Immigration Policy Center

Published on Fri, Apr 23, 2010

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a controversial bill Friday that makes it a crime for illegal immigrants to be in the state. The new law will require local police to seek proof of immigration status if there is reason to suspect individuals are illegal immigrants.

Earlier Friday, President Obama had criticized the bill as "misguided." He said that the federal government's failure to overhaul immigration law had been an invitation for other jurisdictions to act "irresponsibly." Now that Brewer has signed the bill into law, however, the question is whether it can survive inevitable legal challenges.

Published in the NPR

Published on Fri, Apr 23, 2010

President Obama urged Congress today to pass “comprehensive immigration reform,” warning that a lack of federal action would encourage “misguided efforts” such as those in Arizona.

But Mary Giovagnoli of the Immigration Policy Center says there’s a lot the administration could do if it wanted to create a stronger immigration policy. And she said the work would start with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

Published in the The Cabinet Room

Published on Wed, Apr 21, 2010

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis is the first Latina to sit in the Presidential cabinet. She is the daughter of immigrants. As a four-term Congresswoman, she pushed for a law that would make it easier for non-U.S. citizens serving in the U.S. military to get American citizenship.

But when it comes to the Obama administration’s messaging on immigration, Solis has been strangely sidelined, and advocates who focus on the issue are beginning to ask why.

Published in the The Cabinet Room

Published on Fri, Apr 16, 2010

This week, crowds of peaceful immigration reform supporters gathered outside post offices in several cities bearing signs with slogans stating “We Love Taxes!” and “Viva Taxes!” in an effort to demonstrate that there are millions of undocumented immigrants who are eager for a chance to be brought into American civil society and pay taxes as part of their civic duty. Advocates also submitted thousands of blank tax forms to federal lawmakers that could’ve been filled out to by undocumented immigrants who have the capacity to generate billions in tax revenue.

Published in the Think Progress

Published on Fri, Apr 16, 2010

Immigrant-rights groups sought to tap some of the "tea party" thunder Thursday by using the anti-tax-and-spending movement's nationwide protests to argue illegal immigrants must be legalized because they are eager to pay their full taxes.

But tea partiers, rallying on the day federal income-tax returns were due, didn't buy it.

The collision between two of the big political movements in America is expected to escalate heading in to this year's midterm elections as both push the political parties from different directions.

Published in the Washington Times

Published on Thu, Apr 22, 2010

Never mind the plethora of textbooks, studies and scholarly articles exploring the cost-benefits dynamic of people who live in the country illegally.

Now there's a new game designed to break this complex issue into digestible fare for millions of Americans who feel lukewarm about the issue.

Published in the O.C. Register

Published on Mon, Apr 19, 2010

A new study published by the Center for American Progress and the Immigration Policy Center demonstrates that the legalization of the 11 to 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States could raise the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of this country by $1.5 trillion over 10 years, and bring other benefits to U.S. workers and the nation's economy.

Published in the People's World

Published on Tue, Apr 20, 2010

Nativist groups have a history of trying to hide their anti-immigrant agenda under a green mantle. Back in the 90s, John Tanton tried to take over the Sierra Club and force them to adopt a position against immigration, but his tainted agenda rejected by truly green individuals. Well, if you can't join them, create your own group: Progressive for Immigration Reform (PFIR) is the latest Tanton Network creation, meant to trick progressive into backing hate.

Published in the Change.org

Published on Wed, Apr 21, 2010

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS, ) has come under increasing criticism because of its poor treatment of would-be immigrants held in detention – including a number of unreported deaths – lack of medical facilities, administrative bungling resulting in loss of records, and absence of due process for detainees at ICE detention centers.

Published in the The World According to Bill Fisher Blog

Published on Sat, Apr 10, 2010

On Thursday, NumbersUSA — an immigration restrictionist group that calls for the suspension of most legal immigration — pounced on a report by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) which found, amongst other things, that legalizing undocumented immigrants would not have a “significant effect” on the economy. According to NumbersUSA director Roy Beck, PPIC’s study validates what his organization has been saying all along:

Amnesty supporters claim that illegal aliens are paid below average wages, but by offering them a path to citizenship, their wages will increase. The study by the non-partisan institute, however, says that’s not the case.

Published in the Wonk Room