Politics of Immigration Midterm

How does Customs and Border Protection (CBP) define "operational control"?

substantial probability of apprehension."

What do Brader et al. find about the relationship between who we perceive immigrants to be, anxiety, and anti-immigrant sentiment?

"Today the popular image of immigrants in the American mind is based on the stereotype of low-skilled Hispanic laborers [...] Negative stereotypes about Latinos in particular might boost concerns about cultural assimilation, consumption of scarce public resources, crime, and so on. Thus when the news media highlight Latinos in discussions about immigration, white citizens may come to believe that immigrants pose an even greater problem than if white Europeans were featured" (Brader et al. 2008) "Immigration opinion depends on the immigrant group made salient, and the effects of these group cues on political behavior are mediated by anxiety" (Brader et al. 2008) As Brader et al. write, "the public is susceptible to error and manipulation when group cues trigger anxiety independently of the actual threat posed by the group."

What is the 100-mile border zone? Discuss the significance of the 100-mile border zone.

(reasonable distance from an external boundary of the United States) -"being within 100 miles of any external border of the United States, whether land (i.e. southern and northern borders) or sea (i.e. west and east coasts) -approximately two-thirds of the entire population of the United States lives within 100 miles of an external land or sea border

What were the "White Australia" policies? Explain how the dictation test introduced by the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 served to exclude certain "undesirable" immigrants from entering Australia.

-"White Australia" was a series of immigration laws that restricted non-White immigration to Australia from 1901 to 1973 -Immigration Restriction Act of 1901 Act prohibited the entry of "undesirable" persons, including "idiots" and the "insane" - It also introduced a dictation test, wherein prospective immigrants were asked by immigration officials to dictate a passage "no less than fifty words long" in any European language -Records in the National Archives of Australia show that, from the time of its enactment in 1901 up until its repeal in 1958, only 52 people who were given the dictation test passed

Discuss what it means to be an American. What is the American Identity Measure?

-American Identity Measure (AIM) was a study that found these: • Vote in elections • Respect America's political institutions and laws • Treat people of all races and backgrounds equally • Try to get ahead on your own effort • Feel American • Be able to speak English • Be patriotic • Defend America when it is criticized • Have lived in America for most of one's life • Have been born in America • Believe in God • Be a Christian "To be an American is implicitly synonymous with being White" (Devos and Banaji 2005)

Discuss the significance of the Chinese Exclusion Act as it relates to the development of U.S. immigration policy.

-First significant restrictive immigration law as well as the first to restrict a group of people based on race and class. -provided a template for race-based immigration policy as well as created a bureaucratic machine for the regulation of immigrants: -The precursors to USCIS, CBP, and ICE, can be traced back to the era of Chinese exclusion

Which countries currently host the largest total number of foreign-born persons? ii)Which countries currently host the largest number of foreign-born persons as a percentage of the total population? iii)Are the countries with the largest total number of foreign-born persons also the countries with the largest number of foreign-born persons as a percentage of the total population?

-Just over half of all international migrants live in ten countries. These countries are the U.S., Russia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, UAE, the UK, France, Canada, Australia, and Spain -39% foreign born in Singapore, 49% foreign born in Jordan, 69% foreign born in Kuwait, 74% foreign born in Qatar. However, ONLY 13% foreign born in the U.S. - Lecture 4 Slides

Discuss what it means to say that being American is a civic identity. Discuss what it means to say that being American is a racial/ethnic identity. Discuss what it means to say that being American is a cultural identity.

-One view suggests that what it means to be an American is a civic identity based on a shared political culture. For example, the 1790 Naturalization Law required an oath to support the U.S. Constitution as part of the naturalization process -Shared political culture may be important, but race and ethnicity have also been defining aspects of American identity. For example, according to the 1790 naturalization law, "any alien, being a free White person" -Regarding culture, the naturalization process includes an English exam, wherein prospective citizens are required to be able to speak, read, and write in English

What was the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act?

-The Chinese Exclusion Act prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers for a period of ten years (and later extended the length of the ban) and barred all Chinese immigrants from naturalized citizenship. It was primarily geared toward Chinese immigrants, but eventually extended the ban to include all of Asia Was the first restrictive immigration law in the U.S. A state senator was recorded as saying "the Chinese are upon us, how do we get rid of them?

Describe the powers that Border Patrol agents have.

