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.
Why is the Obama Administration Arguing that Undocumented Immigrants Should Not Practice Law?
Today, the California Supreme Court will hear oral argument in a case that asks whether an undocumented immigrant may receive a license to practice law in California. The Committee of Bar Examiners – the entity charged with deciding who qualifies for a law license in California – supports admitting Sergio Garcia to the bar. So do some 48 organizations and 53 individuals who signed on to “friend of the court” briefs submitted to the California Supreme Court. Of the three opposing arguments filed, two came from individuals but the other came from an unexpected source: the Department of Justice. Not only did DOJ voluntarily weigh in with a hypertechnical argument that is tone deaf to the current debate over undocumented status in this country, but it took the same position in a Florida case involving a lawfully present and work-authorized recipient of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), Jose Godinez-Samperio. Even if there was a good legal argument for opposing admission of an unauthorized immigrant to the bar, the rationale makes little sense in the context of an individual who is a DACA beneficiary. In both cases, however, the result DOJ seeks would lead to less socio-economic inclusion of the very immigrants the Obama administration seeks to protect. Read More
New Report Provides Specific Measures of Latino, Asian, and Immigrant Voters in Upcoming Elections
Following the 2012 presidential election, many Republican leaders and pundits concluded that Mitt Romney’s position on immigration hurt him with a range of voters, particularly Latinos and Asians. As a result, senior Republicans began to argue that immigration reform was not only inevitable, but was vital to the survival of the Republican Party. While this philosophy has been embraced by many national leaders, some rank-and-file congressional Republicans in districts where non-Latino white voters are still in the majority have found the argument less compelling. Read More
Labor Day Celebrations Should Also Pay Tribute to Immigrant Workers
Americans are observing Labor Day, which pays tribute to the many contributions and achievements of American workers. As celebrations are underway, the holiday offers an opportune moment to reflect on the very concept of American workers. In other words, who is an American worker? Where do immigrants—who contribute their talents and labor to the production of goods and services in the United States—fit into the picture? Read More
Immigrant Business Owners Continue to Contribute to Communities Across America
During the August recess, Members of Congress have been meeting with constituents in their home states and districts. During this time, many have likely dined at an immigrant-owned restaurant or used the services of an immigrant-owned business within their home state. The fact is, immigrant businesses are important in many communities across America. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create new jobs, and boost local and state economies. Indeed, immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators continue to make contributions throughout the U.S. Read More
Lessons from the Civil Rights Era for Immigration Reformers
On the 50th Anniversary of the historic “March on Washington” which led to some of the most significant legislative victories in the civil rights movement, it’s hard to not reflect on the influence that activists and legislators in the 1960’s have had and should have on the immigrant rights movement today. There are, in fact at least two very important takeaways for immigration reformers. First, the activists in the 60’s showed that the power was indeed in the hands of the people and flexing political muscle would pay off. Second, final passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act demonstrated how strong political leaders can negotiate controversial bills and get them across the finish line. Read More
Fight for Fairness and Justice in its Many Forms Far From Over
Wednesday marks 50 years since more than 250,000 people joined the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom and pushed the government to extend civil and economic rights to African Americans. A massive rally where the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. made his historic “I Have a Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, it has been credited with spurring passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Read More
ICE Policy on Parental Rights Addresses Long Overdue Problem in Immigration System
For years, leading family and children’s advocates have argued that the bond between parent and child is often a casualty of our broken immigration system. Consequently, they have argued that ensuring parental rights in the context of immigration proceedings is critical—whether the issue is about determining who should have custody of an unaccompanied minor, exercising discretion to release a sole caregiver from detention, or ensuring that a person in immigration proceedings doesn’t automatically lose parental rights. On Friday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) finally released a memorandum that offers clear guidelines on these questions. Unfortunately, some people, like House Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, immediately tried to turn this into a political issue about immigration reform, instead of what it is—guidance for making sure the rights of parents and children are protected. Read More
Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: The RNC on Immigration Reform
The Republican National Committee took two steps forward last week when they passed a resolution calling on Congress to get immigration reform done by year’s end, but took one step back by suggesting Congress offer legal status, but no path to citizenship for the currently undocumented population. This was followed by statements from Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee this week, who declared that he does not support a path to citizenship for DREAMers, and no immediate status for their parents. This illustrates just how much further the party has to go before it is in sync with a growing number of its own members—several of whom have just begun to declare their support for a path to citizenship —and the vast majority of the public, who support immigration reform and full citizenship for the undocumented. Read More
Our Immigration System Must Encourage Foreign Entrepreneurs to Invest in the U.S.
Immigrants started 33 percent of U.S. venture-backed companies between 2006 and 2012 that went public, according to a new report from the National Venture Capital Association. The report, however, also noted that there is no reliable immigration program for foreign entrepreneurs, who must surmount enormous legal difficulties in order to come here to create businesses and drive innovation and job growth. Read More
Immigrant Entrepreneurs Help Build U.S. Economy One Company at a Time
Google, Intel, eBay, Yahoo!, Facebook, LinkedIn, SanDisk, Altera, Zoosk, Etsy, Tesla Motors. What characteristic does each of these well-known companies share? They each were either founded by an immigrant or have at least one immigrant founder. Now, a new report from the National Venture Capital Association highlights the profound impacts that immigrant entrepreneurs—like the immigrants who helped to found major U.S. corporations—have on our economy. Immigrant entrepreneurs start companies throughout America in many different industries, creating value and new jobs in the United States, and advancing U.S. innovation. Read More
Make a contribution
Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.
