In this extended essay, Mary Antin asks us to consider three questions:

First: A question of principle: Have we any right to regulate immigration?
Second: A question of fact: What is the nature of our present immigration?
Third: A question of interpretation: Is immigration good for us?

In doing so, she asks us to step back from the usual discussion around immigration, which tends to focus on practical matters, and consider the underlying principles involved. What do we owe our fellow humans and what is our national mission as Americans?