Just the Facts

Immigration Fact Checks provide up-to-date information on the most current issues involving immigration today.

The Cost of Doing Nothing

Dollars, Lives, and Opportunities Lost in the Wait for Immigration Reform

Immigration reform is a topic that has been heavily debated in Congress over the past year. While that debate led to passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate (S. 744), the leadership of the House of Representatives has yet to put immigration legislation on the floor. This state of affairs is fine with those congressional representatives who seem to think that merely talking about immigration is enough. And if Congress were a debating society, perhaps talking would be sufficient. But Congress is entrusted with a far greater responsibility: passing laws that matter. This is particularly true in the case of immigration reform, which has such enormous humanitarian and economic implications. Further delay on immigration reform, especially when there is broad public support for reform, wastes not just time, but money and lives as well.Read more...

Published On: Mon, Sep 23, 2013 | Download File

Cracking the SAFE Act

Understanding the Impact and Context of H.R. 2278, the “Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act”

On June 6, 2013, the House Judiciary Committee considered H.R. 2278, the “Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act,” commonly known as the SAFE Act. This wide-ranging immigration enforcement bill would make unlawful presence in the United States a criminal act punishable with jail time, greatly expand detention of immigrants, authorize states and local governments to create their own immigration enforcement laws, and impose harsher penalties and restrictions for immigration violations, among other enforcement-related provisions. The bill, introduced by Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Immigration Subcommittee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-SC), was the subject of a contentious committee mark up, ending in its passage out of committee on a straight party line vote of 20 to 15. The SAFE Act is one of several bills that the House leadership might offer as part of its “step-by-step” approach to immigration reform, in which various House bills addressing different aspects of the immigration system may be voted on separately.Read more...

Published On: Mon, Sep 16, 2013 | Download File

Colorado: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Centennial State

In Colorado, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Colorado’s economy. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File

Nevada: Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Innovation in the Silver State

In Nevada, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Furthermore, highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Nevada’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 20,000 new immigrant business owners in Nevada and in 2010, 20.7 percent of all business owners in Nevada were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had total net business income of $1.1 billion, which is 16.8 percent of all net business income in the state.

Nevada is home to successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including the Las Vegas Sands international resort company and MGM Resorts International. Those two companies together employ over 100,000 people and bring in $17.3 billion in revenue each year.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Nevada’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File

Virginia: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Old Dominion State

In Virginia, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Virginia’s economy. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File

Illinois: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Prairie State

In Illinois, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Illinois’ economy. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File

Wisconsin: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Badger State

In Wisconsin, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Wisconsin’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 10,342 new immigrant business owners in Wisconsin and in 2010, 4.3 percent of all business owners in Wisconsin were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $589 million, which is 4.6 percent of all net business income in the state.

Wisconsin is home to many successful companies with at least one founder who was an immigrant or child of an immigrant, including well-known businesses such as Kohl’s and other Fortune 500 firms including Oshkosh, American Family Mutual Insurance, Harley-Davidson, and Manpower. Those five companies together employ over 200,000 people and bring in around $60 billion in revenue each year.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to Wisconsin’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

Published On: Thu, Sep 05, 2013 | Download File

Texas: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Lone Star State

In Texas, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Texas’ economy. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Aug 22, 2013 | Download File

New Mexico: Immigrant Entrepreneurs and Innovation in the Land of Enchantment

In New Mexico, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Furthermore, highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to New Mexico’s economy.

From 2006 to 2010, there were 11,440 new immigrant business owners in New Mexico, and in 2010, 12.6 percent of all business owners in New Mexico were foreign-born.

In 2010, new immigrant business owners had total net business income of $389 million, which is 8.9 percent of all net business income in the state.

New Mexico is home to successful immigrant-founded companies, including two of the state’s largest supermarket chains, El Mezquite and El Paisano.

Highly skilled immigrants are vital to New Mexico’s innovation industries, which in turn helps lead American innovation and creates jobs.Read more...

Published On: Thu, Aug 22, 2013 | Download File

New York: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, Innovation, and Welcoming Initiatives in the Empire State

In New York, there is no doubt that immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators play an important role. Immigrant entrepreneurs bring in additional revenue, create jobs, and contribute significantly to the state’s economy. Highly skilled immigrants are vital to the state’s innovation industries, and to the metropolitan areas within the state, helping to boost local economies. Furthermore, local government, business, and non-profit leaders recognize the importance of immigrants in their communities and support immigration through local “welcoming” and integration initiatives.

Immigrant entrepreneurs contribute significantly to New York’s economy. Read more...

Published On: Thu, Aug 22, 2013 | Download File