Fact Sheet

Publication Date: 
October 17, 2024
Using Uniform Crime Reporting data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and population data from the U. S. Census Bureau, the Council created a report on the relationship between immigrants...
Publication Date: 
October 16, 2024
This fact sheet explains birthright citizenship, the Fourteenth Amendment, and its interpretations. Who is eligible for birthright citizenship? Can birthright citizenship be taken away?
Publication Date: 
October 10, 2024

When local communities receive new immigrants who have been released at the border by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), they often provide necessary support to ensure that people have...

Publication Date: 
October 8, 2024
This fact sheet provides an overview of the H-1B visa category and petition process, addresses the myths perpetuated about the H-1B visa category, and highlights the key contributions H-1B workers...
Publication Date: 
September 23, 2024
New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the crucial role immigrants play along the Texas border in the labor force, population growth, and economy
Publication Date: 
September 9, 2024
A new research report, Empowering Texas: Immigrants’ Contributions to the Energy Industry, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in Texas’ energy industry. The report was prepared in...
Publication Date: 
September 9, 2024
A new research report, Empowering Texas: Immigrants’ Contributions to the Healthcare Industry, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in some of Texas’ healthcare industry. The report was...
Publication Date: 
September 9, 2024
Empowering Texas: Immigrants’ Contributions to the Construction Industry underscores immigrants' crucial role in Texas’ energy industry. The report was prepared in partnership with Texans for...
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August 14, 2024
Since the creation of the Department of Homeland Security in 2003, the federal government has spent an estimated $324 billion on the agencies that carry out immigration enforcement.
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July 31, 2024
This fact sheet provides an overview of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and prior attempts to dismantle the initiative, as well as its current status.
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July 12, 2024
This fact sheet provides an overview of how Temporary Protected Status designations are made, what benefits TPS confers, and how TPS beneficiaries apply for and regularly renew their status.
Publication Date: 
June 24, 2024
U.S. immigration law is very complex, and there is much confusion as to how it works. This fact sheet provides basic information about how the U.S. legal immigration system is designed.
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June 18, 2024
President Biden announced a new “parole-in-place” program for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens. What does it mean, and who will benefit?
Publication Date: 
June 5, 2024
On June 4, the Biden administration issued a presidential proclamation and an Interim Final Rule restricting access to asylum for people crossing into the United States without legal status. The...
Publication Date: 
June 4, 2024
Under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the president of the United States has the authority to “suspend the entry” of certain noncitizens into the United States under...
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May 29, 2024
New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the crucial role immigrants play in Michigan’s population growth, labor force, business creation, and consumer spending power.
Publication Date: 
May 10, 2024
On May 9, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security announced a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, published here, that would allow asylum officers to reject a subset of asylum seekers earlier in the...
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May 8, 2024
This fact sheet provides an overview of the most recent version of the Dream Act and similar legislative proposals.
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April 11, 2024
The new report, The Growing Demand for Healthcare Workers in Maine, highlights the contributions that immigrants make in high-demand healthcare occupations that require a professional or occupational...
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April 8, 2024
Research from the American Immigration Council highlights the key role that immigrants are playing in the City of Dallas’ workforce and as taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs, international students...
Publication Date: 
April 8, 2024
Parole under immigration law is very different than in the criminal justice context. In the immigration context, parole facilitates certain individuals’ entry into and permission to temporarily...
Publication Date: 
April 5, 2024

New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the key role that new Americans are playing in northern Utah’s workforce and as taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs,...

Publication Date: 
March 25, 2024
Research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Androscoggin County paid over $24.0 million in taxes and held over $74.0 million in spending power in 2019.
Publication Date: 
March 22, 2024
In this report, The Growing Demand for Healthcare Workers in New York, we highlight the contributions that professionally licensed immigrants make in high-demand healthcare occupations that require a...
Publication Date: 
March 22, 2024
The Growing Demand for Healthcare Workers in Massachusetts highlights the contributions that immigrants make in high-demand healthcare occupations that require a professional or occupational license...
Publication Date: 
March 22, 2024

New research from

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Publication Date: 
February 27, 2024
A new research report, New Americans in Houston, released by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the Houston economy.
Publication Date: 
February 22, 2024
New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the key role that immigrants are playing in southern Utah’s workforce and as taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs, international students...
Publication Date: 
February 8, 2024
If passed in its current form, the 2024 Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act would be the most sweeping immigration bill of the twenty-first century
Publication Date: 
February 1, 2024
Under the “Migrant Protection Protocols”, individuals who arrive at the southern border and ask for asylum (either at a port of entry or after crossing the border between ports of entry) are given...
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January 19, 2024
This fact sheet provides an overview of the benefits of obtaining naturalized citizenship in the United States, as well as information about the naturalized population and those who meet the...
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January 15, 2024
Asylum seekers must navigate a difficult and complex process that can involve multiple government agencies. This fact sheet provides an overview of the asylum system in the United States, including...
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January 12, 2024

Parole is an essential component of U.S. immigration law. It can be an important tool to manage the processing of migrants at U.S. borders; a powerful response to humanitarian crisis; and a way to...

