Immigration

1. Immigration History Current System Backlash Other Issues/Proposals

2. The modern Period • 1965 Immigration Act • Not based on national quotas • priority given to family reunification • The new boom--3rd world immigration • air travel, chain sponsorship • 1986 IRCA granted amnesty for 3 million here illegally • Today an estimated 12 million in the country illegally

3. Current System • Types of legal immigration: • Family sponsored (for Green Card only spouse or child) • Student or Employment based • Refugee/Asylee—“reasonable fear of persecution for ethnic, cultural, religious reasons” • Other—“Diversity Lottery”, etc.

4. Is immigration (still) good for the country? • costs: schools, medical, courts, police, etc. • benefits: provide labor, pay many taxes, reinvigorate cities • objection: new immigrants not assimilating like old--a permanent foreign underclass, especially given “new economy” • defense: are assimilating

5. Backlash • English as Official Language • Since 1980s 16 states and several municipalities passed Official Language laws, ban bilingual ed and services • 1994 Prop 187 • denying illegal immigrants state-funded education and non-emergency medical care • thrown out by the courts

6. Other issues • Drivers licenses • permitted in four states • Matricular IDs • granted by foreign countries’ consulates • accepted as valid in a dozen states, some cities • Voting • a history of non-citizen voting • NY, Chicago, and others allow it for school boards—SF?

7. Proposals before Congress • House version: • Criminalize as a felony illegal immigration • Expand border patrol and build 700 mile barrier (both House and Senate) • No path to legal status from within US • Senate version: • Illegal immigrants in the US for 2 years could be eligible for a new temporary guest worker program • After 5 years of steady employment, can apply for a green card