1. Op-eds: Week-long debate between Mark Krikorian and Tamar Jacoby in the L.A. Times
2. Backgrounder: ‘Immigration, Intergroup Conflict, and the Erosion of African American Political Power in the 21st Century’
3. Backgrounder: ‘Becoming American: The Hidden Core of the Immigration Debate’
4. Testimony: ‘Preventing Illegal Employment: Federal ‘Basic Pilot’ Program is an Effective and Business-Friendly Tool’
5. Panel discussion transcript: ‘The State of Politics, Law, and Security in Mexico: Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy’
– Mark Krikorian
1.
Dust-Up
Late, great, immigration debate: What action on immigration can we expect out of the new Congress leading up to a presidential election? All this week, Mark Krikorian and Tamar Jacoby debate immigration.
LATimes.com, February 19-23, 2007
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2.
Immigration, Intergroup Conflict, and the Erosion of African American Political Power in the 21st Century
by Frank Morris and James G. Gimpel
Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder, February 2007
Excerpt: * While social scientists continue to debate the impact of large-scale immigration on low-skilled American natives, these same Americans certainly believe that high levels of immigration threaten their economic well-being. Current research shows that these fears are as much alive among African Americans as Caucasians.
* Conflict between African Americans and Latina/os for group position, status, and political power is increasing as most immigrants of Hispanic ancestry settle in areas proximate to African American populations in the nation’s largest cities.
* African American gains in office-holding appear to be leveling off at higher levels of office, while Latino gains are rapidly rising. These gains are coming at the expense of non-Hispanic white office-holders and African Americans, though African Americans are more threatened given their smaller overall numbers.
* Steadily rising immigrant populations will continue to change the racial complexion of U.S. House representation in a number of California, Texas, and New York congressional districts within the next 20 years.
* With the 2010 census redistricting, just a few years away, as many as six seats currently held by members of the Congressional Black Caucus could be given up to Latino candidates.
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3.
Becoming American: The Hidden Core of the Immigration Debate
by Stanley Renshon
Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder, January 2007
Excerpt: ‘The central question of American immigration policy is how this country can help facilitate the emotional attachments of immigrants and citizens alike to the American national community. Given the centrifugal pulls of multiculturalism and international cosmopolitans this is easier said than done. Multiculturalists want to substitute racial and ethnic identities for an American identity, while cosmopolitans think that emotional connections to this country are too parochial and nationalistic and urge our citizens to look abroad for their primary attachments.
‘This paper argues that our current laissez faire policy regarding the incorporation of citizens and immigrants alike, our failures to enforce immigration laws, and the doublespeak that characterizes our responses to illegal immigration are deeply corrosive to the fabric of the American national community.
‘This country faces catastrophic dangers from abroad and major policy issues at home. In such circumstances, pervasive public feelings that reflect instrumental, shallow, or ambivalent emotional national attachments are not only undesirable, but also dangerous. But what can be done? Feelings of attachment cannot be mandated by legislation or instilled by clarion calls to patriotism.
‘This paper spells out a set of proposals to help facilitate and deepen the attachment of immigrants and Americans alike to our national community.’
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4.
Preventing Illegal Employment: Federal ‘Basic Pilot’ Program is an Effective and Business-Friendly Tool
Statement of Jessica M. Vaughan before the Colorado Senate’s State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, January 31, 2007
Excerpt: ‘This legislation is a reasonable approach to a difficult problem, and is consistent with the direction many states are moving, and eventually federal government, I believe. The state of Georgia has already enacted a law making participation in Basic Pilot near-mandatory. The Arizona and Rhode Island legislatures will be considering full mandatory participation this year, and a similar Indiana bill passed a committee vote on January 18, 2007.
‘Mandatory verification of immigration status for new employment is not a silver bullet. Rather, it should be considered as one key part of a larger strategy to address illegal immigration that relies on partnerships between federal and state authorities, and between government agencies. This strategy acknowledges that the population of more than 12 million illegal immigrants realistically cannot be apprehended and deported one by one. Nor is the federal government likely to enact a mass amnesty to legalize this population. Instead, lawmakers should rely on an array of policies to increase the day-to-day enforcement of immigration laws, prevent employment, and encourage voluntary compliance with immigration laws. Other proven tools include electronic status verification for public benefits, immigration law training for state and local law enforcement and public agency employees, strict standards for drivers’ licensing, and rigorous identification standards for financial institutions. Adoption of these policies will convince a large number of illegal aliens that they would be better off returning home on their own, thereby easing the burden on local communities, and enabling federal authorities to concentrate their resources on the most problematic cases.’
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5.
The State of Politics, Law, and Security in Mexico: Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy
Panel discussion transcript, January 18, 2007
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August 17, 2007 at 5:08 pm
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