Publication Date: 
December 12, 2023
Expedited removal is a process by which low-level immigration officers can quickly deport certain noncitizens who are undocumented or have committed fraud or misrepresentation.
Publication Date: 
December 7, 2023
The new report, New Americans in Elkhart, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties, was prepared in partnership with the City of South Bend, South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership, and Welcoming Michiana...
Publication Date: 
November 15, 2023
New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Santa Fe County paid over $122 million in taxes and held over $365 million in spending power in 2019.
Publication Date: 
November 7, 2023
New research, Hispanic Power of the Purse in Tyler, Texas, released today by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role Hispanic Americans in Tyler, Texas play in the metro area’s...
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October 31, 2023
An overview of the Biden administration's parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans (CHNV), which admit up to 30,000 people per month with the ability to live and work in the...
Publication Date: 
October 10, 2023
New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Greater Salem paid over $200 million in taxes and held over $536 million in spending power in 2019. The new report, New...
Cover for Immigrants in East Texas report
Publication Date: 
September 20, 2023

New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the crucial role immigrants play in the East Texas region as taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs, and more. Collectively, immigrants...

Publication Date: 
September 19, 2023

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a program that allows certain individuals from designated countries that are facing severe ...

Cover page for New Americans in Santa Clara County report
Publication Date: 
September 14, 2023

New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Santa Clara County paid over $22.0 billion in taxes and held more than $45.0 billion in spending power in 2021. The new...

New Americans in Pittsburgh report cover page
Publication Date: 
September 11, 2023

New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Pittsburgh...

Publication Date: 
September 6, 2023
New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Allen County paid over $160 million in taxes and exceeded $496.0 million in spending power in 2019. The new report, New...
Publication Date: 
August 2, 2023
This fact sheet looks at the population of undocumented students in higher education institutions across the country.
Publication Date: 
July 14, 2023
New research from the American Immigration Council, The Economic Contributions of Immigrants in Ohio’s Workforce, highlights the crucial and outsized role immigrants in Ohio are playing to help fill...
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June 2, 2023
CBP One is a mobile app developed to streamline interaction between travelers and CBP officers at ports of entry using technology which includes GPS tracking and facial recognition. However, it is...
Publication Date: 
June 2, 2023
There are more than 23 million female immigrants in the United States, and they are a formidable presence in U.S. society and the economy.­
New Americans in Baltimore County report cover image
Publication Date: 
June 1, 2023

New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Baltimore County paid over $1.0 billion in taxes and held $2.8 billion in spending power in 2019. The new report...

Publication Date: 
March 20, 2023
New research from the American Immigration Council highlights the harmful economic effects of increasing public college and university tuition for certain long-term Texas resident students.
Publication Date: 
March 9, 2023
This research brief highlights the crucial role immigrants in Nevada are playing to help address critical physician shortages.
Publication Date: 
February 16, 2023

New research from the American Immigration Council, Economic Benefits of the Empire State Licensing: Immigrants in New York State’s Workforce, highlights the crucial role of immigrants and...

Publication Date: 
February 16, 2023
This research brief highlights the growing demand for physicians in the state and the need to reduce barriers for internationally trained professionals.
Publication Date: 
February 16, 2023
This research brief highlights the growing demand for healthcare workers in the state and the need to reduce barriers for internationally trained professionals.
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January 13, 2023
This program allows Ukrainians displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine to apply to come to the United States through “humanitarian parole.” Ukrainians who are granted humanitarian parole may...
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December 19, 2022
These fact sheets provide data to inform policymakers and advocates of the gaps in access to broadband internet among various covered individuals, with the goal to help identify remedies and build a...
Publication Date: 
November 9, 2022
With the 2022 midterm elections on the horizon, this factsheet takes a look at the latest Current Population Survey data from 2022 and compares it to data from 2020 and 2016 in order to provide a...
Publication Date: 
October 31, 2022

New research released by the American Immigration Council—in partnership with...

Publication Date: 
October 22, 2022
The United States has long been a global leader in the resettlement of refugees—and the need for such leadership remains enormous.
Publication Date: 
September 21, 2022
To address significant shortages of physicians and other healthcare workers, Texas must establish policies that recruit and retain local talent and give employment possibilities for immigrant...
Publication Date: 
August 9, 2022
This fact sheet provides an explanation on how noncitizens may find themselves facing deportation from the country, how the removal proceeding may look, what types of relief can be sought after a...
Publication Date: 
July 11, 2022

New research from the American Immigration Council, The Economic Contributions of Immigrants in Texas, highlights the crucial role of immigrants in the state’s workforce across the manufacturing,...

