Just the Facts

Immigrants in the U.S. Labor Force

New CBO Report Underscores Diverse Contributions of Foreign-Born Workers

A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) underscores not only the diversity of the foreign-born labor force in the United States, but also the myriad roles that immigrant workers play in the U.S. economy. The report, which analyzes data from the Current Population Survey, finds that 15.5 percent of the U.S. labor force was foreign-born in 2009, up slightly from 14.5 percent in 2004. Moreover, immigrant workers and their native-born counterparts differ significantly in terms of occupation and education, as well as where in the country they live. As other, more detailed analyses have confirmed, this suggests that immigrants and natives are filling different niches in the U.S. labor market and are therefore not in direct competition with each other for most jobs.

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Published On: Wed, Aug 04, 2010 | Download File

The DREAM Act: 2010 (A Resource Page)

The plight of the DREAM Act students encapsulates many facets of today's immigration crisis. Caught in a system where there is little, if any, means for legalizing their status, smart, hard-working kids face an uncertain future because of their inability to continue their education, work, or join the military. The loss of potential, productivity, and hope for these individuals is also a loss for this country. The United States is missing out on talented workers and entrepreneurs, and is losing vital tax revenues and other economic contributions. While fixing this particular problem will hardly resolve the need for comprehensive immigration reform, it will unlock the door to the American dream for thousands of young people each year.Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 16, 2010 | Download File

The Economics of Immigration Reform: A Resource Page

Top Ten Resources on the Economic Impact of Immigration

Now more than ever, Americans are seeking real solutions to our nation’s problems, and there is no better place to start than protecting our workers, raising wages, and getting our economy moving again. Part of this massive effort must include workable answers to our critically important immigration problems.

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Published On: Tue, Aug 03, 2010 | Download File

Defending the Fourteenth Amendment: A Resource Page

Restrictionist groups and legislators have persisted in their attempts to restrict or repeal birthright citizenship in State Houses and the U.S. Congress. Over the years, several bills have been introduced that would deny U.S. citizenship to children whose parents are in the U.S. illegally or on temporary visas. The Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution—the cornerstone of American civil rights—affirms that, with very few exceptions, all persons born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens, regardless of their parents' citizenship. Following the Civil War and the emancipation of the slaves, the Fourteenth Amendment restated the longstanding principle of birthright citizenship, which had been temporarily erased by the Supreme Court's "Dred Scott" decision which denied birthright citizenship to the U.S.-born children of slaves. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld birthright citizenship over the years. The following IPC resources present a strong case for maintaining and celebrating our tradition of birthright citizenship—a tradition which is intimately tied to our heritage of civil rights.

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Published On: Mon, Aug 02, 2010 | Download File

The Impact of SB 1070: Usurping the Federal Government’s Ability to Set Enforcement Priorities

What proponents of laws like Arizona’s SB 1070 fail to understand is that state and local enforcement of immigration law actually jeopardizes the federal government’s ability to set priorities for immigration enforcement. SB 1070 would divert scarce federal resources away from finding dangerous criminals throughout the United States, focusing instead on detaining and deporting non-violent immigrants in one state: Arizona.

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Published On: Thu, Jul 22, 2010 | Download File

The DREAM Act

This fact check provides answers to basic questions about the DREAM Act, from a brief legislative history to how and how many students would benefit. To download the PDF, scroll down to the bottom of this page. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Nov 18, 2010 | Download File

The Economic and Political Impact of Immigrants, Latinos and Asians in all 50 States

Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians account for large and growing shares of the U.S. economy and electorate. Overall, immigrants made up more than 12% of the U.S. population (or nearly 38 million people) in 2008, and more than 43% of them are naturalized U.S. citizens meaning they are eligible to vote. “New Americans”—immigrants and the children of immigrants—accounted for more than 8.6% (or 11.7 million people) of all registered U.S. voters in 2006. In 2008, Latinos and Asians accounted for nearly 20% of all Americans (or more than 60 million people) and wielded $1.5 trillion in consumer purchasing power. The businesses they own had sales and receipts of $549 billion and employed 3.7 million people at last count. Immigrant, Latino, and Asian workers and entrepreneurs are integral to the U.S. economy and tax base—and they are an electoral force with which every politician must reckon.

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Published On: Wed, Jul 28, 2010 | Download File