State Government and Immigrants

One Year Later: A Look at SB 1070 and Copycat Legislation,
National Council of La Raza, April 18, 2011, 15 pp.
Since Arizona SB 1070 was signed into law on April 23, 2010, attempts to pass similar legislation in many states appear to have stalled. This report analyzes the forces that have slowed the advance of this type of legislation. So far in 2011, eleven of 24 states considering copycat legislation have defeated such bills or denied them consideration. In several states, cost factors seemed to have weighed heavily on legislators' minds. In Kentucky, for example, the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission issued a fiscal impact statement estimating the cost of implementation at $89 million per year. In other states, the business community exerted pressure on state legislators, contending that key industries, such as agriculture in Georgia and ranching in Utah, would lose workers and suffer huge losses.

Lessons from the 2007 Legal Arizona Workers Act,
Public Policy Institute of California, March, 2011,
29 pp
In 2007, Arizona passed the legal Arizona Worker Act (LAWA), which requires employers to use E-Verify, a national identity and work authorization verification system. This study examines the labor market impacts of this law, through comparisons with neighboring states without such legislation. The study attempts to control for the impact of the recession. The researchers find that the law had both intended and unintended consequences. On the one hand, it reduced the number of unauthorized workers in the state by about 92,000, or 17% - the stated goal of the legislation. On the other, it increased the self-employment rate by about 8%, or a "LAWA-induced increase" of roughly 25,000 self-employed Hispanic non-citizens - the demographic group with the largest numbers of unauthorized workers. These "findings raise questions about the unintended effect of LAWA in expanding underground economies." The authors speculate that an E-Verify mandate for the entire country -- reducing options for interstate migration -- would lead not only to reduced illegal migration into the country and increased emigration, but also to a marked shift toward less formal employment.

Annual Report to the People of New Jersey,
New Jersey Commission on New Americans, December, 2010, 10 pp.
Established by executive order on January 12, 2010, the New Jersey Commission on New Americans is obligated to report annually to the governor and legislature. This is the first report of the Commission. Each of the Commissions four committees: education, labor and workforce development, social services and health care, and immigrant integration, were asked to make recommendations that could be implemented at "no cost or low cost." The report concludes with seven major recommendations, two of which pertain to the role of One-Stop Career Centers in New Jersey.

A Case Study of Color-Blindness: The Racially Disparate Impacts of Arizona's SB 1070 and the Failure of Comprehensive Immigration Reform,
University of California, Davis, Legal Studies Research Paper Series, October, 2010, 42 pp.
This paper argues that the use of "race-neutral" language in the immigration debate, i.e. terms like "illegal alien" and "what part of illegal do you not understand?" cloaks the racist intent, or at the very least "disparate racial impact," of measures like Arizona SB 1070. As it is no longer socially acceptable in the United States to voice overtly racist views, the "coded" discourse on immigration advances the same racist agenda and explains the passion and vitriol that surround the immigration issue. "One might even view the enforcement of the U.S. immigration laws as a facially neutral - and thus presumably legal and legitimate - form of racial discrimination." The author also comments on the racial impact of the failure of comprehensive immigration reform over the last decade. Inaction on federal immigration legislation allows for "the maintenance of a racial caste of undocumented immigrants...denied the fundamental protections available to other workers under federal labor, and...subject to continued exploitation in the workplace."

Rising to the Immigrant Integration Challenge: What States are Doing - and Can Do,
National Governors Association (NGA), Center for Best Practices, November 4, 2009, 19 pp
Noting that many governors are beginning to realize "that states can facilitate successful (immigrant) integration" and thereby bring about "tremendous economic and social benefit" to their states," this report reviews some recent steps that states have taken to pursue this goal, including innovations in cross-departmental leadership, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and English and citizenship education. The report concludes with some specific strategies that seem to hold the greatest promise of success, including: raising the visibility of immigrant integration as an issue; gathering good data to inform policy development; maximizing partnerships with local government, nonprofits, and the private sector; facilitating government access and collaboration; and designing an effective communication strategy.

