Immigrants and Minorities, Politics and Policy – serie

At 15.4 percent of the population, Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States. They are a growing presence in all sectors of the economy, play an increasingly important role in government and politics, and are influential across a wide range of cultural domains. Despite the growing attention paid to Latinos in recent years, this population is characterized by relatively low socio-economic status, and Latinos frequently rank behind the majority white population and other minority groups when it comes to education, finances, and employment.This book contributes to the understanding of these issues by addressing a comprehensive range of topics on Latino economic incorporation, outcomes, and impact over an individual's lifetime. The volume starts with the foundational issue of education, and then moves to immigrant integration and adjustment, Latino and immigrant earnings, the economic impact of Latinos, and inter-generational incorporation and long-term integration issues. The contributions provide wide-ranging perspectives on the key factors that determine whether Latinos will be able to achieve their economic potential. The substantial individual, national, and international implications of these studies make this book of interest to scholars and policy-makers alike, particularly those concerned with the issues of education, immigration, employment, and earnings.The rapid and continuing growth of the Hispanic population ensures that the debate over social policy in the next few decades will increasingly focus on how best to alleviate the economic and social problems facing this population and perhaps encourage rapid assimilation. The studies in the volume edited by David Leal and Stephen Trejo provide an excellent foundation for this discussion. The conceptual issues and findings in these papers are sure to be valuable to both policy makers and researchers.George Borjas, Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Economics and Social Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityLatinos and the Economy provides a truly authoritative but accessible compilation of first-rate scholarship on Hispanic incorporation, educational and political gains, and ongoing economic and cultural impacts. It is "must reading" for anyone concerned about the future, especially as America moves inexorably towards becoming a majority-minority society by mid-century.Daniel T. Lichter, Ferris Family Professor, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell UniversityThis is the volume to read for anyone interested in current American immigration issues or the role of Hispanics in the U.S. economy."Daniel S. Hamermesh, Killam Professor of Economics, University of Texas at Austin"The future of America is closely intertwined with the successful integration--economically, politically, and socially--of the Latino population. Latinos now comprise one of every seven workers and almost one of every five students in the United States. The research reported in this volume describes the challenges faced by Latinos in schools, the labor market, and in communities and explains their prospects for upward mobility. These studies suggest that a significant investment in expanding educational opportunities may be the single most important policy lever to incorporate Latinos into the American mainstream."Charles Hirschman, Professor of Public Affairs and Boeing International Professor of Sociology, University of Washington

This book considers the origins, performance and diffusion of national immigration policies targeting highly skilled immigrants. Unlike asylum seekers and immigrants admitted under family reunification streams, highly skilled immigrants are typically cast as “wanted and welcome” as a consequence of their potential economic contribution to the receiving society and putative assimilability. Testing the degree to which this assumption holds is the principle aim of this book. In contrast to publications which see highly skilled immigration as functional response to labor market needs, the book probes the political and sociological dimensions of policy, drawing on contributions from an international group of established and new scholars from the fields of history, law, political science, sociology, and public policy. The book is organized into four parts. Part I probes the origins of post-WWII immigration policies in Canada, Australia, and the United States. Part II analyzes recent debates on highly skilled immigration policy in the United States, whose origins go back to the 1965 Act by Congress which favored family reunification over skilled immigration. Part III considers the degree to which highly skilled immigrants are welcome, by focusing on the integration trajectories of foreign trained professionals in Canada. Paradoxically, just as Canada has succeeded in orienting its admissions system more explicitly toward privileging highly educated and skilled professionals, highly skilled immigrants have experienced worsening economic outcomes as reflected in rates of unemployment and falling earnings. Part IV considers the internationalization of highly skilled immigration policies, focusing on Europe’s most important immigration countries, Germany and Britain. As is true in Canada, the labor market outcomes for highly skilled immigrants in Europe are disappointing, and the final chapter discusses why this is the case and what might be done to improvematters. Given its combination of cross-disciplinary insights, cross-national comparisons, and empirical richness, the book will be of interest to both scholars and policymakers concerned with immigration policy.

