NCCIU Webinar December 10, 2010 Frank Sharry, America’s Voice U.S Immigration Policy NCCIU Webinar December 10, 2010 Frank Sharry, America’s Voice

Major categories of legal immigration Family reunification (four preferences/quotas) Employment (permanent and temporary) Humanitarian (refugees, asylees, TPS)

THE NUMBERS Legal Immigrants: 1920-1961: 206,000 annually Refugees, Parolees, Asylees 1961-1993: 65,000 annually 1994-1998: 85,672 annually 1999-2004: 81,231 annually Source: James H. Johnson, Jr., Kenan-Flagler Business School

Unauthorized Immigrants: 500,000 annual net over the past decade; significant slowing since onset of recession Three million granted legal status in 1986 2.7 million illegal immigrants remained in U.S. after 1986 reforms October 1996: INS estimated that there were 5 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. 2009: Unauthorized population estimated to be 10.8 million Source: Pew Hispanic Center, James H. Johnson, Jr., Kenan-Flagler Business School, DHS

What works about the current system Orderly system Serves U.S. interests, families, and employers Generous by international standards What does not work about the current system Inflexible quotas – overall and by country Demand has outstripped supply of visas for decades Mismatch has generated large-scale illegal immigration

The policy debate at the national level Illegal immigration is the top concern: how to stop it, what to do about those here illegally, how to enforce rules so that it doesn’t reoccur? Legal immigration: what are the right levels, what are the right priorities, and how can it adjust to changing conditions? Humanitarian admissions: refugees, asylees, decision-making and controversies – who is a real refugee and how do we decide? The policy debate at the state and local level Enforcement-related measures: 287g, Secure Communities, service and employment prohibitions, etc. Integration-related initiatives: ESL, citizenship, higher education, etc. Helping key institutions adapt: education, health, criminal justice, etc.

Policy options Enforcement-only measures and attrition through enforcement (federal enforcement and Arizona-style measures) Comprehensive immigration reform that combines enforcement with path to legal status for those here illegally. Targeted measure such as DREAM Act, AgJOBS, and others.

Key questions for the long-term debate Can illegal immigration be significantly reduced, even with major reform? How can migration pressures in sending communities be reduced? How can local communities and states be helped so that newcomers become new Americans? 

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