Immigration reform in the United States

Reforming the immigration policy of the United States is a subject of political discourse and contention. Immigration has played an essential part in American history, as except for the Native Americans, everyone in the United States is descended from people who migrated[a] to the United States. Some claim that the United States maintains the world's most liberal immigration policy.[1]

Illegal immigration is extremely controversial in the United States, receiving much attention in recent decades yet yielding little legislative consensus or action. Since the failure of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013, no significant immigration reform legislation has been enacted.[2] As of 2022, the DACA program is prohibited from adding new beneficiaries but has not been ended or struck down due to the Supreme Court's 2020 decision in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California.[3]

## Background

[edit]

In the United States of America, immigration reform is a term widely used to describe proposals to maintain or increase legal immigration while decreasing illegal immigration, such as the guest worker proposal supported by President George W. Bush, and the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization or "Gang of Eight" bill which passed the U.S. Senate in June 2013.

Proponents of greater immigration enforcement argue that illegal immigrants tarnish the public image of immigrants, cost taxpayers an estimated $338.3 billion (however, opponents claim that this figure is erroneous and misleading assertions and state that published studies vary widely but put the cost to government at a small fraction of that total),[4] and jeopardize the safety of law enforcement officials and citizens, especially along the Mexican border.[5]

Since early 2013, the term immigration reform has been applied to efforts to "overhaul" the broken immigration system in the United States. In his November 20, 2014 speech on immigration, U.S. President Obama summarized the need for revision to immigration laws and procedures as follows:

> Today, our immigration system is broken, and everybody knows it. Families who enter our country the right way and play by the rules watch others flout the rules. Business owners who offer their workers good wages benefits see the competition exploit undocumented immigrants by paying them far less. All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America. And undocumented immigrants who desperately want to embrace those responsibilities see little option but to remain in the shadows, or risk their families being torn apart.[6]

Critics of Obama's immigration positions and actions have nevertheless also called for policy changes. "Standards for immigration reform" announced in January 2014 by Congressional Republicans are mostly compatible with the Obama administration's legislative proposals, except that the Republicans favor step-wise implementation (rather than a package approach) with border security and interior enforcement preceding "paths" to legal status.[7] Journalist and immigration critic Roy Beck supports portions of this agenda involving "immigration reduction": specifically endorsing bills to limit family-sponsored immigration to spouses and children, to end "birthright citizenship", and to tighten "interior enforcement" and employer verification requirements.[8]

In November 2015, U.S. House of Representatives speaker Paul D. Ryan indicated that the House majority would not try to work further with the Obama administration on immigration reform.[9]

As of 2022, the DACA program is prohibited from adding new beneficiaries but has not been ended or struck down due to the Supreme Court's 2020 decision in Department of Homeland Security v. Regents of the University of California.[10]

## Immigration reform in the United States (1986 to 2009)

[edit]

The most recent major immigration reform enacted in the United States, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, made it illegal to hire or recruit illegal immigrants, while also legalizing some 2.7 million undocumented residents who entered the United States before 1982. The law did not provide a legal way for the great number of low-skilled workers wishing to enter the United States. Following this 1986 law, almost 12 million undocumented workers came illegally across the U.S. border. It was estimated that this illegal workforce made up about five percent of the U.S. workforce. It was also estimated that about 70 percent of those illegal workers were from Mexico.[11]

Former Mexican president Vicente Fox wrote that, in 2001, President George W. Bush and the leadership of both parties of Congress were ready to pass significant immigration reform legislation benefiting Mexican emigration to the U.S.[12] The immigration reform that Bush and Fox hoped for was put on hold after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.[13]

In 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, and in 2006 the U.S. Senate passed the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006. Neither bill became law because their differences could not be reconciled in conference committee.[14] The legislative negotiations and national activism behind immigration reform from 2001 to 2007 is the subject of the 12-part documentary film series How Democracy Works Now.

In 2009, immigration reform became a hot topic again since the Barack Obama administration signaled interest in beginning a discussion on comprehensive immigration reform before that year's end.[15][16] The proposed comprehensive immigration reform plan had bipartisan support as one of its goals, and included six sections designed to have "something for everyone". These six sections were:

1. to fix border enforcement,
2. "interior enforcement", such as preventing visa overstays,
3. preventing people from working without a work permit,
4. creating a committee to adapt the number of visas available to changing economic times,
5. a program to provide a path to legal status for illegal immigrants, and
6. programs to help immigrants adjust to life in the United States.[17]

Individual states can only regulate or produce immigration policies to the extent it doesn't conflict with federal law, due to the naturalization clause being one of the enumerated powers of Congress.[18]