Arizona has one of the fastest growing communities of Latino immigrants in the United States. In response to accusations that the Federal government was hampering the immigration enforcement actions of Arizona police, state Senator Russell Pearce introduced the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.” Better known as SB 1070, the policy allows police officers in Arizona to arrest unauthorized immigrants under the state’s trespassing law. The law also gives officers the latitude to question and detain those that may appear suspicious, which may simply mean that they appear Latino. Under the State’s statute, immigrants can also be criminalized for their mere presence in Arizona. The bill was signed into law on April 23, 2010, which generated a number of immensely complex issues at the local, national and international level The measure has affected an already problematic U.S.-Mexico, bi-national relationship at a time of increased security cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, former the President of Mexico has criticized the law, issuing travel advisories, and as a sanction, trade between Arizona and Mexico has been reduced. Elected officials across the country called for a variety of economic boycotts and campaigns that would discourage the full implementation of the law. Over fifteen major cities have ended business contracts with Arizona. The State tourism industry has lost almost one billion dollars in less than six months as a result of this policy. This book examines a variety of issues and consequences of SB 1070 at the local, national and international level. It provides timely research and analysis on a topic not previously examined and from a variety of inter disciplinary approaches, making it of interest to political scientists and policy-makers alike.

At 15.4 percent of the population, Latinos are the largest minority group in the United States. They are a growing presence in all sectors of the economy, play an increasingly important role in government and politics, and are influential across a wide range of cultural domains. Despite the growing attention paid to Latinos in recent years, this population is characterized by relatively low socio-economic status, and Latinos frequently rank behind the majority white population and other minority groups when it comes to education, finances, and employment.This book contributes to the understanding of these issues by addressing a comprehensive range of topics on Latino economic incorporation, outcomes, and impact over an individual's lifetime. The volume starts with the foundational issue of education, and then moves to immigrant integration and adjustment, Latino and immigrant earnings, the economic impact of Latinos, and inter-generational incorporation and long-term integration issues. The contributions provide wide-ranging perspectives on the key factors that determine whether Latinos will be able to achieve their economic potential. The substantial individual, national, and international implications of these studies make this book of interest to scholars and policy-makers alike, particularly those concerned with the issues of education, immigration, employment, and earnings.The rapid and continuing growth of the Hispanic population ensures that the debate over social policy in the next few decades will increasingly focus on how best to alleviate the economic and social problems facing this population and perhaps encourage rapid assimilation. The studies in the volume edited by David Leal and Stephen Trejo provide an excellent foundation for this discussion. The conceptual issues and findings in these papers are sure to be valuable to both policy makers and researchers.George Borjas, Robert W. Scrivner Professor of Economics and Social Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard UniversityLatinos and the Economy provides a truly authoritative but accessible compilation of first-rate scholarship on Hispanic incorporation, educational and political gains, and ongoing economic and cultural impacts. It is "must reading" for anyone concerned about the future, especially as America moves inexorably towards becoming a majority-minority society by mid-century.Daniel T. Lichter, Ferris Family Professor, Department of Policy Analysis and Management, Cornell UniversityThis is the volume to read for anyone interested in current American immigration issues or the role of Hispanics in the U.S. economy."Daniel S. Hamermesh, Killam Professor of Economics, University of Texas at Austin"The future of America is closely intertwined with the successful integration--economically, politically, and socially--of the Latino population. Latinos now comprise one of every seven workers and almost one of every five students in the United States. The research reported in this volume describes the challenges faced by Latinos in schools, the labor market, and in communities and explains their prospects for upward mobility. These studies suggest that a significant investment in expanding educational opportunities may be the single most important policy lever to incorporate Latinos into the American mainstream."Charles Hirschman, Professor of Public Affairs and Boeing International Professor of Sociology, University of Washington

