Balanced Enforcement of Immigration Laws | National Immigration Forum

Statement on Jeh Johnson’s Nomination As Secretary...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Earlier this afternoon, President Obama formally announced Jeh Johnson’s nomination as the next Secretary of Homeland Security. After the announcement, Ali Noorani,…

Policy Update: Immigration Reform and the Government...

Government Shutdown Complicates Politics, Timeline Beginning October 1, the government had no money to continue operations into a new fiscal year that began on that…

California’s Trust Act Highlights Urgency for Federal...

WASHINGTON, DC – On Saturday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the Trust Act, a law that will ensure that only those unauthorized immigrants with serious…

Policy Update: Congress Leaves Washington, but not...

During Congressional Recess, Constituents Press for Reform Members of Congress will be hearing from constituents who want them to act on immigration reform—not just at…

Statement on House GOP Conference Meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In the wake of today’s House Republican Conference meeting on immigration reform, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, released…

Deferred Action Program Moves Forward

The Obama administration announced on June 15 that it would suspend the deportations of young immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. The new…

5 Reasons Why Law Enforcement Officials Should...

The Current Broken Immigration System Promotes Illegality. The vast majority of undocumented immigrants stay in this country for the opportunity to make a living and…

Safe Borders, Sane Policies: National Security Without...

America’s border policies should focus on protecting against national security threats and on making sure that people entering the country do so through regular ports…

Immigration Enforcement and Local Law Enforcement: The...

The 287(g) program permits state and local law enforcement to enforce civil immigration law under the supervision of ICE agents. Authority for this program emanates…

Analyzing Border Enforcement Operations: Interior Repatriation Programs

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) operates a number of repatriation programs. These repatriation programs operate in the context of unprecedented levels of border security,…

Analysis of ICE Enforcement Memos

In response to widespread and growing opposition to Obama Administration deportation policies and practices, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on June 17,…

Comprehensive Reform of Our Immigration Laws

Introduction: Symptoms of a Broken System Any look at the nation’s immigration policy reveals a system greatly in need of reform. Outdated policies keep American…

Department of Homeland Security Complaint Process

Frequently Asked Questions about DHS Complaint Processes Q: What type of Complaints doe the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) review and…

S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity,...

Legalization Provisions Registered Provisional Immigrant The bill offers most undocumented immigrants an opportunity to apply for legal status and, through a complicated and lengthy process,…

“Operational Control” at the Border: More than...

“Operational control” is a term that has attained growing significance as a metric of what the United States has achieved in border security. However, the…

Quick Information on Immigration Detainers

What is an immigration detainer? An immigration detainer is a form sent to a law enforcement agency (LEA), such as a jail, prison, or Sheriff’s…

Immigration Enforcement Today: 2007 Reform Goals Largely...

As the 113th Congress gets ready for another attempt to fix our broken immigration system, a plan released by a bipartisan group of Senators calls…

E-Verify Without Reform Will Not Succeed

Absent comprehensive reform of our immigration laws that includes a realistic way of legalizing the millions of undocumented workers now living and working in the…

Factsheet: Operation Stonegarden

What is “Operation Stonegarden”? Operation Stonegarden is a federal grant program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a component of the Department of…

National Guard Deployments to the Southwest Border

How many and where? In May 2010, President Obama announced a plan to deploy 1200 federally-funded National Guard troops to the Southwest border. These troops…

Entry Without Inspection (EWI) and Family Unity...

Persons who unlawfully enter the U.S. without inspection or parole (entry without a visa issued at a consular post abroad or inspection at an authorized…

The ICE Priority Memos: What do they...

Under the Obama Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is prioritizing the enforcement of immigration laws against non-citizens who pose a danger to the public…

Immigration Backlogs are Separating American Families

In our immigration law, our country has made it a priority for families to be together. In recent years, however, growing backlogs in our immigration…

The Math of Immigration Detention

Executive Summary One symptom of our broken immigration system is the exorbitant spending on detaining hundreds of thousands of immigrants annually. Physical detention, which is…

Immigrants Behind Bars: How, Why and How...

Table of Contents I. Overview Who Goes Into a Jail Excessive and Illegal Detention the costs II. Forms of Detention Immigration Detention Criminal Detention Detainers…

Community and Courtroom Responses to Immigration Detainers

I. Overview Even as the country has become increasingly focused on federal immigration reform, states and localities across the country have continued to find ways to…

Cut Here: Reducing Spending on Immigration Enforcement...

