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CIS Report Marred by ‘Deception and Disorder’
By Anam Rahman In a report issued earlier today, the restrictionist Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) took aim at problems facing the U.S. immigration court system—a topic worthy of serious discussion. Unfortunately, as with many of CIS’ publications, today’s report combines dramatic rhetoric and unsubstantiated data with ill-conceived solutions. While it is unlikely the report […]
Read MoreImmigration Court Backlog Likely to Get Worse Before It Gets Better
Our nation’s immigration courts are backlogged. Historically backlogged. At the end of last year, more than 260,000 cases remained pending before immigration judges. Across the country, the average wait was nearly sixteen months. In California, thousands of cases have been pending for more than two years. While justice is not always swift, our immigration courts […]
Read MoreDHS Announces Extension and Re-Designation of Temporary Protective Status for Haitians
Today, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the extension and re-designation of Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Haitians currently in the United States. The extension would allow approximately 48,000 Haitian nationals—whose homeland was devastated by an earthquake in 2010 and is still plagued by disease and instability—to extend their TPS for an […]
Read MoreGeorgia Gov. Nathan Deal Signs Arizona-Style Enforcement Law
Today, Georgia Governor Nathan Deal signed HB 87—an Arizona-style immigration law which allows police to investigate the immigration status of certain suspects and requires businesses to verify work eligibility of new hires—into law, despite the threat of economic boycotts and negative fiscal impacts. Georgia’s state legislature passed HB 87 last month amid outcries from businesses […]
Read MoreAnother Study Highlights Need for Legal Representation in Immigration Court
Findings released last week by the New York Immigration Representation Study reveal what immigration advocates long have said: whether a person has legal representation is a critical factor in obtaining a favorable result in immigration court. The findings—which are based on a study of individuals apprehended in New York from October 2005 through December 2010—show […]
Read MoreThe Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX III)
How U.S. Integration Policy Stacks Up Against Other Countries
Integration is an often overlooked but key component of U.S. immigration policy. Successful integration of immigrants fuels their success, strengthens communities, and builds bridges between newcomers and other community members. Time and again, the influx of immigrants into a community has been shown to reverse economic decline and breathe new life into urban areas, small towns, and rural communities. Moreover, integration can be a key to entrepreneurship and future economic growth. For example, research by Richard Florida and Charlotta Mellander found that nations which focus more on immigrant integration have higher levels of economic competitiveness, are more innovative, and have higher rates of entrepreneurship. Understanding how federal and state laws facilitate or hinder integration is therefore an important component of setting integration policy.
State Lawmakers Continue to Push Immigration Enforcement Measures, Despite Warnings
Although state lawmakers have heavily revised their immigration measures—stripping away provisions they believe will meet fierce opposition—they nevertheless continue to push forward, determined to put anything resembling “get-tough” legislation on the books. In fact, a number of measures targeting undocumented immigrants moved through state legislatures in recent weeks, including Florida, Indiana, Oklahoma and Alabama—despite warnings […]
Read MorePress Release: Utah Leaders Support Smart Immigration Reform
Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, Utah Rep. Brad Daw (R-Orem), Partnership for a New American Economy representatives, and 60 business leaders and politicians discuss how to harness the job-creating power of immigrants at two events hosted by Partnership for a New American Economy members Lane Beattie, CEO of the Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce, […]
Read MoreHelp Wanted: Latino Leaders and Presidential Leadership Needed on Immigration Reform
President Obama has convened a number of meetings on the issue of immigration lately. However, the one that got the most attention took place this week and included a notable group of Latino actors, journalists and radio personalities for what Politico called “Obama’s Celebrity Roundtable.”
Read MoreNew Report Underscores Economic Folly of S.B. 1070-Type Laws in California
Fans of Arizona’s SB 1070 and its many imitators fail to mention one critical feature of their beloved legislation: its economic destructiveness. A dramatic example of just how destructive an SB 1070 clone could be is detailed in a new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP) and the Immigration Policy Center (IPC). The […]
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