Publication Date: 
July 5, 2022
This fact sheet analyzes the essential role of immigrant workers in America's food production, particularly in the meat and dairy industries
Publication Date: 
June 14, 2022
This fact sheet highlights the crucial role that new Americans play in Arizona’s economy, including in some of the state’s fastest-growing and most in-demand fields, like healthcare, education, and...
Publication Date: 
June 14, 2022
Foreign-born workers make up a growing share of the country’s STEM workforce and are critical to the country’s innovation, and STEM workers are responsible for many of the cutting-edge ideas and...
Publication Date: 
June 3, 2022
This fact sheet underscores the crucial role Hispanic Texans play in the Rio Grande Valley’s labor force, population growth, and economy.
Publication Date: 
June 3, 2022
This fact sheet underscores the crucial role Hispanic Texans play in the metro area’s labor force, population growth, and economy.
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May 25, 2022
The United States has long guaranteed the right to seek asylum to individuals who arrive at our southern border and ask for protection. But since March 20, 2020, that fundamental right has been...
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May 16, 2022
This fact sheet describes the organizational structure of immigration detention oversight, the standards by which detention centers are governed, where to file complaints regarding ICE detention, and...
Publication Date: 
May 3, 2022
This research brief highlights the key role that new Americans are playing in Utah as participants in the state’s workforce, taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs, international students, and more.
Publication Date: 
March 14, 2022
The Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) is a tax-processing number issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to ensure that people—including undocumented immigrants—pay taxes.
Publication Date: 
March 4, 2022
This Council fact sheet provides an overview and analysis of border encounters and border apprehensions in 2021.
Publication Date: 
March 3, 2022
This fact sheet provides a demographic overview of the population of Ukrainians in the United States who may qualify for TPS, and what benefits TPS would confer upon those individuals.
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December 15, 2021
This fact sheet aims to explain the basics of the federal government funding process, also known as appropriations, and show how it affects the world of immigration and immigration enforcement.
Publication Date: 
November 29, 2021
The Institutional Hearing Program permits immigration judges to conduct removal proceedings for noncitizens serving criminal sentences in certain correctional facilities.
Publication Date: 
October 7, 2021
There is no line available for undocumented immigrants and the “regular channels” do not include them.
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September 28, 2021
This fact sheet provides information on a provision called “registry” that allows certain non-citizens who are long-term residents of the United States, but who are either undocumented or present in...
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September 21, 2021
One in seven U.S. residents is an immigrant, while one in eight residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 27, 2021
This fact sheet provides an overview about the legalization program through which certain undocumented farmworkers in the United States could earn legal status.
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August 23, 2021
Over the last two decades, the federal government increasingly has utilized the criminal courts to punish people for immigration violations. This overview provides basic information about entry-...
Publication Date: 
August 20, 2021
This fact sheet provides an overview of Documented Dreamers, explains how they can age out of immigration status at 21, and summarizes the current federal legislative proposals to protect them from...
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August 2, 2021
This fact sheet from the Council provides an overview of how current immigration law allows certain undocumented immigrants to become Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) without first having to leave...
Publication Date: 
July 8, 2021
Through the 287(g) program, state and local police officers collaborate with the federal government to enforce federal immigration laws. In the past, the 287(g) program has been costly for localities...
Publication Date: 
July 8, 2021
Current U.S. immigration law provides several paths for foreign workers to enter the United States for employment purposes on a temporary or permanent basis. This fact sheet provides basic...
Publication Date: 
June 24, 2021
Deportations of parents and family members have serious consequences that affect children and extend to communities and the country as a whole.
Publication Date: 
March 16, 2021
This fact sheet provides an overview of the most recent version of the Dream Act and similar legislative proposals.
Publication Date: 
March 16, 2021
This fact sheet provides an overview of “aggravated felonies” under federal immigration law and the immigration consequences of being convicted of an “aggravated felony.”
Publication Date: 
March 8, 2021
This fact sheet provides an overview of a practice known as “metering” that has been used by U.S. Customs and Border Protection to turn away thousands of people who come to ports of entry seeking...
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February 26, 2021
This fact sheet draws from original data gathered from hundreds of community-organizations around the country and provides a snapshot of the extent of available services that help migrants navigate...
Publication Date: 
January 26, 2021
U.S. immigration agencies use a range of programs to deport—or remove—certain noncitizens from the United States. Under the Trump administration, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and two of...
Publication Date: 
October 21, 2020
Sanctuary policies do not conceal or shelter unauthorized immigrants from detection. Here's what you need to know about these policies.
Publication Date: 
October 6, 2020
This fact sheet provides an overview of withholding of removal, including the basics of seeking protection in the United States, eligibility requirements, the application process, and data on...
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September 2, 2020
Nearly one in five Hawaii residents is an immigrant, while one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 27, 2020
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Dream Act and other similar legislative proposals, explains changes made to DACA on March 13, 2019, and provides information about policies at the state...
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August 6, 2020
Nearly 10 percent of Minnesota residents are immigrants, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly one in four New Jersey residents is an immigrant, while one in six residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Six percent of New Hampshire residents are immigrants, while 8 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in seven D.C. residents is an immigrant, while about one in nine residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly one in ten New Mexico residents is an immigrant, while one in nine residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly 4 percent of Wyoming residents are immigrants, while nearly 5 percent are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in eight Virginia residents is an immigrant, while one in nine residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Immigrants make up over 4 percent of Vermont’s population, while nearly 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Five percent of Tennessee residents are immigrants, while about 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
More than one in eight Rhode Island residents is an immigrant, while more than one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in ten Oregon residents is an immigrant, while one in nine residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
About one in seven Washington residents is an immigrant, while another one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Almost 2 percent of West Virginia residents are immigrants, while an additional 2 percent are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Seven percent of Pennsylvania residents are immigrants, while 9 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly a quarter of New York residents are immigrants, while almost one-fifth of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in five Nevada residents is an immigrant, while one in six residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
Publication Date: 
August 6, 2020
Eight percent of Alaska residents are immigrants, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