Report Highlights As Congress debates measures to reduce the federal budget deficit, it should not overlook the skyrocketing spending on unfocused immigration enforcement programs. Poorly-prioritized,…

Congress’ Ongoing Immigration Failure Leaves Taxpayers Stuck...

Congress’ failure to fix the broken immigration system has led to record and wasteful government spending on immigration enforcement. The insistence of some Members of…

Detention Costs Still Don’t Add Up to...

In August 2013, the National Immigration Forum published its most recent version of The Math of Immigration Detention, which detailed our broken immigration system’s exorbitant…

Statement for the Record – Tackling the...

The U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs recently held a hearing call “Challenges at the Border: Examining and Addressing the Root Causes…

A trip to the Artesia Detention Facility

Larry Benenson is a Policy and Advocacy Associate at the National Immigration Forum With reports circulating that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to…

In Congress This Week: New Appropriations for...

The House approved HR 4460, The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2015, earlier today. This bill includes funding for…

Policy Update: With Reform Stuck in the...

With the clock ticking on immigration reform in this Congress, House Republicans show no sign of bringing immigration reform legislation to a vote. Advocates, while…

Balanced Enforcement

Balanced immigration enforcement can help ensure the safety of our communities, strengthen our national borders, encourage respect for the rule of law, build trust and cooperation within our communities, and assure that our immigration laws and practices are clear, consistent and workable.

Gov. Chris Christie Kicks Off 2014 with...

Signing Highlights Positive Steps, and Need for Federal Immigration Reform WASHINGTON, D.C. — This morning, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie hosted a ceremonial bill signing…

Leaders Respond to Deportation Numbers: ‘We Need...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Thursday, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced deportation numbers for fiscal year 2013, which ended Sept. 30. Total deportations numbered 368,644,…

House Republicans Get Ready to Move on...

At a retreat of the Republican Conference at the end of January, Republican leaders released a set of “standards” for immigration reform. The standards acknowledge…

Policy Update - Ups and Downs: Republican...

If the immigration reform debate was an amusement ride, it would be a roller coaster. At the end of last month, House Republican leaders released…

Local Law Enforcement Leaders Discuss Immigration with...

Congressional Action is Urgent for Community Safety **For a recording of today’s call click here.** WASHINGTON, D.C. — Local law enforcement leaders met with President…

Immigration Basics

THE ABC’S OF U.S. IMMIGRATION Who Is an Immigrant? According to U.S. law, an immigrant is a foreign-born individual who has been admitted to…

Integrated Fixed Towers, The Waste Continues

Since 1997, there have been several unsuccessful attempts to implement a “virtual fence” across the Southwest border. Billions of dollars have been wasted on projects…

Wanted: Sensible Immigration Enforcement

Enforcement without Priorities Wastes Money and Hurts Public Safety There are now an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country, many of whom have…

Secure Communities

Secure Communities, launched in October 2008, is a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program for detecting non-citizens who come into custody of law enforcement. Ordinarily,…

The President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget: Department...

FY 2015 Total Request: $ 27.4 billion [FY 2014 Enacted: $27.3 billion – a increase of 0.4 percent] FY 2015 adds 580 positions, with core…

The President’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget: Department...

FY 2015 Total DHS Request: $ 38.175 billion [FY 2014 Enacted: $39.225 billion – a decrease of $1.049 billion or 2.7 percent] Immigration and Customs…

What Does Smart and Effective Border Security...

Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) budget has roughly doubled from $6 billion in 2006 to $11.7 billion in 2012. This funding has overwhelmingly been focused…

Questions and Answers about Prosecutorial Discretion and...

What is prosecutorial discretion? Every day, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors make decisions about which cases they will pursue and how they will pursue them…

Policy Update: Washington Waits for Midterm Elections

President’s Decision to Delay Executive Action Creates Electoral Challenges In early September, the President announced he would delay any administrative action that would mitigate the…

E-Verify and Immigration Reform

Any comprehensive package of immigration reforms likely will mandate that employers use an electronic work authorization verification system (E-Verify) to authenticate the immigration status of…

Why Earned Legalization Fulfills the Potential of...

For America to succeed, New Americans must have the skills, opportunities and status to succeed. The national social and economic benefits of legal status and…

The Trouble with Immigration Detainers

I. Introduction Over the past twelve months, so-called sanctuary jurisdictions have been an issue of great controversy. Republicans in the House and Senate have introduced…

The Court has Ruled, Now What?

