'Comprehensive' Legislation v. Fundamental Reform: The Limits of Current Immigration Proposals

Author: 
Rosenblum, Marc R.
Periodical: 
MPI Policy Brief No. 13
Year: 
2006
Month: 
January
Publisher: 
Migration Policy Institute
Publication Location: 
Washington, D.C.
Description: 

As the Senate prepares to debate “comprehensive” immigration reform, policymakers are mainly focused on possible expansions to lawful permanent resident admissions, a new temporary worker program, and a range of contrasting policies targeting the unauthorized population within the United States. Yet proposed reforms likely would fail to address the mismatch between visa supply and demand, the system’s over-reliance on temporary nonimmigrant visas, inefficient immigrant labor regulations, and the challenges of responding to the roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. The Policy Brief evaluates the ability of current proposals to resolve these flaws and provide criteria for considering competing approaches.

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Side-By Side Chart for Major Immigration Legislation Pending in 109th Congress108.18 KB
"Comprehensive" Legislation vs. Fundamental Reform: The Limits of Current Immigration Proposals571.28 KB

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