In recent years states across the world have boosted their legal and institutional capacity to deport noncitizens residing on their territory, including failed asylum seekers, “illegal” migrants, and convicted criminals. Scholars have analyzed this development primarily through the lens of immigration control. Deportation has been viewed as one amongst a range of measures designed to control entrance, distinguished primarily by the fact that it is exercised inside the territory of the state. But deportation also has broader social and political effects. It provides a powerful way through which the state reminds noncitizens that their presence in the polity is contingent upon acceptable behavior. Furthermore, in liberal democratic states immunity from deportation is one of the key privileges that citizens enjoy that distinguishes them from permanent residents. This book examines the historical, institutional and social dimensions of the relationship between deportation and citizenship in liberal democracies. Contributions also include analysis of the formal and informal functions of administrative immigration detention, and the role of the European Parliament in the area of irregular immigration and borders. The book also develops an analytical framework that identifies and critically appraises grassroots and sub national responses to migration policy in liberal democratic societies, and considers how groups form after deportation and the employment of citizenship in this particular context, making it of interest to scholars and international policy makers alike.“It is commonly surmised that the increased flows of goods, ideas, finance and people are slowly leading to the dissolution of boundaries between nation-states. However, as the varied and excellent chapters in this collection demonstrate, the enforcement of state power through detention and deportation is still a real and growing feature of contemporary political life. Expulsion hasalways been a moral sanction (think of Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden or the ostracism directed against dissidents in ancient Athens, who were forced to leave for ten years). As the editors suggest, deportation remains a means of enforcing a normative order (‘a community of values’), while the authors and editors of this book have expanded the subject-matter to include the deportees’ perspectives and the effects of deportation on families, other potential victims and on those whose social inclusion has been affirmed by the exclusion of others. These studies will enrich and enlarge the study of the more naked forms of state power.” - Robin Cohen, Professor Emeritus of Development Studies, University of Oxford“This wide-ranging, well-researched, and highly informative work is a major contribution to the growing body of scholarship examining the harsh consequences of deportation around the world.  The editors have gathered an impressive group of scholars who craft an eclectic view of how deportation has evolved, what it may signify, and how it now works in various settings. With its inclusion of historical, institutional, comparative, and finely-textured, sensitive experiential studies, this book offers an important--if frequently distressing--overview of phenomena that deserve our full attention.” - Daniel Kanstroom, Professor of Law and Director, International Human Rights Program, Boston College Law School

This book considers the origins, performance and diffusion of national immigration policies targeting highly skilled immigrants. Unlike asylum seekers and immigrants admitted under family reunification streams, highly skilled immigrants are typically cast as “wanted and welcome” as a consequence of their potential economic contribution to the receiving society and putative assimilability. Testing the degree to which this assumption holds is the principle aim of this book. In contrast to publications which see highly skilled immigration as functional response to labor market needs, the book probes the political and sociological dimensions of policy, drawing on contributions from an international group of established and new scholars from the fields of history, law, political science, sociology, and public policy. The book is organized into four parts. Part I probes the origins of post-WWII immigration policies in Canada, Australia, and the United States. Part II analyzes recent debates on highly skilled immigration policy in the United States, whose origins go back to the 1965 Act by Congress which favored family reunification over skilled immigration. Part III considers the degree to which highly skilled immigrants are welcome, by focusing on the integration trajectories of foreign trained professionals in Canada. Paradoxically, just as Canada has succeeded in orienting its admissions system more explicitly toward privileging highly educated and skilled professionals, highly skilled immigrants have experienced worsening economic outcomes as reflected in rates of unemployment and falling earnings. Part IV considers the internationalization of highly skilled immigration policies, focusing on Europe’s most important immigration countries, Germany and Britain. As is true in Canada, the labor market outcomes for highly skilled immigrants in Europe are disappointing, and the final chapter discusses why this is the case and what might be done to improvematters. Given its combination of cross-disciplinary insights, cross-national comparisons, and empirical richness, the book will be of interest to both scholars and policymakers concerned with immigration policy.