-arrest,detain and ultimately deport

What was Operation Gatekeeper? What was the operational logic of Operation Gatekeeper? Evaluate the effectiveness of Operation Gatekeeper using apprehensions data along the southwest border from 1994 to 2000.

-served to displace, not deter, illegal immigration (i.e. it didn't work well)

How is "operational control" defined in the Secure Borders Initiative (SBI)?

0. How is "operational control" defined in the Secure Borders Initiative (SBI)? "prevention of all unlawful U.S. entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband"

Describe the characteristics of the Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. What percentage of the Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. is foreign born? What percentage of the under-18 Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. is foreign born?

36% of the Hispanic/Latino Population is foreign-Born 7% of the young Hispanic/Latino population under 18 years old is Foreign Born (thus, 93% of Mexicans under 18 were born here in America)

Describe the characteristics of the Asian population in the U.S. What percentage of the Asian population in the U.S. is foreign born? What percentage of the under-18 Asian population in the U.S. is foreign born?

66% of the Asian Population in the U.S. is foreign-born 20% of the young Asian population (under 18 years old ) is foreign-born.

Discuss the 1790 Naturalization Act.

Allowed an individual to apply for citizenship if they were a free white person, being of good character, and living in the United States for two years. Upon receiving the court's approval they took an oath of allegiance which was recorded. The individual's citizenship was also extended to any children under the age of 21, regardless of their birthplace. If the applicant had never been a U.S. resident the application was disregarded.

Discuss Islamophobia as it relates to the perceived unassimilability of Arab Americans

Arab immigration to the United States has been occurring for centuries. The majority of Arab Americans are actually NOT Muslim, but in fact Christian (Catholic and Protestant) This shows how the perceived notions of of unassimilabity are false

What did E.G. Ravenstein conclude in his 1889 study of the "laws of migration"?

Bad or oppressive laws, heavy taxation, an unattractive climate, uncongenial social surroundings, and even compulsion (slave trade, transportation), all have produced and are still producing currents of migration, but none of these currents can compare in volume with that which arises from the desire inherent in most men to better themselves in material respects" Construction of the immigrant "other" Discourse about "yellow peril" → racialized the Chinese immigrants about being permanently alien, inferior and threatening Linking threats of national security legitimates the exclusions, in 1889: SCOTUS describes Chinese immigrants as "vast hordes of people crowding upon us who are dangerous to America's peace and security"

Explain the significance of H.R. 4437, 2005.

Being undocumented is not a crime. HR 4437 (section 203) attempted to criminalize undocumented presence. Made them permanently inadmissible Section 202 criminalized association with undocumented immigrants

What is the "smoke and mirrors" argument as it relates to border security? Discuss.

Border control efforts don't deter but simply displace unauthorized entry routes to less heavy fortified border areas Moreover, as Cornelius and Tsuda (2004) write, " by adopting more restrictive immigration policies, receiving-country governments have unwittingly increased the demand for people smugglers, whose services raise the probability of evading border controls" (p.11) "In their book, Beyond Smoke and Mirrors, Douglas S. Massey et al. describe how changes in immigration policy turned what was historically seasonal migration from Mexico into permanent immigration, as entering, exiting, and then reentering the US became increasingly difficult, especially for Mexican laborers. Moreover, as legal pathways to immigration became increasingly inaccessible, incentive to immigrate without authorization increased. " (Wong p. 37)

What does the available cross-national evidence suggest about the bivariate relationship between the foreign-born percentage of the total population and economic growth, as measured by GDP per capita?

Higher foreign born population as a percentage of total population -> increased GDP per capita, neutral GDP per capita growth, and lower unemployment This data is not statistically significant, but shows slight trends to indicate that the economy is not damaged by immigration

Describe the demographic changes that are expected to reshape American society by mid- century.

By 2065, the composition of the nation's immigrant population will change again, according to Pew Research projections. In 2015, 47% of immigrants residing in the U.S. are Hispanic, but as immigration from Latin America, especially Mexico (Passel, Cohn and Gonzalez-Barrera, 2012), has slowed in recent years, the share of the foreign born who are Hispanic is expected to fall to 31% by 2065. Meanwhile, Asian immigrants are projected to make up a larger share of all immigrants, becoming the largest immigrant group by 2055 and making up 38% of the foreign born population by 2065. (Hispanics will remain a larger share of the nation's overall population.) Pew Research projections also show that black immigrants and white immigrants together will become a slightly larger share of the nation's immigrants by 2065 than in 2015 (29% vs. 26%). The country's overall population will feel the impact of these shifts. Non-Hispanic whites are projected to become less than half of the U.S. population by 2055 and 46% by 2065. No racial or ethnic group will constitute a majority of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, Hispanics will see their population share rise to 24% by 2065 from 18% today, while Asians will see their share rise to 14% by 2065 from 6% today.

