New research finds that policies granting permanent residency to immigrants conditional on acquiring host country skills – like language – are most likely to generate higher fiscal contributions to the host country through income taxes.
Tag: Immigration
More greens, less sugar and fries: Abriendo Caminos study finds promising results
A study evaluating the effect of the Abriendo Caminos program on dietary behaviors of Hispanic children found youth participants consumed sugar-sweetened beverages, french fries and fast food less frequently and ate vegetables more often after the six-week workshop series.
Texas threat to revisit SCOTUS case could be ‘catastrophic’
In the aftermath of the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, Texas Governor Greg Abbott discussed revisiting the 1982 Supreme Court ruling Plyler v. Doe requiring states to provide education to undocumented children. Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer,…
Sociologist Explores, for First Time, the Dynamics of Immigration Enforcement that Impact Children’s Lives
The research used in-depth interviews collected between 2019 and 2021 with 84 young adults who were minors in the mid-2000s to draw conclusions and then policy implications.
Migration treaty violations, trade central to U.S.-Mexico-Canada summit
President Joe Biden will meet Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the White House this week to discuss the continued flow of migrants over the U.S.-Mexico border, trade, labor and other issues. Gustavo…
House spending bill’s immigration provisions are historic
The House of Representatives is expected to vote today on a $1.75 trillion social spending bill. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says the House bill’s immigration provisions,…
Does environmental stress drive migration?
While climate-driven migration has been deemed a major threat in public discourse and academic research, comprehensive studies that take into account both environmental and social factors globally have been scarce. Now, with the help of machine learning, a research team led by Aalto University has drawn a clearer picture of the factors involved in migration for 178 countries.
UCI researcher gets NSF-backed grant to study wildfires’ effects on farmworkers
Michael Méndez of the University of California, Irvine has received a two-year, $400,000 grant from the National Center for Atmospheric Research’s Early Career Faculty Innovator Program. It will fund a joint project with researchers at NCAR – which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation – exploring the disparate treatment of undocumented Latino/Latina and Indigenous migrant farmworkers during extreme wildfire events in Sonoma County.
Proposed DACA rule offers stability, as doors close in Congress
The Office of Management and Budget completed its review of a proposed rule to preserve deportation protections for an estimated 700,000 ‘Dreamers.’ Stephen Yale-Loehr, an immigration law professor at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law…
Budget process an ‘uphill battle’ for immigration
The House Judiciary Committee is marking up immigration provisions today as part of the budget reconciliation process. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says that Democrats face an…
CDC immigration order lifted for children, should expand for adults
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) partially lifted a Trump administration order this week that prevented many migrants and children fleeing persecution from entering the United States. The 2020 order, known as Title 42, allowed the CDC to use COVID-19…
UT/TT Poll: Texans’ Views on Vaccines, Leadership, Legislation and the Future
The latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune poll showed significant differences along party lines on Texans’ attitudes about COVID-19 vaccines: 79% of Democrats report being vaccinated, compared with 47% of Republicans. And about a quarter of Texans (24%) say they are not planning on getting a vaccine.
Senate inaction dooms win-win immigration program
The U.S. Senate yesterday failed to extend the EB-5 immigrant investor regional center program, meaning the program will expire June 30. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says…
Supreme Court decision against TPS holders means Congress should act
The Supreme Court ruled this week that certain immigrants in temporary protected status (TPS) cannot get green cards in the United States. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says the decision…
Orphans and exiles: Research shows the impact of family separation
New research from Binghamton University, State University of New York shows the human trauma and family separation that resulted from the Trump Administration’s zero tolerance policy on undocumented immigration.
Despite Biden’s proposed immigration changes, Congress remains best option
In a newly revealed Department of Homeland Security document, the Biden administration lays out proposed administrative reforms that would make it easier to immigrate to the United States for many groups, including high-skilled workers, asylum-seekers and farm workers. Stephen Yale-Loehr,…
Despite refugee boost and family reunification, Biden has ‘long road to go’
On Monday, the Biden administration announced a significant increase in the number refugees allowed to enter the United States. The announcement comes as the administration also begins to reunite parents separated from their children under the Trump administration’s family separation…
When Immigrant Policies are Decriminalized, Babies are Born Healthier
UCLA Fielding School of Public Health led-research finds that criminalizing immigrant policies were associated with higher rates of preterm birth for Black women born outside the U.S.