### Effect of media coverage on public opinion

[edit]

A 2010 study examining the years 1992 to 2009 found that when immigration issues receive national media attention (as estimated by the number of mentions of immigration by CBS, ABC and USA Today), established residents living in places that have seen influx of new immigrants suddenly become much more politicized against immigration. The study reported that during a period of high national attention to immigration, anti-immigration attitudes among established residents in fast-changing counties increase by 9.9%. The study's author said that ethnic and racial surroundings appear to affect Americans' political attitudes far less than previously thought: "Those who live near larger proportions of immigrants do not consistently exhibit more negative attitudes." Rather, the author concludes, "day-to-day encounters can be shaped by salient national issues."[19] The study's conclusions are still only tentative.[20]

## Effects on the US economy

[edit]

Other studies suggest that immigration reform which includes legalization of unauthorized immigrants might add considerably to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) over 10 years, and increase wages for workers generally.[21]

Raúl Hinojosa-Ojeda, founding director of the North American Integration and Development Center at the University of California, Los Angeles, has estimated that in just the first three years following legalization for undocumented immigrants, the "higher earning power of newly legalized workers translates into an increase in net personal income of $30 to $36 billion, which could generate $4.5 to $5.4 billion in additional net tax revenue. Moreover, it is estimated that an increase in personal income of this scale would stimulate consumer spending sufficient to support 750,000 to 900,000 jobs."[22]

A 2013 study by the Workers Defense Project and the University of Texas sampling construction sites in five Texas cities, found half of construction workers there were undocumented.[23]

### High cost of immigration enforcement

[edit]

Immigration enforcement has increased rapidly since the 1990s. The U.S. Border Patrols's annual budget has increased by 714 percent. The cost went from $362.2 million in the fiscal year of 1992 to $2.7 billion in the fiscal year of 2009. Also the U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement has grown 73 percent, from $3.3 billion since its inception to $5.9 billion in 2014. [24]

### Revision of H-1B visa

[edit]

President Donald Trump signed the "Buy American, Hire American" executive order in April 2017 that would direct U.S. agencies to propose rules to prevent immigration fraud and abuse in the program. They would also be asked to offer changes so that H-1B visas are awarded to the "most-skilled" or highest-paid applicants.[25]

## Broken families

[edit]

See also: Trump administration family separation policy

The U.S. immigration system determines who enters the country, and how many, either by order or under certain circumstances. It also decides who can apply for permanent visas for family and relatives. Advocates of increased admission of family members characterize the system as "broken," for preventing family reunification. They argue that family reunification will reduce waiting lines and conflicts over the number of visas of children and spouses.[26] Approximately 5,100 children with a detained or deported parent were in the public child welfare system in 2011.[27] Advocates for reducing immigration have, however, argued that making family reunification migration easier would tend to erode important distinctions between citizens and non-citizens, and lead to higher overall immigration levels.[28]

## Arizona SB 1070

[edit]

Main article: Arizona SB 1070

See also: Arizona v. United States

In 2009, services provided to illegal immigrants, including incarceration, cost the state of Arizona an estimated $12.7 billion.[29]

Citing Congress' failure to enforce U.S. immigration laws, the state of Arizona confronted reform and on April 23, 2010, Republican Governor Jan Brewer signed the Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act (Arizona SB 1070)-- the broadest and strictest immigration reform imposed in the United States.[30]

The SB1070 Arizona immigration law directs law enforcement officials to ask for immigration papers on a "reasonable suspicion" that a person might be an illegal immigrant and make arrests for not carrying ID papers in keeping with federal requirements.[31] Previously, police could not stop and check identification papers on a mere suspicion that someone might be an illegal immigrant. Police could only ask about an individual's immigration status if they are suspected of involvement in another crime.[32]

On July 6, 2010, the US Department of Justice filed suit against Arizona. In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in Arizona v. United States that sections 3, 5(C), and 6 of S. B. 1070 were preempted by federal law but left other parts of the law intact, including a provision that allowed law enforcement to investigate a person's immigration status.