More than one in seven Connecticut residents is an immigrant, while another one in eight is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly 1 in 10 Delaware residents is an immigrant, while 7 percent are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Four percent of Kentucky residents are immigrants, while 3 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in seven Maryland residents is an immigrant, while one in eight residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in six Massachusetts residents is an immigrant, while one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Four percent of South Dakota residents are immigrants, while another 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Six percent of Oklahoma residents are immigrants, while another 6 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly 4 percent of North Dakota residents are immigrants, while more than an additional 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Seven percent of Nebraska residents are immigrants, while another 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in 12 Utah residents is an immigrant, and another 1 in 12 residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Two percent of Montana residents are immigrants, while about 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in seven Illinois residents is an immigrant, while another one in seven residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in ten Colorado residents is an immigrant, while another one in ten residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Five percent of Arkansas residents are immigrants, while another 5 percent are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Five percent of Indiana residents are immigrants, while another 5 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Seven percent of Kansas residents are immigrants, while another 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Four percent of Louisiana residents are immigrants, while another 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Four percent of Missouri residents are immigrants, while another 4 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Five percent of South Carolina residents are immigrants, while nearly 5 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Nearly 5 percent of Wisconsin residents are immigrants, while over 6 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Seven percent of Michigan residents are immigrants, while another 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Two percent of Mississippi residents are immigrants, while another 2 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Six percent of Idaho residents are immigrants, while 8 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in six Texas residents is an immigrant, while another one in six residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Four percent of Maine residents are immigrants, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Six percent of Iowa residents are immigrants, while five percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
More than a quarter of California residents are immigrants, while nearly one in four residents is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Three percent of Alabama residents are immigrants, while another 3 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
Publication Date: 
August 6, 2020
One in eight Arizona residents is an immigrant, while one in six is a native-born U.S. citizen with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
More than one in five Florida residents is an immigrant, while one in eight residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
One in ten Georgia residents is an immigrant, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Eight percent of North Carolina residents are immigrants, while 7 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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August 6, 2020
Five percent of Ohio residents are immigrants, while another 5 percent of residents are native-born U.S. citizens with at least one immigrant parent.
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June 18, 2020
The Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) initially brought scholars to the United States to teach or conduct research. Today, there are 14 categories of programs through which EVP participants can teach,...
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April 6, 2020
This fact sheet defines the various components of the permanent, employment-based immigration system—and then describes how those components relate to each other in the application processes for each...
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January 2, 2020
This fact sheet describes the populations, duration, and conditions for noncitizens detained in the United States by department.
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November 23, 2019
This fact sheet provides basic information about three of these forms of protection: “U” visas for victims of crime, “T” visas for victims of severe forms of trafficking, and “self-petitions” under...
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September 13, 2019
This fact sheet gives a brief overview of the process individuals must undergo to seek release from immigration detention.
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September 6, 2019
The fact is that building a fortified and impenetrable wall between the United States and Mexico is unnecessary, complicated, ineffective, expensive, and would create a host of additional problems.
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July 30, 2019
Comprehensive analyses of the government’s own data show that in the vast majority of situations, immigrants placed into removal proceedings appear for all of their court hearings.
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January 9, 2019
This fact sheet estimates the likely numbers of workers with TPS from these three countries, broken down by the states in which they reside and the industries in which they are employed.
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September 6, 2018
The Legal Orientation Program (LOP) offers legal education, as well as referrals for free and low-cost legal counsel, to noncitizens in immigration detention.
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July 18, 2018
This fact sheet provides an overview of how USCIS calculates processing times and the concerns over the accuracy of these estimates.
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March 26, 2018
Temporary workers—such as those in H-1B status—typically can bring their spouses and children with them to the United States in what is called H-4 status. This fact sheet provides an overview of the...
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March 7, 2018
Enforcement of U.S. immigration laws has historically been guided by policies that emphasize prioritization. However, this practice has largely been abandoned since the inauguration of President...
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November 13, 2017
This fact sheet provides an overview of the diversity visa program, the requirements and security checks currently in place, and demographic information about recipients.
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October 23, 2017
This fact sheet provides information about TPS holders from El Salvador, Honduras, and Haiti.
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September 13, 2017
This fact sheet describes the legal avenues in the United States available to promising entrepreneurs, as well as some of the barriers they face securing immigration status through these paths.
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August 11, 2017
The Reforming American Immigration for Strong Employment Act (RAISE Act) or S. 354 would mark a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. immigration system. It would significantly reduce levels of legal...
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May 19, 2017
The Trump administration’s approach will have devastating consequences for immigrant communities and will undermine, rather than improve, public safety.
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March 21, 2017
This fact sheet explains detainers, how they are used by federal and local enforcement, and the impact they have on immigrants.
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March 8, 2017
There are nearly 12 million immigrant (foreign-born) women workers in the United States today, comprising just over 7 percent of the total labor force.
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February 27, 2017
The provisions in the order pose serious concerns for the protection and due process rights of those currently residing in the United States, communities along the U.S-Mexico border, and vulnerable...
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January 25, 2017
This fact sheet includes changes resulting from the creation of the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP) in 2014 and related legal decisions.
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October 28, 2016
This Fact Sheet provides background on the three- and ten-year bars and waivers, and explains the recent regulatory changes.
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October 24, 2016
This fact sheet provides an overview of the Supreme Court’s decision in Plyler v. Doe and subsequent efforts by states and localities to avoid compliance with the decision.
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August 10, 2016
Many people assume that their family immigrated to the United States legally, or did it “the right way.” In most cases, this statement does not reflect the fact that the U.S. immigration system was...
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June 28, 2016
This fact sheet provides an overview of the lawsuits that have challenged expanded DACA and DAPA. It explains the legal claims, the court decisions, and the process.
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June 17, 2016
Backlogs and delays benefit neither immigrants nor the government—keeping those with valid claims in limbo and often in detention, delaying removal of those without valid claims, and calling into...
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May 16, 2016

