“Arrival City, How the Largest Migration in History Reshaped Our World” by Doug Saunders

Arrival City has many instructive ideas for the immigration-driven discussion today; and for those who plan cities. The U.S. used to get this right; and others in the world do so today. Thomas Friedman and Michael Mandelbaum in their 2011 book That Used to Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back support Mr. Saunders’ hypothesis that immigration used to be an American strength, and perceived as such. While still strength today, the process has become so stigmatized as to compromise the incredible benefits we derive from the flow of new people, new ideas and new talents into our economy; despite the social burdens of strained public services, education systems and transitory poverty.