Immigration Reform

The enforcement of immigration laws is a complex and hotly-debated topic. Learn more about the costs of immigration enforcement and the ways in which the U.S. can enforce our immigration laws humanely and in a manner that ensures due process.

Recent Features

Fact Sheet
The Cost of Immigration Enforcement and Border Security

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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Special Report
Back to the Future: The Impact of Legalization Then and Now

While there are many facets to an intelligent immigration reform package, one thing is clear: legalization for undocumented immigrants helps all of us. 

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All Immigration Reform Content

  • Research and Analysis

Dissecting the HALT Act: The Impact of Eliminating Discretion from Our Immigration System

Publication Date: 
July 25, 2011
Immigration restrictionists on Capitol Hill are attempting to move legislation through Congress that would prevent the Obama Administration from exercising the executive branch’s long-held power of...
  • Fact Sheet

Understanding Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Law

Publication Date: 
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...
  • Research and Analysis

Revitalizing the Golden State

Publication Date: 
April 27, 2011
California is home to nearly 10 million immigrants, more than one quarter of the state’s population. Of those, 2.7 million are undocumented, and the vast majority of them have been living in the...
  • Special Report

Q&A Guide to Arizona's Immigration Law

Publication Date: 
April 26, 2011
One year after the passage of Arizona’s tough new immigration law (SB1070), both opponents and proponents are...
  • Fact Sheet

Statistical Hot Air: FAIR’s USA Report Lacks Credibility

Publication Date: 
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...
  • Fact Sheet

Immigration Reform and Job Growth

Publication Date: 
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...
  • Special Report

Investing in the American DREAM

Publication Date: 
December 2, 2010
Each year, tens of thousands of undocumented immigrant students graduate from American high schools and embark on uncertain futures. Their inability to legally work and receive financial aid stalls...
  • Fact Sheet

The DREAM Act: Creating Economic Opportunities

Publication Date: 
November 18, 2010
There are an estimated 1.9 million undocumented children and young adults in the United States who might be eligible...
  • Fact Sheet

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010: A Summary

Publication Date: 
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):
  • Special Report

Back to the Border: A Historical Comparison of U.S. Border Politics

Publication Date: 
September 2, 2010
By Katherine Benton-Cohen and...
  • Blog

What Is Happening with Trump’s Border Wall? Here’s Everything You Need to Know So Far

October 18, 2019

President Trump has made the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border a cornerstone of his presidency. To date, not a single mile of new barriers has been erected. But the Trump...

  • Blog

“Public Charge” Rule Blocked Days Before Going Into Effect

October 14, 2019

The Trump administration suffered another immigration blow in court last Friday. The new “public charge” rule set to go into effect Tuesday, October 15, was blocked in three separate rulings by...

  • Blog

How Trump’s New Healthcare Ban Threatens the Legal Immigration System

October 9, 2019

President Trump invoked the same legal authority used for the Travel Ban to impose a sweeping new ban on legal immigration last week. Under the new ban, which analysis suggests could block as much...

  • Blog

Why It’s Bad to Force Asylum Seekers to Seek Protection Elsewhere

September 12, 2019

The Supreme Court issued an emergency ruling on Wednesday allowing the Trump administration to implement a ban on asylum seekers at the southern land border. The ban applies to people who...

  • Blog

The House Passes Historic Legislation to Provide Path to Citizenship for Dreamers and TPS Holders

June 5, 2019

The post The House Passes Historic Legislation to Provide Path to Citizenship for Dreamers and TPS...

  • Blog

Immigration Hardliner Kenneth Cuccinelli to Replace Cissna at USCIS

May 28, 2019

The post Immigration Hardliner Kenneth Cuccinelli to Replace Cissna at USCIS appeared first on...

  • Blog

White House’s Misguided Immigration Reform Plan Is Set for Failure

May 17, 2019
  • Blog

White House Demands Additional $4.5 Billion for Border

May 6, 2019

In a move designed to ratchet up pressure on Congress, last week the White House sent an emergency budget request to Congress asking for $4.5 billion of funding to deal with increased numbers of...

  • Blog

Chaos Continues at DHS as Trump Purges More of His Senior Immigration Team

April 10, 2019

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen resigned from her position on Monday. She was reportedly forced from office after President Trump grew frustrated with the...

  • Blog

Trump Threatens to Close the Border After Cutting Aid to Central American Countries

April 2, 2019

President Trump has threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border—again. As families continued to arrive at the border in March—typically the busiest month for border crossings—Trump declared he...

