As noted earlier, there is rapid growth in the Asian population of the United
States, with large Asian communities found in California and New York, amongother places. But let’s consider immigration and national origin more broadly, and
consider the challenges and complexities faced by my hometown, Anchorage,
Alaska. One may not consider this small, remote city (compared with the rest of
the United States) to be a major magnet for immigration. Yet in this city of about
275,000 people, the Anchorage school district provides English language learning
services to students who speak ninety-four different languages, from Danish to
Tlingit. Clearly, understanding people’s ethnic heritage can provide some clues
about what sort of public goods and services these people may need, in big cities
and small towns all over the United States.