Congress
and the Naturalization of Immigrants
by Joseph
Bessette
December 1,
2005
Few powers are
more fundamental to sovereignty than the control over immigration
and the vesting of citizenship in aliens (naturalization). What
does the Constitution have to say about it?
Bush
at the Border
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D., and Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
November 29,
2005
Speaking in the
shadow of the border in Tucson, Arizona, President George W. Bush
outlined his vision for comprehensive border security and
immigration reform. The President got it exactly right. If Congress
delivers a legislative package that meets the President's goals, it
will go a long way toward making America a more secure, free, and
prosperous nation. To do anything less would be just plain
wrong.
Safeguarding
America's Sovereignty: A "System of Systems" Approach to Border
Security
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
November 28,
2005
Any effective
solution for reducing illegal border crossings and the unlawful
population in the United States must address all three aspects of
the problem: internal enforcement of immigration laws,
international cooperation, and border security. However, these
initiatives will not be enough. To fix the problem, the
Administration must build a "system of systems" that welds all of
the nation's border assets into a single coherent security
enterprise that deploys the right asset to the right place at the
right time to do the right thing.
"Recapturing"
Visas: A Sensible Temporary Fix for America's Foreign Worker
Problem
by Kirk A.
Johnson, Ph.D., and Tim Kane, Ph.D.
October 19,
2005
On Thursday, the
Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark up a technical
amendment to the Immigration and Nationality Act as part of a
reconciliation bill that would recapture unused H-1B and immigrant
employment visas from previous years. Chief among the benefits of
this reform are that it would increase flexibility in hiring
foreign workers, would reduce the current visa backlog, and could
serve as a basis for future immigration reform, such as a more
comprehensive guest worker bill in 2006.
Rule
of Law at Stake in Immigration Debate
by Edwin Meese III
and James Jay Carafano
October 7,
2005
When you reward
someone for doing something, you encourage others to engage in
similar behavior. That's why amnesty programs are the wrong way to
address illegal immigration.
How
Immigration Reform Could Help Alleviate the Teacher
Shortage
by Kirk A.
Johnson, Ph.D.
October 5,
2005
Each academic
year, public school districts must try to recruit teachers in
hard-to-fill specialties like math and science. Congress can help
by expanding the H-1B visa program to 195,000 visas per year and by
not limiting the increase to any specific profession, thereby
allowing the program to respond quickly to any shifts in demand in
the labor market.
The
Cornyn-Kyl Immigration Reform Act: Flawed But Fixable
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D., Janice L. Kephart, and Alane Kochems
September 23,
2005
Any effective
solution to illegal border crossings and the unlawful population
must address internal enforcement of immigration laws,
international cooperation, and border security. Effective
immigration reform must be a key component of these reforms. The
legislation proposed by Senators John Cornyn and Jon Kyl offers
such a comprehensive approach but falls short by not adequately
deterring illegal entry.
The Visa Process: Strategic Direction for a 21st Century
System
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
September 13,
2005
In the wake of
9/11, the Congress and the administration turned its attention to
strengthening the issuance and management of visas. They were right
to do so and make this effort a very high priority in the global
effort to diminish terrorist travel. Terrorists have tried
virtually every means available to get to the United States. The
overwhelming number of known and suspected terrorists, however,
have traveled and remained here in the same manner as most foreign
visitors, employing a nonimmigrant visa, which can be obtained from
any of the 211 American consulates around the world or under
certain circumstances within this country.
The
McCain-Kennedy Immigration Reform Bill Falls Short
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph. D., Janice L. Kephart, and Paul Rosenzweig
July 27, 2005
Immigration reform
will succeed only if it enhances national security, promotes
economic growth, and protects freedom and liberty. The Secure
America and Orderly Immigration Act (S. 1033) introduced by
Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) does not
achieve these ends.
On Becoming American: Reasserting Citizenship in the Immigration
Debate
by William E.
Simon, Jr.
July 21, 2005
There are two
vital priorities for immigration policy. One is a clear, firm
commitment to stating and enforcing our policies. The other is to
create a clear, efficient and attainable path toward citizenship
that clearly inculcates American principles into all who seek to
become citizens.
Immigration
Removal Procedures Implemented in the Aftermath of the September
11th Attacks
by Paul
Rosenzweig
June 30, 2005
The Federal
government has very wide Constitutional authority to deal with
matters of immigration. And it also has a Constitutional obligation
to insure national security.
Alternatives
to Amnesty: Proposals for Fair and Effective Immigration
Reform
by Edwin Meese
III, James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Matthew Spalding, Ph.D., and Paul
Rosenzweig
June 2, 2005
Congress and the
President must reduce the number of individuals unlawfully present
in the United States through a comprehensive solution that fosters
national security, a growing economy, and a strong civil society.
This should include a realistic program to help unlawfully present
individuals return to their countries of origin before applying for
legal reentry to the United States.
Building the Alliance for Freedom: An Agenda for Improving and
Expanding the Visa Waiver Program
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D., and Richard Weitz, Ph.D.
May 6, 2005
With post-9/11
improvements and more vigilant oversight, the Visa Waiver Program
will significantly enhance security, trade, and travel. The VWP
should include such strategic nations as India, South Korea, and
the new Eastern European democracies, and a certification road map
for selected partner nations should be established with a goal of
achieving full certification within five to 10 years.
North American Youth Gangs: Patterns and Remedies
by Stephen
Johnson
April 21, 2005
Throughout
history, youth gangs have flourished wherever there have been
population shifts and unstable neighborhoods. However, recent
growth in numbers and global affiliation of gangs pose a public
security threat. Gangs that flourished in Los Angeles during the
1960s now have fraternal links to some 130,000 to 300,000 members
in Mexico and Central America and have expanded across the United
States to both major cities and rural communities in the eastern
seaboard.