## Immigration Court reform

[edit]

Main article: Executive Office for Immigration Review

In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level, many advocacy groups have focused on improving the fairness and efficiency of the immigration court system.[33][34] They propose incremental steps the executive branch can take to stop an "assembly line approach" to deportation proceedings. These groups have identified several issues that threaten the due process rights of immigrants, including reliance on low quality videoconferencing to conduct hearings, inadequate language interpretation services for non-English speakers, and limited access to court records. They also focus on problems arising out of the recent increase in immigration law enforcement without a commensurate boost in resources for adjudication. Immigration Judges and DHS Trial Attorneys are overworked, and the pro bono community has been unable to meet the demand for representation: 49% of individuals facing removal proceedings in 2011 were unrepresented. Other calls for reform include increased transparency at the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) and more diversity of experience among Immigration Judges, the majority of whom previously held positions adversarial to immigrants.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program President Obama announced on June 15, 2012, is an example of the incremental reform sought by such groups. Under the program, illegal immigrants who were brought to the U.S. before age fifteen can apply for a work permit and a two-year deferment from deportation proceedings.[35] The policy expands the Department of Homeland Security's prosecutorial discretion policy, focusing finite resources on criminals and other threats to public safety.[36]

Several pieces of amnesty legislation aimed at preserving DACA were introduced in Congress in 2018.[37] A package proposed by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) that would have granted DACA beneficiaries a path to citizenship in return for a border wall and major cutbacks in family-based chain migration failed in the House with 193 votes, with 41 Republicans and all 190 Democrats voting no.[38] A week later, an even greater amnesty package sponsored by Paul Ryan and the party leadership died in the House with only 121 votes.[39] That law would have granted amnesty to almost two million illegal immigrants while maintaining the most important chain migration categories. DACA's future is currently unknown.[40]

## U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement removal proceedings

[edit]

Main article: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

Since President Obama took office in 2008, more than two million unauthorized immigrants have been deported. Most of these people were not a danger to society.[41] In the fiscal year 2013 ICE removed 151,834 individuals who didn't have a criminal conviction.[42] In 2013, ICE released thirty-six thousand individuals with criminal records, including 193 found convicted of murder and 426 convicted of sexual assault.[43] Additionally, ICE encountered about sixty-eight thousand aliens with criminal records who they did not prosecute.[44] If immigration reform becomes law, many of those who entered the country illegally would likely be able to remain in the United States. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also known as ICE, has enforcement priorities that involve: apprehension of terrorists, violent criminals, gang members, which are categorized under three priorities. The first and highest priority is to remove aliens who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety. Second priority is recent illegal entrants; those who have recently violated immigration control at the border such as overstay visas. The third priority is aliens who are fugitives or otherwise obstruct immigration control, for instance, reentries after prior order of deportation. ICE resources are limited; an estimated 400,000 aliens can be removed per year, but that is less than 4 percent of the illegal population in the United States.[45]

See also: Priority Enforcement Program

In 2014, the number of individuals apprehended at the border was up 16 percent from the previous fiscal year, and the number of deportations from within the United States dropped 24 percent from the previous fiscal year.[46] That year, Operation Streamline[47] was ended.[48] The number of individuals deported by the Obama Administration up through 2014, was lower than that of any previous administration.[49]

## Failure of S.744 in 2013

[edit]

Main article: Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013

On January 28, 2013, a bipartisan group of eight Senators, known as the "Gang of Eight" announced principles for comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). The Senators involved include: Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Bob Menendez of New Jersey, and Michael Bennet of Colorado, and Republicans John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida, and Jeff Flake of Arizona.[50]

The policies envisioned by the Senators include the following provisions:

* A citizenship path for illegal immigrants already in the United States contingent on certain border security and visa tracking improvements. The plan provides for permanent residence for illegal immigrants only after legal immigrants waiting for a current priority date receive their permanent residence status and a different citizenship path for agricultural workers through an agricultural worker program.
* Business immigration system reforms, focusing on reducing current visa backlogs and fast tracking permanent residence for U.S. university immigrant graduates with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or math also known as the STEM fields.
* An expanded and improved employment verification system for all employers to confirm employee work authorization.
* Improved work visa options for low-skill workers including an agricultural worker program.[51]

In April 2013, according to Congressional Quarterly, the existence of a bipartisan group of lawmakers working to reform immigration was revealed during a question and answer session at a Ripon Society event with House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH).[52]

On April 16, 2013, the "Gang of Eight" in the United States Senate introduced S.744, the long-awaited Senate version of the immigration reform bill proposed in congress.[53] The bill was a product of bipartisan cooperation among Senate lawmakers, business groups, labor unions, agricultural interests, and immigration advocates, who negotiated many compromises resulting in an architecture for reform – including a path to citizenship for eleven million illegal immigrants, a temporary worker program, increased visa numbers for skilled foreign workers, and a nationwide employment eligibility verification system.[54]

On June 27, 2013, the United States Senate approved S.744, known as the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013 in a historic 68-to-32 vote.[55] The immigration reform bill was sent to the United States House of Representatives, but was never brought to the House floor for debate or an up-or-down vote and thus died at the end of the 113th Congress.[56]

## President Obama's actions after Legislative Failure (2014 to 2017)

[edit]

