United States

IRCA in Retrospect: Guideposts for Today’s Immigration Reform

The statutory design flaws of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, not just implementation failures, enabled the unauthorized population growth it sought to eliminate.

As Bill to Overhaul U.S. Immigration System Stalls in Congress, Immigration Reform Movement Broadens, Ups the Ante

The U.S. Senate passed its most significant immigration legislation since 2006 in 2013, only to watch it stall in the House.

Green-Card Holders and Legal Immigration to the United States

In 2012, more than 1 million people obtained lawful permanent resident status, with 53 percent arriving as status adjusters already in the United States.

Alabama Settlement Marks Near End of a Chapter in State Immigration Enforcement Activism

Alabama's settlement gutting HB 56 marked the end of a period of state omnibus laws targeting unauthorized immigration.

Early Education for Dual Language Learners: Promoting School Readiness and Early School Success

Spanish-speaking Dual Language Learners enter kindergarten far behind peers. High-quality early education supporting both English and home language is attainable and effective.

10th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference

The 10th annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference featured keynotes by U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and former Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, and panel discussions on the prospects for legislative action, policy options, and political mobilization; lessons learned from past immigration legislation and programs; and an assessment of current conditions at the U.S. border and considerations for future policy.

Naturalization Trends in the United States

Naturalized immigrants in the United States had median household incomes exceeding that of the U.S. born in 2012.

The Ongoing Challenge of Ensuring Human Rights for Migrants in the European Union and United States

In the wake of the Lampedusa tragedy the Director of the European Agency for Fundamental Rights discussed the state of rights protection in Europe as well as the agency’s role in this evolving arena, while ACLU Immigrants’ Rights Project Founder and former National Director, Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights President, and U.S. Justice Department Civil Rights Division Senior Counsel discuss the U.S. immigrant-rights movement.

As Immigration Reform Stalls in Congress, Activists Take a Page from the Civil-Rights Movement

Stalled immigration reform sparked a 2013 shift to civil disobedience, with 200 activists and eight members of Congress arrested near the Capitol in a single day.

Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States

Middle Eastern and North African immigrants in the United States held college degrees at higher rates than U.S.-born adults in 2011.