A Plan for Today, A Plan for Tomorrow: Building a Stronger Washington through Immigrant Integration
A Year One Report from the Washington New Americans Policy Council, October, 2009, 48 pp.
Established through an executive order issued by Governor Christine O. Gregoire in February of 2008, the 15-member Washington New Americans Policy Council was charged with developing policy recommendations on issues such as citizenship promotion, English language acquisition, and skill recertification. This report summarizes the Council's nine key recommendations, which include a three-year "We Want to Learn English" campaign; public funding and employer incentives to promote naturalization; strategies to provide "one stop" information to immigrants; issuance of a language access executive order requiring all state agencies to assess their effectiveness in reaching and serving language minorities, with oversight and technical assistance provided by an Office of Language Access; strategies for career re-entry for immigrant and refugee professionals, including a review of licensing board procedures; trust-building measures with law enforcement agencies; and public celebrations of immigrant contributions to the state. A final recommendation asks the Governor to continue the Policy Council for at least one more year "to work with state agencies to implement year one srecommendation" and to address other important issues which the Council did not have sufficient time to consider.

Massachusetts New Americans Agenda,
The Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants (GACRI), October 1, 2009, 54 pp.
Made up of 30 people representing 11 state agencies and 19 community groups or constituencies, GACRI was created by executive order of Governor Deval Patrick on July 9, 2008 and charged with developing "a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrate (the state's) immigrant and refugee populations..." The New Americans Agenda contains 131 recommendations in 12 topical areas: civil rights, adult English language proficiency, economic development, education, public safety, employment and workforce development, access to state services, citizenship assistance, health, refugees, youth, and housing and community development. The publication of the Agenda constitutes the "first phase" of an expected, long-term process of state government reform. Upon receipt of the Agenda, the Governor appointed a special 15-member interagency work group to develop implementation plans within 90 days. Coordination and support for plan implementation will be provided by the Massachusetts Office for Refugees and Immigrants (MORI).

A Fresh Start: Renewing Immigrant Integration for a Stronger Maryland,
The Report of the Maryland Council for New Americans, August, 2009, 65 pp
In December of 2008, the Governor of Maryland created by executive order the Maryland Council for New Americans and charged it with producing a report that would "review and recommend new policies and practices to expedite immigrant integration into the economic and civic life of the State." The Council's report contains 15 "general recommendation" in four broad areas: workforce, citizenship, financial services, and governmental access. A series of "best practice" vignettes are scattered throughout the document. The Council considers its "primary recommendation" to be the establishment of a Cabinet-level Office for New Americans "empowered to oversee implementation of reform and compliance in coordination with the Governor's priorities."

Report to New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine,
The Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy, March, 2009, 119 pp.
On August 6, 2007, New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine signed an executive order creating a Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy charged with making "recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrate the rapidly growing immigrant population in New Jersey." Over the course of 18 months, the panel, consisting of 34 members (seven representatives of state departments, 25 public members, and two legislators) studied a broad range of issues, considered testimony at three public hearings, and produced a report with 98 recommendations in four broad topical areas: social services, labor and workforce issues, education, and state and local government. The panel also published an executive summary and appendices in separate files. The appendices are more than 300 pages in length and include a study on in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants and a proposal for the creation of a Governor's Commission on New Americans. In addition, transcripts of the testimony delivered at the three public hearings are available on the web site of the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate.

Handbook on How to Implement a One-Stop-Shop for Immigrant Integration,
European Commission, Directorate-General Justice Freedom and Security, February, 2009, 96 pp.

In 2004, the Portuguese government opened two "National Immigrant Support Centers," in the cities of Lisbon and Porto, in an effort to implement a "one-stop-shop," or "welcome center" approach to immigrant integration. In 2007, the European Commission funded the development of an international network to assess the Portuguese model and "to examine the feasibility of its implementation in other EU member states." This Handbook presents the results of this study. In general, the handbook speaks glowingly of the model, although acknowledging the need to adapt it to local circumstances. The report covers such issues as the out-stationing of government employees at the centers, the role of "cultural mediators" and immigrant organizations in center operations, and the financial and human resources necessary for implementation.

Final Report, Governor's Commission on Immigration,
State of Virginia, January, 2009, 26 pp + appendices.
Created in 2007 by the Virginia Assembly, the 20-member Virginia Commission on Immigration was charged with examining the impact of immigration on the state educational system, health care, law enforcement, service accessibility, and the economy. The Commission's final report contains 24 recommendations, half of which are directed to the federal government and half to state government. Among the state government recommendations are: shortening the Medicaid eligibility requirement for legal immigrants, charging in-state tuition for the children of undocumented immigrants, establishing an "office of immigrant assistance services," and developing a comprehensive state plan "to address the needs of the foreign-born population in a consistent/uniform manner."

