This book explores public opinion about being and becoming American, and its implications for contemporary immigration debates. It focuses on the causes and consequences of two aspects of American identity: how people define being American and whether people think of themselves primarily as American rather than as members of a panethnic or national origin group. Importantly, the book evaluates the claim made by scholars and pundits alike that all Americans should prioritize their American identity instead of an ethnic or national origin identity. It finds that national identity within...