IPC In The News

Why an immigration amnesty could benefit British workers

Indeed, there is conclusive evidence that granting amnesty to illegal immigrants enables them to boost their income, reducing socio-economic disparities. As part of the last attempt at immigration reform 25 years ago, the United States granted amnesty to nearly 3 million immigrants. A study carried out last November by the American Immigration Council found that whereas their homeownership rates and skills levels lagged those of equivalent ages who had been born in the United States, this gap had almost completely disappeared by 2006. Indeed, many of those who came to the United States in their late 20s and early 30s without the equivalent of a secondary education had improved their levels of qualifications, suggesting that they had invested time and money in remedial education.

Published In: Statesman | 10/08/10

Flag-Wrapped Wrestler Cejudo Values Birthright Citizenship Over Gold Medal

Eliminating birthright citizenship would mean everyone, not just immigrants, would have to prove their status and would require a federal bureaucracy to determine who is a citizen, said Michele Waslin, a policy analyst at the Immigration Policy Center, a Washington-based nonpartisan research group.

Published In: Bloomberg | 10/07/10

Poll indicates Latinos alienated by GOP

According to the most recent data from the 2010 Census, Latinos make up 11.5 percent of Utah’s population. The Immigration Policy Center revealed 32 percent of immigrants in Utah in 2008 were naturalized citizens who can vote. That number continues to rise.

Published In: Salt Lake City Examiner | 10/06/10

Hatch’s new immigration bill: Focus on enforcement

Ben Johnson, the executive director of the Washington-based American Immigration Council, says Hatch’s bill is simply more of the same rhetoric that’s been tossed around for a while and does nothing to move the debate forward.

“The reality is that there too many politicians, and I think, unfortunately, Senator Hatch is beginning to fall into that category, introducing legislation not in any effort to actually get it passed but to send messages to their constituents,” Johnson said.

Johnson added some parts of Hatch’s legislation are already addressed in existing law.

“Declaring that we should deny visas to gang members and members of organized crime is like outlawing dinosaurs in Utah,” Johnson

Published In: Salt Lake Tribune | 10/01/10

U.S. House holds hearings on economic impact of immigrants

According to the Immigration Policy Center, in 2008, immigrants made up almost a quarter of the Florida’s workforce, while unauthorized immigrants accounted for 8.2 percent of the state’s workforce.

Published In: Florida Independent | 10/01/10

Partisan politics put an end to DREAM Act ... for now

The plight of the DREAM Act students encapsulates many facets of today’s immigration crisis, says the American Immigration Council. (http://www.immigrationpolicy.org)

Published In: Lubbock-Avalanche Journal | 09/29/10

In defense of the failed Dream Act immigration bill

The Immigration Policy Center writes:

Acknowledging the large numbers of illegal Europeans in the U.S., the government devised ways for them to remain in the U.S. legally. *Deserving* illegal European immigrants could benefit from various programs and legalize their status. The 1929 Registry Act allowed *honest law-abiding alien[s] who may be in the country under some merely technical irregularity* to register as permanent residents for a fee of $20 if they could prove they had lived in the U.S. since 1921 and were of *good moral character.* Roughly 115,000 immigrants registered between 1930 and 1940—80% were European or Canadian. Between 1925 and 1965, 200,000 illegal Europeans legalized their status through the Registry Act, through *pre-examination*—a process that allowed them to leave the U.S. voluntarily and re-enter legally with a visa (a *touch-back* program)—or through discretionary rules that allowed immigration officials to suspend deportations in *meritorious* cases. Approximately 73% of those benefitting from suspension of deportation were Europeans (mostly Germans and Italians).

Published In: Washington Times | 09/27/10

Charlie Crist's Social Security Solution: Creating A Path To Citizenship For Undocumented Immigrants

A report by the Immigration Policy Center (IPC) and the Center for American Progress (CAP) finds that mass deportation would reduce U.S. GDP by reduce U.S. GDP by 1.46 percent. Comprehensive immigration reform, on the other hand, would increase in U.S. GDP by at least 0.84 percent.

Published In: The Huffington Post | 09/27/10

Senate leader vows to keep pushing for DREAM Act

Mary Giovagnoli, director of Immigration Policy Center, says Tuesday’s vote could indicate Republicans would be unwilling to support the DREAM Act in the future. “It’s pretty clear that it was a party line vote,” she said. “Consequently, unless some Republicans are brave enough to step over the line, it’s going to remain gridlocked.”

Published In: Iowa Independent | 09/22/10

DREAM Act and Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal derail defense bill vote

Mary Giovagnoli, director of Immigration Policy Center, told TWI the vote showed “a lack of leadership” by Republican senators. “This was clearly putting procedural wrangling and partisan politics over social issues that are clearly something the American public wants action on,” she said.

Published In: Michigan Messenger | 09/22/10