Something I was going to ask about, myself. What is behind this notion that the U.S Left is behind immigration in any way? Unions, AFAIK, have (until recently) opposed immigration. The other types of left: environmentalists, etc, barely managed to keep Sierra Club from turning into an anti-immigration group, recently. Is there a record of US Left activism in support of immigration? I would like to see it (not saying that sarcastically).
As John Thornton pointed out, each group carries its own sets of issues. Immigrants face trouble entering, staying and gaining residency, acceptance, etc. They are taxed without representation (including permanent residents) and therefore lack even the ability to express their concerns through the democratic process.
--ravi