Main article: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

See also: Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and United States v. Texas (2016)

### Influx of children migrants from Central America

[edit]

The border crisis in 2014 where thousands of children alone or with their mothers crossed the border and turned themselves in to the Border Patrol has been seen, in part, as a result of ambiguous US immigration policies. Numbers arriving in the first part of 2014 were at a pace more than double that of a year earlier. Cecilia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, acknowledged in June 2014 "rumors and reports, or suggestions, that the increase may be in response to the perception that children would be allowed to stay or that immigration reform would in some way benefit these children," but added that "it seems to be quite clear that what is driving this is what's happening in their home countries." Mexico and Central American countries have since taken measures to try to reduce the flow, the U.S. border patrol has sought to speed apprehensions, and the Obama administration has requested additional funding for screening and deportation, and tougher penalties on smugglers. Arrivals of children at the U.S. borders slowed from in August 2014, compared to May and June.[57][58]

### Deferred Action Executive Orders: DACA and DAPA

[edit]

On November 20, 2014, in a televised address from the White House, President Barack Obama announced a program of "deferred action" which would allow roughly 45% of illegal immigrants to legally stay and work in the United States.[59] The largest prior deferral action, in 1990, during the administration of President George H.W. Bush, affected 40% of undocumented immigrants then.[60] Up to 3.7 million undocumented parents of individuals who are U.S. citizens, or who have been legal permanent residents in the country for at least five years, are eligible for the new deferrals, as are about 300,000 immigrants who arrived as children before January 2010. Members of this second group would be eligible by expansion of the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which previously covered 1.2 million people, the expansion bringing the new coverage total to 1.5 million.[61] The new deferrals would be granted for three years at a time. Supplemental executive actions also announced include an end to the Secure Communities program, increased resources for border enforcement, and new procedures for "high-skilled immigrants". These other "parts of the president's plan" could provide "protection from deportation" for roughly "an additional one million people". President Obama's actions were clearly presented as a response to Congress having been unable in recent years to agree on a general legislative overhaul of U.S. immigration policy. Obama indicated:

> [By] acting where Congress has failed ... [I hope] to work with both parties to pass a more permanent legislative solution. And the day I sign that bill into law, the actions I take will no longer be necessary.[6][59]

On December 16, 2014, Arthur J. Schwab, a United States federal judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, ruled that President Obama's executive action on immigration was unconstitutional[62] in a case involving a Honduran man facing criminal charges for returning to the United States after being deported. As the New York Times put it, this finding "had no immediate effect".[63] On December 4, 2014, a more direct challenge was, however, filed in federal court by the attorney general of Texas, on behalf of 17 states.[64]

By January 26, 2015, the number of states participating in the lawsuit had grown to 26.[65] On February 12, testifying before the House of Representatives, officials from Ohio and Kansas stated that, due to the actions of the Obama Administration, it was difficult to determine whether illegal immigrants had registered to vote. The Senators claimed that, despite the rigorous repercussions for falsifying registration information, a considerable number of still illegal immigrants might take advantage of the ongoing and adapting bureaucratic efforts on the part of those filtering the applications. The illegal immigrants seeking to gain the right to vote in America were alleged to be facilitated not only by the new and large influx of legitimate applications, but also by the ready availability of the necessary registration forms, which could be obtained by anyone with access to a local DMV, a shopping mall, or one of a growing number of "curbside registration drives".[66]

On February 16, 2015, Judge Andrew S. Hanen, of Federal District Court in Brownsville, Texas, issued a temporary injunction[67] against the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program. On February 17, 2015, just one day before undocumented immigrants were set to begin applying for work permits and legal protections, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced a delay in implementing the DAPA program, but also said that the district court ruling would be appealed. USA Today noted the expectation of Cornell University law professor Stephen Yale-Loehr that the appeal will likely eventually succeed since federal courts generally give "the president broad authority to shape the enforcement and implementation of immigration laws".[68]

The appeal was heard on an expedited basis by three judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on July 10, 2015. On November 9, the divided circuit court affirmed the preliminary injunction of February 2015, and ordered the case back to the district court in Texas for trial.[69] Judge Jerry Edwin Smith, joined by Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod agreed with the district court that Texas has standing because of the cost of issuing drivers licenses to aliens, and that President Obama's order violated the rulemaking requirement of the Administrative Procedure Act.[69] The majority made a new finding that the Immigration and Nationality Act "flatly does not permit" deferred action.[70] Judge Carolyn Dineen King dissented, arguing that prosecutorial discretion makes the case non-justiciable, and that there had been "no justification" for the circuit court's delay in ruling.[70]

