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What’s missing in America’s immigration debate
Has the U.S. forgotten how critical a vibrant immigrant community and a functioning immigration policy are to the nation’s economy? A showdown is expected today in the U.S. Senate on a Homeland Security spending bill that would derail President Obama’s recent actions on immigration. What seems lost in this “inside-the-Beltway” political fight is what the […]
Read MoreSenate Shoots Down House’s Bad Homeland Security Funding Bill
The House-passed bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security—and the anti-executive action amendments that were added—failed to advance in the Senate on a procedural vote. Senators voted 48 to 51, with Republican Dean Heller (NV) joining with the Democrats to vote against the measure. Because it was a procedural vote, the bill needed more […]
Read MoreHouse Bill to Seal the Border is Unrealistic, Congressional Budget Office Finds
Last week, the House Homeland Security Committee sent to the House floor H.R. 399, the “Secure our Borders First” Act. The measure would mandate 100 percent “operational control”—defined as “the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States”—of high traffic areas within two years, and the entire Southern border within five. DHS Secretary Jeh […]
Read MoreImmigrant Entrepreneurs Bring Vitality to Main Street, Help Local Economies Grow
Midtown Global Market, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is a place where vendors hawk fresh produce, baked goods, coffee and espressos, and arts and jewelry. And as its more than 40 different businesses represent people from five continents, the market is one example of how a city can cultivate the entrepreneurial potential of immigrants. Midtown Global Market […]
Read MoreStates’ Lawsuit Against Executive Action More Politics Than Substance
On Thursday, a Texas federal judge will hear 25 states’ arguments to block President Obama’s recent immigration executive actions. But the suit has more value as political theater than as a legitimate constitutional challenge. There’s no merit to the case. The president, cast by states as the villain, acted entirely within the bounds of his […]
Read MoreIt took me 2 years to get a 5 month visa
Yesterday, I received what I thought was a good news: “your visa application has been approved”! The side note was: it’s valid until may 2015. I started applying for a working visa exactly 2 years ago, to be able to drive an grow Sketchfab in the US. Their are several visa options, and I got plenty of […]
Read MoreThe Cost of Citizenship is a Barrier for Some Immigrants
Of the 13.3 million legal permanent residents (LPRs) in the United States, 8.8 million are currently eligible for citizenship. Many, however, are not making the leap from legal permanent resident status to citizen. The number of those naturalizing has been less than 800,000 for the past five consecutive years, and in 2013, a mere 8.9 […]
Read MoreStates Begin New Year by Implementing New Immigration Laws
Many of the positive immigration reforms approved in 2014 happened in the states. Despite federal inaction on federal immigration reform, state and local officials took pragmatic steps to help undocumented immigrants living in their communities better integrate. Connecticut and California were two of 10 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico […]
Read MoreImmigrants in California
More than a quarter of California residents are immigrants, while nearly one in four residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
Read MoreImmigrants in North Carolina
Eight percent of North Carolina residents are immigrants, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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