It pays to shop around. Twenty-six states banded together to sue the Obama administration regarding last year’s executive actions to bring a bit of sanity…

Law Enforcement Immigration Task Force Letter on...

February 10, 2015 The Honorable Trey Gowdy Chairman, Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security 1404 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable…

Forum Statement for Subcommittee Hearing on Interior...

Statement for the Record House Judiciary Committee – Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security “Interior Immigration Enforcement Legislation” February 11, 2015 The National Immigration…

Policy Update: 2015 Off to a Rocky...

Republicans Face Off with Obama Over Executive Action With both chambers of the 114th Congress now under Republican control, the new Congress quickly turned to…

The President’s FY 2016 Budget

Department of Justice FY 2016 Total Request: $28.654 billion [FY 2015 Enacted: $26.227 billion; request represents a 9.2 percent increase]. The administration’s budget submission for…

Polling Summary: Public Support for Reform Stays...

Introduction With no prospect for reform in the 113th Congress, on November 20, 2014, President Obama used his executive authority to set in motion changes…

Sarah Saldaña Confirmed as Director of U.S....

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, the U.S. Senate confirmed Sarah Saldaña as director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. After the confirmation, Ali Noorani, Executive…

Policy Update: 2014 Ends with DC Divided...

Elections Give Republicans Control of Senate and House Republican victories in November’s midterm election produced a Congress that will be more conservative than the 113th…

Policy Update: President Obama Announces Executive Action...

President Announces Deferred Action for Millions On November 20, President Obama made a long-awaited announcement detailing what steps his administration will take to defer deportation…

Forum Statement for Judiciary Committee Hearing on...

Statement for the Record U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary “Keeping Families Together: The President’s Executive Action on Immigration and the Need to Pass Comprehensive…

New Family Detention Facility Moves Enforcement in...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) announced today that it plans to open a 2,400-bed facility in Dilley, Texas, to house families…

‘Immigration Should Be About People, Not Politics’

En Español WASHINGTON, D.C. — This evening, President Obama announced plans for executive action that will create a new Southern Border and Approaches Campaign Plan,…

Immigration Detention Bond Policies Need to Be...

by Sela Cowger, Policy and Advocacy Fellow With almost 42,000 immigrants currently detained in the federal immigration detention system, and with rising detention costs, there is…

Law Enforcement Leaders Launch Immigration Task Force

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A dozen law enforcement leaders from around the country are meeting with Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Assistant Secretary for State…

Forum Statement for Subcommittee Hearing on The...

Statement for the Record Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security of the House Judiciary Committee “H.R. ___, The Legal Workforce Act” February 4, 2015 The…

Fear Not? The Psychological Impact of the...

Emma Sulkowski National Immigration Forum Policy Intern On Wednesday (Jan. 14), the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding…

The President’s FY 2016 Budget

Department of Homeland Security In this document, “2015 Estimate” refers to the amounts included in the House-passed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, H.R….

Putting Time Back on the Clock: Congress...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tonight Congress passed a continuing resolution to fund the Department of Homeland Security for an additional week. “Politics are winning, Americans are…

Republican Party Shows Disconnect on Immigration

WASHINGTON, D.C. — With Donald Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee, Republicans face a choice on immigration. Many seem to be turning away from his nativist…

Fund Homeland Security, Then Pass Immigration Reform:...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In recent months a host of voices, including Republican leaders on Capitol Hill, have called on Congress to fund DHS, then move…

Interior Enforcement and Immigration Reform

1. Introduction The National Immigration Forum (the Forum) favors workable, cost-conscious approaches to enforcement of immigration laws in the interior of the nation. As part…

Fear of Deportation Can Suppress Reporting of...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All too often in immigrant communities, the fear of deportation can put already vulnerable people in an increasingly helpless position. As Fusion reports,…

GOP Immigration Platform Would Double Down on...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, the Republican National Committee voted to adopt an immigration platform that calls for less legal immigration, tougher scrutiny on immigrants…

Ali Noorani: Condolences to Victims and Families;...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The following is a statement from Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “We are deeply saddened by this weekend’s horrific…

Nevada State Senate Calls on Congress to...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Republican-led Nevada state senate unanimously passed a resolution today, calling on Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The bipartisan resolution calls…

Trump at Top of Ticket Leaves Republicans...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Donald Trump as presumptive Republican nominee leaves other Republicans with a choice: Swallow hard and support him or embrace increasing diversity as an…

Stand-alone E-Verify: The Wrong Approach

Bob Naerebout National Immigration Forum Board Member and Executive Director of the Idaho Dairymen’s Association Last week, for the third Congress in a row,…

Legislation Would Represent a Different Approach toward...