In United States v. Texas, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4–4 on June 23, leaving in place the appeals court ruling blocking Obama's executive actions.[71] On June 15, 2017, Trump's Homeland Security Secretary John F. Kelly announced that the order establishing the DAPA program was rescinded.[72]

## President Trump's Immigration Policy (2017 to 2021)

[edit]

Main article: Immigration policy of Donald Trump

On April 16, 2015, Donald Trump suggested that a wall be built on the Mexico–United States border to prevent people from entering the country illegally.[73] According to a report released by the Trump administration in 2017, the construction of the proposed border wall would take around three and a half years and cost between $21.6 billion and $25 billion.[73] On February 15, 2019, President Trump declared a national emergency in order to move military funding towards building the wall.[74] This was met with significant criticism and backlash from the media and members of both major political parties. Throughout 2019 and 2020, President Trump maintained his stance on immigration, promising that his plan would prioritize the "jobs, wages, and safety of American workers" and "promote American values."[75]

## Biden administration immigration policy (2021 to present)

[edit]

Main article: Immigration policy of the Joe Biden administration

President Joe Biden proposed the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 on his first day in office. The American Dream and Promise Act and Farm Workforce Modernization Act passed the House of Representatives in 2021, as they had in 2019, with support from Biden. Attempts to pass any of these bills in the Senate was blocked by Republican opposition, and parliamentary rulings that immigration policy changes could not be passed under reconciliation rules to bypass the Senate filibuster.[76]

As of 2023, Joe Biden has not attempted to revive or recreate DAPA by executive order.[77]

## See also

[edit]

* Immigration to the United States
* History of laws concerning immigration and naturalization in the United States
* Mexico–United States barrier
* Illegal immigration to the United States
* Immigration reduction
* Open immigration
* Human migration
* Republicans for Immigration Reform
* Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)
* Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986
* Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007
* Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013
* H1B visa
* Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
* DREAM Act
* E-Verify
* Immigration policy of Donald Trump
* Immigration policy of the Joe Biden administration

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The Atlantic slave trade entailed the forced displacement of enslaved Africans to the Americas.

