State and Local Agencies & Immigration Enforcement: Growing Role, Growing Questions

This panel examines the federal/state partnerships related to immigration enforcement, including a discussion of 287(g) agreements and Secure Communities, the increasing role played by state and local law enforcement, and the impact of these federal and state immigration measures, including local community perspective. Panelists include Charlie T. Deane, Chief of Police, Prince William County Police Department; Laura G. McHenry, Senior Attorney/Director of Training, Immigration Services, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta; Michele Waslin, Senior Policy Analyst, Immigration Policy Center, American Immigration Council; and Chuck Wexler, Executive Director, Police Executive Research Forum. The panel is moderated by Maria M. Odom, Executive Director of Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc.
Video for the 8th Annual Immigration Law and Policy Conference can be found here. Related research: Delegation and Divergence: A Study of 287(g) State and Local Immigration Enforcement

Six Steps to Fix the US Immigration System: What Can the Administration Do?

At this event, MPI releases a new report, Executive Action on Immigration: Six Ways to Make the System Work Better, that outlines recommendations for executive actions that the administration can implement to improve the immigration system. Here to discuss their report are the authors: Donald Kerwin, MPI Vice President for Programs; Doris Meissner, Director, US Immigration Policy Program at MPI; and Margie McHugh, Co-Director of MPI's National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy. Joining the discussion are: Eva Millona, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Coalition, and Juan P. Osuna, Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review at the US Department of Justice.

Immigrant Integration in Europe in a Time of Austerity

This panel discussion in London, supported by the Barrow Cadbury Trust, brought together experts from the worlds of policy and academia to take stock of the impact of the financial crisis on immigration and integration. The event also featured the release of two publications by the Migration Policy Institute’s Transatlantic Council on Migration: The book, Prioritizing Integration, which takes stock of the fallout from the economic slowdown on immigration in Europe and the United States; and the report, Immigrant Integration in a Time of Austerity, which examines the actions some European governments are taking with respect to immigrant integration programs. Details on both publications can be found here. The discussion begins with Barrow Cadbury Trust Chief Executive Sara Llewellin; other participants are MPI President Demetrios Papademetriou; UK Equality and Human Rights Commission Chair Trevor Philips; Nicolas Marugan Zalba, Director of the Spanish Observatory on Racism and Xenophobia, Ministry of Labour and Immigration, Spain; and Transatlantic Council Senior Advisor Elizabeth Collett.

Delegation and Divergence: A Study of 287(g) State and Local Immigration Enforcement

This event discusses the release of the MPI report, Delegation and Divergence: A Study of 287(g) State and Local Immigration Enforcement. The report, and the discussion, assessed implementation and U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) oversight of the nation’s 72 active 287(g) programs, examining whether local enforcement matches up with ICE’s articulated priorities. The study provides ICE data nationally and by jurisdiction on non-citizens referred for removal through 287(g) as well as the criminal offenses for which they were detained, and assesses the impact of enforcement on local communities. The discussion was opened by Muzaffar Chishti, Director, MPI office at NYU School of Law, then followed by report author Randy Capps, MPI Demographer and Senior Policy Analyst. Also commenting was LeRoy Kirkegard, Captain of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials (GALEO).
Download the report here.
Watch event audio here.

Does Low-Skilled Immigration Hurt the US Economy? Assessing the Evidence

This Migration Policy Institute event discusses the release of the MPI report, Immigration Policy and Less-skilled Workers in the United States: Reflections on Future Directions for Reform. The report, and the discussion, examine economists’ views on the costs and benefits of low-skilled immigration, and some policy options to reform the U.S. immigration system to make it more economically beneficial. Among the options discussed: Providing legal pathways for low-skilled workers, allowing less-skilled workers on employment-based visas to switch employers more easily and gain a path to citizenship, and setting employer visa fees at a level sufficient to offset some of the costs that low-skilled immigration imposes. The discussion is opened by MPI Senior Vice President, Michael Fix, followed by the report author, Harry Holzer, a professor at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute. Commenting on the report findings are Demetrios G. Papademetriou, President, MPI; Darrell M. West, Vice President and Director of Governance Studies, Brookings Institution; and Doris Meissner, Senior Fellow and Director of MPI’s US Immigration Policy Program.

