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IMMIGRATION: Overview

http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/fron ... mmigration
The Issue at a Glance


Americans have always been ambivalent about immigration, with realistic concerns bumping into altruistic, even romantic notions. The romance is summed up in the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, erected in 1886, proclaiming the famous lines ''give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.'' The ambivalence was expressed a mere four years earlier, when Congress enacted the first immigration restrictions, specifically excluding "paupers, ex-convicts, mental defectives and Chinese." That was at the beginning of the greatest wave of immigration in American history, which brought in 18 million new citizens, diversified U.S. society and gave us the enduring analogy of the ''melting pot.''

Now the United States is in the midst of another great wave of immigration, which brings in roughly one million new residents a year, but has yet to give us another analogy. More than one in 10 U.S. residents are immigrants, and while that's the highest share of the overall American population since the 1930s, it's still below the high of 15 percent recorded in 1890 and 1910, according to a recent Census Bureau report. Most of the new immigrants come from Latin America and Asia. Like the earlier wave, the influx is likely to fundamentally change America, but Americans have yet to work through how they feel about it. Immigration policy is about deciding what kind of country the United States is going to be.

The question of how closely the Immigration and Naturalization Service is guarding the nation's borders gained even more attention in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Some critics point to the fact that three of the 19 hijackers were in the U.S. with expired visas; others find it equally disturbing that the remaining 16 hijackers were able to roam the country at will, even though some of them should have raised suspicions. At least two of the hijackers were on a U.S. government "watch list" of people suspected of having links to terrorists. And one of the hijackers had received a student visa to take a Berlitz language course in California, but never showed up for class.

In the aftermath of Sept. 11, immigration regulations were one of the first tools the federal government turned to in its efforts to combat domestic terrorism. As the government took steps to bolster border security, it also began detaining young Middle Eastern men for questioning and deportation on immigration violations. The government's actions raised a number of concerns. Among them: Was it fair to immediately focus suspicion on immigrants? Did the detention of young Middle Eastern men amount to racial profiling?

Coming to America


The current wave of immigration has its roots in the Immigration Act of 1965. The law placed a new emphasis on reuniting families and granting asylum to refugees, while also favoring immigrants with desired job skills and ending the longstanding preference for Western Europeans.

The law not only increased the rate of legal immigration -- from 297,000 in 1965 to 850,000 in 2000, the most recent year for which statistics are available -- it also produced a dramatic shift in the immigrants' country of origin. Prior to 1965, nine out of 10 legal immigrants to the U.S. were from Europe or Canada. Now, more than half come from Asia or Mexico.

Those figures don't include the rate of illegal immigration, which the INS estimates at 275,000 a year. The lure of a better life in the United States -- in spite of the risks of illegal immigration -- has always been strong, but it was heightened even more so by the economic boom of the 1990s. During that one decade, the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S. more than doubled, hitting 8.7 million, according to the Census Bureau. Some suggest that illegal immigrants exact a high cost on society without making a contribution. Others, though, say illegal immigrants play a vital economic role by taking jobs many Americans don't want, particularly in large urban areas and agricultural states. The fact that the North American Free Trade Agreement envisions more porous borders between the U.S., Mexico and Canada adds yet another complexity.

Prior to Sept. 11, the Bush administration had proposed granting amnesty to millions of Mexican workers in the U.S. illegally. While some administration officials say the president is still committed to the plan, it remains to be seen how actively he intends to press for such legislation.

In recent years, much of the immigration debate has centered not on how many immigrants are entering the country, but on whether those immigrants are being properly screened and what benefits they should receive after they're here. The Illegal Immigration Reform and Responsibility Act of 1996 restricted benefits for illegal immigrants, raised the income requirements for those who sponsor immigrants and doubled the number of Border Patrol agents. The 1996 welfare reform law also excluded legal immigrants from many federal benefits, such as food stamps and Supplemental Security Income for the disabled. State governments were empowered to decide whether legal immigrants should receive welfare and Medicaid.

Many of the restrictions, however, have been lifted or tempered on a piecemeal basis, with disability and food stamp benefits restored to some legal immigrants who were in the U.S. before 1996. But the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case challenging the overall restrictions. Nearly every state has taken some action to provide benefits to legal immigrants with state funds. For example, every state but Wyoming is permitting immigrants to get Medicaid after a five-year waiting period and every state but Alabama is permitting immigrants who arrived before 1996 to get welfare. Earlier this year, President Bush proposed restoring food stamp benefits for an estimated 363,000 low-income legal immigrants who have been in the U.S. at least five years.

Some of the provisions of the 1996 immigration law have also been rolled back, exempting thousands of Central American and Caribbean refugees from tougher deportation rules and lifting a requirement forcing illegal immigrants who want a permanent visa to leave the U.S. before applying.

The debate on whether to give benefits to illegal immigrants continues, particularly in states that are major destinations for new immigrants, such as California and New York. The toughest rollback attempt was California's Proposition 187, passed by voters in 1994, which would have denied almost all benefits to illegal immigrants, including public education. Many of Proposition 187's restrictions were overturned in court, and state officials eventually dropped their appeals.