Report of the Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland,
Submitted to the Governor and Maryland General Assembly, January 1, 2009, 56 pp.
Created by the Governor of Maryland in 2008 and motivated by the belief that the preservation of immigrant languages will "maintain America's competitive edge in such vital sectors as trade and national security," this task force presented a series of nine "feasible and cost-effective" recommendations to preserve and develop the language skills of Maryland's residents. Among the recommendations were: the awarding of high school credit by exam for students who attend non-public heritage schools, the enhancement of library collections of children's literature in heritage languages, and the development of more dual language programs in the public schools. This task force may be the first state-sponsosred task force on heritage languages ever established in the United States.

State Laws Related to Immigrants and Immigration in 2008,
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), Immigrant Policy Project, January, 2009, 32 pp.
NCSL conducts an annual inventory of state legislation addressing immigration issues. With 1305 pieces of legislation introduced in 2008, of which 206 were enacted in 41 states, the 2008 inventory found a small reduction in the level of activity compared to 2007. Although some states continue to be focused on punitive approaches, e.g. imposing sanctions on employers who hire unauthorized workers and/or mandating that employers participate in the E-Verify program (Mississippi, Virginia), other states are adopting integrative approaches, including a California law to use monetary fines imposed upon perpetrators of domestic violence to fund domestic violence prevention programs in immigrant communities, a Connecticut law creating an Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission to develop new programs promoting service access, a Maryland law creating a Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills, a Missouri law providing funding for naturalization assistance, and an Ohio act creating an African immigrants Commission.

The Anti-Immigrant Movement that Failed: Positive Integration Policies by State Government Still Far Outweigh Punitive Policies Aimed at New Immigrants, Progressive States Network, Sept., 2008, 24 pp.

Using a six category system to rank states from "punitive" to "integrative" in their policies towards immigrants, this report finds that integrative state policies are much more common than media coverage would suggest. Seven states are classified as "integrative," and ten, including New Jersey, as "somewhat integrative." The report features a state-by-state policy assessment.

http://www.progressivestates.org/content/903

For the Benefit of All: Strategic Recommendations to Enhance the State's Role in the Integration of Immigrants in Illinois. Report of the New Americans Policy Council, Year Two, June, 2008, 34 pp.
On November 19, 2005, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the new Americans Executive Order, an attempt to adopt a coherent, strategic, and proactive state government approach to integrate the rapidly growing immigrant population of Illinois. The Executive Order created a New Americans Policy Council comprised of prominent Illinois business, faith, labor, community, philanthropic and governmental leaders. This report, covering the issues of housing, police-community relations, and economic development/entrepreneurship, is the second and final report of the Council.

http://icirr.org/sites/icirr.org/files/policy_council_report_FINAL.pdf

Managing Diversity in Corporate America: An Exploratory Analysis, The Rand Corporation, 2008, 26 pp.
This paper challenges the "cookbook" approach to diversity management and argues that the benefits of diversity will be realized only when corporate leaders address the larger issue of organizational change. The paper has implications for state and local officials seeking to create more inclusive and effective governmental administrations. As an engine of diversity, immigration should be seen as part of the context in which modern organizations, both public and private, operate.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/occasional_papers/2007/RAND_OP206.pdf

Selected Testimony to the New Jersey Governor's Blue Ribbon Advisory Panel on Immigrant Policy, 15 pp., 2008
Formed by executive order in August, 2007, the panel is charged with developing recommendations for a comprehensive and strategic statewide approach to successfully integrate New Jersey's rapidly growing immigrant population, including consideration of such issues as: civil rights, citizenship status, education, employment/workforce training, fair housing, healthcare, language proficiency and other key areas as identified by the Panel.
http://usdiversitydynamics.com/sitebuildercontent/
sitebuilderfiles/paneltestimony.pdf

State Immigration Project: Policy Options for 2008, Progressive States Network, December, 2007, 23 pp.
Seeking to mobilize "forward-thinking state policymakers, legislative staff, and non-profit organizations," to achieve attainable reform in the immigration arena, the Progressive States Network developed this platform for common action on the state level. The platform includes four major elements: strengthening wage law enforcement, promoting naturalization and other integration policies, designing smart policing policies, and counteracting misinformation about unauthorized voting and the use of public benefits by undocumented immigrants.
http://www.progressivestates.org/files/immigration/
ImmigrationPolicyOptions.pdf

