Fixing Our Broken Immigration System

Since 2007, NDN has a demonstrated commitment to achieving a sensible immigration system that reflects the needs of the 21st century. NDN began to fight for reform by investing in a Spanish-language radio and television media campaign designed to counter anti-immigrant campaigns.  In addition to reaching out to media outlets, NDN has regularly hosted forums with members of Congress to discuss proposals to fix our current broken immigration system. Through research and polling, conducted most recently among voters in Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New Mexico, NDN has found that a majority of Americans support a legislative overhaul to fix the broken immigration system, as opposed to passing limited enforcement measures.  

Below, please find some past highlights of our work on immigration reform:

 

Blogs

NDN's Immigration Blog

2010 Highlights

Senator Robert Menendez's Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010 Summary

NDN Statement on New Immigration Framework

Immigration Reform Enters a New Phase by Simon Rosenberg

Commentary on Arizona Bill by Alicia Menendez

2009 Highlights

Presentation: Making the Case for Passing Comprehensive Immigration Reform this Year

7 Reasons Why Congress Should Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform this Year by Simon Rosenberg

Video: Simon Rosenberg makes his case on why congress should pass CIR

Event: Politics & Policy: What to Expect from the Immigration Debate

Video: NDN Forum on Immigration Reform

The Census and Immigration Reform by Simon Rosenberg

Senator Kennedy and CIR by Andres Ramirez

2007 - 2008 Highlights

Event: "Immigration Reform and the Next Administration" - at the DNC in Denver

Polling: Immigration Polling in battleground states

A Responsible Immigration Policy by Simon Rosenberg

Can Democrats Seize the Opportunity the Immigration Debate Offers Them? by Simon Rosenberg

Event: NDN Bicameral Event for CIR

 

Daily Border Bulletin GOP in NV hard time with Latinos, Kobach to fight common sense immigration law, Holder: "No Cover Up"

Your daily border bulletin is up! Stories featured in todays bulletin:

As Republicans shift west, attracting Latinos a challenge As the Republican Primaries head out west the GOP faces some resistance from Hispanics in important swing states.

Kansas Immigration Hardliner Fights Plan to Allow Undocumented Workers  Immigration hardliner and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, is taking aim at state passed legislation which would allow undocumented workers to do jobs that cannot be filled by citizens.

Holder: No cover-up in ‘Fast and Furious,’ no effort to hide details of the operation Attorney General Eric Holder takes the stand in the House re-iterating that there has been no cover up on the Fast and Furious program.

Daily Border Bulletin - Secretary Napolitano Calls For DREAM Act ,GOP candidates' immigration fantasies, Economic Cost of AL Law

Your Daily Border Bulletin is up! Stories from todays border bulleting include:

Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano Calls for Immigration Overhaul In Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s State of our Homeland Security Address she pushed for a comprehensive fix of our immigration system while also touting the need to pass the DREAM Act in Congress.

GOP candidates’ immigration fantasies A Los Angeles Times op-ed highlights the lack of real solutions from the Republican presidential candidates on immigration.

Studies, surveys examine immigration law’s economic impact  A report by the University of Alabama’s Center for Business of Economic Research has issues a report that shows that the state’s economy has suffered due to their harsh anti-immigration law.

Daily Border Bulletin – Romney, Gingrich fireworks over immigration

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Romney, Gingrich fireworks over immigration: With the Republican primary in Florida this week the two leading GOP contenders traded blows over their stances on immigration. 

Mitt Romney’s immigration dilemma Politico weighs in on Romneys immigration problems.

Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich at the Univision Forum Univision posts videos of Jorge Ramos interviewing both candidates.

Camunez: "U.S. Mexico Border is Important to America's Economic Competitiveness"

Today NDN/NPI hosted a panel discussion on the current state of the economic relationship between the US and Mexico with Michael C. Camunez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance, D. Rick Van Schoik, Director, North American Center for Transborder Studies and Simon Rosenberg, President,NDN and NPI. At the core of the discussion was the the findings of the NPI's major new report on cross border trade with Mexico.

For video from the event as well as a spreecast with the writers of the report please see below.

Event - Realizing the Value of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico Feat. Michael Camunez
Spreecast - Value of Cross Border Trade with Mexico.
Report - Realizing the Value  of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico

Rick Van Schoik noted that there has been great improvements between the Ports of Entry what must now occur is more staffing at the ports of entry to increase competitiveness domestically:

"Trade and tourism have suffered across the United States - Mexico Border as well as at the United States Canada border as most investment has been made BETWEEN ports of entry rather than AT the places where prosperity and productivity matters.  In terms of staffing, infrastructure, and technology, the rhetoric of safety has warped the reality, which is that the region is safe now lets find a way to invest in the gateways to North American competitiveness with each other and worldwide. DHS and the administration have led on this, now lets get the funding to make an even stronger economy domestically"

Assistant Secretary Camunez noted that with the complementary nature of our economies, most small businesses in this country only trade to one of two countries, Canada or Mexxico. If the United States is going to continue to grow its manufacturing base, our country will have to continue to increase its levels of trade with Mexico:

"We have a highly integrated economy with Mexico, with high level of co-production, with industry on both sides of the border. Our interest is to grow jobs, and to grow our manufacturing base as the President mentioned in his state of the union, then we have to make sure our manufacturers can compete.... "

Daily Border Bulletin : Obama draws contrast with GOP on immigration, Gingrich mocks Romney on Self Deportation, Romney Responds

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Obama draws contrast with GOP on immigration President Barack Obama’s State of The Union address helped draw a sharp contrast between his administration and the Republican parties current immigration stances.