Over the past few years, thousands of children—many fleeing horrific levels of violence in Central America—have arrived at the U.S. border in need of protection. Most children are placed in...

Publication Date: 
May 16, 2016

Over the past few years, thousands of children—many fleeing horrific levels of violence in Central America—have arrived at the U.S. border in need of protection. Most children are placed in...

Publication Date: 
April 4, 2016
Undocumented immigrants are paying billions of dollars each year in taxes. In spite of their undocumented status, these immigrants—and their family members—are adding value to the U.S. economy, not...
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February 2, 2016
The Immigrant Investor Program, also known as “EB-5,” has become an increasingly important source of investment for development projects in the United States, attracting billions of dollars to the U...
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October 10, 2015
The term “sanctuary city” is often used incorrectly to describe trust acts or community policing policies that limit entanglement between local police and federal immigration authorities. Here are...
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June 10, 2015

Each year, the Border Patrol, a division of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), holds hundreds of thousands of people in detention facilities near the southern border that are...

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March 11, 2015
The series of executive actions on immigration which President Obama announced on November 20, 2014, would have a beneficial—if modest—impact on the U.S. economy.
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December 9, 2014
From 1987 to 1990, Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush, Sr. used their executive authority to protect from deportation a group that Congress left out of its 1986 immigration reform legislation—...
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October 2, 2014
Much has been made of President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, through which he deferred deportation for young adults brought to the U.S. as children. But as...
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August 19, 2014
Unauthorized immigrants include adults and children, mothers and fathers, homeowners and people of faith, most of whom are invested in their communities.
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July 29, 2014
As the number of unaccompanied children arriving at the United States border has increased, some lawmakers have argued that children frequently fail to appear for proceedings and thus proposed...
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April 28, 2014
The deportation process has been transformed drastically over the last two decades. Today, two-thirds of individuals deported are subject to what are known as “summary removal procedures,” which...
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March 26, 2014
On October 2, 2013, Democrats in the House of Representatives proposed an immigration reform bill addressing border security, legalization of the undocumented, interior enforcement of immigration...
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March 13, 2014

No one can say with certainty when the Obama administration will reach the grim milestone of having deported two million people since the President took...

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March 1, 2014
Despite some highly public claims to the contrary, there has been no waning of immigration enforcement in the United States.
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March 1, 2014
On October 30, 2013, Representatives Steve Pearce (R-NM) and Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) announced the introduction of H.R. 3431, the American Families United Act (AFUA). Co-sponsors as of January 2014...
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February 2, 2014
While proponents of harsh immigration laws in Kansas claim that passing these laws would save the state money, experience from other states shows harsh immigration-control laws will actually cost the...
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August 1, 2013

On June 6, 2013, the House Judiciary Committee considered H.R. 2278, the “Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act,” commonly known as the SAFE Act. This...

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August 1, 2013
The Criminal Alien Program (CAP) is an expansive immigration enforcement program that leads to the initiation of removal proceedings in many cases. While CAP has existed in one form or another for...
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July 24, 2013
The House of Representatives and the Senate have embarked upon very different paths when it comes to immigration reform. On June 27, the Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill—...
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June 20, 2013
According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT), the fiscal and economic effects of the Senate immigration reform bill (S. 744) would be overwhelmingly...
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June 12, 2013
One of the most persistent myths about the economics of immigration is that every immigrant added to the U.S. labor force amounts to a job lost by a native-born worker, or that every job loss for a...
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June 1, 2013

“Judicial review” refers to federal court review of an immigration agency decision. Some individuals whose immigration benefits applications are denied or who are ordered removed from the United...