1. ^ "Historical Overview of Immigration Policy". CIS.org. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
2. ^ "Immigration reform stalled decade after Gang of 8′s big push". AP News. Retrieved 2023-04-03.
3. ^ "A federal judge declared DACA unlawful. Here's what that means". Vox. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
4. ^ "Cost of Illegal Immigrants". 2009-04-06. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
5. ^ "Illegal Immigration: How much does it cost?". 8 May 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
6. ^ a b Keeling, Drew (2014), "Transcript of Obama's November 20, 2014 Speech," Migration as a travel business
7. ^ "Text of Republicans' Principles on Immigration". New York Times. 2014-01-31. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
8. ^ "5 Great Immigration Solutions – NumbersUSA". 2014-02-11. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
9. ^ Nicholas Fanfos (1 November 2015). "Paul Ryan Says He Won't Work With Obama on Immigration Reform". New York Times. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
10. ^ "A federal judge declared DACA unlawful. Here's what that means". Retrieved 2022-05-16.
11. ^ Reiff, Laura (2013-01-29). "The Winds of Immigration Reform Blow Again – Part 1". Greenberg Traurig. Retrieved 2013-01-31.
12. ^ Fox, Vicente (2007), "Revolution of Hope: The Life, Faith, and Dreams of a Mexican President", p. 230.
13. ^ "For more than 25 years, it's never been the right time for immigration reform". Washington Post. 2014-02-15. Retrieved 2014-12-08.
14. ^ Fears, Darrylnfdn (2007-03-23). "Immigration Reform Revisited". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
15. ^ Condon, Stephanie (2009-06-19). "Obama Promises Immigration Reform". CBS. Retrieved 2009-06-23.
16. ^ Barack, Obama. "President Obama's campaign issues on Immigration". Archived from the original on 2009-06-20. Retrieved 2009-06-25.
17. ^ "Comprehensive Immigration Reform, ImmigrationAmerica.org". Archived from the original on 2011-10-20.
18. ^ Vinik, Danny (11 June 2014). "Immigration Reform Died With Eric Cantor's Shocking Loss to a Tea Party Challenger". The New Republic. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
19. ^ "Politicized Places: When Immigrants Provoke Opposition". Journalist's Resource.org. 2011-05-11.
20. ^ Enos, Ryan D. (11 March 2014). "Causal effect of intergroup contact on exclusionary attitudes". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 111 (10): 3699–3704. Bibcode:2014PNAS..111.3699E. doi:10.1073/pnas.1317670111. PMC 3956183. PMID 24567394.
21. ^ "Raising the Floor for American Workers". Center for American Progress. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
22. ^ "The Cost of Doing Nothing". 23 September 2013. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
23. ^ Report: Half of Texas construction workers undocumented
24. ^ "The Cost of Doing Nothing". American Immigration Council. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
25. ^ "WATCH: Trump signs executive order tightening rules on H1B visa program for highly skilled foreign workers". pbs. April 18, 2017. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
26. ^ Enchautegui, Maria E. "Broken Immigration Policy: Broken Families" (PDF). The Urban Institute. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
27. ^ "The Cost of Doing Nothing". Immigration Policy Center. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
28. ^ "The Same Priority as Citizens?". Immigration Policy Center. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
29. ^ Barnes, Ed (2010-05-17). > "Cost of Illegal Immigration Rising Rapidly in Arizona Study Finds". Fox News. Retrieved 2010-11-29.[permanent dead link]
30. ^ Archibold, Randel (2010-04-23). "Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration". Retrieved 2010-11-30.
31. ^ "Arizona's SB-1070: the Battle for Immigrant's Rights" Making Contact, produced by National Radio Project. November 16, 2010.
32. ^ Randel Archibold, Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration, 23 April 2010, 29 November 2010 <https://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html>.
33. ^ American Bar Association. "Reforming the Immigration System Archived 2012-06-18 at the Wayback Machine," February 2010.
34. ^ Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS). "Taking Steps to Enhance Quality and Timeliness in Immigration Removal Adjudication Archived 2012-06-19 at the Wayback Machine," June 2012.
35. ^ "Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)". Retrieved 21 October 2016.
36. ^ "June 2012 Memo from Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Napolitano" (PDF).
37. ^ Golshan, Tara (2018-05-24). "The return of the DACA fight in Congress, explained". Vox. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
38. ^ "House Judiciary Chairman Calls New Bill 'A Very Serious Effort' To 'Do DACA Right'". www.wbur.org. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
39. ^ Gonzalez, Dan Nowicki and Daniel. "What's next for 'Dreamers' after Senate immigration bills fail?". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
40. ^ "'The place bills go to die'". POLITICO. Retrieved 2022-05-16.
41. ^ "Most Immigrants Deported by ICE in 2013 Were a Threat to No One" (PDF). American Immigration Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
42. ^ "FY 2013 ICE Immigration Removals" (PDF). U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcements. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
43. ^ Slifer, Stephanie (13 May 2014). "Report: 36K criminals freed while awaiting deportation". CBS News. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
Vaughan, Jessica M. (May 2014). "ICE Document Details 36,000 Criminal Alien Releases in 2013". Center for Immigration Studies. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
44. ^ Bolton, Alexander (31 March 2014). "DHS document: 68,000 illegal immigrants with criminal convictions released in 2013". The Hill. Washington, D.C. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
Dinan, Stephen (30 March 2014). "68,000 illegal aliens with criminal records caught and released". Washington Times. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
45. ^ Morton, John. "Civil Immigration Enforcement: Priorities for the Apprehension, Detention, and Removal of Aliens" (PDF). U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
46. ^ Dinan, Stephen (19 December 2014). "Illegal immigration up, deportations down in 2014: DHS". Washington Times. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
47. ^ "'Operation Streamline' takes hard line on illegal border crossers". Arizona Daily Star. 2013-03-24. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
48. ^ "Feds pulling plug on Operation Streamline prosecutions?". Mohave Valley Daily News. Associated Press. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
49. ^ Jordan, Miriam (8 December 2014). "U.S. Deportations in Fiscal 2014 Lowest Since Obama Took Office". Wall Street Journal. New York. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
50. ^ "Senators Reach a Bipartisan Agreement for Comprehensive Immigration Reform". The National Law Review. Fowler White Boggs P.A. 2013-01-31. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
51. ^ "Senators Propose Immigration Reform". The National Law Review. Varnum LLP. 2013-01-29. Retrieved 2013-02-01.
52. ^ "Dueling Tracks In House". Congressional Quarterly News, 4/19/13. Retrieved 1/27/14 via Lexis Nexis.
53. ^ http://www.sacbee.com/2013/04/17/5349477/s744-offers-historic-and-bipartisan.html[permanent dead link]
54. ^ Reiff, Laura Foote (June 28, 2013). "U.S. Senate Passes Landmark Comprehensive Immigration Reform Legislation". The National Law Review.
55. ^ La Venia, Melissa V.; Altro Levy LLP (June 28, 2013). "Update: U.S. Senate Votes to Approve Gang of Eight's U.S. Immigration Reform Bill and Key Canadian Provisions". The National Law Review. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
56. ^ "US Immigration Reform Issues since 2013". Migration as a travel business. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
57. ^ "Wave of Minors on Their Own Rush to Cross Southwest Border". New York Times. 2014-06-04.
58. ^ "Children, Obama Delays Action". Migration News. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
59. ^ a b "Obama, Daring Congress, Acts to Overhaul Immigration". New York Times. 2014-11-20. Retrieved 2014-11-21.
60. ^ New York Times, "Obama’s Immigration Decision Has Precedents, but May Set a New One" (November 20, 2014, retrieved 2014-12-08)
61. ^ New York Times, "What Is President Obama’s Immigration Plan?" (November 20, 2014, retrieved 2014-11-21)
62. ^ "US judge says Obama immigration action invalid". Washington Post. 2014-12-16. Archived from the original on 2014-12-17.
63. ^ "Federal Judge Calls Obama's Immigration Actions Unlawful". The New York Times. 17 December 2014. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
64. ^ Weissert, Will (4 December 2014). "Obama immigration executive order: A violation of the Constitution?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
65. ^ "Over Half The States Are Suing Obama For Immigration Actions". Huffington Post. 2015-01-26. Retrieved 2015-02-18.
66. ^ Stephen Dinan (12 February 2015). "Obama amnesty creates loophole for illegal immigrants to vote in elections". Washington Times. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
67. ^ "Court injunction against executive actions". Migration as a travel business. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
Stephen Dinan (17 February 2015). "Federal judge halts Obama amnesty; White House to appeal". Washington Times. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
Michael D. Shear; Julia Preston (17 February 2015). "Dealt Setback, Obama Puts Off Immigrant Plan". New York Times. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
68. ^ "Obama: 'Law is on our side' despite immigration ruling". USA Today. 2015-02-17.
"After Judge's Ruling, Obama Delays Immigration Actions". New York Times. 2015-02-18.
69. ^ a b Lind, Dara (10 November 2015). "Obama's immigration executive actions are up to the Supreme Court". Vox. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
70. ^ a b Ford, Matt (10 November 2015). "A Ruling Against the Obama Administration on Immigration". The Atlantic. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
71. ^ Liptak, Adam; Shear, Michael D. (24 June 2016). "SPLIT COURT STIFLES OBAMA ON IMMIGRATION: A 9-Word Ruling Erases a Shield for Millions". The New York Times. pp. A1, Column 1. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
72. ^ "Kelly revokes Obama order shielding immigrant parents of U.S. citizens". Washington Post. 15 June 2017. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
73. ^ a b Garrett, Terence M. (2018-01-01). "Where There's a Wall There's a Way: The End (?) of Democratic Discourse Regarding Immigration and Border Security Policy". Maryland Journal of International Law. 33 (1): 183–204.
74. ^ "Presidential Proclamation on Declaring a National Emergency Concerning the Southern Border of the United States". whitehouse.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-02 - via National Archives.
75. ^ "Remarks by President Trump on Modernizing Our Immigration System for a Stronger America". Trump Whitehouse Archives. May 16, 2019.
76. ^ Democrats' 'Plan B' on immigration in reconciliation bill rejected by Senate parliamentarian
77. ^ Hackman, Michelle; Zitner, Aaron (February 2, 2024). "Why Both Parties Have Shifted Right on Immigration—and Still Can't Agree". The Wall Street Journal.

