Resources for Dispelling Myths about Immigrants

The Immigration Policy Center of the American Immigration Law Foundation provides excellent factual resources on social, economic, and demographic information on immigrants and immigration. The "OnPoint" series is particularly useful. Visit the website at www.immigrationpolicy.org.

OnPoint Highlights: The Facts Behind the Rhetoric in Congress
Immigration OnPoint: Facts at Your Fingertips for Frequently Asked Immigration Questions

Both Houses of Congress are currently debating immigration policy issues.  In the House, members are focused on the creation of a mandatory electronic employment verification system that would put additional responsibilities on both the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration and could endanger the jobs of American workers.  In the Senate, a small group of Republican senators has introduced a series of deportation-only bills -- including an employment verification bill -- aimed only at escalating the rhetoric, rather than searching for solutions.  This week, Immigration OnPoint highlights three new documents that provide policymakers and advocates with facts that are relevant to the current debate in Congress:

Immigrants and Crime: Setting the Record Straight (Immigration Policy Center - March 2008) - Dispels myths about immigrants and criminality.

The Social Security Administration Taking on Immigration and Employment Eligibility: Not Ready for Prime Time (Immigration Policy Center - March 2008) - Examines the burden that a new mandatory employment verification would have on the Social Security Administration.

The "EEV" of Destruction (Cato Institute - March 2008) - Analyzes the civil liberties issues surrounding electronic employment verification.
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Immigration OnPoint is a project coordinated by the Immigration Policy Center to create and maintain an online catalogue of short documents and fact sheets that provide quick answers to commonly asked questions about immigrants and immigration. Immigration is a notoriously complex issue area, and the current immigration debate is filled with myths, misinformation, fear, and emotion, making reasoned decision-making difficult.  OnPoint documents are meant to confront myths and provide factual information about immigrants and immigration policy.

Documents on the OnPoint website are meant to be widely distributed to the public, press, policymakers, and others in order to inject factual information into the immigration debate. Many different organizations have contributed their time and expertise to create these documents. OnPoint will continue to grow and be updated throughout the year.

OnPoint documents are organized by topic. Check back frequently to see if any new items have been added! 

OnPoint subject areas include:

Immigrants and the U.S. Economy -- What is the impact of immigration on the U.S. economy?  This section includes information on immigrants and public benefits usage, tax payments, the U.S. labor market, and more.

Coming to the U.S. through Legal Channels -- How does the U.S. immigration system operate? What options are available to immigrants looking to come to the U.S. legally?  Are immigrants choosing to remain here illegally?  This section seeks to demystify U.S. immigration law and policy.

Immigrants in our Communities -- Who are today's immigrants?  How do they impact the communities we live in?  This section addresses immigrant integration, examines foreign-born crime rates, and a host of other issues.

Federal, State, and Local Policy Debates -- What is the federal government doing to address immigration issues? How are state and local governments responding to their specific immigration challenges?  This section includes information on legislation being considered in Congress, as well as in state and local legislatures. 

Facts on the Restrictionists -- This section includes information on restrictionist groups and anti-immigrant activities.  It also contains information about discrimination and hate crimes targeting immigrant communities.

Faith-Based Perspectives -- How do different faith communities view immigration?  How can we respond to immigration debates from a faith-based perspective? This section provides materials and perspectives from the faith community on immigration and related topics.

Politics and the Immigration Debate -- How is the immigration debate affecting politics and the elections?  This section includes information on the immigrant vote, elections, and the public's view on the immigration debate.

IPC is a division of the American Immigration Law Foundation. 

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