Center for Immigration Studies
Immigrants Have an ‘Enormous Work Ethic,’ Says Acclaimed Documentarian and Entrepreneur
In 2011, photographer and documentarian Jesus Ramirez was asked to help produce a special about the Mexican Revolution, to highlight the untold historic contributions brought to the United States by Mexicans fleeing their country. The goal was a single hourlong episode, but the order quickly grew to 20 independent… Read More
Lack of Labor: A Sweet Potato Farmer’s “Nightmare”
Every winter, Melissa Edmondson sends a stream of paperwork along with a $4,000 check to a firm in Georgia that specializes in processing visas for seasonal immigrant labor. The firm mails all the appropriate forms to all the appropriate agencies – state and federal offices scattered around… Read More
Devout Professor Says Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric Make Him “Ashamed” to Be Called an Evangelical
Cliff Williams, 72, a longtime professor at two prestigious evangelical universities, used to be a “staunch conservative.” Through his teaching and his faith, he eventually became passionate about social justice—including immigration reform. Personally, Williams has nothing to gain from comprehensive immigration reform. His European ancestors came to the American South… Read More
American Farmer Recreates Fatal Trek of Guatemalan Boy, Calls for Immigration Reform
Gary Larsen has been harvesting asparagus on his farm since 1989. The vast majority of his workers are immigrants who supply documents attesting to their lawful right to live and work in the United States. Yet Larsen can’t be completely confident that their papers are genuine. “Not a day goes… Read More
For Successful Executive, Immigration is a Part of the Family History
Today, Sunny Lu Williams is a successful corporate executive who has brokered deals with Google and HTC, but she still remembers the day many years ago when her grandfather—a Chinese rice-farmer and later military man—spread some colorful banknotes on the table in front of her. The crumpled New Taiwan dollars… Read More
Her Dream is Public Service, But it Hangs on Her Immigration Status
At the closing ceremony for the 2015 summer class of interns at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), 21-year-old Daniela Martinez delivered the farewell address. During her speech, the young leader addressed an audience that included Representatives Linda T. Sánchez, Henry Cuellar, Jim Costa, Ruben Gallego, Raúl Grijalva, Ben Ray… Read More
Top Event Producer Thanks Ronald Reagan for Helping Him Realize His Dreams
Ricardo Luna’s mother always believed her son would become a successful entrepreneur, but she never could have guessed that less than 10 years after leaving Zacatecas, Mexico, he’d be hired to produce events for elite corporate and star-studded clientele, including the Grammy Awards. Luna came to the United States when… Read More
Successful Foreign-Born CEO Explains Why Immigrant-Run Franchises Almost Never Fail
Ask any Hawaiian about L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a fast-food chain ubiquitous on the islands and the West Coast, and they can likely tell you about its traditional plate lunches complete with heaping scoops of macaroni salad. What they might not know is the company has more than 200 franchise locations,… Read More
Nevada Reverend Says Sheltering Undocumented Immigrants is an Expression of Faith
Last year, Rev. Neal Anderson and the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Northern Nevada, became the only church in the state to shelter undocumented immigrants at imminent risk of deportation. It was not a move they took lightly. After much debate, Rev. Anderson says about 80 percent of his congregants came… Read More
Fifth-Generation California Farmer Depends on Immigrants to Keep Crops Flourishing
As a fifth-generation farmer in California’s Central valley, immigrants are a key part of the workforce that keeps Daniel Bays’ family farm, Bays Ranch, in operation. A lack of legal accommodations for seasonal migrant labor oftentimes complicates Bays’ harvest of almonds, lima beans, and melons, and apricots. Across more than… Read More
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