Discuss the significance of the Immigration Act, 1921.

Creation of national origins quotas Consisted on the 1910 census limited the admission of foreign -born immigrant to the 3 per centum. Exceptions artist, nurses, minister of any religious denomination, professors and domestic servants. Created a category for immediate family - preferences wives, parents, brother, sister, children under 18, and fiancees.

What does the available cross-national evidence suggest about the bivariate relationship between the foreign-born percentage of the total population and economic growth, as measured by unemployment rates?

Higher the immigration population —> Lower Unemployment, % Total Labor Force

What is the human capital approach to international migration? Evaluate the argument that people migrate to where the discounted net returns to migration are greatest

Human capital approach - Migrants go to where the discounted net returns to migration are greatest Factors such as economic potential is subtracted by deportability, family, psychological factors Migrants go to wherever has the least harm "Individual rational actors decide to migrate because a cost-benefit calculation leads them to expect a positive net return, usually monetary, from movement. International migration is conceptualized as a form of investment in human capital. People choose to move where they can be most productive, given their skills; but before they can capture the higher wages associated with greater labor productivity they must undertake certain investments, which include the material costs of traveling, the costs of maintenance while moving and looking for work, the effort involved in learning a new language and culture, etc. " ( Massey et al. p. 434) Yet, Micro-level theories miss institutions, i.e. the immigration policies that regulate matters of entry, exit, nationality and expulsion.

Explain the significance of the Immigration Act, 1990

Increased annual immigration to 675,000 visas per year. 480,000 for family-based visas, 140,00 for employment-based visas, and 55,000 for diversity immigrants • Immediate relatives? Per the Hart-Cellar Act, parents of U.S. citizens were exempt from numerical restrictions. The Immigration Act of 1990 changed this so that parents of U.S. citizens over the age of 21 were exempt from numerical restrictions. Why? • Pegging family-based visas to the immigration of immediate relatives: if 480,000 immediate relatives of American citizens immigrated to the U.S. in a given year, the number of persons who could be admitted that same year under the family preference categories is actually 226,000

Explain the significance of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA), 1996.

Increased border security (e.g., 5,000 new Border Patrol agents, more fencing, etc.) and interior immigration enforcement (e.g., 287g) • Created 3- and 10-year bars for those unlawfully present in the U.S. • Provided a mechanism for expedited removal without judicial review • Replaced "suspension of removal" with "cancellation of removal" (capped at 4,000 annually) • Added new crimes to the list of deportable offenses (even for legal permanent residents) • From 1892 to 1996, there were approximately 2 million deportations from the U.S. From 1997 to present, there have been approximately 5 million

What is equifinality?

Refers to similar effects can be caused by different initial conditions. Criteria for evaluating causality.

What is multifinality?

Refers to similar initial conditions that give rise to different effects. Criteria for evaluating causality.

Explain the significance of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, 1965. Lecture 6/ Slide 17

Significant because it ended the national origins quota system Hart-Celler act places a preference on family relationships, skills as well as some humanitarian measures. Originally made a cap based on hemisphere

What is the problem of infinite regress as it relates to the concept of perpetual foreignness?

The "structuring perception of immigrant otherness" and the problem of "infinite regress" reinforces the inviolability of difference • Why does this matter? The in- and out-groups delineated by the immigrant "other" gives meaning to fundamental notions of nation and national identity • In other words, we define who we are by knowing who we are not - this process involves positive distinctiveness (in-group favoritism) and out-group marginalization

Discuss the significance of the Immigration Act, 1924

The 1924 Immigration Act was significant because it was another way to demographically engineer the country to be more white. The quota system was changed from 3% of the 1910 Census and pushed to 2% of the 1890 Census simply because during 1890 there were more Western Europeans migrating to the US

Define and explain dual labor market theory. According to dual labor market theory, what factors drive our "permanent demand" for migrant labor? Discuss.

