Resources
On this page:
Links
Economy
Population
Dispelling Myths
Hate Group/Crimes
Border Enforcement/National Security
Integration
LINKS
ECONOMY
“Immigration: The Effects on Low-Skilled and High-Skilled Native-Born Workers”
Linda Levine, Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, January 16, 2007
Summary: Overall, immigration has not reduced the wages of high-skilled native-born workers. Most of the studies that analyze this impact have found little difference between wage and employment of native-born workers in areas with high/low immigrant concentrations.
www.ilw.com/immigdaily/news/2006,0613-crs.pdf
“Immigration’s Economic Impact”
Executive Office of the President, Council of Economic Advisers, January 20, 2007
Summary: Report focuses on immigration’s positive impact on US natives’ income and overall benefit to the economy.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/cea/cea_immigration_062007.html
“Is the New Immigration Really so Bad?”
Dr. David Card. National Bureau Economic Research, August 2005
Summary: Post-1965 immigrants and their offspring are economically doing well and have better wages and many have better wages and education levels than natives.
http://www.philadelphiafed.org/econ/conf/immigration/card.pdf
“Deporting the Undocumented”
Rajeev Goyle and David A. Jaegar, Ph.D, Center for American Progress, July 16, 2005
Summary: This report analyzes the cost of deporting the undocumented. Authors estimate that a massive deportation effort would be at least $206 billion over five years. They offer estimates on the costs based on apprehension, detention, legal costs, and transport for undocumented immigrants.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2005/07/b913099.html
“The Taxation of Undocumented Immigrants: Separate, Unequal, and Without Representation”
Francine J. Lipman, Harvard Latino Law Review, Spring 2006
Summary: Undocumented immigrants actually contribute more to social services than they cost. They contribute to the economy by consuming and purchasing goods. Also, although they will not receive any monetary or other social benefit in return, they are required to pay taxes and make contributions to Social Security and Medicare.
http://www.law.harvard.edu/students/orgs/llr/vol9/lipman.php
“On Labor Day: Don’t Pit Immigrants Against Black Workers”
Dr. Steven Pitts, San Francisco Chronicle. Sept 3, 2007
Summary: Article examines how African American workers and Latino immigrant workers are pitted against each other. Also, it explains that there is no relationship between Black unemployment and increasing immigration rates.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/03/EDR9RT81M.DTL
“Blacks Losing Jobs to Illegals? Alderman calls claim ‘ludicrous’”
Mary O’Leary. New Haven Register. January 27, 2008
Summary: The article reports on a New Haven Alderman who believes that pitting African Americans and immigrants is counterproductive. Article also reports there is no consensus on whether there is a connection between Black unemployment and immigration.
http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily
POPULATION
“The Diffusion of Mexican Immigrants during the 1990s: Explanations and Impacts”
David Card and Ethan G. Lewis, National Bureau of Economic Research, August 2005
Summary: This paper analyzes the new distribution of Mexican immigrants, whereby Mexicans are no longer primarily establishing themselves in the Southwest or Chicago. Cities that previously had a relatively low Mexican population have begun experiencing an increase of their communities. In addition, it analyzes push and pull factors in Mexico and US economies that could explain this new diffusion and examines the local impacts that this immigration has had to these areas.
http://emlab.berkeley.edu/users/card/papers/diff_mex_immig.pdf
“Estimating the Undocumented Population”
United States Government Accountability Office, September 2006
Summary: This report explores the proper method in surveying the foreign born. The “grouped answers” approach seems to be widely accepted among immigrant advocates; this method does not directly ask whether a respondent is undocumented. Thus, it allows a safer way to calculate more reliable estimates of the immigrant population.
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d06775.pdf
“A Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population at Mid-Decade”
Pew Hispanic Center, January 2008
Summary: This data set provides social characteristics of the foreign born population in the United States. It gives estimates on items such as: Population by Race and Ethnicity, Country of Birth, Median Age by Sex and Region of Birth, Foreign Born by State, Marital Status, English Ability, etc.
http://pewhispanic.org/docs/print.php?DocID=11
“The Size and Characteristics of the Unauthorized Migrant Population in the US”
Pew Hispanic Center, March 7, 2006
Summary: Using the Current Population Survey, this report provides statistics and characteristics of the undocumented immigrant population in the United States.
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=61
“Estimates of the Unauthorized Migrant Population for States based on the March 2005 CPS”
Pew Hispanic Center, April 26, 2006
Summary: This Fact Sheet gives estimates, using the 2005 Current Population Survey, of the number of unauthorized migrants in the US.
http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=17
“Modes of Entry for the Unauthorized Migrant Population”
Pew Hispanic Center, May 22, 2006
Summary: This Fact Sheet provides estimated statistics for the various forms of entry (Visa Overstayers, Border Crossing Violators, and those who enter illegally without inspection) of unauthorized immigrants in the United States.
http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=19
“2007 National Survey of Latinos: As Illegal Immigration Issue Heats Up, Hispanics Feel a Chill”
Pew Hispanic Center, December 19, 2007
Summary: This report presents the findings of the National Survey of Latinos which emphasized Latino views toward illegal immigration, perceptions of discrimination, and the immigration debate.
