IPC In The News

14th Amendment causes GOP split

Mary Giovagnoli, director of the Immigration Policy Center, said the timing of his announcement and his harsh choice of words – “They come here to drop a child. It’s called drop and leave” -- indicated Graham was simply trying to rile up his conservative base in the midst of the red-hot immigration debate.

Giovagnoli, whose group backs comprehensive immigration reform, said “it really is a politically manufactured issue.”

Published In: Politico | 08/09/10

Keep citizenship a right of birth

Amid the illegal immigration debate is talk of overtunring the 14th Amendment, which grants citizenship to most children born here, regardless of their parents’ status. The American Immigration Council offers a host of essays against the proposal.

Published In: Albany Times Union | 08/06/10

What Does the Border Security Bill Mean for Comprehensive Immigration Reform?

“You can make the argument that it can reinforce the Obama administration efforts to disentangle the border issues from the immigration issues, but that’s probably not how it’s going to play out,” Mary Giovagnoli, director of Immigration Policy Center, told TWI. “When you see actions like this at the end of a session, you can bet it’s more politics than policy that’s driving their decisions.”

Giovagnoli said she does not expect the bill to help the comprehensive immigration reform effort, but that it could help pave the way for senators who previously supported reform, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), to re-enter discussions.

Published In: The Washington Independent | 08/06/10

Deportation Fears Plague Locals

Earlier this year, the Center for American Progress and the American Immigration Council released studies estimating that comprehensive immigration reform, as described above, would increase the U.S. gross domestic product by at least $1.5 trillion over 10 years.

In Colorado, immigrants keep tourism going in small mountain towns with pricey real estate; they often drive hours each day to and from minimum-wage positions in ski towns. Migrants also work the fields and grunt construction jobs.

Published In: Colorado Springs Independent | 08/05/10

Critics Invoke Bobby Jindal in Birthright Citizenship Controversy

On a conference call today, opponents of changing the policy said that while Americans are "justifiably frustrated" with current immigration policy, eliminating birthright citizenship "would punish the innocent children of undocumented immigrants, which flies in the face of American values," according to Michele Waslin, Senior Policy Analyst at the Immigration Policy Center.

Published In: CBS News | 08/04/10

Is It Possible To Be Against Illegal Immigration But For Reform?

But according to a January 2010 study by the Immigration Policy Center, the cost of implementing comprehensive immigration reform would be considerable less than a sweeping program to deport all undocumented workers and their non-citizen family members.

From the study: “comprehensive immigration reform that includes a legalization program for unauthorized immigrants and enables a future flow of legal workers would result in a large economic benefit—a cumulative $1.5 trillion in added U.S. gross domestic product over 10 years. In stark contrast, a deportation-only policy would result in a loss of $2.6 trillion in GDP over 10 years.

Published In: OC Register | 08/04/10

Birthright Citizenship: The Big Republican Issue for 2010 Elections?

Supporters of a change say the amendment adopted just after the Civil War was designed simply to make sure that former slaves became citizens, and wasn't intended to apply to illegal immigrants' kids. But the pro-immigration Immigration Policy Center offers a rebuttal, with scholar Elizabeth Wydra citing the "clear intent of the Reconstruction framers to grant U.S. citizenship based on the objective measure of U.S. birth rather than subjective political or public opinion."

Published In: San Francisco Chronicle | 08/02/10

Despite ruling by federal judge on Arizona's anti-immigration law, we must keep pressure on

"Now, the question is whether politicians at the state and federal level will stop playing politics and start solving problems," said Benjamin Johnson, executive director of the American Immigration Council. "Arizona must start focusing on serious criminals and the federal government must assume its Constitutional duty of fixing the broken immigration system. America needs real solutions that make our communities safer, our border more secure, and finally fix our broken immigration system."

Published In: New York Daily News | 08/01/10

Arizona Sheriff Not Relenting After Court Ruling

"Sheriff Joe Arpaio and some other folks there decided they can make a name for themselves in terms of the intensity of the efforts they're using," said Benjamin Johnson, executive director of the pro-immigrant American Immigration Council. "There's no way to deny that. There are a lot of people getting caught up in these efforts."

Published In: CBS News | 07/30/10

Arizona Sheriff Not Relenting After Court Ruling

"Sheriff Joe Arpaio and some other folks there decided they can make a name for themselves in terms of the intensity of the efforts they're using," said Benjamin Johnson, executive director of the pro-immigrant Immigration Policy Center. "There's no way to deny that. There are a lot of people getting caught up in these efforts."

Published In: Associated Press | 07/30/10