Enforcement
How to Get the Immigration System in Line With Our Nation’s Values and Interests
Over the past two decades, much of the immigration policy debate has focused on issues related to immigration enforcement. In fact, many argue that “enforcement first”—the notion that we must adequately enforce the laws on the books before considering broader immigration reforms—has de facto become the nation’s singular immigration… Read More
Refugees Contribute More In Taxes Than They Ever Receive in Benefits
Refugee resettlement has long been a cornerstone of United States foreign policy, but in the first weeks of the Trump administration, the president attempted to suspend the decades-long program in favor of a more isolationist approach. One reason the president gave for wanting to temporarily bar the world’s refugees was… Read More
Know Your Rights in Texas: Preparing for State’s New Anti-Immigrant Law SB4
After debate rocked the Texas State Capitol, Governor Greg Abbott signed the controversial Senate Bill 4 (SB4) in May, which purports to ban sanctuary city policies and gives local police the authority to inquire about the immigration status of anyone they detain. Though the law won’t go into effect… Read More
President Trump Unveils Harsh Immigration Budget Proposals
President Trump released his formal budget request to Congress for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 this week, which seeks to solidify the harsh proposals laid out in his immigration executive orders. The budget aims to fund the beginnings of a border wall, as well as increase immigration enforcement, detention, and deportations. Read More
By Eliminating the Polygraph Test, Corruption among Border Agencies Could Run Rampant
The House and Senate Homeland Security Committees took action this month on two nearly identical bills that seek to fast-track the hiring of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers and Agents by weakening CBP hiring standards. If passed, these bills would eliminate critical polygraph requirements that are widely used… Read More
Latinos Are Afraid to Report Crime as Debate Around Immigration Intensifies
The Trump administration has demonstrated that no one is off limits when it comes to ramping up their deportation policies, and as a result community safety is in jeopardy. Despite the fact that they say their policies will keep Americans safer, data shows that members of the public are becoming… Read More
Training for U.S.-Educated Noncitizens Withstands Another Restrictionist Attack
Some foreign students complete their stay in the United States by gaining professional experience in their field of study. Immigration restrictionists want to end that opportunity. For the second time, a court has ruled against a group that has repeatedly tried to stop foreign students in F-1 status from… Read More
It’s Not up for Debate: Immigrants Invigorate the Economy
As any reputable economist will tell you, immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy in many ways. Yet the often subtle complexities of immigration economics are largely absent from a March 24 opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal authored by Mark Krikorian, Executive Director of the anti-immigrant… Read More
Immigration Policy Fifteen Years After 9/11
Fifteen years ago on September 11, 2001, it appeared that comprehensive immigration reform was imminent. The prior week, President Vicente Fox of Mexico visited the U.S. and spoke to President Bush and Congress about the need for reform, and serious momentum was growing. However, the tragic events on September… Read More
Government’s Treatment of Asylum Seekers Falling Short
Human Rights First (HRF) and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) each released reports this month detailing the flawed treatment of asylum seekers in the United States. The USCIRF report, Barriers to Protection: The Treatment of Asylum Seekers in Expedited Removal, looks at the Department of Homeland… Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone