Popular content
The High Cost of Cheap Labor
| This study is one of the first to estimate the total impact of illegal immigration on the federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on the state and local level and have examined only costs or tax payments, but not both. Based on Census Bureau data, this study finds that, when all taxes paid (direct and indirect) and all costs are considered, illegal households created a net fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in 2002. We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion. Read more... |
 |
Immigrants in the United States, 2010: A Profile of America's Foreign-Born Population
| Using the latest Census Bureau data from 2010 and 2011, this paper provides a detailed picture of the more than 50 million immigrants (legal and illegal) and their U.S.-born children (under 18) in the United States by country of birth, state, and legal status. One of the most important findings is that immigration has dramatically increased the size of the nation’s low-income population. Read more... |
 |
Double Standard in Obamacare Favors Illegals
| The Obama administration is rushing to get its signature health law implemented — and it treats illegal aliens better than native-born Americans. Starting in 2014, key elements of Obamacare take effect, including the individual mandate to have health insurance or else pay a fine. Read more... |
 |
Deportation Basics
| This Backgrounder describes the enforcement actions that take place prior to, and that result in initiation of, removal proceedings, one form of which is a hearing before an immigration judge. Read more... |
 |
Illegal, but Not Undocumented
| This Backgrounder examines illegal immigration-related document fraud and identity theft that is committed primarily for the purpose of employment. It debunks three common misconceptions: illegal aliens are “undocumented;” the transgressions committed by illegal aliens to obtain jobs are minor; and illegal-alien document fraud and identity theft are victimless crimes. Read more... |
 |
Welfare Use by Immigrant Households with Children
| Thirteen years after welfare reform, the share of immigrant-headed households (legal and illegal) with a child (under age 18) using at least one welfare program continues to be very high. Read more... |
 |
Immigration and Crime: Assessing a Conflicted Issue
| This study examines academic and government research on the question of immigrant crime. New government data indicate that immigrants have high rates of criminality, while older academic research found low rates. The overall picture of immigrants and crime remains confused due to a lack of good data and contrary information. However, the newer government data indicate that there are legitimate public safety reasons for local law enforcement to work with federal immigration authorities. Read more... |
 |
Jobs Americans Won’t Do? A Detailed Look at Immigrant Employment by Occupation
| This analysis tests the often-made argument that immigrants only do jobs Americans don’t want. If the argument is correct, there should be occupations comprised entirely or almost entirely of immigrants. But Census Bureau data collected from 2005 to 2007, which allow for very detailed analysis, show that even before the recession there were only a tiny number of majority-immigrant occupations. Read more... |
The USA PATRIOT Act of 2001: A Summary of the Anti-Terrorism Law's Immigration-Related Provisions
| The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act), signed into law on October 26, represents the U.S. government’s primary legislative response to the terrorist attacks of September 11. Read more... |
Hello, I Love You, Won’t You Tell Me Your Name: Inside the Green Card Marriage Phenomenon
| This study finds that, despite these statistics, marriage fraud for the purpose of immigration gets very little notice or debate in the public arena and the State Department and Department of Homeland Security have nowhere near the resources needed to combat the problem. Attention to fraud is not just for the integrity of the legal immigration system, but also for security reasons. Read more... |
 |
Immigration and Obamacare
| In January 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services issued a proposed rule implementing health reform's Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Exchanges provisions. The proposal includes details of the statutory requirements for verifying the immigration or citizenship status of those applying for Medicaid and CHIP. This Backgrounder describes the proposed verification process and standards. Read more... |
 |
An Employer, Known to IRS, has Close to 40k Illegals on Its Payroll
| Somewhere in America there is a huge employer who had, on average, about 40,000 workers a year on its payroll, most of whom probably are and were illegal aliens. The government knows the employer's name (and does not share it) but has apparently taken no steps to correct the situation. Read more... |
 |
The Fiscal and Economic Impact of Immigration on the United States
| When considering the economics of immigration, there are three related but distinct issues that should not be confused. First, immigration makes the U.S. economy (GDP) larger. However, by itself a larger economy is not a benefit to native-born Americans. Though the immigrants themselves benefit, there is no body of research indicating that immigration substantially increases the per-capita GDP or income of natives. Read more... |
 |
IDs for Illegals: The 'Matricula Consular' Advances Mexico's Immigration Agenda
| The acceptance of Mexico’s matricula consular sets a precedent, making it almost impossible to reject similar cards presented by illegal aliens from other countries, including those which have sent terrorists to the United States in the past. Read more... |
 |
Birthright Citizenship in the United States: A Global Comparison
| Every year, 300,000 to 400,000 children are born to illegal immigrants in the United States. Despite the foreign citizenship and illegal status of the parent, the executive branch of the U.S. government automatically recognizes these children as U.S. citizens upon birth. Read more... |
 |
Population, Immigration, and the Drying of the American Southwest
| This Backgrounder offers an historical overview of the critical issue of water in the American Southwest, where the water situation is becoming increasingly dire during a prolonged — but not uncharacteristic — drought in the arid region. We also examine the demographic trends that drive high rates of U.S. and, as a result, Southwest population growth. We present evidence that indicates there is insufficient water for the region’s current population, much less the larger future populations that will result if immigration continues at its present high rate. Read more... |
USCIS Warns of EB-5 Immigrant Investor Fraud
| U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has, belatedly, taken a useful step regarding the immigrant investor (EB-5) program. Together with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the agency this week issued a warning against middle-man fraud in the program. Read more... |
Taking Back the Streets: ICE and Local Law Enforcement Target Immigrant Gangs
| Immigration law enforcement has been a key ingredient contributing to the success of criminal gang suppression efforts in many jurisdictions across the United States. Since 2005, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested more than 8,000 gangsters from more than 700 different gangs as part of a special initiative known as Operation Community Shield. Read more... |
 |
CFC Promotion Video
| The Center for Immigration Studies participates in the Combined Federal Campaign. Our CFC number is 10298. Read more... |
Estimating the Impact of the DREAM Act
| This Memorandum examines the costs and likely impact of the 2010 iteration of the DREAM Act which was considered by Congress. The act offers permanent legal status to illegal immigrants up to age 35 who arrived in the United States before age 16 provided they complete two years of college. Read more... |
 |
Immigration from Mexico: Study Examines Costs and Benefits for the United States
| Read the Report Online Read more... |
The Jewish Stake in America's Changing Demography: Reconsidering a Misguided Immigration Policy
| Download this Backgrounder as a pdf Preface: Challenging A Crumbling Consensus Read more... |
Cheesecake Factory, Hallmark, Disney, and Others Now Pushing Amnesty
| Officials representing over 100 corporate interests issued a letter to Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) demanding the legalization of 11 million illegal aliens and increased legal immigration through the creation of new visa programs. As these companies put it in their letter: [W]e strongly support efforts to bolster the availability of a workforce at all skills levels, through a separate visa program as well as by creating a path to legal status for those already here. Read more... |
 |
Immigrants in the United States, 2007
| This Backgrounder provides a detailed picture of the number and socio-economic status of the nation’s immigrant or foreign-born population, both legal and illegal. The data was collected by the Census Bureau in March 2007. Read more... |
 |
Three Decades of Mass Immigration: The Legacy of the 1965 Immigration Act
| Introduction "This bill we sign today is not a revolutionary bill. It does not affect the lives of millions. It will not restructure the shape of our daily lives." Read more... |