WASHINGTON, D.C. —On Tuesday, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nevada) introduced S. 3106, a bill that aims to provide a coordinated regional response to effectively manage the…

Saldaña Clarifies Remarks on Detention, Deportation Policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This afternoon, new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director Sarah Saldaña clarified comments she made Thursday regarding deportation-focused policies, including mandatory immigration…

The Conservative Alternative to Trump

WASHINGTON, D.C. — When the Republican Party’s presumptive presidential nominee has the resounding support of Pat Buchanan, Donald Trump’s nativist rhetoric becomes more than just an…

Republican Concerns Grow Amid Trump’s Continued Racism

WASHINGTON, D.C. — More Republican leaders are speaking out against the presumptive Republican presidential nominee’s racist rhetoric as they recognize a message and approach at odds…

An Ohio First, Cincinnati Puts Public Safety...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Cincinnati City Council is scheduled to vote today on a resolution to begin accepting photo ID cards for the city’s most vulnerable…

National Identity and Politics: A Global Question...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tensions over immigration and national identity are running high, both at home and abroad. The U.S. presidential election campaign and recent British…

DHS to Revise Family Detention Approach

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today Homeland Security Secretary Jeh C. Johnson announced that the department will make “substantial changes” to family detention practices. Among the key reforms:…

‘We Must Be Vigilant in Protecting the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In a new Medium post today, Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration, calls for vigilance and mutual responsibility in protecting our…

Forum Statement on Response to Unaccompanied Children...

Statement for the Record U.S. Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee “The 2014 Humanitarian Crisis at Our Border: A Review of the Government’s Response…

U.S., Canadian Leaders Discuss Refugee Resettlement

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today on Capitol Hill, U.S. and Canadian leaders joined a National Immigration Forum panel on “The State of Refugee Resettlement in 2016.” Experts from…

Police Chief: ‘Communities Are Safer When Law...

Rather Than Target ‘Sanctuary Cities,’ Clarify Immigration Enforcement, He Argues WASHINGTON, D.C. — The July 1 shooting death of Kathryn Steinle has sparked a debate…

‘Sanctuary City’ Is Being Used as a...

Since the tragic murder of Kathryn Steinle on July 1 in San Francisco, so-called sanctuary cities have been under the microscope. Members of Congress are…

Chiefs and Sheriffs Oppose Immigration Enforcement Policies...

The Honorable Chuck Grassley Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary 135 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Patrick Leahy Ranking Member, Committee on…

Law Enforcement, Faith Leaders Urge Caution on...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a Senate hearing this morning, the president of the Major Cities Chiefs Association and a prominent evangelical pastor will urge Congress to take a…

Chiefs and Sheriffs Oppose Immigration Enforcement Policies...

The Honorable Trey Gowdy Chairman, Subcommittee on Immigration and Border Security 1404 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable Zoe Lofgren Ranking Member,…

Law Enforcement Letter: Do Not Impose Misguided...

Sweeping Legislation Would Undermine Community Policing, Safety WASHINGTON, D.C. — Law enforcement leaders have sent a letter to Congress opposing sweeping, “one-size-fits-all” legislation that would undermine…

Polling Summary: Presidential Campaign Messaging Out of...

July 2015 Introduction In the first half of 2015, the immigration debate was been dominated by President Obama’s executive action on immigration and Republican efforts…

Law Enforcement Leaders Call Senate Immigration Proposals...

Letter to Judiciary Committee Emphasizes Strain on Local Police, Community Safety WASHINGTON — Sheriffs, police chiefs and law enforcement leaders sent a letter to members…

Kansas GOP Primary Winner on Immigrants: ‘We...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Roger Marshall, a physician who defeated incumbent Rep. Tim Huelskamp in Kansas’ 1st District Tuesday, has sounded a constructive tone on immigration….

Federal Government Needs to Respond on Alternatives...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Wednesday, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a central holding in a lower court’s opinion that child migrants who are…

Orange County Latino Prayer Breakfast Focuses on...

SANTA ANA — Nearly 200 people, including local and national faith leaders and the Orange County sheriff-coroner, gathered to talk about immigrants and immigration at the…

Updating Tech Visas Is a Key Part...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an interview with Ezra Klein, Hillary Clinton laid out ideas regarding immigration, among other issues. The following is a statement from…