Immigrant Workers in the US Labor Force: Perception vs. Reality

During this presentation, Assistant U.S. Secretary for Postsecondary Education Eduardo Martín Ochoa and Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce Director Anthony P. Carnevale join Michael Fix and Margie McHugh, Co-Directors of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Immigration Policy, to discuss findings from the MPI report, Still an Hourglass? Immigrant Workers in Middle-Skilled Jobs. The moderator is MPI President Demetrios Papademetriou. The report, which examines immigrant employment in the US workforce overall and four key sectors (IT, health care, construction, and hospitality), finds that the fastest growth in immigrant employment since 2000 has occurred in middle-skilled jobs. To read the report, visit: www.migrationpolicy.org/​pubs/​sectoralbrief-Sept2010.pdf.

DREAM vs. Reality: An Analysis of Potential DREAM Act Beneficiaries

Slightly more than 2.1 million unauthorized immigrant youth and young adults could be eligible to apply for legal status under the DREAM Act legislation pending in Congress, though perhaps fewer than 40 percent would obtain legal status because of barriers limiting their ability to take advantage of the legislation’s educational and military service routes to legalization. This MPI analysis offers the most recent and detailed estimates of potential DREAM Act beneficiaries by age, education levels, gender, state of residence, and likelihood of gaining legalization.
Download Report | Press Release

Migration and Occupational Health: Shining a Light on the Problem

This briefing was organized by MPI, the Migration and Health Research Center at the University of California, Davis; the Health Initiative of the Americas at the University of California, Berkeley’s School of Public Health; and the UC Global Health Institute. The briefing, which focuses on migrants’ higher rates of on-the-job injuries, was moderated by MPI Senior Vice President Michael Fix. Panelists include John Howard, Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; Deborah Berkowitz, Chief of Staff, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, US Department of Labor; Marc Schenker, Director, Migration and Health Research Center, University of California, Davis; Bruce Goldstein, Executive Director, Farmworker Justice; and Xochitl Castañeda, Director, Health Initiative of the Americas, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley.

The Federal Role in Immigrant Integration: Too Little, Too Much or Just Right? Panel II

This panel discussion, held in conjunction with the awards ceremony for the 2010 E Pluribus Unum Prizes for exceptional immigrant integration initiatives, examines the federal role in immigrant integration policy more broadly, focusing on areas where greater coordination and funding appear to be needed. The panel’s moderator was Michael Fix, MPI Senior Vice President and Co-Director, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, and panelists included Felicia Escobar of the White House Domestic Policy Council and Department of Housing and Urban Development Assistant Secretary John Trasviña.

E Pluribus Unum Prizes 2010 Awards Ceremony

During this awards ceremony held in Washington, D.C. on May 18, 2010, the Migration Policy Institute awarded its 2010 E Pluribus Unum Prizes to four of the most exceptional immigrant integration initiatives in the country, honoring each with the award and a $50,000 check. The Prizes program  seeks to inspire and provide models to others who are working to help immigrants and their children join the mainstream of U.S. society and build stronger ties between immigrant and native-born communities. The 2010 winners are:
Illinois New Americans Integration Initiative, a joint partnership of the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Latino Community Credit Union
Tacoma Community House
Upwardly Global
Receiving an honorable mention: McDonald’s Corporation, for its “English Under the Arches” program.
The ceremony was opened by MPI President Demetrios Papademetriou, and Assistant Attorney General Tom Perez, who oversees the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, provided remarks. The award presenters: Michael Fix and Margie McHugh, Co-Directors of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, which administers the prizes program. Congressman Mike Honda also spoke, and the ceremony was closed by Brad Davidson, a trustee of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, which provides generous support for the E Pluribus Unum Prizes.

