• Publication Date: April 13, 2012

The Coming Wave of Second-Generation Voters

The Latino vote is widely discussed at election time, yet little analysis is dedicated to the “immigrant vote,” and even less to the growing bloc of voters who are the U.S.-born children of immigrants. Yet, both immigrants and their children are showing tremendous growth and voting potential. Although many second-generation Americans are still children, more and more of them will come of voting age in future elections. As that happens, political candidates will be forced to take notice. Read More

• Publication Date: April 11, 2012

Does the Punishment Fit the Crime? Experts Examine “Proportionality” and “Discretion” in Our Immigration System

As immigration becomes an ever more controversial part of the American debate, conversations often turn to details about legislation and court battles rather than questioning whether fundamental principles of justice are being applied throughout our immigration system. Two new reports released today, however, address some of these key principles, such as the idea of proportionality (whether the punishment fits the crime in immigration court) and the idea of discretion (how and when immigration law is applied). While these reports probe different areas of immigration law, they both represent a new way of thinking about how our immigration system functions, or at least should be functioning, today. Read More

• Publication Date: April 10, 2012

Appellate Court Hears Arguments in Case Challenging DOMA, Bi-National Married Couples File New Suit

Same sex couples face often insurmountable hurdles when it comes to immigration status.  Under the Defense of Marriage Act (“DOMA”), lesbian and gay U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are barred from obtaining immigrant visas for their spouses.  When Congress enacted DOMA in 1996, no state celebrated marriages between gay and lesbian couples.  But, the landscape has changed.  Today, lesbian and gay couples in six states plus the District of Columbia have the freedom to marry under state law.  This welcome progress, however, does not help the estimated 36,000 lesbian and gay bi-national couples living in the United States.  Because DOMA prohibits immigration authorities from recognizing same sex marriages that are legal under state law, bi-national married couples continue to face potential separation.  However, last week brought us closer to immigration equality for lesbian and gay couples. Read More

• Publication Date: March 15, 2012

Being Anti-Immigrant Doesn’t Work in Politics, Even in the South

Alabama State Sen. Scott Beason outside the State House. While anti-immigrant sentiment may win candidates a few headlines, it certainly doesn’t resonate with every day voters. Following Alabama’s GOP primary this week, a CNN exit poll found that “illegal immigration” was not a top-of-mind issue for many Alabamians. According to the survey, only 3% of the respondents cited “illegal immigration” as the most important issue for them, trailing “the economy” at 59% and the nation’s “budget deficit” at 25%.  Ironically, residents of the state with the toughest anti-immigrant law in the nation (HB 56) don’t see eye to eye with the legislators who pushed the law through the legislature last year. In fact, residents don’t seem to want anti-immigrant legislators representing them in Congress. Read More

• Publication Date: March 5, 2012

Number of Potential Immigrant Voters on the Rise in Key Super Tuesday States

Three of the twelve states holding Republican primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday—Georgia, Massachusetts and Virginia—show especially strong trends in the numbers of foreign-born residents who have become U.S. citizens. This trend is significant given that these new Americans are able to register and vote. Immigrant communities in each of these states are large, exceeding 800,000 persons, and make up almost 10% or more of the statewide population. In fact, these three states are home to 71% of all immigrants living in the Super Tuesday states. While we don’t yet know how many of these naturalized U.S. citizens will vote on Super Tuesday or in the general election, GOP presidential candidates—many of whom have taken a hard line on immigration—would do well to take note of this trend. Read More

• Publication Date: March 5, 2012

Number of Potential Immigrant Voters on the Rise in Key Super Tuesday States

Three of the twelve states holding Republican primaries or caucuses on Super Tuesday—Georgia, Massachusetts and Virginia—show especially strong trends in the numbers of foreign-born residents who have become U.S. citizens. This trend is significant given that these new Americans are able to register and vote. Immigrant communities in each of these states are large, exceeding 800,000 persons, and make up almost 10% or more of the statewide population. In fact, these three states are home to 71% of all immigrants living in the Super Tuesday states. While we don’t yet know how many of these naturalized U.S. citizens will vote on Super Tuesday or in the general election, GOP presidential candidates—many of whom have taken a hard line on immigration—would do well to take note of this trend. Read More

• Publication Date: March 5, 2012

Number of Potential Immigrant Voters on the Rise in Key Super Tuesday States

• Publication Date: February 29, 2012

New Report Debunks Myth of Self-Deportation

Faced with harsh anti-immigrant laws passed by state or local governments, most unauthorized immigrants do not return to their home countries. That is the inescapable conclusion of a new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP), entitled Staying Put but Still in the Shadows, by Leah Muse-Orlinoff. The report finds that unauthorized immigrants react to anti-immigrant laws by moving to a different county or state, or by staying right where they are and isolating themselves even further from the larger society. In other words, GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney was wrong when he argued that a “self deportation” solution to the problem of unauthorized immigration might actually work. Read More

• Publication Date: February 28, 2012
• Economics

New Data Highlights Immigrant Integration and Economic Contributions

A recent analysis of data from the Census Bureau highlights the degree to which immigrants integrate into U.S. society and contribute to the U.S. economy. In its latest statistical profile of the foreign-born population, the Pew Hispanic Center presents statistics which illustrate that most immigrants have been here for more than a decade, more become homeowners the longer they are here, and growing numbers are becoming U.S. citizens. Moreover, the data show the degree to which immigrants fuel labor-force growth and fill valuable roles in the economy as workers in both high-skilled and less-skilled occupations. Read More

• Publication Date: February 22, 2012

A New Way to Measure the Burgeoning Power of the Immigrant Vote

Voter registration is a key measure of immigrant integration. After all, what could be more American than casting your ballot on Election Day?  When measuring immigrant voting patterns, voter registration is typically defined as the percent of naturalized immigrants (those who have become U.S. citizens) who are registered to vote. In other words, we only look at those currently eligible to vote because they have naturalized, instead of looking at the percentage of naturalized registered voters against all immigrants, documented or undocumented. The problem with that approach is we miss a big and important picture on the potential of the immigrant voting block—that many of those not eligible now, may well be eligible in the future. Read More