Arizona has one of the fastest growing communities of Latino immigrants in the United States. In response to accusations that the Federal government was hampering the immigration enforcement actions of Arizona police, state Senator Russell Pearce introduced the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act.” Better known as SB 1070, the policy allows police officers in Arizona to arrest unauthorized immigrants under the state’s trespassing law. The law also gives officers the latitude to question and detain those that may appear suspicious, which may simply mean that they appear Latino. Under the State’s statute, immigrants can also be criminalized for their mere presence in Arizona. The bill was signed into law on April 23, 2010, which generated a number of immensely complex issues at the local, national and international level The measure has affected an already problematic U.S.-Mexico, bi-national relationship at a time of increased security cooperation between the two countries. Furthermore, former the President of Mexico has criticized the law, issuing travel advisories, and as a sanction, trade between Arizona and Mexico has been reduced. Elected officials across the country called for a variety of economic boycotts and campaigns that would discourage the full implementation of the law. Over fifteen major cities have ended business contracts with Arizona. The State tourism industry has lost almost one billion dollars in less than six months as a result of this policy. This book examines a variety of issues and consequences of SB 1070 at the local, national and international level. It provides timely research and analysis on a topic not previously examined and from a variety of inter disciplinary approaches, making it of interest to political scientists and policy-makers alike.

In recent years states across the world have boosted their legal and institutional capacity to deport noncitizens residing on their territory, including failed asylum seekers, “illegal” migrants, and convicted criminals. Scholars have analyzed this development primarily through the lens of immigration control. Deportation has been viewed as one amongst a range of measures designed to control entrance, distinguished primarily by the fact that it is exercised inside the territory of the state. But deportation also has broader social and political effects. It provides a powerful way through which the state reminds noncitizens that their presence in the polity is contingent upon acceptable behavior. Furthermore, in liberal democratic states immunity from deportation is one of the key privileges that citizens enjoy that distinguishes them from permanent residents. This book examines the historical, institutional and social dimensions of the relationship between deportation and citizenship in liberal democracies. Contributions also include analysis of the formal and informal functions of administrative immigration detention, and the role of the European Parliament in the area of irregular immigration and borders. The book also develops an analytical framework that identifies and critically appraises grassroots and sub national responses to migration policy in liberal democratic societies, and considers how groups form after deportation and the employment of citizenship in this particular context, making it of interest to scholars and international policy makers alike.“It is commonly surmised that the increased flows of goods, ideas, finance and people are slowly leading to the dissolution of boundaries between nation-states. However, as the varied and excellent chapters in this collection demonstrate, the enforcement of state power through detention and deportation is still a real and growing feature of contemporary political life. Expulsion hasalways been a moral sanction (think of Adam and Eve being banished from the Garden of Eden or the ostracism directed against dissidents in ancient Athens, who were forced to leave for ten years). As the editors suggest, deportation remains a means of enforcing a normative order (‘a community of values’), while the authors and editors of this book have expanded the subject-matter to include the deportees’ perspectives and the effects of deportation on families, other potential victims and on those whose social inclusion has been affirmed by the exclusion of others. These studies will enrich and enlarge the study of the more naked forms of state power.” - Robin Cohen, Professor Emeritus of Development Studies, University of Oxford“This wide-ranging, well-researched, and highly informative work is a major contribution to the growing body of scholarship examining the harsh consequences of deportation around the world.  The editors have gathered an impressive group of scholars who craft an eclectic view of how deportation has evolved, what it may signify, and how it now works in various settings. With its inclusion of historical, institutional, comparative, and finely-textured, sensitive experiential studies, this book offers an important--if frequently distressing--overview of phenomena that deserve our full attention.” - Daniel Kanstroom, Professor of Law and Director, International Human Rights Program, Boston College Law School

This book analyses the politicization of immigration and the European Union in Italy, the UK, and the European Parliament (EP) from 2015 to 2020. The book uses the case studies of Italy, the UK, and the EP to study party positioning specifically towards immigration and the European Union, to understand to what extent mainstream-left, mainstream-right and populist parties adopt different framing strategies to compete on the new cultural dimension created by globalization. The book draws on saliency theory, issue ownership theory, and yield theory to investigate the multidimensional nature of political competition, and the relevance of institutional settings in determining party framing strategies. Bridging two fields that typically do not interact—party politics and migration studies—this book fills gaps in the academic literature and as such will be appropriate for students and researchers interested in party politics, European politics, immigration politics, populism, and text analysis.