The DLMT says that international immigration is caused by the permanent demand for for labor that exists as a function of the economic structure of developing countries 4 factors Structural inflation: wages correspond to hierarchies of prestige → this means that different jobs have more or less value to society. For example, if a butcher gets a raise, then surgeons should also because society has deemed surgeons to be more valuable than butchers (even though they both back pieces of meat as Prof Wong puts it) Economic Dualism: low skilled jobs are unstable and have high rates of turnover rate Motivational problems arise at the bottom of the job hierarchy because there are few avenues for upward mobility Demography of labor supply: the slow population growth creates demand for low skilled labor Subject to critique because it isn't necessarily accurate to use macro level factors to explain micro level decisions. Also over emphasizes the role of economic factors in the explanation of international migration

Describe the bivariate relationship between spending on border security and the size of the undocumented population in the U.S.

The hope was that increased spending would lead to decrease illegal immigration but instead we see a positive relationship. More money being spent led to more illegal immig

Discuss the origins of the U.S. Border Patrol. Who were the primary targets of U.S. Border Patrol during the early part of the 20th century? During this period, where were a majority of border patrol agents stationed and why?

The primary targets were alcohol smugglers from Canada to the United States during the Prohibition era A majority of border patrol agents were stationed at the U.S.-Canada border

Evaluate the argument that the poor migrate in search of better economic opportunities. What does the available evidence suggest about the bivariate relationship between wage differentials and immigration to the U.S.?

There is a slight trend towards migration having a negative relationship with wage differentials to the United States. Again, this is statistically insignificant

What was SBInet?

Virtual Border Fence) -in 2006 Boeing was given 1.1 billion to build 6000 miles of virtual fence, would be completed by 2009 -2008, DHS revised its outlook, 656 miles of the fence would be built by 2011 -2010, project was scrapped after the completion of just 53 miles along the us/mexico border in arizona at the cost of 1 billion

What was the Immigration Restriction League? Who, according to the Immigration Restriction League, were the "undesirable" immigrants?

Was created in response to anxieties about immigration. The IRL distinguished between the "new immigrant" and the "old immigrant" → the "new immigrant" was labeled as undesirable and unassimilable "Old immigrants" British, Irish, Canadian, and German "New immigrants" Southern and Eastern European immigrants (ex Italians and, Russians) Their end goal was to have a bill introduced in Congress that would exclude more and more new immigrants. They desired a literacy test and for there to to be race based immigration restrictions

What was the Dillingham Commission? What did the Dillingham Commission conclude about "new immigrants"? Lecture-5/ slide 20-21

about "new immigrants"? Lecture-5/ slide 20-21 Also known as the United States Immigration Commission, they were formed in response to increased concerns about immigration, specifically that of the so called "new immigrants" "The new immigration is very largely one of individuals a considerable proportion of whom apparently have no intention of permanently changing their residence, their only purpose in coming to America being to temporarily take advantage of the greater wages paid for industrial labor in this country" Also said that these new immigrants had criminalistic tendencies and were overall unfit for society Unassimilable Used Eugenicists to whos that the "old stock" was undesirable. These pseudo-scientists said that when Western Europeans immigrated to the US their kids would be born to be smarter and stronger than ever before, while those who weren't of Western European descent would basically just deteriorate

Discuss the logic of non-contiguous fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border.

he logic is to erect fencing where cities touch the border in order to funnel unauthorized border crossers into rural areas

What are the three general criteria for evaluating causality that we discussed in lecture?

• Causes (x's) and effects (y's) are temporally separated. Simply, the cause comes before the effect • Causes and effects are independently existing. In other words, the cause leads to the effect but the effect does not lead back to the cause • The causal relationship satisfies the counterfactual condition. Here, if x causes y then in the absence of x we should see the absence of y

Explain the significance of the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), 1986.

• Two main provisions: legalization and employer sanctions • Sanctions on employers that knowingly hire undocumented immigrants—origins of the Form I-9 and E-Verify • IRCA imposed civil and criminal penalties on employers that "(1) hire [...] any alien knowing that such person is unauthorized to work, or any person without verifying his or her work status; or (2) continue to employ an alien knowing of such person's unauthorized work status" • Logic: removing the "jobs magnet" will disincentivize undocumented immigration Two main provisions: legalization and employer sanctions • Prior to 1986, no federal law effectively prohibited employers from hiring undocumented immigrants Two main provisions: legalization and employer sanctions • The legalization provision of IRCA was a response to increased undocumented immigration • Approximately 2.7 million persons adjusted their legal status under IRCA