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May 20, 2013
One of the explicit goals of the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act’’ (S.744) is to curtail future flows of unauthorized immigration by correcting some of the...
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May 15, 2013
Our legal system rests upon the principle that everyone is entitled to due process of law and a meaningful opportunity to be heard. But for far too long, immigration courts have failed to provide...
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May 13, 2013
How High-Skilled Immigrants Create Jobs and Help Build the U.S. Economy With the U.S. economy still recovering, it may seem counterintuitive to believe that any industry would benefit from having...
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May 13, 2013
Innovation, Skilled Immigration, and H-1B Visas in U.S. Metropolitan Areas Although immigration policy is debated at the national level, its impact is most often felt in local and regional...
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May 9, 2013
The Important Economic Relationship of Mexico and the United States Mexico is the United States’ third largest trading partner, after Canada and China, in terms of total trade in goods, while the U.S...
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May 9, 2013
Since the last major legalization program for unauthorized immigrants in 1986, the federal government has spent an estimated $186.8 billion on immigration enforcement. Yet during that time, the...
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May 7, 2013
With immigration reform legislation now making its way through Congress, it is imperative that we estimate as accurately as possible the full range of potential economic costs and benefits associated...
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April 3, 2013
As the legislative debate over immigration reform heats up, a central point of contention will be whether or not to create a pathway to legal status for all or most of the...
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April 2, 2013
Since the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2003, its immigration-enforcement agencies—Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)—have been...
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March 14, 2013
Since the enactment of the Immigration and Nationality Act in 1965, legal immigration to the United States has been based primarily on the family ties or the work skills of prospective immigrants...
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March 1, 2013
Under S. 744, “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” a merit-based point system is proposed as a tool to allocate a portion of new immigrant visas each year...
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March 1, 2013
In the spirit of bipartisan immigration reform, a geographically diverse contingent from both chambers of Congress have introduced legislation to strengthen high-skilled immigration and spur economic...
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February 7, 2013
The most concrete proposals for immigration reform thus far in 2013 include earned legalization with a path to U.S. citizenship for unauthorized immigrants already living in the United States. This...
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January 31, 2013
As the immigration debate heats up in Congress, the central question will be what to do about the 11 million...
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January 8, 2013
With roughly 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States, some question whether the nation’s immigration laws are being seriously enforced. In truth, due to legal and policy...
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December 12, 2012
The Impact of Immigration Enforcement on Children Caught Up in the Child Welfare System One of the many consequences of an aggressive immigration enforcement system is the separation of children,...
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October 16, 2012
There are roughly 1.8 million immigrants in the United States who might be, or might become, eligible for the Obama Administration’s “deferred action” initiative for unauthorized youth brought to...
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September 17, 2012
For many aspiring immigrants, achieving citizenship means full participation in civic life—and that means the right to vote. Every year, thousands of immigrants become naturalized U.S. citizens and...
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August 17, 2012
Here's what you need to know about the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals” (DACA) initiative, including eligibility requirements and important information on process and timing.
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August 2, 2012
The evidence of non-citizens voting is sparse and...
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July 13, 2012
A wave of restrictive voting laws is sweeping the nation. The Brennan Center for Justice at New York...
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June 28, 2012
Immigrants from Africa constitute a highly diverse and rapidly growing group in the United States. As Census data demonstrate, the African foreign-born population doubled in size between 2000 and...
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June 22, 2012
There are an estimated 1.4 million children and young adults in the United States who might benefit from President Obama’s...
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June 12, 2012
In a case of very creative accounting, the nativist Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is blaming immigrants and children for Maryland’s fiscal woes. In a new report, FAIR lumps...
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June 11, 2012
In August 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it would review more than 300,000 pending removal proceedings to identify low-priority cases meriting favorable exercises of...
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June 5, 2012
Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from American high schools. While many hope to pursue higher education, join the military, or enter the workforce, their lack of legal...
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June 4, 2012
This session, state legislatures are once again considering harsh immigration-control laws. These laws are intended to make everyday life so difficult for unauthorized immigrants that they will...
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April 26, 2012
Latinos in the United States are a diverse and fast-growing group that is amassing considerable economic and political power. As data from the 2010 Census and other sources demonstrate, Latinos now...
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April 26, 2012
Asians in the United States are a highly diverse group that is growing fast not only in size, but in political and economic power as well.
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April 17, 2012
In April, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in Arizona v. United States, a case addressing the legality of the Arizona immigration law known as SB 1070. According to the statement...
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March 7, 2012
Immigrants integrate into U.S. society over time and they contribute to the U.S. economy. These crucial yet often-overlooked facts are illustrated well by the Pew Hispanic Center’s latest...
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March 4, 2012
