The Gatekeepers examines the politics and policy of immigration in six countries: the United States, Australia, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, and Venezuela. Each chapter is authored by a noted specialist who analyzes his or her country's experience by focusing upon how social and economic trends over time have helped to shape and explain national immigration policies. This unique comparative politics approach to the subject offers students of public policy and comparative government important new insights into the policy process in general and the dynamics of immigration politics in particular.

The countries included in the study vary considerably in their fundamental approach to the question of immigration. Some have relied upon a 'guestworker' approach, others have developed policies aimed at permanent settlement. Some have formulated religious-based policies, while others have attempted to recruit foreign labor. And, as the contributors demonstrate, each of the countries has experienced international migration on a scale which was largely unforeseen and for which they were poorly prepared. Many, too, have evidenced profound shifts in immigration policy over time. The contributors fully address all of these issues, offering a wealth of information about the similarities and differences in national immigration policies and the dramatic social, economic, and political impact of shifts in these policies.