Gingrich mocks Romney’s ‘self-deportation’ plan While campaigning in Florida Republican Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich mocked Mitt Romney over his plan to require undocumented immigrants to “self deport.”

Mitt Romney Responds to Newt Gingrich Immigration Attacks Mitt Romney, also campaigning in Florida took the opportunity to attack Gingrich for engaging in divisive politics.

Tomorrow be sure to join us for a discussion about the current state of the economic relationship between the US and Mexico.  Joining us for lunch will be a terrific panel:

Michael C. Camunez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance,
D. Rick Van Schoik, Director, North American Center for Transborder Studies and
Simon Rosenberg, President,NDN and NPI

At the core of the discussion will be the findings of the New Policy Institute's major new report, Realizing the Value  of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico.  Lunch will be served at noon, and the program will begin at 12:15pm.  It will all take place the NDN/NPI offices, 729 15th, NW, in our first floor event space.  To reserve your slot please RSVP today. Below are some helpful data points to peruse ahead of the event.

The State of The Union and Our Evolving Understanding Of The Southwest Border Region

Yesterday, President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union Address, in it he briefly touched on immigration and the border, in doing so he touched an important point: as our immigration debate enters a new phase our understanding of the Southwest Border, what the region means for legal immigration and what it represents for our country as a whole, is changing. Taking these changes into consideration Congress must move beyond debates on security to a more elevated discussion on how best to reform our immigration laws.

The Presidents comments on immigration framed the conversation around the changing dynamic of the southwest border region. “I believe as strongly as ever that we should take on illegal immigration. That’s why my Administration has put more boots on the border than ever before.  That’s why there are fewer illegal crossings than when I took office.  The opponents of action are out of excuses.  We should be working on comprehensive immigration reform right now.”

The administration has sent unparalleled resources to the Border and these resources are showing results. In his speech he noted that there are fewer undocumented immigrants entering the country through our southwest border, however this is only part of the story.

Nogales, Arizona Mayor Arturo Garino said of the speech: “The President has done a great job on the border. What he said last night is absolutely true. In fact Nogales is getting 40 new CBP personnel for the Ports of Entry, and we currently have 90 in training for the area, all of this will facilitate legal commerce and trade which will only help our local economy.  The same facilitation of legal traffic from Mexico, anywhere from 60 – 80 thousand people daily not only boosts nogales economy but the states as whole. By the time the Mariposa port of entry is online, we will have enough personnel to fully staff it which will double commerce in manufacturing and produce for region.”

Mayor Garino’s comments contextualize the current discussion over the border region and immigration: legal trade and legal immigration are important to both the southwest border region and our country as a whole.  Any reasonable look at the data from the past several years makes clear that the new joint Mexican-US strategy towards the common border region is working.  Deportations of criminal immigrants, southbound seizures of bulk cash and illegal guns are way up.  The number of illegal migrants crossing the border, the number of undocumented immigrants in the US, crime rates all along the US side of the border are all down.

At the border the Department of Homeland Security has increased: "the number of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agents nationwide from approximately 10,000 in 2004 to more than 21,000 today with nearly 18,500 “boots on the ground” along the Southwest border. Additionally they have deployed a quarter of all U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operational personnel to the Southwest border region—the most ever—to dismantle criminal organizations along the border."

This has produced results. A recent New York Time’s article says it all, undocumented migration in the United States is at all time lows. In fact according to the Princeton Mexican Migration institute, migration from Mexico is at net zero, which means that the number of migrants entering the country equals the number entering. Finally The Council on Foreign relations recently noted that if these trends continue the United States may find  that overall undocumented migration from Latin America could also reach net zero This is the first time in nearly twenty years this has occurred.

Yet this is only half the story along the southwest border, as Mayor Garino pointed out legal commerce and legal migration has only increased over the last four years. The New Policy Institutes recent paper on trade between our two countries shows: Mexico has spent $163 billion on U.S. goods in 2010. Further more U.S. sales to Mexico are larger than all U.S. exports to the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) combined, as well as all combined sales to Great Britain, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

All of this is important for our country as a whole. Twenty-two states count Mexico as their No. 1 or No. 2 export market: Mexico is the largest export market to the two largest economies in the country in Texas and California. Other states that count Mexico as their largest export market are Arizona, New Mexico, and New Hampshire.  It is the second largest export market for states such as Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee.

