Professor of Political Science Peter Skerry was a co-convener for the Immigration Policy Roundtable.(Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
Study Co-authored by BC’s Skerry Proposes Major Immigration Reforms
New study recommends major reforms of US immigration policy, including a mandatory workplace verification system linked to a legalization program for undocumented immigrants
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A Boston College faculty member is co-author of a new study recommending major reforms of US immigration policy, including a mandatory workplace verification system linked to a legalization program for undocumented immigrants, admitting more skilled and fewer family-sponsored immigrants, and improving temporary worker programs.Professor of Political Science Peter Skerry was one of three conveners of the Immigration Policy Roundtable, a group of 20 scholars, community leaders, political and policy entrepreneurs, think tank analysts and former government officials who produced “Breaking the Immigrant Stalemate: From Deep Disagreements to Constructive Proposals.”
Among other recommendations, the roundtable report also calls for greater public and private sector efforts to assimilate immigrants, and increased cooperation with Mexico.
Skerry and fellow co-convener Noah Pickus, the Nannerl O. Keohane Director for the Duke University-based Kenan Institute, will give a presentation of the report on Nov. 4 at 4 p.m. in Devlin 101. Daniel Kanstroom, associate director of the BC Center for Human Rights and International Justice, and Center for Immigration Studies Director of Policy Studies Jessica Vaughan will give responses, and members of the audience also will have an opportunity to offer questions and comments.
The project, sponsored by the Brookings Institution — where Skerry is a non-resident senior fellow — and the Kenan Institute for Ethics, was hardly a genteel academic exercise, says Skerry. Many participants came from significantly different viewpoints and perspectives, and sharply disagreed about various aspects of the immigration issue — to the extent that not all members necessarily even agreed with every facet of the final report.
And that, adds Skerry, is an important reason why the report’s creators hope it can play a role in the ever-divisive national debate on immigration in the US. The roundtable project, he says, shows that it’s possible for people with strong differences of opinion to engage civilly on a contentious issue — and to hammer out proposals and recommendations that can make a difference.
“This is an era of polarized politics, where discussions often take on the character of a food fight,” says Skerry. “It’s not a great environment in which to have a discussion on a complex, volatile issue like immigration. Without trying to seem grandiose about it, we feel very pleased that we could have some very substantial, meaningful conversations and produce concrete proposals.”
“Breaking the Immigration Stalemate” groups its proposals for reforming US immigration policy under six general recommendations. The first calls for the US to reduce illegal immigration by linking workplace verification and legalization, in a program to be monitored by the General Accounting Office. Proposed legislation would bolster wage and labor law enforcement and workplace inspections and audits, but also target unauthorized workers who have been in the US for five or more years — to qualify for legalization, they would have to pay a fine, provide of evidence of current employment and steady work history, pass a background check, and meet other requirements.
The report identifies the visa system as another area needing revision, and proposes eliminating the Diversity Visa Program — in which residents of eligible nations who have at least a high school diploma or equivalent compete via a lottery for 50,000 permanent resident visas — and limiting family-sponsored visas to spouses and minor children, while increasing visas for skilled immigrants (those with a bachelor’s degree or higher).
Temporary worker programs should be overhauled as well, according to the report. It recommends replacing temporary employment visas with non-renewable, five-year provisional visas that — following an initial employment period — would be portable across employers.
The roundtable also calls for Congress to establish an independent Standing Commission on Immigration that would report on specific recommendations on ceilings for, or any changes in the nature of, permanent and temporary admissions categories.
In addition, the report recommends creating an Office of New Americans that would work with state and local governments, voluntary and non-profit organizations — including Kiwanis, Boys and Girls scouts and an expanded AmeriCorps program — and other entities that foster immigrants’ assimilation and integration into American society. The private sector should also work with the public sector to strengthen immigrants’ participation in early childhood and ESL programs, as well as efforts promoting high school retention and pursuit of higher education.
Core civic principles and US history should be emphasized in the content of naturalization preparation, English language courses, “and educational instruction for all Americans,” the report adds.
The report’s final recommendation urges greater cooperation between the US and Mexico “across a spectrum of issues,” including not only immigration but in initiatives that promote economic development, law enforcement, judicial reform, and border safety and security.
Underscoring the range of views represented by the roundtable, the report includes an appendix in which several members, including Skerry, provide dissenting opinions or other comments regarding aspects of the report.
Skerry, in his statement, notes his opposition to the proposed legalization program: “While I sympathize with my colleagues’ desire to alleviate the burdens on illegal immigrants,” he expresses concern that the proposal could spur more immigrants to “come here illegally with the expectation of legalization and eventual citizenship.” He proposes a program allowing illegal immigrants to attain legal status while forever barring them from citizenship.
“There were a lot of considerations to balance,” said Skerry. “The needs of the labor market versus concerns about national identity and security, for instance; or the idea that you need to give people a clear idea of what’s expected of them versus concerns about imposing too many, or unrealistic, conditions.
“We tried to bite off small pieces, find some common ground, then move on to the next. It’s the beginning, we hope, of a process that could — and should — happen more.”
The Immigration Policy Roundtable report is available online at www.brookings.edu/reports/2009/1006_immigration_roundtable.aspx.
Sean Smith can be reached at sean.smith.1@bc.edu