With the U.S. economy in the midst of a prolonged slump, it’s hard to believe that any industry would actually benefit from having more workers. But that is precisely the case when it comes to those...
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March 2, 2012
Making E-Verify mandatory—even for government agencies and contractors—could threaten the jobs of U.S. citizens because there are errors in the system and because employers misuse it. E-Verify is...
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February 23, 2012
As federal officers, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents may only exercise the authority granted under federal statutes and regulations. This fact sheet provides a snapshot of search, interrogation...
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February 14, 2012
The United States is in the midst of a profound demographic transformation that will long outlast the current economic downturn. In 2011, the first of the baby boomers—Americans born between 1946 and...
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January 1, 2012
Immigrants are not the cause of unemployment in the United States. Empirical research has demonstrated repeatedly that there is no correlation between immigration and unemployment. In fact,...
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November 29, 2011
The Secure Communities Program, which launched in March 2008, has been held out as a simplified model for state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. This fact sheet lays out...
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November 9, 2011
Although key provisions of Alabama’s HB 56 are on hold while its constitutionality is being tested in the courts, evidence is mounting of the growing fiscal and economic impact of the new law. State...
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November 8, 2011
There is plenty of evidence that immigration helps to fuel the U.S. economy, just as it has...
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November 8, 2011
(Updated November 2011) - Arizona’s infamous anti-immigrant law, SB 1070, has spawned many imitators. In a growing number of state houses around the country, bills have been passed or...
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November 4, 2011
There is no evidence that undocumented immigrants come to the U.S. just to give birth.
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October 19, 2011
Many political pundits, GOP presidential aspirants, and Members of Congress want to have it both ways when it comes to federal spending on immigration. On the one hand, there is much talk about the...
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August 1, 2011
Fewer Mexicans are Entering the U.S., Fewer Are Leaving, and Mexican American Births Now Outpace Immigration from Mexico Much of what we thought we knew about immigration is changing, and...
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July 6, 2011
One of the ugliest myths in the immigration debate involves the relationship between immigrants and crime. While studies repeatedly have shown that immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than...
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May 26, 2011
Frustrated by the lack of comprehensive immigration reform, many advocates, from grassroots community organizers to Members of Congress, have begun calling on President Obama to take action. They...
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May 9, 2011
How U.S. Integration Policy Stacks Up Against Other Countries Integration is an often overlooked but key component of U.S. immigration policy. Successful integration of immigrants fuels their success...
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April 18, 2011
Estimates of the State and Local Taxes Paid by Unauthorized Immigrant Households Tax Day is an appropriate time to underscore the often-overlooked fact that unauthorized immigrants pay taxes. The...
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March 30, 2011
It might seem that persistently high unemployment rates over the past few years have rendered moot the debate over whether or not the United States really “needs” the highly skilled foreign workers...
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March 29, 2011
Many politicians who champion the deport-them-all approach to unauthorized immigrants have been relying upon a bloated and deeply distorted report issued by the Federation for American Immigration...
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March 1, 2011
Immigrants Are Not the Cause of High Unemployment and Low Wages Among Minority Workers Some observers have suggested that immigrants are to blame for the high unemployment rates and low wages...
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February 10, 2011
Since 1986, controlling illegal immigration by regulating who is entitled to work in the United States has been a key component of U.S. immigration policy. The ritual of showing proof of one’s...
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January 20, 2011
Legalizing Unauthorized Immigrants Would Boost the U.S. Economy With the U.S. unemployment rate hovering at 10%, some have questioned whether or not now is really the right time for comprehensive...
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January 5, 2011
Immigration enforcement is an extremely important national priority. Effective control of our nation’s borders is essential to our national security. The regulation and control of those who enter...
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January 4, 2011
Attacks on birthright citizenship at the federal and state level are bound to take many forms—from outright repeal of the Fourteenth Amendment to refusal by states to issue birth certificates to...
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November 18, 2010
There are an estimated 1.9 million undocumented children and young adults in the United States who might be eligible...
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September 30, 2010
This following summary highlights key provisions of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010 introduced by Senators Menendez (D-NJ) and Leahy (D-VT):
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August 4, 2010
New CBO Report Underscores Diverse Contributions of Foreign-Born Workers A recent report from the...
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June 22, 2010
Updated 06/22/10 Supporters of Arizona’s harsh new immigration law claim that it is, in part, a crime-fighting measure. For instance, the bill’s author, Republican State Senator Russell...
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June 17, 2010
Violent Crimes Are Down in the State’s Three Largest Cities Many supporters of Arizona’s harsh new anti-immigrant law,...
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June 10, 2010
High levels of unemployment have led some to propagate the myth that every immigrant added to the U.S. labor force amounts to a job lost by a native-born worker, or that every job loss for a native-...
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April 26, 2010
Many people believe that only illegal immigrants are deported. However, thousands of long-term legal immigrants are deported each year. While some are deported for committing serious crimes, many...
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March 2, 2010
Expanding mandatory E-Verify would threaten the jobs of thousands of U.S. citizens and saddle U.S. businesses with additional costs—all at a time when we need to stimulate our economy. Expanding E-...
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February 22, 2010
