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Just the Facts

Immigration Fact Checks provide up-to-date information on the most current issues involving immigration today.

Not In Competition

High levels of unemployment have led some to propagate the myth that every immigrant added to the U.S. labor force amounts to a job lost by a native-born worker, or that every job loss for a native-born worker is evidence that there is need for one less immigrant worker. In fact, this has been the rationale behind any number of harsh legislative proposals targeting immigrants. These kinds of proposals may be appealing politically, but they reflect dangerously simplistic assumptions about labor-force dynamics. Moreover, such proposals distract from the far more important goal of creating economic policies that generate growth and create jobs for workers across the U.S. labor market. As data from the 2009 Current Population Survey illustrates, most immigrant and native-born workers are not competing with each other in today’s tight job markets.

Published On: Thu, Jun 10, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Constitution State

The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Connecticut.

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Published On: Wed, Jun 09, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Ocean State

The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Rhode Island.

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Published On: Wed, Jun 09, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Magnolia State

The Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Mississippi.

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Published On: Fri, May 28, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Yellowhammer State

The Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Alabama.

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Published On: Fri, May 28, 2010 | Download File

Throwing Good Money After Bad

Immigration Enforcement without Immigration Reform Doesn’t Work

This week, the Senate will consider amendments to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill that would add thousands of additional personnel along the border (including the National Guard), as well as provide millions of dollars for detention beds, technology, and resources.  Yesterday, bowing to pressure, President Obama announced that he would send 1,200 National Guard troops to the border and request $500 million for additional resources.  All of this attention on resources for the border ignores the fact that border enforcement alone is not going to resolve the underlying problems with our broken immigration system.

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Published On: Wed, May 26, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Beaver State

The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Oregon.

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Published On: Fri, May 14, 2010 | Download File

New Americans in the Sooner State

The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in Oklahoma.

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Published On: Fri, May 07, 2010 | Download File

Arizona is Not the First State to Take Immigration Matters into their Own Hands

UPDATED 05/26/10 - Arizona’s controversial new immigration law (SB 1070) is the latest in a long line of efforts to regulate immigration at the state level. While the Grand Canyon State’s foray into immigration law is one of the most extreme and punitive, other states have also attempted to enforce federal law through state-specific measures and sanctions. Oklahoma and Georgia have passed measures, with mixed constitutional results, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration through state enforcement. Legislators in 45 states introduced 1,180 bills and resolutions[i] in the first quarter of 2010 alone, compared to 570 in all of 2006. Not all state legislation relating to immigration is punitive—much of it falls within traditional state jurisdiction, such as legislation that attempts to improve high school graduation rates among immigrants or funds. The leap into federal enforcement, however, represents a disturbing trend fueled by the lack of comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level. 

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Published On: Thu, May 06, 2010 | Download File

Real Enforcement with Practical Answers for Immigration Reform (REPAIR) Proposal Summary

On April 29, 2010, Democratic Senators Schumer, Reid, Menendez, Feinstein, and Leahy unveiled a proposed outline for a comprehensive immigration reform bill.  The “conceptual framework” offers a broad platform for re-inventing our immigration system and attempts to find a middle ground that may appeal to more conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans.  Consequently, details are noticeably lacking in many areas of the proposal.  Nonetheless, the underlying concept reflects a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform which attempts to balance traditional enforcement priorities with the creation of legal means for entering and working in the United States.  Read more...

Published On: Mon, May 03, 2010 | Download File