North
American Transnational Youth Gangs: Breaking the Chain of
Violence
by Stephen Johnson
and David B. Muhlhausen, Ph.D.
March 21, 2005
Policymakers can
help to stabilize gang neighborhoods through migration reforms, by
denying time and space to delinquent activities, and by increasing
coordination between law enforcement agencies. The United States
should promote the rule of law and free-market reforms in Mexico
and Central America to boost employment while fostering cooperative
security links to track gang member migration.
Border
Security: Setting the Right Federal Priorities
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
March 18, 2005
Protecting the
nation against terrorists, transnational crime, and environmental
and economic threats requires money, time, and effort. Improving
the infrastructure and programs that oversee and support lawful
trade and travel should be funded first. Investing in internal
enforcement and working with point-of-origin countries will
probably offer a greater return on investment than will emphasizing
interdiction at the border.
Merging the Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border
Protection and Immigration-Customs Enforcement Agencies
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
March 10, 2005
Specifically
regarding challenges related to border security the task force
observed that before the creation of DHS, seven agencies, among
others, were involved in securing our borders, enforcing our
immigration laws, and protecting our transportation system.
An
Agenda for Increasing State and Local Government Efforts to Combat
Terrorism
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D., Paul Rosenzweig, and Alane Kochems
February, 24
2005
While the Bush
Administration's effort to consolidate the Law Enforcement
Terrorism Prevention Program grants into the general state
grant program is worthwhile, part of what replaces it should be a
set of targeted initiatives. Specifically, such a plan would focus
on improving information analysis capabilities, strengthening the
means of state and local law enforcement to conduct
terrorism-related immigration investigations
The Principles of Immigration
by Edwin Meese
III and Matthew Spalding
October 19,
2004
Because
immigration is inextricably connected to the principles upon which
this nation is founded, policymakers must step back from the
politics of the moment and develop a policy that considers real
concerns related to national security, illegal immigration, welfare
policy, economic responsibility for immigrants, enforcement of
immigration laws, and the impact on state and local
governments.
Insource
More Jobs by Raising the H-1B Visa Cap
by Kirk A.
Johnson, Ph.D.
October 13,
2004
H-1B visas allow
highly skilled foreign workers, such as computer specialists,
physicians, teachers, and a handful of other professionals, to work
in America for a set amount of time (usually between three and six
years). There are a number of regulations regarding H-1B visas.
America's Borders: The Terror War's Front Line
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
June 14,
2004
National efforts
to enhance the security of the goods, people, and services that
everyday cross the thousands of miles of land borders and tens of
thousands of miles of coastline ringing the United States are a
vital component of protecting the homeland. In my testimony, I
would like to reaffirm the importance of this task as an essential
component of the national homeland security strategy
No
Need for the CLEAR Act: Building Capacity for Immigration
Counterterrorism Investigations
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D.
April 24,
2004
The 9-11
Commission hearings are a powerful reminder of the need to build up
counterterrorism, but the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien
Removal Act takes the wrong approach; instead, Congress should
promote the use of Section 287(g) of the Immigration and
Naturalization Act as a better mechanism for enabling state and
local law enforcement to join in the global war against
terrorism.
The
United States and Mexico: Partners in Reform
by Stephen
Johnson and Sara J. Fitzgerald
December 18,
2003
Mexico's
population is still growing faster than its economy can supply
jobs, and its recent democratic, free-market evolution has slowed,
stalling the implementation of President Vicente Fox's reform
agenda. As a result, each year, more than a million Mexicans
illegally cross into the United States from Mexico looking for
work.
Better
Intelligence Sharing for Visa Issuance and Monitoring: An
Imperative for Homeland Security
by James Jay
Carafano, Ph.D., and Ha Nguyen
October 27,
2003
Since September
11, 2001, keeping visas out of the hands of terrorists has been a
top priority for the Administration and Congress. Congress needs a
more effective committee structure to oversee the information
technology and human capital programs required to support the new
system, and the Administration needs to institute organizational
changes and establish appropriate measures of effectiveness to
ensure that the current system operates as efficiently as
possible.
Securing
America's Borders While Safeguarding Commerce
by Robert C.
Bonner
September 12,
2003
U.S. Customs and
Border Protection, part of the Department of Homeland Security,
comprises most government the agencies with significant border
responsibilities. The agency is using beefed-up staffing and
technology, as well as innovative partnerships with the trade
community and foreign countries, to better protect the entire
supply chain against exploitation by terrorists.
Providing
Security, Fairness, and Efficiency in the Immigration Deportation
Processes
by Michael
Scardaville
July 21,
2003
The Departments
of Homeland Security and Justice must assess whether illegal aliens
have hostile intentions and factor that assessment into the
adjudication process. New laws and procedures must respect the
alien's rights to due process in the immigration courts, and
Congress must exercise due oversight to prevent abuse. These steps
will make it possible to achieve the benefits of screening for
terrorist ties while also preserving civil liberties and the rule
of law.
Strengthen
Citizenship in INS Reform
by Matthew
Spalding, Ph.D.
April 8,
2002
For good reason,
the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) will not likely
survive much longer in its current form. Not only is its
bureaucracy not meeting the requirements of increased border
security demanded in response to the September 11 terrorist
attacks, but the visa notification for two of the terrorists, which
arrived a full six months after the attacks, is undeniable evidence
of the agency's habitual inefficiency.