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=84
“Hispanic Immigrants and Citizens in Virginia”
Qian Cai, University of Virginia, February 2008
Summary: A majority of Hispanic Virginians are U.S. citizens. Adult Hispanic citizens surpass Virginians overall in both educational attainment and household income. The study also noted that both Hispanic citizens and immigrants are overrepresented in Virginia’s military.
http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=4308
DISPELLING MYTHS
“Dispelling the Myth: ‘Chain Migration’”
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Spring 2007
Summary: This fact sheet counters the myth of “chain migration,” or family-based immigration. US immigration policy places limits on the number of family members that a person can sponsor. Chain migration isn’t responsible for increasing numbers of immigration because there are quota limits that allow only 226,000 total persons to enter annually. Restricting family-based immigration will likely cause an increase in illegal immigration.
http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?bc=6755|19887|19888|22573
“The Myth of Immigrant Criminality and the Paradox of Assimilation”
Ruben G. Rumbaut and Walter A. Ewing, Immigration Policy Center, 2007
Summary: This report argues that incarceration rates tend to be the lowest for immigrant young men. In addition, the authors state that even as immigration has increased, crime rates have declined.
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/index.php?content=sr20070221
“Common Myths about Undocumented Immigration”
National Council of La Raza, January 2006
Summary: This fact sheet counters common economic and cultural myths about undocumented immigrants.
http://www.nclr.org/content/resources/detail/36428/
“While Debate Rages, Public Continues to Support Realistic Immigration Solutions”
National Immigration Forum, December 10, 2007
Summary: This article asserts that many polls demonstrate how the majority of Americans want to see realistic immigration reform that allows undocumented immigrants a path toward citizenship.
www.immigrationforum.org/document/PressRoom/PublicOpinion/2007
HATE GROUPS/CRIMES
“Is FAIR Unfair?”
Anti-Defamation League, December 13, 2000
Summary: Report focuses on the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and shows how the immigration reductionist group may be emitting nativist sentiments and blatant racism toward immigrants.
http://www.adl.org/presrele/dirab_41/3680_41.asp
“Immigrants Targeted: Extremist Rhetoric Moves into the Mainstream”
Anti-Defamation League, October 23, 2007
Summary: Many anti-immigrant groups have used stereotypes and outright racism to target immigrants. This report analyses various anti-immigrant groups that are now considered “legitimate, mainstream advocates against illegal immigration.” Some of the groups presented include: The Dustin Inman Society, Mothers Against Illegal Aliens (MAIA), Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), and Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC).
http://www.adl.org/civil_rights/
“Immigration Backlash—Hate Crimes Against Latinos Flourish”
Brentin Mock, Southern Poverty Law Center, December 2007
Summary: This article provides numerous examples of anti-Latino immigrant hate crimes throughout the country.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=845
“The Teflon Nativists—FAIR Marked by Ties to White Supremacy”
Heidi Beirich—Southern Poverty Law Center – December 2007
Summary: This article asserts that FAIR is at the center of much of the anti-immigrant, racist sentiment that is present in the U.S. today. Also, it explains how FAIR is “marked by anti-Latino and anti-Catholic attitudes.” Key members have also been tied to white supremacist groups.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=846
BORDER ENFORCEMENT/ NATIONAL SECURITY
“Immigration Enforcement within the US”
Congressional Research Service Report for Congress, April 6, 2006
Summary: Report analyzes different methods of immigration enforcement (border and interior). It explores: alien trafficking, document fraud, worksite enforcement, inspections at entry, and deportation.
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33351.pdf
“The Quantitative Analysis of Terrorism and Immigration: An Initial Exploration”
Robert S. Leiken and Steven Brooke, Nixon Center for Peace and Freedom, December 2006
Summary: Findings of this research concluded that no terrorists have entered the U.S. from Mexico, but found a sizable presence of terrorists in Canada.
http://www.nixoncenter.org/index.cfm?action=showpage&page=immigratNatlSecur
INTEGRATION
“Building on Common Ground: A Framework for Immigrant Integration”
United Way of Salt Lake, June 2007
Summary: This report highlights the importance of immigrants to the Utah community. Based on a survey, immigrants see learning English as a way to be self-sufficient and sustain their families. For successful immigrant integration, language acquisition is extremely important.
http://www.uw.org/
“English Usage among Hispanics in the United States”
Pew Hispanic Center, December 6, 2007
Summary: This report analyzes the difference that exists between English usage of foreign born Hispanics and those that are born in the US. Later generations of Hispanics are able to better speak the English language.
http://pewhispanic.org/reports/report.php?ReportID=82
“Hispanic Attitudes Toward Learning English”
Pew Hispanic Center, June 7, 2006
Summary: This report examines the Hispanic population’s high interest in learning and adopting the English language. Many Hispanics believe that learning English will be beneficial in acculturating to US society.
http://pewhispanic.org/factsheets/factsheet.php?FactsheetID=20