E.g., 04/18/2024
E.g., 04/18/2024
Research Publications

Research Publications

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Reports
February 2011

The Evolution of Border Controls as a Mechanism to Prevent Illegal Immigration

Faced with enormous political pressure to stop illegal immigration and to prevent the entry of potential terrorists, the U.S. government has devoted ever more resources to enforcing border policies. It remains unclear, the author argues, whether the efficacy of these programs warrants their costs.

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Policy Briefs
February 2011

E-Verify: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Proposals for Reform

An effective electronic eligibility verification system is an essential component of the U.S. immigration system, but questions as to whether the E-Verify employment verification system should be made mandatory remain. This report examines the strengths and weaknesses of E-Verify, and discusses proposals for reform.

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Policy Briefs
January 2011

Earned Legalization: Effects of Proposed Requirements on Unauthorized Men, Women, and Children

This Policy Brief examines four types of criteria for earned legalization (English proficiency, employment, continuous presence, and monetary fines) in the five major legalization bills proposed by Congress since 2006—and finds that the projected effects differ on the ability of unauthorized men, women, and children to gain legal status.

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Reports
January 2011

Immigration Policy and Less-Skilled Workers in the United States: Reflections on Future Directions for Reform

Notwithstanding the broad consensus on the benefits of highly skilled immigration, the economic role of less-skilled immigrants is one of the more controversial questions in the immigration debate. While less-skilled immigrants bring economic benefits for U.S. consumers, employers, and skilled workers, they impose some costs on U.S. workers competing for similar jobs.

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Reports
January 2011

Communicating More for Less: Using Translation and Interpretation Technology to Serve Limited English Proficient Individuals

This report provides an overview of several commonly used translation and interpretation technologies. It aims to assist language access practitioners in understanding and identifying which systems would best meet their agency’s language access needs.

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Reports
January 2011

Delegation and Divergence: 287(g) State and Local Immigration Enforcement

In assessing the implementation, enforcement outcomes, costs, and community impacts of the 287(g) federal-state immigration enforcement program, the report finds that about half of 287(g) activity involves noncitizens arrested for misdemeanors and traffic offenses.

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Fact Sheets
December 2010

Top Languages Spoken by English Language Learners Nationally and by State, 2009

This fact sheet, based on analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2009 American Community Survey, documents the top languages spoken by English Language Learners (ELLs) nationwide and on a state level.

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Fact Sheets
December 2010

Updated Estimates of the 2010 DREAM Act

In 2010, based on changes to the DREAM Act legislation pending in Congress, MPI issued revised total and state-level estimates of the unauthorized youth and young adults who might be eligible for conditional legal status, updating its DREAM vs. Reality fact sheet.

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Policy Briefs
December 2010

More than IRCA: U.S. Legalization Programs and the Current Policy Debate

This policy brief shows that more unauthorized immigrants in the United States have been legalized through population-specific and registry programs than through the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act general legalization provisions.

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Policy Briefs
December 2010

Immigrant Legalization in the United States and European Union: Policy Goals and Program Design

This policy brief examines the legalization debate on both sides of the Atlantic and discusses policy parameters that characterize legalization programs, such as qualifications, requirements, benefits, and program design and implementation.

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