* Immigration Reforms: How a Broken System Breaks Communities Making Contact, a production of the National Radio Project, 2010.

## External links

[edit]

* Immigration Issues at Curlie
* U.S. Immigration Issues at Curlie
* Whitehouse.gov Immigration Topic
* hotel budget USA

* v
* t
* e

Immigration to the United States and related topics

Relevant colonial era,
United States and
international laws

| Colonial era|

* Nationality law in the American Colonies
* Plantation Act 1740

|

18th century|

* Naturalization Act 1790 / 1795 / 1798

19th century|

* Naturalization Law 1802
* Act to Encourage Immigration (1864)
* Civil Rights Act of 1866
* 14th Amendment (1868)
* Naturalization Act 1870
* Page Act (1875)
* Immigration Act of 1882
* Chinese Exclusion (1882)
* Scott Act (1888)
* Immigration Act of 1891
* Geary Act (1892)

1900-1949|

* Immigration Act 1903
* Naturalization Act 1906
* Gentlemen's Agreement (1907)
* Immigration Act 1907
* Immigration Act 1917 (Asian Barred Zone)
* Immigration Act 1918
* Emergency Quota Act (1921)
* Cable Act (1922)
* Immigration Act 1924
* Tydings–McDuffie Act (1934)
* Filipino Repatriation Act (1935)
* Nationality Act of 1940
* Bracero Program (1942-1964)
* Magnuson Act (1943)
* War Brides Act (1945)
* Alien Fiancées and Fiancés Act (1946)
* Luce–Celler Act (1946)

