ABSTRACT
Both legal and illegal immigrants have also become the face of two sweeping forces: the fraying of local community ties and the decline of national sovereignty. The title of Robert Putnam’s controversial book Bowling Alone has become a national metaphor for the perceived decay of social bonds and traditional institutions that have helped to make a diverse democracy function. At the same time, transformations in communication and transportation have resulted in an increasingly interconnected globe that leaves Americans and immigrants unsure about who is part of their community and where they belong.