  • Press Release

The American Immigration Council Applauds Senate Passage of Historic Immigration Reform Legislation

June 27, 2013

Washington D.C. – The American Immigration Council applauds the U.S. Senate for passing comprehensive immigration reform legislation (S.

  • Press Release

Senate Floor Debate Must Maintain Spirit of Compromise

June 3, 2013

Washington D.C.

  • Press Release

Senate Judiciary Committee Votes to Pass Immigration Bill on to Full Senate

May 21, 2013

Mark-Up Characterized by Transparency and Bipartisan Cooperation

  • Press Release

Legalizing 11 Million Aspiring Americans

May 20, 2013

Washington D.C. - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee continues mark-up of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

  • Press Release

Bringing Fairness to the Immigration Justice System

May 15, 2013

Washington D.C. - Thursday, the Senate Judiciary Committee continues mark-up of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

  • Press Release

Senate Legislative Process Must Maintain Spirit of Compromise

May 9, 2013

Washington D.C. - Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee begins “mark-up” of S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.

  • Press Release

Bloated Estimate of Legalization Costs Ignores Immigration Reform's Broader Economic Benefits

May 6, 2013

Washington D.C.

  • Press Release

President Obama Provides Moral Imperative for Immigration Reform

January 29, 2013

Washington D.C.

  • Press Release

The American Immigration Council Welcomes Senate's Bipartisan Principles on Immigration Reform

January 28, 2013

Washington D.C.

  • Press Release

Senators Reintroduce the DREAM Act

May 11, 2012

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Richard Durbin, Harry Reid, and Robert Menendez re-introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Ac

  • Blog

The Dignity Act Could Signal Increasing Support for Immigration Reform on Capitol Hill

February 15, 2022

Miami Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a freshman Republican from Florida’s 27th congressional district, last week introduced an immigration reform bill that she calls the “Dignity Act.” Rep. Salazar...

  • Blog

The House Passes the America COMPETES Act, Including Immigration Reforms to Help the U.S. Economy

February 4, 2022

The House of Representatives passed an economic competitiveness bill on February 4 that includes several immigration provisions. The bill is called the ‘‘America Creating Opportunities for...

  • Press Release

U.S. House Moves Immigration Reform in Bill Aimed at Increasing American Competitiveness and Helping Economy

February 4, 2022
The U.S. House of Representatives passed an economic competitiveness bill focused on advancing the United States’ innovation and global competitiveness, which also proposes reforms to U.S. immigration law to help attract and retain immigrant talent.
  • Press Release

Biden’s Plan to Attract Foreign STEM Talent Recognizes Immigration’s Importance in the Global Economy

January 21, 2022
The Biden administration announced new efforts to modernize parts of our immigration system, and remove barriers to legal immigration. DHS will add 22 new fields of study in the STEM Optional Practical Training program through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, and will implement a series of additional changes to allow foreign students, scholars, and researchers to come to the United States and make meaningful contributions to America’s scholarly, research and development, and innovation communities.
  • Press Release

One Year In: The Biden Administration’s Promises on Immigration Remain Unfulfilled

January 19, 2022
President Biden announced a welcoming and inclusive vision for immigration in a legislative proposal and a series of executive actions signed on his first day in office. But one year into Biden’s presidency, his promises on immigration remain unfulfilled.
  • Fact Sheet

An Overview of the Government Funding Process: Appropriations

Publication Date: 
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.
  • Press Release

House Moves Immigration Reform in Budget Reconciliation, Potentially Transforming the Lives of Millions

November 19, 2021

WASHINGTON—Today the U.S. House of Representatives voted to include immigration provisions and relief in the budget reconciliation package that will now go before the U.S.

  • Letters

Coalition calls on Congress to Fund Appointed Counsel in Immigration Proceedings

Publication Date: 
November 18, 2021
The American Immigration Council joined a coalition letter asking Congress to support funding for appointed counsel for immigration proceedings for Fiscal Year 2022.
coalition_effort_advocates_inclusion_visa_related_provisions_budget_reconciliation_thumbnail
  • Letters

Coalition Effort Advocates for the Inclusion of Visa-Related Provisions in Budget Reconciliation

Publication Date: 
November 2, 2021
The Council joined 89 other organizations in a letter calling for Congress to include visa-related provisions in the budget reconciliation.
  • Fact Sheet

Legalization Through “Registry”

Publication Date: 
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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