1950-1999|

* UN Refugee Convention (1951)
* Immigration and Nationality Act 1952 / 1965
* Section 212(f)
* Section 287(g)
* Refugee Act (1980)
* Immigration Reform and Control Act (1986)
* American Homecoming Act (1989)
* Immigration Act 1990
* Immigration and Nationality Technical Corrections Act (INTCA) 1994
* Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) (1996)
* Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) (1997)
* American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA) (1998)

21st century|

* American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act (AC21) (2000)
* Legal Immigration Family Equity Act (LIFE Act) (2000)
* H-1B Visa Reform Act (2004)
* Real ID Act (2005)
* Secure Fence Act (2006)
* DACA (2012)
* Executive Order 13769 (2017)
* Executive Order 13780 (2017)
* Ending Discriminatory Bans on Entry to The United States (2021)

Visas and policies|

* Visa policy
* Permanent residence
* Visa Waiver Program
* Temporary protected status
* Asylum
* Green Card Lottery
* Central American Minors
* US-VISIT
* Security Advisory Opinion
* E-Verify
* National Origins Formula
* Expedited removal
* Detention
* Family
* Unaccompanied children
* Trump administration family separation policy

Government
organizations

* Department of Homeland Security
* Immigration and Customs Enforcement
* U.S. Border Patrol (BORTAC)
* U.S. Customs and Border Protection
* U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
* Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
* Executive Office for Immigration Review
* Board of Immigration Appeals
* Office of Refugee Resettlement

Supreme Court cases|

* US v. Wong Kim Ark (1898)
* Ozawa v. US (1922)
* US v. Bhagat Singh Thind (1923)
* US v. Brignoni-Ponce (1975)
* Zadvydas v. Davis (2001)
* Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting (2011)
* Barton v. Barr (2020)
* DHS v. Regents of the Univ. of Cal. / Wolf v. Vidal (2020)
* Niz-Chavez v. Garland (2021)
* Sanchez v. Mayorkas (2021)
* Department of State v. Muñoz (2024)

Related issues
and events

* 2006 protests
* Brooks County, Texas
* Central American migrant caravans
* Economic impact
* Effects
* Eugenics in the United States
* Guest worker program
* Human trafficking
* Human smuggling
* Coyotaje
* Immigration reduction
* Immigration reform
* List of people deported from the United States
* Mexico-United States border crisis
* Mexico–United States border wall
* Labor shortage
* March for America
* Illegal immigrant population
* Reverse immigration
* Unaccompanied minors from Central America

Geography|

* Mexico–United States border
* Canada–United States border
* United States Border Patrol interior checkpoints

Proposed legislation|

* DREAM Act (2001-2010)
* H.R. 4437 (2005)
* McCain-Kennedy (2005)
* Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act 2006
* STRIVE Act (2007)
* Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act 2007
* Uniting American Families Act (2000–2013)
* Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013
* SAFE Act (2015)
* RAISE Act (2017)
* US Citizenship Act of 2021

Immigration stations
and points of entry|

* Angel Island
* Castle Garden
* East Boston
* Ellis Island
* Otay Mesa
* San Ysidro
* Sullivan's Island
* Washington Avenue

Operations|

* "Wetback" (1954)
* "Peter Pan" (1960-1962)
* "Babylift" (1975)
* "Gatekeeper" (1994)
* "Endgame" (2003-2012)
* "Front Line" (2004-2005)
* "Streamline" (2005-present)
* "Return to Sender" (2006-2007)
* "Jump Start" (2006-2008)
* "Phalanx" (2010-2016)
* "Faithful Patriot" (2018-present)

State legislation|

* California DREAM Act (2006-2010)
* Arizona SB 1070 (2010)
* Alabama HB 56 (2011)

Non-governmental
organizations

* Arizona Border Recon
* California Coalition for Immigration Reform
* CASA of Maryland
* Center for Immigration Studies
* Center for Migration Studies of New York
* Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
* Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
* Community Change
* Federation for American Immigration Reform
* Improve The Dream
* Mexica Movement
* Mexicans Without Borders
* Migration Policy Institute
* Minuteman Civil Defense Corps
* Minuteman Project
* National Immigration Forum
* National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC)
* Negative Population Growth
* No More Deaths
* NumbersUSA
* Save Our State
* Utah Compact

Documentaries|

* Borderland (TV series)
* Missing in Brooks County

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template