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Birthright Citizenship: Myths, Facts and Why It Matters
The issue of birthright citizenship, although not traditionally a sexy topic, is not without controversy. In the 2008 election, for example, the legitimacy of both parties’ candidates was called into question—Republican candidate, Sen. John McCain, was born on a U.S. military base in the Panama Canal Zone and Democratic candidate, President Barack Obama, was born […]
Read MorePublic Discourse, Pragmatism and Policy: The Souring of the Immigration Debate
The behavior of anti-immigrant groups and talk radio hosts gathering in Washington this week is a reminder that immigration, like so many divisive issues before it, brings out the worst in the body politic. Many of those classic hot-button culture issues—such as euthanasia or abortion—shift into intensely personal religious, moral and philosophical disagreements that often […]
Read MoreNew Report Holds Immigration Detention System Up to the Light
Transparency and oversight have never topped Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) priority list—especially during the post-9/11 Bush administration when ICE’s detention system nearly tripled in size. Last month, however, ICE director John Morton announced a new plan to overhaul the flawed immigration detention system and broaden federal oversight. Sure, the new plan was announced shortly […]
Read MoreImmigrants with Mental Disabilities Are Deprived Their Day in Court
The U.S. legal system is premised on the idea that every party in a case is afforded his or her day in court and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Yet, for individuals with mental disabilities facing deportation from the United States—including those whose removal will mean being permanently barred from ever returning—that day may […]
Read MoreImmigration, Southern Manners, and South Carolina Demographics
Courtesy and demographics are not two issues commonly lumped together into one discussion. However, after Congressman Joe Wilson’s outburst during President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress to discuss heath care reform last night, this seems an apropos time to remind the Congressman about the importance of courtesy, the reality of his state’s […]
Read MoreTaking the Temperature of Comprehensive Immigration Reform
The energy in Washington changes as soon as Congress returns from recess, and this year the air is particularly charged with anticipation of the health care reform debate to come. In the immigration world, we are watching the debate as a barometer of what to expect later in the session when the long-promised Schumer bill […]
Read MoreCIS Adds to Falsehoods about Health Care Reform
It would seem that the Center for Immigration Studies has decided to jump on the talk-radio bandwagon of far-right commentators who are loudly attempting to derail substantive health care reform through fear-mongering and falsehoods. Although CIS has so far steered clear of the baseless rants about “death panels” and “socialized medicine,” it has issued a […]
Read MoreSpeak up! The Department of Homeland Security is Listening
The 2009 Quadrennial Homeland Security Review process, a web-based interactive dialogue designed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to allow your opinions and ideas to inform and strengthen the Department’s relationship with its vast array of partners and stakeholders, has been up and running for a few weeks now. The online portal, however, will […]
Read MoreNew Report Measures Widening Gap Between Republicans and Latino Voters
A New York Times article from 1882 stated, “It is a trite saying that in a free country public opinion rules. […] It often happens that a question of policy becomes of pressing importance before public opinion develops in regard to it.” More than one-hundred years later, this idea remains true—especially in regard to Latino […]
Read MoreMyth: Illegal Immigrants Will Receive Free Health Care
In a Newsweek article this week, “The Five Biggest Lies in the Health Care Debate,” the myth that illegal immigrants will receive free health care ranked ranked number three on the list of health care lies gone viral. The article names Rep. Steve King of Iowa, who claimed in a USA Today Op-ed that prohibition […]
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