From PRI, Public Radio International and KCRW Santa Monica, this is To the Point.

A long-term look at immigration.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International,

a daily look at the issues. Americans care about most.

Immigration will be back

on Capitol Hill's front burner next week with President Bush urging what he calls comprehensive

reform. But even an unlikely consensus on new policies may not change the reality that millions

of newcomers are already here and more are coming. On to the point, how are they changing America and the way Americans look at each other? As immigrants flock to the central part of the country, what can be learned from Los Angeles, the most diverse place in America? Is the future assimilation as it's been in the past, or Balkanization? On reporter's notebook later on, big changes at the Smithsonian Institution.

First, here's the news.

Support for To the Point comes from subscribers of KCRW Santa Monica and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund, whose contributors include the Ford Foundation and the John

D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Hello again. Warren

Alney, back with To the Point. Congress will take another stab at immigration reform next week with a boost

from the White House. On To the Point, however, the policy debate turns out how are newcomers

changing America now? Is something new going on? Or will past patterns be repeated into the second and third generations?

On reporter's notebook, excessive spending and potential conflicts of interest at the Smithsonian Institution.

First is news update at the White House today. As expected, President Bush and Israeli Prime Minister

Omar discussed their efforts to bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his battle with Hamas.

First of all, we recognize the president of all the Palestinian people, and that's President of Umbudsman.

He was elected. He's the president.

Secondly, we recognized that it was Hamas that attacked the unity government.

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