UIC Urban Forum to address wealth gap, equity concerns
New York Times best-selling author Heather McGhee to deliver keynote for virtual event April 14
Cornell immigration experts available on farmworkers, DACA
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives plans to vote on two immigration bills. One bill would give DACA recipients and other immigrants with legal status a pathway to citizenship, and the other would allow farmworkers in the country illegally…
Farmworker legislation a major step toward stabilizing ag labor
This week the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act as part of a broader immigration overhaul effort by President Biden. Richard Stup is an agricultural workforce specialist at Cornell University, who serves as liaison…
Granting TPS not a silver bullet for Venezuelans in the U.S.
This week, the Biden administration authorized Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible Venezuelans living in the United States. The 18-month reprieve from deportation also makes it possible for beneficiaries to apply for work authorization. Shannon Gleeson, professor of labor relations,…
With deportation freeze setback, Biden must engage with ICE
A federal judge issued an injunction late Tuesday evening barring the Biden administration from enforcing a 100-day deportation moratorium. Jaclyn Kelley-Widmer, professor of immigration law and director of Cornell University’s Immigration Law and Advocacy Clinic, says the while the order…
Biden immigration bill brings promise and peril
The Biden administration plans to unveil its comprehensive immigration bill on Thursday alongside Congressional leaders. The following Cornell University experts are available and a longer list of researchers offering legal, labor and historical perspectives can be found here. Stephen Yale-Loehr,…
Cornell experts available as immigration bill hits Congress
Congress is expected to begin considering the Biden administration’s immigration bill this week. The proposed legislation would include a pathway for undocumented immigrants in the United States before Jan. 1 to apply for legal status. Given the tight political margins…
Research to assess negative impact of Arab American family migration stress on infant well-being
While the number of immigrants from Arab countries to the United States has steadily increased over the past several years, family and child health research on this population remains scarce. Wayne State University College of Nursing faculty to research this disparity.
Biden’s attention to immigration ‘root causes’ promising, but will take time
The Biden administration’s executive orders on immigration announced this week will address Trump-era immigration policies including the controversial Migrant Protection Protocol, known as “Remain in Mexico,” and the family separation policy. Ian Kysel, professor of law at Cornell University and…

Scarce labor, higher wages in store for NYS farms in 2021
Richard Stup, agricultural workforce specialist, analyzes key issues facing New York state farmers this year.
New H-1B rule is “last gasp” of Trump effort to limit immigration
The Department of Labor (DOL) announced today that it is issuing a 247-page rule to increase wage levels significantly for the H-1B nonimmigrant worker category and for certain employment-based green card applications. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and…

UCI-led study profiles undocumented students’ experiences in state public universities
Irvine, Calif., Dec. 10, 2020 — Although most undocumented students at California’s public universities experience disruptions to their education and well-being due to immigration status concerns, more than two-thirds have a 3.0 or higher GPA, according to a new study led by the University of California, Irvine. The findings are the first to be reported under the UC Collaborative to Promote Immigrant and Student Equity initiative, launched in 2019 and supported by a $270,000 UC Multicampus Research Programs and Initiatives grant.
Trump administration to gut U.S. asylum system
On Friday, Dec. 11 the Trump administration will issue a final rule radically restricting the ability of people fleeing persecution to win asylum in the United States. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration…
Court strikes down ‘wealth test’ immigration rule
A U.S. federal appeals court struck down a rule yesterday that would make it harder for immigrants who rely on public benefits to be approved for visas or green cards. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author…

