(Posted September 12, 2005)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The director of research of the Center for Immigration Studies, Steve Camarota, will lecture at Juniata College on "Contemporary Immigration: Issues and Challenges" at 7:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 19 in Neff Lecture Hall in the von Liebig Center for Science on the Juniata campus.

The Center for Immigration Studies researches and analyzes the economic, social, demographic and fiscal impacts of immigration on the United States. The center's mission, according to its Web site, is to publicize the need for an immigration policy that emphasizes the national interest of the United States. The center's policy is a "pro-immigrant, low immigration vision which seeks fewer immigrants, but a warmer welcome for those admitted."

Camarota, an economist, is the director of research at the center and recently released the study "Births to Immigrants in America, 1970 to 2002." According to the study, Camarota found that in 2002 nearly 25 percent of the births in the United States were to immigrant mothers, which is the highest level in American history. Camarota's report also states that such birthrates could eventually overwhelm the assimilation process and make it harder for these second-generation Americans to integrate into contemporary society.

Camarota earned a doctoral degree from the University of Virginia and is considered one of the nation's top experts on the effect immigration policies have on the United States. He has written numerous articles on the influence of immigration on the economy, on government services, on health insurance and on entrepreneurship.

The center's two most recent reports, "Immigration and Terrorism: Moving Beyond the 9/11 Staff Report on Terrorist Travel" and "Keeping Extremists Out: The History of Ideological Exclusion, and the Need for its Revival," has received much publicity recently on such outlets as "The O'Reilly Report," Fox News and other media outlets.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.