The Public View


Opinion polls depict the conflicting tugs in the immigration debate. Most Americans have generally positive views of recent immigrants. While immigration isn't viewed as one of the country's most pressing problems, there is rising concern about the latest wave of immigration, and growing support for new restrictions.

The public generally draws a distinction between legal and illegal immigration, and is far more concerned about the illegal variety. But most Americans -- 63 percent -- think the majority of immigrants came here illegally. Half of Americans say the country is too open to immigrants and, since Sept. 11, there has been an increase in the number who want to reduce immigration. A recent Gallup survey found 58 percent wanted a reduction in immigration -- a 20-point increase over the year before. It isn't clear, however, whether this is a long-term shift in attitudes or a short-term reaction to the shock of the terrorist attacks.

While most people say legal immigration has been good for America throughout history, the public is closely divided on whether the country benefits from immigration today. Many say immigration has not created major problems in their town (48 percent) or their neighborhood (57 percent).

Surveys also found support for the Justice Department immigration crackdown following Sept. 11. Most Americans say they support detaining noncitizens indefinitely without charging them with a crime if they are believed to be a threat to national security. And 86 percent say the government was justified in detaining immigrants who had overstayed their visas or otherwise violated immigration law.

Choicework
For additional perspective on how society could address this issue, visit our Discussion Guide which sets out three alternative approaches. The points of view are drawn both from what the experts say about an issue and from what the public thinks about it, based on surveys and focus groups. We call this section "Choicework." Each point of view comes with the arguments for and against, along with some potential costs and tradeoffs.

Cutting back immigration in response to new economic realities, to cope with its impact of immigration on U.S. jobs and public services;
Cutting back immigration to preserve our common culture, to maintain cohesion and a core of common values in American society;
Honoring our commitment to newcomers, in the belief that immigration has always benefited the U.S. economically and strengthened our highest ideals.


IMMIGRATION: Sources and Resources
http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/sour ... mmigration

Organizations
The description of an organization is based on its own characterization of its work.
American Immigration Control Foundation (AICF)
Advocacy group for immigration control. Educates leaders and the public about problems AICF believes are caused by illegal immigration. Commissions research on immigration policies.
Box 525, Main St.
Monterey, VA 24465
phone: (540) 468-2022
fax: (540) 468-2024
http://www.aicfoundation.com


Americans for Immigration Control
Concerned about illegal immigration and lobbies for increased border patrols and tougher sanctions against employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
725 2nd St., NE, Suite 307A
Washington, D.C. 20002
phone: (202) 543-3719
fax: (202) 543-5911
http://www.immigrationcontrol.com


Bureau of the Census, Immigration Statistics Staff
Population Division
Room 2313-3
Washington, D.C. 20233
phone: (301) 457-2103
fax: (301) 457-2644
http://www.census.gov/population/www/so ... reign.html


Carrying Capacity Network
Studies population issues in the United States, with particular emphasis on immigration trends. Keeps a computerized resource bank for journalists, including statistics and contacts.
2000 P St., NW, Suite 240
Washington, D.C. 20036
phone: (202) 296-4548
fax: (202) 296-4809
http://www.carryingcapacity.org


Center for Immigration Studies
Independent, nonprofit research and education organization.
1522 K Street N.W., Suite 820
Washington, D.C. 20005
phone: (202) 466-8185
fax: (202) 466-8076
http://www.cis.org


Center for Migration Studies
Nonprofit institute that encourages the study of the sociological, demographic, economic, historical, political, and legislative aspects of migration, refugee movements, and ethnic relations.
209 Flagg Place
Staten Island, NY 10304
phone: (71 351-8800
fax: (71 667-4598
http://www.cmsny.org


Federation for American Immigration Reform
Advocates a temporary moratorium on immigration, with some exceptions. Activities include public education, research, grassroots organizing, and litigation on the local, state, and national levels.
1666 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20009
phone: (202) 328-7004
fax: (202) 387-3447
http://www.fairus.org


Immigration and Refugee Services of America
Organization that promotes cultural pluralism and assists refugees and immigrants in adjusting to American life and becoming fully participating citizens.
1717 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20036
phone: (202) 347-3507
fax: (202) 347-3418
http://www.irsa-uscr.org


National Council of La Raza
National umbrella organization working for civil rights and economic opportunities for Hispanics.
1111 19th St., NW, Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20036
phone: (202) 785-1670
fax: (202) 289-8173
http://www.nclr.org


National Immigration Forum
Coalition to extend and defend the rights and opportunities of immigrants, and help the communities where they settle. Conducts applied research and policy analysis on immigration topics.
220 Eye St., NE, Suite 220
Washington, D.C. 20002
phone: (202) 544-0004
fax: (202) 544-1905
http://www.immigrationforum.org


National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Coalition that works to promote a just immigration and refugee policy in the United States and to defend and expand the rights of all immigrants regardless of immigration status.
310 8th St., Suite 307
Oakland, CA 94607
phone: (510) 465-1984
fax: (510) 465-1885
http://www.nnirr.org


U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
The federal agency that oversees immigration. Its statistics office keeps records on immigration in the United States.
425 Eye St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20536
phone: (202) 514-5231
http://uscis.gov


U.S. English
Advocacy group for making English the official language of government in the United States.
1747 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20006
phone: (202) 833-0100
fax: (202) 833-0108
http://www.us-english.org

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