The Federal Role in Immigrant Integration: Too Little, Too Much or Just Right? Panel I

During this panel discussion held in conjunction with the 2010 E Pluribus Unum Prizes, which the Migration Policy Institute bestows annually to four exceptional immigrant integration initiatives, several of the prize winners and other experts examine the adult literacy/ESL instruction, workforce preparation, and community financial services fields. Among the questions discussed: Whether federal policy and funding appropriately support immigrant integration goals in these fields. The discussion was moderated by Margie McHugh, Co-Director of MPI’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy.

Immigrant Legalization: Assessing Labor Market Effects

In this briefing at the Migration Policy Institute, Public Policy Institute of California researchers Magnus Lofstrom and Laura Hill discuss their research examining the potential labor market outcomes and other possible economic effects of a legalization program. The discussion was moderated by Doris Meissner, MPI Senior Fellow and Director of the US Immigration Policy Program, with comments from MPI Senior Policy Analyst Randy Capps.

MPI Leadership Visions: USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas Discusses His Vision for the Agency

In this MPI Leadership Vision speaker series event, Director Mayorkas discusses the USCIS transformation initiative, E-Verify, improving the customer experience, processing of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, and other top issues facing USCIS. The discussion was moderated by MPI Senior Fellow Doris Meissner, who is Director of the US Immigration Policy Program. To hear the first speaker in the Leadership Vision series – Homeland Security Assistant Secretary John Morton discussing his vision for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement – please visit: http://tinyurl.com/MPI-audio-20100125-LV-Morton

What Happens When Someone Alleges Discrimination Based on Limited English Proficiency?

In 1999, several Los Angeles-area nonprofit organizations helped three Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals file a complaint against the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services. The complaint was filed with the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights and alleged that LEP clients were not provided meaningful access to several public assistance programs. In 2003, the two agencies reached a resolution agreement. This webinar reviews the complaint-and-resolution process through the eyes of individual stakeholders including the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services, and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County. The webinar focuses on filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights, agency response to the complaint, and the process of negotiating an agreement.
View PowerPoint
Related Documents:
Summary of Civil Rights Resolution Agreement: APALC v. Los Angeles County DPSS
Resolution Agreement Between the Office for Civil Rights Department of Health and Human Services Region IX and Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services
How to File a Complaint
LA-DPSS’ Civil Rights Section

Interpreting the Juvenile Justice System for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parents

Disproportionate minority contact (DMC) is an umbrella term for the disproportionate representation of individuals of color in the criminal and juvenile justice system. Past research has found that language barriers faced by parents may potentially lead to deeper court involvement for youth in the justice system. In New York City, a collaboration between government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and other stakeholders has sought to address this systemwide issue. This webinar focuses on how a multi-agency collaborative effort aims to provide LEP parents with the information necessary to understand their role in the juvenile justice system. Speakers include representatives from the workgroup from the Kings County (Brooklyn) District Attorney’s Office, the Legal Aid Society, New York City’s Department of Youth and Community Development, and the Vera Institute of Justice.
View PowerPoint
Related Documents:
We Want to Know What They Are Saying: A Multiagency Collaborative Effort to Address Parental Language Barriers and Disproportionate Minority Contact