One of the first steps in moving past our current impasse on immigration reform, is to accept that  some of the problems facing our immigration system have very little to do with the border and everything to do with a lack of understanding of the positive things occurring there.

Daily Border Bulletin: Jeb Bush Cautions GOP On Tone, Gingrich: Romney is Anti Immigrant, Mexican Mitts Cousins and Polygamy

Your Daily Border Bulletin is up. Stories featured in todays bulletin are as follows:

Jeb Bush Cautions Republicans on ’Tone’ Without Endorsing Anyone  As the Republican primary moves to Florida, popular former Governor of the state, Jeb Bush cautions GOP on their tone on immigration and other issues.

Gingrich accuses Romney of being “anti-immigrant” in Fla. Spanish ad Meanwhile Newt Gingrich has gone on the air in the state with Spanish language advertisements accusing Mitt Romney of being anti-immigrant.

Mexican Cousins Keep Romney’s Family Tree Rooted In Mexico Mitt Romney’s family brings to light the long history of polygamy his family south of the border has engaged in for years.

Also be sure to join us on January 26th, at 12:00 pm EST for a discussion about the current state of the economic relationship between the US and Mexico. 

Joining for lunch will be a terrific panel, including with Michael C. Camunez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance, D. Rick Van Schoik, Director, North American Center for Transborder Studies and Simon Rosenberg, President, NDN and NPI. At the core of the discussion will be the findings of the New Policy Institute's major new report, Realizing the Value  of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico.

Lunch will be served at noon, and the program will begin at 12:15pm.  It will all take place the NDN/NPI offices, 729 15th, NW, in our first floor event space.  To reserve your slot please RSVP today.

Daily Border Bulletin: New Deportation Policy Shows Results, CBP to Toughen Policy, A new fight over licenses for Immigrants

Your Daily Border Bulletin is up! Stories featured in todays border bulletin.

In Deportation Policy Test, 1 in 6 Offered Reprieve: A review of the current deportation docket by the Obama administration reveals that 16 percent of those currently in proceeding have been found to pose no security risk, and will be allowed to remain in the U.S.

Border Patrol to toughen policy: With migration into the United States at all time lows, the Border Patrol to make changes to their policies which would more aggressively enforce immigration laws along the border.

A New Fight on Licenses for Illegal Immigrants:New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez has once again begun a camapaign to repeal a law which allows undocumented immigrants to get driver licences.

Also be sure to join us on January 26th, at 12:00 pm EST for a discussion about the current state of the economic relationship between the US and Mexico.  Joining for lunch will be a terrific panel, including with Michael C. Camunez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance, D. Rick Van Schoik, Director, North American Center for Transborder Studies and Simon Rosenberg, President, NDN and NPI. At the core of the discussion will be the findings of the New Policy Institute's major new report, Realizing the Value  of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico.

Lunch will be served at noon, and the program will begin at 12:15pm.  It will all take place the NDN/NPI offices, 729 15th, NW, in our first floor event space.  To reserve your slot please RSVP today.

 

Daily Border Bulletin: Event on Importance Of Cross Border Trade, Americans Cross Back Into U.S. For School, MI The New AL

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Realizing the Value of Cross Border Trade With Mexico Join NPI on January 26th, at 12:00 pm EST for a discussion with Michael C. Camunez, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Market Access and Compliance, D. Rick Van Schoik, Director, North American Center for Transborder Studies and Simon Rosenberg, President, NDN and NPI on NPI’s major report Realizing the Value  of our Cross Border Trade with Mexico.

Young U.S. Citizens in Mexico Brave Risks for American Schools United States citizens living in Tijuana, MX wake up early to brave hour long lines to come back into America to go to school.

Missouri Immigration Bill Would Require Schools To Check Student Immigration Status Missouri is set to pass an immigration law which would allow public schools in the state to check the immigration status of students in their classrooms.

Daily Border Bulletin – The New Immigration Landscape, GOP’s Latino Problems Get Worse, Romney's big problem: Hispanic Voters

Your Daily Border Bulletin is up! Stories featured in todays border bulletin are below:

The New Immigration Landscape –  Simon Rosenberg, President of NDN, Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice and Ruben Gallego, State Representative, Arizona District 16 held an internet discussion on A Changed Landscape: How Recent Events Have Changed The Debates Over Immigration, the Border and The Political Attitudes of Latinos” Please click here to see the full discussion.

GOP’s Latino Problems Get Worse – Simon gives his take to Salon on the burgeoning problems for the GOP with Hispanic voters: “The current dynamic among Latinos is mild disappointment with Obama but outright fear of the GOP,

Romney will have big problem: Hispanic voters  – Another piece on how the Republican party will have a hard time coming close to 40% of the Hispanic Vote.

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