We argue that the national state remains the main frame of reference in the field of immigration and ethnic relations. The cultural-historical imprint of the pattern of state formation has produced distinct regimes for the incorporation of migrants which largely explain variations in government policies, public debates, and collective mobilizations concerning this policy area. we first discuss the debate seen in the literature between supporters of the primacy of national sovereignty and post-nationalist theorists. We then describe the process of construction of a EU migration policy, stressing the economic foundations that has driven efforts at policy coordination and the prevailing intergovernmental approach. Finally, we present results of an ongoing project which show the strong variations that exist between counties as regards policies, debates, and mobilizations pertaining to international migration.