Emergency Management for English-Limited Communities

Swift and accurate communication with the general public is critical during major disasters and public-health emergencies. As government responds to the H1N1 influenza outbreak and prepares for the fall/winter flu season, agencies in charge of emergency management must develop and implement plans for communicating with and serving Limited English Proficient (LEP) residents before, during, and after an emergency. This webinar features speakers from state, county, and city governments discussing their work in preparing their respective communities for public health emergencies.
With Laureen Laglagaron, Policy Analyst, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, MPI; Marsha Tamura, State of Hawaii Civil Defense Agency; Barbara Yamashita, Hawaii State Department of Health; Herman Schaffer, Director of Community Outreach, New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM); Uma Ahluwalia, Director of Montgomery County (Maryland); and Betty Lam, Chief of the Office of Community Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services.
View Powerpoint
Related Documents:
Ready New York: Pandemic Flu, New York City Office of Emergency Management
Stay at Home Toolkit for Influenza, Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County, Maryland
Emergency Preparedness in the Latino Community: Training Manual for Promoters, Department of Health and Human Services, Montgomery County, Maryland
Language Identification and Emergency Card (Kosraean), State of Hawaii

Is This Working? Assessment and Evaluation Methods Used to Build and Assess Language Access Services

Many agencies have developed unique and innovative monitoring tools and assessment practices that can be used to improve existing services and guide agencies that provide services to Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. This webinar discusses some of these tools and practices and launches a report, Is This Working? Assessment and Evaluation Methods Used to Build and Assess Language Access Services in Social Services Agencies.
With Laureen Laglagaron, Policy Analyst, National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, MPI; Jeanette Moy, Senior Policy Advisor, New York City Mayor's Office of Operations Customer Service Group (CSG); and Kate Pielemeier, Policy Analyst, New York City Mayor's Office of Operations CSG
View Powerpoint
Related Documents:
Is This Working? Assessment and Evaluation Methods Used to Build and Assess Language Access Services in Social Services Agencies.

Getting It Right the First Time: Setting Up a System that will Stand the Test of Time

This webinar provides listeners with an overview of two successful Limited English Proficiency (LEP) programs in New York City, NY and Hennepin County, MN. Speakers discuss their work with LEP persons, review tips for long-term program sustainability, and identify key components of the programs' successes, both large and small scale, in creating and maintaining a LEP program.
With Laureen Laglagaron, MPI; Kleber Palma, Director, Translation and Interpretation Unit, New York City Department of Education; and Vinodh Kutty, Project Coordinator and Limited English Proficiency Manager, Hennepin County Office of Multi-Cultural Services
View Powerpoint
Related Documents:
Hennepin County Limited English Proficiency Plan Health and Human Services Departments 2006
A Brochure from the Translation & Interpretation Unit of the New York City (NYC) Department of Education
Welcome Poster from the NYC Department of Education

US Labor Secretary Hilda Solis Gives Keynote at May 2009 E Pluribus Unum Prizes Awards Ceremony

This new national awards program annually recognizes four exceptional initiatives that promote immigrant integration. Listen to remarks by Secretary Hilda Solis.

Developing Partnerships to Provide Interpreter Training and Language Referrals

With Laureen Laglagaron, MPI; Robin Bronen, Executive Director, Alaska Immigration Justice Project; Brenda Aiken, Resource Development Officer, Alaska Court System; Sunil Mansukhani, Executive Director, District of Columbia Access to Justice Commission; and Jean Bruggeman, Director, Community Legal Interpreter Bank, Ayuda
Program Summary and Key Questions and Answers | View Powerpoint
Related Documents:
Alaska Immigration Justice Project (AIJP), "Project Narrative and Budget," (Anchorage: AIJP, 2008)
Alaska Immigration Justice Project (AIJP), The Language Interpreter Center Newsletter (Anchorage: AIJP, 2008)
Ayuda, Community Legal Interpreter Bank Brochure, (Washington, DC: Ayuda, 2008)
Ayuda, Working with Interpreters Outside of the Courtroom: A Guide for Legal Services Providers, (Washington, DC: Ayuda, 2008)
District of Columbia Bar Foundation, "Request for Proposals: Creating and Maintaining A Shared Legal Interpreter Bank," (Washington, DC: District of Columbia Bar Foundation, January 2008)
District of Columbia Bar Foundation, "Application for Public Funding," (Washington, DC: District of Columbia Bar Foundation, February 2008)