Immigration Study. League of Women Voters Orange, Durham, Chatham

Transcription

1 Immigration Study League of Women Voters Orange, Durham, November 2007 League of Women Voters of Orange, Durham, and Counties The LWV is a non-partisan, political organization that works to improve our systems of government and impact public policies through citizen education and advocacy. It is a decentralized grassroots organization that works on the national, state and local levels. The League is strictly non-partisan. It does not support or oppose candidates, though it does take a position on issues. The League reaches these positions through a process of study and consensus. During the Fall of 2007, study meetings on Immigration are taking place all across the country. The material presented here was developed through research by LWV members over the past year and is being used to help the local Leagues reach a consensus position on this difficult topic. Since the research was done more than a year ago, some of the numbers you see, such as unemployment, may have changed since then. League members are active leaders who apply the skills and experiences they have accumulated during their lifetime to create lasting change in their communities. Membership is open to both men and women. If you d like to know more about the League and/or immigration, LWV immigration materials are available (free of charge) at McIntyre's, or on line at This slide presentation was developed by Carol Sherrod and Linda Stryker-Luftig for presentation at the Fearrington Great Decisions Discussion Group Meeting on November 8, 2007.

2 Immigration Study Outline Setting the Stage History and Background Current Immigration Policy Enforcement Issues Effects of Global Interdependence Consensus Questions READ SLIDE. Instead of a Q&A and the end, you will be invited to participate in a discussion of two sample questions to see if you can reach consensus on them here today. Consensus is not a vote, nor is it a win-lose proposition. It is a conversation that respects all participants and values all contributions.

3 Setting the Stage Immigration is a Polarizing Issue Let me set the state for you. Immigration is a polarizing issue. Both sides think they are right. To a certain extent, both sides are wrong. There is much misinformation. It s incredibly complex. The issues are emotionally charged. Hysteria abounds. Even the language we use to describe the immigrants is emotionally charged. Here are some of the words: Illegal aliens, Illegal immigrants. More neutral terminology might be undocumented immigrants or unauthorized immigrants. I ll try to be as neutral and consistent, as possible. Approximately 12 million undocumented immigrants live in the US crossing the border without authorization (about 60%) or overstaying their visas (40%). These undocumented immigrants make up about 1/3 the foreign-born population of the US. About ½ million undocumented immigrants arrive each year. The question of providing them with some type of legal status has polarized Congress and the country.

4 Don t confuse me with the facts! Don t confuse me with the facts! We all come to the subject of immigration with our own biases the filters through which we process information. To the extent that it s possible let s look at the facts & not the conclusions.

5 Values: Con Illegal Unfair Language ESL Uneducated Changes in racial or ethnic balance of the US Taking American jobs READ. Here are some of the underlying, often unspoken, value judgments that color this debate. First the con so that

6 Values: Pro Ethnic and Cultural Diversity Business Needs Family Reunification Humanitarian Aid The American Dream Hard Working Economic Opportunity We can end with the pro. READ

7 History and Background of Immigration to the United States The history of immigration is filled with push and pull factors. These are the factors that push people to leave their countries, while others pull them here. -classic factors that push people to emigrate are: religious persecution, political oppression and economic hardship. -corresponding pulls have been religious freedom, economic opportunity, and freedom of thought and speech.

8 Historical Motivating Factors Religious freedom Political oppression Economic motivation and opportunity Historical factors that motivate immigration include Religious freedom -the earliest settlers came for this reason --Pilgrims and Puritans in MA; Roman Catholics in MD; Quakers in PA. -in the mid-1800s through the mid-1900s several waves of Jewish immigrants fled Russia and Germany. Approximately 85,000 holocaust survivors were admitted to the US after WWII. Political oppression -those who are fleeing genocide or tyranny in their own country Economic motivation and opportunity -these are either economic hardships like the Irish potato famine of (led to emigration of 500,000 Irish) -or economic opportunity like the 1607 settlement at Jamestown, VA, a colonial economic experiment to make a profit by exporting goods back to England. -Economic changes in Europe stimulated the great wave of immigration to the U.S. from 1880s until 1914.

