August 26, 2011
Immigration Policy: August 2011 Update
Three sets of numbers frame recent developments in immigration policy: numbers of the foreign-born in the latest U.S. census data; numbers on the impact of the recession on immigrant employment; and numbers on the size and trajectory of the undocumented population. read more »
December 19, 2010
America’s Bleak Mid-Winter
In Christian churches across the length and breadth of this land, millions of Americans will take comfort and inspiration this week from the story of the Nativity. They will glory in the well-known tale of a poor couple, read more »
August 25, 2010
Immigration and the Problem of the Two-Legged Stool
(co-authored with Peter Siavelis) It is less than a year (November 2009) since Janet Napolitano – the Homeland Security Secretary and the administration’s point person on immigration – announced her and the President’s commitment to a three-pronged approach to the issue of immigration reform. read more »
June 5, 2010
Crossing Arizona: Stalemate in the desert
The Arizona initiative (S.B. 1070) continued to provoke a fierce response throughout May from both supporters and opponents. Memorial Day weekend saw rallies in Phoenix – several marching against the bill, and a similar number attending a stadium rally in support. Copy -cat legislation began to emerge in at least 18 states, including here in […] read more »
May 5, 2010
Chapter 7: May 2010 Update
The big development in April 2010 came in Arizona with the signing of Senate Bill1070 into law, giving police officers (from August) the right to stop anyone when they had reasonable suspicion of their illegal presence in the country, and request papers. Defended from the right by Limbaugh (Obama would be defensive on papers, wouldn’t […] read more »
March 7, 2010
Immigration: Recent Developments in 2010
Latest figures from the Office of Immigration Statistics show the total size of the undocumented population actually falling in 2009: down from its January 2007 peak of 11.8 million by 200,00 through 2008 and by a further 800,000 through 2009: to give a current total of 10.8 million. Those numbers do not, of course, prevent […] read more »
February 22, 2010
Immigration Reform in a Time of Recession
By David Coates and Peter Siavelis 2010 is supposed to be the year of comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama promised comprehensive immigration reform when campaigning for the White House. He committed himself to a 2010 (as distinct from a 2009) timetable when meeting the Mexican president in May. His head of Homeland Security reaffirmed that […] read more »
January 18, 2010
Immigration: The Story in 2009
There were three major areas of development on the immigration front in 2009. 1. The adverse effect of the recession on numbers and employment of both legal and illegal immigrants. 2. Clear support from AFL-CIO for comprehensive immigration reform; and 3. Changes in administration policy – away from ICE raids towards employer verification – as […] read more »