How Will Election Affect Immigration? Rutgers Expert Available to Comment
New Brunswick, N.J. (Nov. 2, 2020) – Catherine Lee, a Rutgers University associate professor of sociology, is available to comment on how the presidential election may affect U.S. policies on immigration. Lee said, “Given the more than 400 executive…
H-1B proposed rule moves forward, flunks economics 101
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced yesterday it sent a proposed rule to the Federal Register radically changing how it selects H-1B temporary professional workers. Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration…
MEDIA ADVISORY: Scientific, Higher Education Leaders to Discuss Student Visa Restriction on America’s Leadership in Innovation
AIP and 36 other scientific associations and societies urge the president’s administration to prioritize the immigration of science and technology talent that will spur the scientific breakthroughs and economic growth of the U.S. In that effort, AIP supports the American Immigration Council in their efforts to highlight the impacts of limiting immigration on students who want to pursue science-based degrees in the United States, which will be discussed in a media briefing on Oct. 22, hosted by the AIC to allow reporters to hear from experts, including Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics and bestselling author.
New rules restricting H-1B visas could harm startups, small businesses
As the Trump administration issues two new rules Wednesday that will restrict the H-1B temporary work visa program, Stephen Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School and co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series, says that the rules will harm employers…
UB study finds no apparent link between undocumented immigration and crime
An analysis by a University at Buffalo-led team using two estimates of undocumented immigration suggests that, on average, this population reduced or had no effect on crime in 154 U.S. metropolitan areas studied, including places such as New York City, Chicago and Las Vegas.
Undocumented immigrants pay more taxes than President Trump
On Sunday, the New York Times revealed findings related to President Trump’s taxes, including that President Trump paid very little in federal income taxes over the course of the past 10-15 years, and in some years paid nothing. Steve Yale-Loehr, professor of immigration…
Proposed DHS restrictions on international students are unnecessary
The Department of Homeland Security plans to publish a proposed rule introducing additional restrictions on international students. Steve Yale-Loehr is a professor of immigration law at Cornell Law School, co-author of a leading 21-volume immigration law series and co-director of the Asylum Appeals Clinic.…
Fallout from hurricanes, wildfires will hit immigrants hard
Hurricane Laura devastated parts of Louisiana and Texas last week with high winds and flooding, as communities in California battle severe wildfires. Federal government programs intended to help communities in the aftermath of disaster face additional challenges this year due…
Pilot program would boost skilled immigration, economic growth
Cornell Law School scholars are proposing a pilot immigration program that would target highly skilled foreign workers using a points-based selection system modeled after successful programs in Canada and Australia. The program is an incremental change with bipartisan support that they say could not only improve a broken system but spark the nation’s economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.
AU Experts Available to Comment on ICE Policies & Migrant Children
AU Experts Available to Comment on ICE Policies & Migrant Children What: Due to the spread of the coronavirus, last month a federal judge ordered that all children currently held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody for more than…
Open letter opposing change to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program
The American Chemical Society (ACS) has signed an open letter to the White House, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of State opposing modifications to temporary exemptions for the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP).
Statement by AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine on ICE Guidance on International Students and University Online-Only Instruction
AERA urges the administration to reverse the ICE guidance and allow international students with valid visas to remain in the United States as their universities strive to find the best path forward to providing a high-quality education while ensuring public health safety.
Texas A&M Experts Available For Interviews On ICE Order To International Students
Many colleges are reeling after Monday’s announcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that international students whose university courses will be online only this fall must transfer to a school with in-person classes or leave the country. Texas A&M University…

Nobel Prize-winning chemist M. Stanley Whittingham named to “Great Immigrants, Great Americans” list for 2020
M. Stanley Whittingham, a 2019 Nobel Laureate and distinguished professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York, has been named to the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s 2020 list of “Great Immigrants, Great Americans.”
SCOTUS ruling won’t end the DACA saga
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration’s effort to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program was not legal. The decision is a win for those protected by DACA, undocumented children brought to the U.S.…
Tulane immigration law expert calls SCOTUS ruling a surprise victory for Dreamers
Mary Yanik, director of the Tulane Immigrants’ Rights Law Clinic, says the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling barring President Trump from ending DACA, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, is recognition that “the Trump administration’s rescission of the program was…

WashU Expert: DACA decision lets ‘Dreamers’ breathe a little easier
The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision June 18 that the Trump Administration cannot shut down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) program will allow more than 700,000 “Dreamers” to worry a bit less and continue focusing on their jobs, education and futures, said an immigration law expert at Washington University in St.

IU experts available to comment on Supreme Court decision upholding DACA
The U.S. Supreme Court in a 5-4 ruling has upheld the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which offers temporary protections to the more than 700,000 immigrants brought to the country illegally as children. The Trump administration sought to terminate…