9 Recent Factors Motivating Immigration Employment sponsored visas Family reunification/preference Job opportunities Better standard of living Recent factors include Employment sponsored visas - in 2005 nearly 250,00 people were granted visas to work in the US (22% of the total new immigrants in that year). Family reunification - 200,000 people are admitted to the US annually under family preference visas. Job opportunities -Most of the people who come here, come to work (whether legal or illegal) In 2004, one out of every seven workers in the US. was born elsewhere. This number is growing. -US-born workers do not provide the amount of labor required to sustain healthy growth and national prosperity. More on this later. Better standard of living -The US higher standard of living is strong motivation for many immigrants -TV and other media in their homeland make them aware of what they could have in the US

10 Recent Factors Motivating Immigration Network-driven migration Humanitarian protection/political asylum other factors include Network-driven migration -networks are established not only between migrants in the US and their kin and friends in their countries of origin, but between migrants and their employers. -many businesses in need of labor have developed networks to find workers in foreign countries because our native born workforce cannot meet the demand. The current immigration laws and the backlogged system have thwarted the flow of labor where and when it s needed. Humanitarian protection/political asylum -from 5%-10% of immigrants come to the US each year seeking humanitarian protection or asylum from persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or holding a certain political opinion. Only a small percentage of those who apply for asylum are found to meet these criteria and are granted this status. -in 2005, nearly 54,000 people were admitted to the US as refugees.

11 Federal Immigration Policy Overview Federal policy determines: Who may immigrate to the US How or if they may become a citizen Many aspects of their lives after immigrating

12 The 1965 Immigration Law Set Quotas Eliminated the 1924 country-based quotas Abolished race-based prohibitions Established a diversity requirement Created a new policy that emphasized reunification of immigrant families This was the watershed law. The new paradigm for immigration. Up until this time, country of origin (the 1924 law) had been the primary factor determining who could immigrate to the US. The 1965 law (the Hart Cellar Act) set quotas for each of the categories of legal immigrants Most importantly it set reunification of immigrant families as its primary goal.

13 Categories of Legal Immigrants Entering the US Family-based preference Employment-based preference Human rights related Diversity of country of origin Family based: this includes the spouse and minor children or other family members of a citizen or permanent resident (58% of visas in 2005) Employment-based preference (22% of visas in 2005) Human rights related refugees or those seeking asylum (13% of visas in 2005) Diversity of country of origin This is a lottery system (4% of visas)

14 Naturalization Requirements 5 years of residence The ability to read, write and speak English Basic knowledge and understanding of US history and the principles of government Maintained good moral character This is what is required to become a citizen. I ve seen the history test. I don t know how many native born citizens could pass it.

15 Temporary Visitor Visas Tourist Student Guest worker These are meant to be temporary and not lead to permanent status. However, these temporary visitors account for a significant portion (25% - 40%) of unauthorized immigrants because they overstay their visas.

16 Federal Immigration Policy: Family Reunification

17 Family Reunification The 1965 immigration act provided the family preference quota framework. 50%-70% of US visas 200,000 people a year are admitted to the US under this family preference visa.

18 How Effective is the Family Reunification Policy? The system is broken Long wait times to reunite families of Green Card holders (10+ years) Huge logjams The typical wait time for the spouse or minor children of a legal permanent resident from Mexico is 10 years -many children age out while waiting. This long wait has motivated many families to resort to illegal immigration rather than wait for years for permission to enter legally. The result is that a significant percentage of the 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the US are the spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents Family-based visas are often caught in a multi-year logjam. When a visas are finally granted to those who are here illegally the person is required to return to the American Embassy in their homeland to process their visa but, in a Catch 22 situation, another law prohibits re-entry to the US for 10 years for anyone who has been in the US out of status for one year or more. Lack of a reasonably timely family reunification option within the legal system is contributing to the breakdown of the integrity of the US immigration system. vthere are no easy fixes for the family-based immigration system.