Study Finds Significant Behavioral Changes in Children After Raids Children of unauthorized immigrant parents are often forgotten in debates over immigration reform. There are roughly 5.5 million...
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January 22, 2010
Following the devastating earthquake which struck Haiti on January 12, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on January 15...
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January 15, 2010
Reforming our broken immigration system will require us to transform our family-based immigration system, clear out the backlogs, recapture unclaimed family-based visas, reset numerical caps and...
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September 1, 2009
The public debate over immigration reform, which all too often devolves into emotional rhetoric, could use a healthy dose of economic realism. As Congress and the White House fulfill their recent...
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July 22, 2009
As policymakers debate the scope and form of the health care reform package now taking shape in Congress, it is important to understand the role of immigrant participation in the current health care...
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May 13, 2009
AgJOBS is a bipartisan, compromise bill that is the result of years of negotiations among farmworkers, growers, and Members of Congress. Get the facts on Farmworkers.
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April 1, 2009
Now more than ever, Americans are seeking real solutions to our nation’s problems, and there is no better place to start than protecting our workers, raising wages, and getting our economy moving...
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February 5, 2009
Expanding mandatory E-Verify as part of the stimulus package would threaten the jobs of thousands of U.S. citizens, decrease productivity, saddle U.S. businesses with additional costs, and hinder the...
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December 1, 2008
IPC has compiled this one-stop analysis of all the available data on the Asian, Latino and New American vote and shows how and why they voted the way they did in the 2008 election cycle. The report...
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November 1, 2008
During the presidential primaries, candidates and the media focused a great deal of attention on the debate over how immigrants impact state economies and the fiscal balance of state treasuries. At...
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November 1, 2008
IPC has prepared a fact sheet to remind policymakers, the press, and the public about the enormous influence of the immigrant, Latino, and Asian vote in the 2008 elections.
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May 22, 2008
While the U.S. government has poured billions upon billions of dollars into immigration enforcement, the number of undocumented immigrants in the United States has increased dramatically. Rather than...
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May 21, 2008
Since the mid-1980s, the federal government has tried repeatedly, without success, to stem the flow of undocumented immigrants to the United States with immigration-enforcement initiatives: deploying...
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August 1, 2007
Aging populations and the growing need to provide long-term care to the elderly are among the leading demographic, political, and social challenges facing industrialized countries, including the...
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May 1, 2007
New legislative proposals to drastically restrict family-based immigration practically ignore the social and economic benefits of the family-based admissions system for both immigrants and the native...
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May 1, 2007
A recent report from the Heritage Foundation is one in a long line of deeply flawed economic analyses which claim to estimate the contributions and "costs" of workers based solely on the amount of...
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July 1, 2005
Current immigration policies are completely out of sync with the U.S. economy’s demand for workers who fill less-skilled jobs, especially in the case of Mexican workers. While U.S. immigration...
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June 1, 2005
Thirty years after the fall of the Saigon government, Vietnamese Americans celebrate the fact that they have moved far beyond their refugee origins and become successful economic and political...
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May 1, 2005
Although immigration is crucial to the growth of the U.S. labor force and yields a net fiscal benefit to the U.S. economy, current immigration policies fail to respond to actual labor demand.
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May 1, 2005
Given the extent to which undocumented immigrants already living in the United States are part of U.S.-based families, comprehensive immigration reform must include more than just a new temporary...
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February 1, 2005
The efficiency of the asylum program depends in large part on a fully staffed and adequately funded Asylum Corps that evaluates asylum claims thoroughly and expeditiously.
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October 1, 2004
Over a thousand noncitizens face indefinite detention in the United States on the basis of a meaningless legal technicality.
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October 1, 2004
Immigrants – and groups in which immigrants are a large percentage of the population, such as Latinos and Asian/Pacific Islanders (APIs) – are a growing portion of the U.S. electorate. In a closely...
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April 1, 2004
The current numerical limits on visas for both high-skilled and seasonal workers prevent U.S. businesses from hiring the workers they need, while doing nothing to protect the jobs or wages of native...
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December 1, 2003
Children who travel unaccompanied to the United States experience not only the trauma of family separation and the frequently predatory behavior of the traffickers who bring them, but also harsh...
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September 1, 2002
America's current immigration policies are antiquated and fail to recognize the importance of Mexican workers to the national economy. U.S. immigration law must provide ways for Mexican workers to...
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May 2, 2002
A recent study by the University of Florida shows that immigrants in Florida pay their fair share of taxes, and in some cases there are several immigrant groups that pay substantially higher taxes.
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April 1, 2002
A study by the Pew Hispanic Center suggests that new immigration initiatives must find a balance between controlling labor flows and homeland security. The report shows immigrant workers provide most...
Every 10 years, as required by the U.S. Constitution, the federal government undertakes a massive nationwide effort to count the residents of the United States, who now number more than 300 million...
Immigration is inextricably part of the American national identity and always has been. Immigrants are an integral part of the structural fiber that has kept the great melting pot flowing with...
The temporary worker program now taking shape in Congress is unlikely to provide the U.S. economy with the numbers or kinds of workers that U.S. industries need.

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