Pro-Immigrant Measures Available to State or Local Governments: A Quick Menu of Affirmative Ideas, National Immigration Law Center, September, 2007, 6 pp.
This is a list of 71 policy recommendations designed to "more effective incorporate immigrants into their communities." Many of them have been successfully implemented in communities around the country.
http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/misc/affirmstatelocalmenu_2005-09-13.pdf

Marshaling Every Resource: State and Local Responses to Human Trafficking, Policy Research Institute for the Region (Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University) and the Vera Institute of Justice, 2007, 76 pp.
This document is a collection of three essays analyzing state and local initiatives to combat human trafficking. The authors compare and contrast the approaches taken by the 24 states, including New Jersey, that had passed legislation on trafficking as of October, 2006. One essay examines the role of advocacy groups in shaping policy reform. The appendix includes a summary of discussions that took place at a conference on trafficking on December 1, 2006.
http://www.princeton.edu/prior/publicatons/docs/marshal.pdf

For the Benefit of All: Strategic Recommendations to Enhance the State's Role in the Integration of Immigrants in Illinois. Report of the New Americans Policy Council, Year One, December, 2006, 28 pp.
On November 19, 2005, Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich signed the new Americans Executive Order, an attempt to adopt a coherent, strategic, and proactive state government approach to integrate the rapidly growing immigrant population of Illinois. The Executive Order created a New Americans Policy Council comprised of prominent Illinois business, faith, labor, community, philanthropic and governmental leaders. This report, covering the issues of citizenship, education, human services and health care, is the first report of the Council.
http://www.icirr.org/naeo/docs/jointsummary.pdf

Immigrant Integration: Improving Policy for Education, Health and Human Services for Illinois' Immigrants and Refugees, New Americans Interagency Task Force Report, December, 2006, 42 pp.
This report summarizes recommendations developed by an Interagency Task Force convened by the Office of New Americans Policy and Advocacy in the State of Illinois. The Task Force developed seven recommendations to enable immigrants to access services, contribute to their communities and enhance their lives and the lives of those around them.
http://www.immigrants.illinois.gov/Docs/NewAmericansreport12-11.pdf

Out of the Many, One: Integrating Immigrants in New Jersey, National Immigration Forum, 2006, 64 pp.
Produced by Diversity Dynamics in collaboration with the New Jersey Immigration Policy Network, this report constitutes a blueprint for a comprehensive immigrant integration agenda in the State of New Jersey. It contains 51 recommendations and covers topics as wide-ranging as education, training and employment, health care, language access, police-community relations, and immigrant civic participation.
http://www.fundfornj.org/files/outofthemany.pdf

Acclimation of Virginia's Foreign-Born Population, Report of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, Commonwealth of Virginia, 2004, 104 pp + appendices
This is a comprehensive report on Virginia's foreign-born population with special attention to best practices and opportunities for state and local initiatives to promote immigrant integration. Commission staff found that the state's immigrants have three primary needs: access to English learning opportunities, access to information and services in native languages, and access to affordable health care.
http://jlarc.state.va.us/Reports/Rpt300.pdf

Latinos and the State of New Jersey: A promising Partnership for a Better Future, Hispanic Advisory Council, 2003 Policy Report, Submitted to Governor James E. McGreevey, October 27, 2003, 31 pp.
Pursuant to a governor's executive order, a 14-member council was established to provide guidance to the administration in serving New Jersey's burgeoning Latino population. Three sub-committees (economic development, education, and health) produced a series of recommendation for consideration by the state.
http://www.state.nj.us/personnel/publication/pdf/HispanicAdvisoryCouncil2003.pdf

We the People: Helping Newcomers Become Californians, State of California, Little Hoover Commission, June, 2002, 92 pp.
A bipartisan, independent state body, the Little Hoover Commission called for a "coherent strategy for accelerating the integration of immigrants into the economy and their communities." Recognizing the challenge presented by the state's 2 million undocumented immigrants, the commission's report moves beyond the distinction between legal and illegal immigration, and in its place, introduces the more practical distinction between responsible and irresponsible community members. The report then goes on to outline the responsibilities of immigrants to the larger community, and the responsibilities of the larger community towards immigrants.
http://www.lhc.ca.gov/lhcdir/report166.html

http://jlarc.state.va.us/Reports/Rpt300.pdf