19 Diversity Issues Diversity is an important consideration in current immigration policy and law. The policy caps the number from a given country and, at the same time, calls for a diversity lottery to assure at least some possibility of entry from all countries

20 A Nation of Immigrants The diversity of immigrants contributes to the vitality of America Not everyone agrees about how much value to place on diversity Many feel that diversity is what makes America great. On the other hand, Critics argue that today s immigrants are too different they -hang on to their culture -stay connected to their native countries -continue to speak their native languages Frankly, this was always an issue in the history of immigration: Poles, Italians

21 Issues Language Here are a few of the issues raised by diversity: Language. ESL has become a large expense as well as the subject of heated debate. Nevertheless, research shows that the language problems of today s immigrants are no higher than in the past. Immigrants are learning English as quickly as they did in previous times.

22 Issues Crime Crime issues Research confirms that unauthorized immigrants actually avoid crime in order to avoid deportation.

23 Issues Multi-Culturalism vs. Assimilation Previous waves of immigrants also clung to their national/ethnic identity. However, over time and generations assimilation takes place.

24 Enforcement This is a subject we ve been hearing a great deal about lately.

25 Recent Enforcement Legislation 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) 1990 Immigration Act 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA) Here s some recent legislation 1986 Immigration Reform and Control act (IRCA) --greatly increased border patrol funding. --first legislative attempt to comprehensively address the issue of unauthorized immigration Immigration Act --increased focus on illegal immigration and border enforcement issues Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA): --increased the number of full-time active-duty border patrol agents --added more barriers between US and Mexico --expanded Ident (the existing automated fingerprint System). --mandated a system for tracking entries and exits of students and foreign-born visitors. --defined enforcement more broadly to reflect the need to cover air and land ports of entry

26 Recent Legislation 2001 USA Patriot Act 2003 Department of Homeland Security 2006 Secure Fence Act 2001 USA Patriot Act: --immigration became a key function of national security --required greater information sharing at all levels of government --brought tighter controls over visa issuance and documentation requirements --mandated biometric technology and tamper-resistant machine-readable entry-exit documents. In 2003 the Department of Homeland Security was created. --the immigration and naturalization service was abolished. -- The result has been a defacto definition of immigration as a security issue rather than seeing it as a cultural or economic issue 2006 Secure Fence Act: miles of fencing along the US-Mexican border was authorized --the fencing is estimated to have cost $9 billion to put this in perspective, this is (about $2.5 billion more than the US customs and border protection s 2005 budget). With all of the legislation, we haven t solved the problem,yet we ve exponentially increased the cost.

27 Employer Sanctions An important element of border enforcement since 1986 Most employers comply with the law BUT Most employer sanctions have been ineffective. Employers must maintain a record (I-9 form) demonstrating that they examined specified documents -but unauthorized immigrants with falsified documents are being employed in increasing numbers Unless documents are obvious forgeries, employers must accept them. Roughly half of all unauthorized workers are hired by employers who fully comply with I-9 requirements

28 Enforcement Costs and Benefits Total immigration enforcement spending increased from $1 billion to almost $5 billion. Construction of border fencing decreased the number of border crossings in some areas And increased them in others Total immigration enforcement spending increased five-fold between 1985 and 2002 from $1 billion to almost $5 billion. -during this period, the SW border consistently received the biggest share -construction of San Diego s triple fencing in resulted in a drop in that sector s undocumented immigrant apprehensions (450,000 in 1994 vs. 100,000 in 2002) -at the same period during the Tucson sector s apprehensions soared 342 %--the most popular crossing point for migrants along the entire border. We spent all of that money to keep them out at San Diego, so they went to Tucson instead.

29 Yet Undocumented Immigration Continues 12 million unauthorized immigrants in the US It is estimated the 12 million unauthorized immigrants now live the in the US, with inflows averaging well over 500,000 per year. Unauthorized immigrants face increased dangers and costs in order to cross the Mexican-US border -Fewer undocumented immigrants are returning to Mexico -Fencing and increased border patrols may be keeping more unauthorized immigrants in the US than keeping them out. Catch and release practiced by border patrol releases the majority of non-mexican immigrants caught crossing the border with orders to appear in court at a future date. ---few keep that court appointment Immigration officials maintain that if they do not release most non-mexican immigrants, they would have yo detain tens of thousands of them in a timeconsuming deportation process, further complicated by the drastic shortage of detention space.

