Immigration Reform
The last time Congress updated our legal immigration system was November 1990, one month before the World Wide Web went online. We are long overdue for comprehensive immigration reform.
Through immigration reform, we can provide noncitizens with a system of justice that provides due process of law and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Because it can be a contentious and wide-ranging issue, we aim to provide advocates with facts and work to move bipartisan solutions forward. Read more about topics like legalization for undocumented immigrants and border security below.
Executive Grants of Temporary Immigration Relief, 1956-Present
Much has been made of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, through which he deferred deportation for young adults brought to the U.S. as children. But as immigration legal scholar Hiroshi Motomura has noted, the president has broad executive authority to shape the enforcement and implementation of immigration laws, including exercising prosecutorial discretion to defer deportations and streamline certain adjudications. In fact, history books reveal that President Obama’s action follows a long line of presidents who relied on their executive branch authority to address immigration challenges. Read More

How Investing in English Language Learning Can Boost Local Economies
As local leaders explore ways to grow their local and regional economies, one area to address is access to English language learning opportunities for all members of a community. A new report by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce… Read More

New Report Highlights Innovative Integration Initiatives in the Midwest
Last week, the Detroit City Council unanimously passed a resolution for Detroit to become a “welcoming city.” As Global Detroit notes, “The designation,” part of the Welcoming Cities and Counties initiative, “recognizes places that support locally-driven efforts to create more welcoming, immigrant-friendly environments that maximize opportunities for… Read More

Cities Recognize the Power of Naturalization During Citizenship Day and Welcoming Week
Each year on September 17, the United States observes Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, a combined event that commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the constitution in 1787 and recognizes all those who are or have become U.S. citizens. This week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is celebrating… Read More

Cities Find Creative Ways for Civic Immigrant Integration
Shifts in where immigrants are settling once they arrive in the U.S. have encouraged local governments across the country to cultivate creative opportunities to better meet challenges and promote newcomer integration into the life of a city. Continuing its new series, Cities and Regions: Reaping Migration’s Local… Read More

Conservative Lawmakers Double Down on Deporting DREAMers and Limiting Deferred Action
Before adjourning for their summer recess a month ago, the House passed a partisan supplemental spending bill that had no hope of making it through the Senate. First, it did not provide anywhere near what the White House was requesting in order to deal with the crisis of… Read More

New Reports Examine Who Might Benefit from Immigration Administrative Action
As the Obama administration continues its deliberations over what sorts of executive actions the President might take to begin repairing the broken U.S. immigration system, it would be wise to keep in mind just how much a part of U.S. society the unauthorized immigrant population has become. At this… Read More

136 Law Professors Say President Has Legal Authority to Act on Immigration
After immigration reform stalled in the House, President Obama announced that he plans to “fix as much of our immigration system as I can on my own, without Congress.” A chorus of legal experts and columnists agreed that he’d be on solid ground if he did. Read More

136 Leading Experts on Immigration Law Agree: President Has Legal Authority to Expand Relief
Washington D.C. — U.S. law professors sent a letter today to the White House stating that President Obama has wide legal authority to make needed changes to immigration enforcement policy. The president is considering how to use his authority to mitigate the damage caused by our dysfunctional immigration system… Read More

The President’s Solid Ground for Executive Action on Immigration
Comprehensive immigration reform legislation would give a majority of America’s 11 million undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship and work authorization. But with immigration reform stalled in the House, President Obama announced that he plans to “fix as much of our immigration system as I can… Read More
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