Current Policy Issues

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Particular Arguments to Time and Difficulty in Obtaining Path to Citizenship  February 2013

Path to Citizenship Backgrounder  February 2013

Currently, an estimated eleven million undocumented individuals  are living within the United States.  While these individuals participate in the workforce and contribute to local society, they are subject to mistreatment from local law enforcement and harassment by their employers, in large part due to their lack of legal status. Recent state-level immigration laws, such as the measures enacted in Alabama and Arizona  have intensified state and local law enforcement policing efforts in an attempt to further intimidate and isolate these already vulnerable individuals.

Family-Based Immigration Reform Backgrounder  February 2013

As the U.S. Congress and President Obama look to overhaul immigration policy in the coming year, it is important for any successful comprehensive immigration reform bill to include family-based immigration reform. Under the current system immediate family members of legal permanent residents (LPRs) must wait as long as 10 years to legally join their loved ones.

Restoration of the Due Process Protections Backgrounder  February 2013

Due Process is a legal principle, derived from the 5^th and 14^th Amendment of the Constitution, to protect the rights of citizens and ensure that the government treats individuals fairly and does not abuse its power by acting in an arbitrary, oppressive, or capricious manner. While immigrants are not entitled to the same level of protections that citizens are, immigration proceedings and the treatment of immigrants must adhere to some level of due process.

Addressing Root Causes of Migration Backgrounder  February 2013

In examining the causes of immigrants' migration to the United States, it is important to understand the variety of "push" and "pull" factors which drive the global migration process.

Migrant Children

The Changing Face of Unaccompanied Alien Child: A Portrait of Foreign-Born Children in Federal Foster Care and How to Best Meet Their Needs  December 2012

Immigration Relief for Children in Federal Foster Care Before and After TVPRA 2008  December 2012

Human Trafficking

Human Trafficking in Supply Chains March 2015

Reforming Foreign Labor Recruitment March 2015

The United States Response to Human Trafficking: Achievements and Challenges  April 2011

Reflections: HHS Service Mechanism for Foreign Survivors of Human Trafficking  2010