This book analyses the politicization of immigration and the European Union in Italy, the UK, and the European Parliament (EP) from 2015 to 2020. The book uses the case studies of Italy, the UK, and the EP to study party positioning specifically towards immigration and the European Union, to understand to what extent mainstream-left, mainstream-right and populist parties adopt different framing strategies to compete on the new cultural dimension created by globalization. The book draws on saliency theory, issue ownership theory, and yield theory to investigate the multidimensional nature of political competition, and the relevance of institutional settings in determining party framing strategies. Bridging two fields that typically do not interact—party politics and migration studies—this book fills gaps in the academic literature and as such will be appropriate for students and researchers interested in party politics, European politics, immigration politics, populism, and text analysis.

This book provides an overview of the identity and sense of belonging of Muslims in the Western world. By presenting case studies on European countries such as France, the Netherlands and the UK, as well as the USA and Canada, it offers a comparative perspective on how Muslims feel toward and are integrated in their country of residence. The respective contributions examine the sense of belonging and identity of  Muslims and compare their levels of integration. Furthermore, they discuss the compatibility of their religious beliefs and values with the political and democratic order of their country of residence, and make concrete policy recommendations. The book is chiefly intended for scholars of political science and migration studies who are seeking a comparative perspective on the status quo of Muslims’ integration in the Western world.

This book provides an overview of the identity and sense of belonging of Muslims in the Western world. By presenting case studies on European countries such as France, the Netherlands and the UK, as well as the USA and Canada, it offers a comparative perspective on how Muslims feel toward and are integrated in their country of residence. The respective contributions examine the sense of belonging and identity of  Muslims and compare their levels of integration. Furthermore, they discuss the compatibility of their religious beliefs and values with the political and democratic order of their country of residence, and make concrete policy recommendations. The book is chiefly intended for scholars of political science and migration studies who are seeking a comparative perspective on the status quo of Muslims’ integration in the Western world.

There is a broad consensus that the United States’ immigration system is broken, yet the political momentum behind the movement has not yet led to a consensus on how to fix it. This momentum has stemmed from the agreement that we have an immigration “crisis” on our hands – millions of undocumented immigrants living and working in the United States under increasingly harsh conditions, tremendous spending on border security and enforcement measures without protection of civil rights, changing voter demographics, and other pressing issues have ushered in the moment for immigration reform. This book presents research and policy recommendations from leading U.S. immigration experts and scholars, who have many valuable insights and nuanced perspectives to offer to the current debate on immigration reform. The goal of this immigration study is to disseminate knowledge and policy recommendations to scholars, government officials, the media, and the general policy community on vital issues regarding the present question of immigration reform. This book discusses the future prospects of immigration reform and delves into various details, options, and obstacles related to immigration reform. The chapters presented shed light on a number of issues that are currently being debated in the immigration bill. Some of them address the salience of the immigration issue in Latino political behavior and the impact of demographic context. Other papers hone in on the landscape of legislative initiatives addressing immigration at the state and local levels, and some authors address the implications of immigration reform for the labor market and economic climate. The book will be of interest to both scholars and policy-makers concerned with immigration in the United States.

