American Immigration Council's Yearly Top Accomplishments

Scroll down to learn more about the accomplishments that we are most proud of for each year.

2011

1. “Anchor Baby” Redefined. When the New American Heritage Dictionary issued a definition for “Anchor Baby” ignoring the derogatory nature of the term, Council staff spoke out [1] via our blog ImmigrationImpact.com [2]. The Dictionary’s editors contacted us and swiftly issued an updated version [3] that recognizes the disparaging nature of the term.
   
   
2. Advancing Greater Government Transparency. The Legal Action Center filed lawsuits [4] against two agencies within the Department of Homeland Security for failing to disclose documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) regarding immigrants’ ability to access counsel.
   
   
3. Economic Reboot. IPC released a report, Rebooting the American Dream: The Role of Immigration in a 21st Century Economy [5]. This report seeks to answer some basic questions about the role of immigration in today’s economy.
   
   
4. Educating the Next Generation. Our Community Education Center had a terrific year working with teachers and high school students in Long Island to explore immigration issues in their communities and give back through service-learning projects. Check out TeachImmigration.org [6] for details!
   
   
5. Essays that Celebrate Immigration. The annual "Celebrate America" Creative Writing Contest [7] engaged over 5,000 fifth grade students this year. Click here [8] to read the winning essay from 2011.
   
   
6. Exchange Programs with a Lasting Impact. The International Exchange program conducted an alumni survey [9] of nearly 700 former J-1 visa holders. The survey found that 94.7% agreed that the J-1 training or internship has had an impact on their careers and 90.7% have maintained personal/social contact with Americans they met during their J-1 programs.
   
   
7. Maintaining Hope for Deported Immigrants. The Legal Action Center continued its work to allow immigrants to challenge removal orders from outside the country, helping secure [10] victories [11] in two federal appeals courts and persuading another court to reconsider its position.
   
   
8. Promoting Prosecutorial Discretion. The Legal Action Center published three practice advisories for immigration attorneys on prosecutorial discretion, explaining the recent announcements from the Department of Homeland Security [12], giving step-by-step instructions [13] for getting clients’ deportation proceedings closed, and providing tips [14] for cases involving LGBT families.
    
9. Protecting the Most Vulnerable. The Legal Action Center filed numerous [15] amicus briefs [16] with the Board of Immigration Appeals seeking greater safeguards for immigrants whose mental disabilities prevent them from meaningfully participating in their own removal hearings.
    
10. State Immigration Battles. As states across the country continue to consider harmful immigration enforcement legislation, the Immigration Policy Center released a range of publications [17] that provide key answers to basic questions about state immigration-related laws—from the substance of the legislation and myths surrounding the debate to the legal and fiscal implications.
    
    
11. Supporting our Exchange Participants. The International Exchange Center launched a monthly minute [18] to help acclimate our international trainees and interns to American traditions and culture.