reason for settling this is…