30 Economic Impact

31 History of Economic Based Immigration Economic opportunity always a reason for immigration Chinese Irish Eastern and Southern European Historically, economic factors have been a major motivation for immigration. Chinese railroads Irish mining E & S European - manufacturing

32 History of Economic Based Immigration Current volume second only to the turn of the 20 th Century The current wave of immigration is second only to the period between the 1880s and 1914 This the result of complex interaction of changing US demographics, ( we have an aging population) globalization (free trade and closer integration of national economies) and a growing US economy

33 US Job Growth 56 million new jobs between 2002 and 2012 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics a huge new number of jobs will be created.

34 Workforce Shortfall Baby Boomers are aging out 75 million Americans will retire Native born fertility rates will decrease to replacement levels The number of native born workers is shrinking. On one end, baby boomers are aging out and retiring; on the other end, native born birth rates are down. The shortfall in labor is particularly significant in the area of unskilled labor. Half of new jobs will require less than a high school education, but native born workers are becoming increasingly more educated. They are obtaining college degrees in record numbers and are unlikely to accept positions requiring only minimal education. On the other hand, by the year 2010 nearly 43% of all job openings will require only a minimal education. The shortfall in unskilled labor is estimated to run to 100,000s of workers per year. The construction industry alone creates 185,000 new jobs per year. Prospects for the restaurant business even bleaker. There are 12.5 million workers nationwide demand for labor is expected to grow 15% between

35 Expanding Labor Supply Through Immigration Undocumented immigrants are helping to expand the economy They come here to work and they have jobs. 96% of undocumented men are in the labor force. This exceeds the percentage for male legal immigrants and male US citizens. They are spending their money. Immigrant spending on homes and consumer goods has stimulated the economy and increased the demand for still more labor. Economists expect this demand to create millions of more jobs in the future. Remember. This at a time when the native born work force is not growing and baby boomers are retiring.

36 Effect on American Workers and Their Wages Fewer opportunities and lower wages for Americans? Are there really fewer jobs and lower wages for Americans as a result of immigration? Research shows that in the aggregate, this is not true. In fact immigration is creating more opportunities for employers to expand their businesses which expands the number of jobs available. Immigrants are generally young, mobile, hard workers who are often willing to work at jobs shunned by native born workers. Their work tends to actually raise wages for more skilled workers as they tend to increase demand for their trades. E.g. unskilled laborers in construction increase demand for plumbers, electricians and stone masons. The CEO of the National Association of Homebuilders estimates 25% to 30% of construction workers are immigrants (authorized and unauthorized). Removing these immigrants from the workforce would produce a serious negative impact.

37 Costs and Benefits Immigrants contribute more to economic growth than to the cost of public services In NC, a state with one of the fastest growing immigrant populations, immigrants contribute more to economic growth than to the cost of public services. Immigrants pay taxes and Social Security (through fake IDs) but are not eligible to receive benefits.

38 Economic Impact of the Hispanic Population on North Carolina Recent study done at UNC Contributions to NC economy far exceed cost per resident. More specifically, a recent UNC study the Economic Impact of the Hispanic Population on NC, was done at the Kenan-Flagler Business School in 2006 It shows that Hispanic immigrants, documented and undocumented, contribute more than $9 billion to the state s economy through purchases and taxes, while the net cost to the state budget is $102 per Hispanic resident for health care, education and corrections. They filled 1 of 3 new jobs created NC led the nation in immigration driven population change. There are about 600,000 Hispanics in NC. About 55% are authorized to be here. Hispanics accounted for 27% of population growth ( ) and 57% of total enrollment growth in the schools. 57% enrollment growth sounds like it s costing us money well, it is, but this also fuels the need for more highly educated teachers and school administrators.

39 Impact of Low Skilled Workers US workforce absorbed 2.9 Mexican workers Unemployment rate fell from 6.3% to 3.9% Look at these numbers. These workers are not taking US jobs. During a period when the US absorbed nearly 3 million workers the unemployment rate fell.

