Monthly Archive: February 2012
Faced with harsh anti-immigrant laws passed by state or local governments, most unauthorized immigrants do not return to their home countries. That is the inescapable conclusion of a new report from the Center for American Progress (CAP), entitled Staying Put but Still in the Shadows, by Leah Muse-Orlinoff. The report finds that unauthorized immigrants react …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/29/new-report-debunks-restrictionist-myth-of-self-deportation/
A recent analysis of data from the Census Bureau highlights the degree to which immigrants integrate into U.S. society and contribute to the U.S. economy. In its latest statistical profile of the foreign-born population, the Pew Hispanic Center presents statistics which illustrate that most immigrants have been here for more than a decade, more become …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/28/new-data-highlights-immigrant-integration-and-economic-contributions/
By KIRSTEN SCHLENGER, MANAGING PARTNER AT WEAVER SCHLENGER MAZEL LLP The business community has long heralded the vital role immigrant-owned startups play in creating American jobs. This month, it seems like someone at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) was listening. USCIS recently hosted its first in a series of summits dedicated to gathering expertise …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/27/uscis-convenes-summit-to-consider-streamlined-path-for-immigrant-entrepreneurs/
Although several states were eager to introduce their own restrictive immigration bills following Arizona and Alabama’s harsh laws, some legislators and federal judges are now pulling back on these costly bills. A federal judge in Utah this week refused to issue a ruling on the state’s immigration law in anticipation of a Supreme Court ruling …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/24/courts-state-legislators-pull-back-on-restrictive-immigration-legislation/
A recent Salon.com article quotes long-time immigration restrictionist Kris Kobach putting a figure on his self-deportation policy for the first time. “If we had a true nationwide policy of self-deportation,” Kobach said, “I believe we would see our illegal alien population cut in half at a minimum very quickly.” Salon.com did the math, finding that “with …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/23/kris-kobach-romney-immigration-advisor-puts-number-on-self-deportation-plan/
Voter registration is a key measure of immigrant integration. After all, what could be more American than casting your ballot on Election Day? When measuring immigrant voting patterns, voter registration is typically defined as the percent of naturalized immigrants (those who have become U.S. citizens) who are registered to vote. In other words, we only …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/22/a-new-way-to-measure-the-burgeoning-power-of-the-immigrant-vote/
This month, President Obama released his FY2013 budget proposal, estimating $3.8 trillion in total spending in 2013. This budget proposal signals the beginning of the annual federal budget process. Congressional budget and appropriations committees will now spend months deliberating over the appropriations bills, which are unlikely to look anything like the president’s budget proposal. However, …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/21/what-the-presidents-2013-budget-means-for-the-administrations-immigration-priorities/
Yesterday, the New Mexico Legislature ended its 2012 session, leaving intact the 2003 state law that allows driver’s licenses to be issued to individuals regardless of immigration status. This marks the third unsuccessful attempt by Republican Governor Susana Martinez to repeal the state’s driver’s license law. HB103, the bill backed by Martinez, passed the House …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/17/new-mexico-governor-fails-to-repeal-state-drivers-license-law-yet-again/
Following the filing last week of Arizona’s brief defending SB 1070, the Supreme Court has received a barrage of briefs supporting the notorious immigration law from a none-too-surprising array of suspects. As might be expected, the arguments range from the predictable (that the Obama Administration fails to enforce the immigration laws) to the provocative (that …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/16/at-supreme-court-arizona-gets-help-from-the-usual-suspects/
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced creation of its first Public Advocate’s office, designed to serve as a point of contact for people trying to cut through the bureaucracy to get questions answered and concerns heard. While immigration hardliner Rep. Lamar Smith was quick to call the new office a “lobbying firm for illegal …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2012/02/15/ices-new-public-advocate-office-a-step-in-the-right-direction/