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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.
The report documents the ineffectiveness of the government's efforts to improve security after September 11 and the effect of these domestic security actions on civil liberties and national unity. It proposes an alternative framework to enhance immigration enforcement and domestic security based on mobilizing intelligence and information capabilities, protecting borders, supporting law enforcement, and engaging Arab and Muslim American communities.
This report shows how sharp restrictions of the 1996 immigration law have combined with post-September 11 law and policy changes to create a two-tiered system of justice that singles out immigrants for unequal treatment. The United States should be able to protect its borders, limit illegal immigration, and preserve national security while protecting civil rights, promoting family reunification, and respecting due process. The study combines a clear description of legal changes with stories of affected individuals, and recommends steps to restore due process and fair treatment.
This study examines the impact of post-September 11 policies on open government, personal privacy, and human rights, with a special chapter describing the impact on the rights of immigrants, refugees, and minorities.
Analyzes how Mexico-U.S. migration functioned historically and how U.S. militarization of the border and restrictive policies of immigrant disenfranchisement adopted after 1986 have led to negative, unintended consequences for the United States and Mexico as well as the migrants themselves. Contends that U.S. policy of promoting greater integration of North American markets for goods, capital, and information but attempting to deny the reality of labor integration is destined to fail, and proposes policies to bring labor migration aboveboard and accepted as part of the emerging transnational economy.
Shows how punitive immigration and border enforcement policies have backfired, resulting in higher numbers of undocumented spread across larger areas of United States. Recommends 1) regulating border on binational basis by increasing annual quotas, establishing a flexible temporary labor program, and regularizing status of migrants in U.S.; 2) reducing incentives to hire undocumented workers through enforcing tax, labor, and worker-safety laws; and 3) developing strategies to help migrants better use earnings for savings and investment in Mexican communities.
The study describes the history of African migration to the United States and how significant increases in contemporary migration from Africa are helping to bring diversity to black communities and bridge the gap between native and foreign-born populations.
Contends that the roots of the undocumented immigrant crisis lie in policymakers' fundamental misunderstanding of the causes of migration and migrants' motivations. Uses data to rebut basic misconceptions: that migration is caused by the lack of economic development and rapid population growth in home countries; that migrants are attracted mainly by wage differentials or public benefits; and that most intend to settle permanently in the United States.
This guide explains the complexity of immigrant eligibility for federal benefit programs after the 1996 welfare law restrictions were implemented, as well as replacement programs enacted by states to soften the impact of federal cuts. It gives detailed information on eligibility for foster care and other children's programs as well as programs providing cash assistance, food, housing, employment, education, legal, and disaster relief services. In addition, it clarifies how to identify immigrant status and provides a glossary of terms.
This paper puts contemporary demographic change into the historical context by synthesizing data and research on immigration patterns and policies since 1820. It also covers economic effects, naturalization, and migration from Mexico under NAFTA.
This study assesses demographic trends indicating how well immigrant families are faring and explores conceptual and policy design issues that should inform an immigrant integration agenda. It also reviews federal spending on immigrants in areas key to integration, such as education, and outlines policy issues affecting future directions in safety net, education, employment, and housing programs.
This article reviews research on how the 1986 legalization program affected the undocumented, including results of a large-scale, longitudinal study conducted in 1989 and 1992 with 4,000 immigrants who legalized. Although many arrived with low skill levels and took low-wage jobs, by 1992 the majority had moved up to better jobs as a result of legalization.
The study reports results of a multi-stakeholder task force, including key politicians and corporate and union leaders, convened to examine the importance of immigration to the Midwest. It documents how immigration helps prevent population decline, reinvigorates economic growth, and contributes to cultural diversity. It recommends a series of policy proposals to reform the U.S. immigration system, strengthen communities through an integration agenda, and provide infrastructure to implement the recommendations.
This assessment by a bi-partisan state oversight agency concludes that California has not come to terms with the challenge of the nation’s largest immigrant population and r. ecommends that the state realign public and community efforts to effectively integrate immigrants and urge the federal government to reform failed immigration policies. The oversight agency also proposeds the formation of a “California Residency Program” that would include undocumented immigrants who commit to becoming responsible residents, on the grounds that denying services and opportunities delays integration, reduces immigrants’ contributions, and bloats state costs.
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