40 Impact on Highly Skilled Workers Make up an important portion of the skilled US workforce The number of highly skilled immigrant workers in the US had risen to 15% in They bring skills that are in short supply in the US, such as math and science. More than ½ of US Nobel Prize winners are foreign born. On the other hand, The Patriot Act has negatively impacted the numbers of visas available to foreign students and highly skilled workers coming to the US. There is a global competition for these resources and the US is losing ground.

41 Immigrant Company Creation 1 in 4 public companies that received venture capital 47% of current venture-backed companies Immigrants are creating economic value by forming public companies. 1 in 4 public companies that received venture capital were formed by immigrants. 47% of venture backed companies were created by immigrants.

42 Immigrant Company Growth Hispanic owned businesses grew 3 times the national average Asian owned businesses grew 2 times the national average And more value

43 Effects of Global Interdependence Migration is a part of the globalization of labor and our economy. This is a story of labor recruitment. In the global marketplace an important variable is labor. Mexico poor ---- US rich Mexico few jobs US many jobs The media is a big factor in inspiring immigrants to come to the US There are underground networks letting potential émigrés know where the jobs are US recruiters are going to Mexico to find workers and, interestingly, a growing number of US retirees are going to Mexico

44 Just-in-time delivery of labor This is an incredibly efficient economic concept. Immigrants are generally young and mobile. They go where there is work. This takes place through communication with their compatriots at home letting them know where job market is flat in one area and strong in another.

45 Remittances Latin American households receive $60 billion annually from remittances Remittances are HUGE accounting for more than $60 billion. This is more than these countries receive in aid from the US or from the World Bank. Remitted funds have a positive impact on the development and welfare of countries receiving the funds. Most of this money goes directly to the immigrant families.

46 Unintended Consequences of US Policies US farm subsidies NAFTA One of my favorite topics is what I call the Law of Unintended Consequences. In this case, farm subsidies allow US farmers to sell crops such as corn below cost, undercutting the cost of corn raised in Mexico. NAFTA tariff reductions have opened the Mexican market to corn imports. The Mexicans can t compete. Millions of Mexicans, unable to make a living growing corn are emigrating to escape poverty. NAFTA has undermined Mexico s ability to be self sufficient. Certainly not what was intended.

47 Immigration Study League of Women Voters Orange, Durham Carol Sherrod Linda Stryker-Luftig Great Decisions November 8, 2007 I started off this afternoon by saying, Don t confuse me with t he facts. Now you have the facts and we can all see what a complex and confusing issue this is. Is it any wonder that we, as a nation, are struggling with it? This has been our humble attempt at providing you with enough information to make your own informed decisions.

48 Consensus Questions In this next part of the program, we will look at two of the LWV consensus questions. Ken Heisig will be the facilitator as we ask you to discuss these questions and present your point of view. Remember, consensus is not a voting process. Nor is it a win-lose proposition. It is a conversation that respects all participants and values all contributions. Thank you. Ken,

49 LWV US Immigration Study: Sample Discussion Question 1 Federal immigration law should provide an efficient, expeditious system (with minimal or no backlogs) for legal entry into the US for immigrants who are: (rate each one) High priority, Lower Priority, Disagree, No Consensus a) Immediate family members joining family member already admitted for legal permanent residence in the US b) Entering the US to meet labor needs c) Entering the US as students d) Entering the US because of persecution in home country Please note that this does not mean immigrants who have already become citizens. It relates to Green card holders and others with permanent legal status who are not citizens. For each question, try to determine whether your response will be high priority, lower priority, disagree, or no consensus.

50 LWV US Immigration Study: Sample Discussion Question 2 Unauthorized immigrants currently in the US should treated as follows: (rate each one) High Priority, Lower Priority, Disagree, No Consensus a) Deport unauthorized immigrants b) Some deported/some allowed to earn legal adjustment of status based on length of residence in US c) Some deported/some allowed to earn legal adjustment of status based on needs of US employers d) All allowed to earn legal adjustment of status by doing things such as paying taxes, learning English, studying civics, etc. e) If deported, assess fines before re-entry