We live in an age of global migration. The number of immigrants worldwide is large and growing. At the same time, public and political reactions against immigrants have grown in the US, the UK, Canada, and other traditional and non-traditional receiving nations. In response to this trend, this book assembles an interdisciplinary group of scholars to better understand two dimensions of contemporary immigration policy – a growing enforcement and restriction regime in receiving nations, and the subsequent effects on sending nations.  It begins with three background chapters on immigration politics and policies in the United States, Europe, and Mexico. This is followed by eleven chapters about specific receiving and sending nations – four for the United States, three for Europe, and four for the sending nations of Mexico, Turkey, Peru, and Poland. This selection of cases and the multidisciplinary approach provides a unique perspective that supplements more standard case studies and disciplinary research. By discussing a greater range of nations and topics—the global consequences of increased deportations, stronger border security, greater travel restrictions, stagnant economies, and the loss of remittances—this volume fills a significant gap in the current body of literature. As such, this book is of interest to immigration policy scholars and students of all levels as well as individuals in think tanks, advocacy communities, the media, and governments.  ​

There is a broad consensus that the United States’ immigration system is broken, yet the political momentum behind the movement has not yet led to a consensus on how to fix it. This momentum has stemmed from the agreement that we have an immigration “crisis” on our hands – millions of undocumented immigrants living and working in the United States under increasingly harsh conditions, tremendous spending on border security and enforcement measures without protection of civil rights, changing voter demographics, and other pressing issues have ushered in the moment for immigration reform. This book presents research and policy recommendations from leading U.S. immigration experts and scholars, who have many valuable insights and nuanced perspectives to offer to the current debate on immigration reform. The goal of this immigration study is to disseminate knowledge and policy recommendations to scholars, government officials, the media, and the general policy community on vital issues regarding the present question of immigration reform. This book discusses the future prospects of immigration reform and delves into various details, options, and obstacles related to immigration reform. The chapters presented shed light on a number of issues that are currently being debated in the immigration bill. Some of them address the salience of the immigration issue in Latino political behavior and the impact of demographic context. Other papers hone in on the landscape of legislative initiatives addressing immigration at the state and local levels, and some authors address the implications of immigration reform for the labor market and economic climate. The book will be of interest to both scholars and policy-makers concerned with immigration in the United States.

This volume focuses on recent experiences of return migration to Mexico and Central America from the United States. For most of the twentieth century, return migration to the US was a normal part of the migration process from Mexico and Central America, typically resulting in the eventual permanent settlement of migrants in the US. In recent years, however, such migration has become involuntary, as a growing proportion of return migration is taking place through formal orders of deportation. This book discusses return migration to Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, addressing different reasons for return, whether voluntary or involuntary, and highlighting the unique challenges faced by returnees to each region. Particular emphasis is placed on the lack of government and institutional policies in place for returning migrants who wish to attain work, training, or shelter in their home countries. Finally, the authors take a look at the phenomenon of migrants who can never return because they have disappeared during the migration process. Through its multinational focus, diverse thematic outlook, and use of ethnographic and survey methods, this volume provides an original contribution to the topic of return migration and broadens the scope of the literature currently available. As such, this book will be important to scholars and students interested in immigration policy and Latin America as well as policy makers and activists.

We live in an age of global migration. The number of immigrants worldwide is large and growing. At the same time, public and political reactions against immigrants have grown in the US, the UK, Canada, and other traditional and non-traditional receiving nations. In response to this trend, this book assembles an interdisciplinary group of scholars to better understand two dimensions of contemporary immigration policy – a growing enforcement and restriction regime in receiving nations, and the subsequent effects on sending nations.  It begins with three background chapters on immigration politics and policies in the United States, Europe, and Mexico. This is followed by eleven chapters about specific receiving and sending nations – four for the United States, three for Europe, and four for the sending nations of Mexico, Turkey, Peru, and Poland. This selection of cases and the multidisciplinary approach provides a unique perspective that supplements more standard case studies and disciplinary research. By discussing a greater range of nations and topics—the global consequences of increased deportations, stronger border security, greater travel restrictions, stagnant economies, and the loss of remittances—this volume fills a significant gap in the current body of literature. As such, this book is of interest to immigration policy scholars and students of all levels as well as individuals in think tanks, advocacy communities, the media, and governments.  ​