Immigration reform

• In early February 2024, a group of senators proposed new immigration legislation that would have slowed the migrant influx at the border.
• This is far from the first time that Democrats and Republicans have failed to pass legislation that was intended to improve the country’s immigration system.
• Here are four key reasons why meaningful immigration policy change has been so difficult to achieve – and why it remains a pipe dream:

1. Immigration reform has always been hard

• The U.S. has faced major roadblocks every time it has tried to achieve immigration reform.
• The final bipartisan bargain removed racist quotas but appeased those who wanted to restrict immigration by prioritizing new immigrants’ connections to family already in the country – a preference that lawmakers thought would favor Europeans.
• The last big immigration reform happened in 1986, when Congress passed the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

2. The US is more polarized on immigration than ever before

• But partisan and ideological polarization over border control and immigrants’ rights is greater today than any other time.
• Over the past 20 years, Democratic and Republican voters and politicians alike became more firmly aligned with rival pro- and anti-immigration rights movements.
• In 2008, 46% of Republicans and 39% of Democrats said they thought immigration to the U.S. should be decreased.
• In 2023, GOP support for decreased immigration soared to 73%, compared with just 18% of Democrats who said they wanted that.

3. There’s little bipartisan agreement over what the problem actually is

• Yet different political groups cannot agree on what exactly is wrong and how to solve it.
• For some Republicans, including former Trump, the problem is lax border control and permissive policies that allow dangerous migrants to enter and stay in the country.
• Right-wing politicians and commentators, like Tucker Carlson, have exploited these anxieties, warning that large-scale immigration will “replace” white Americans.
• There are also conservatives who think immigration is consistent with the principles of individual liberty, entrepreneurship and national economic growth.

4. Immigration reform is especially messy in a presidential election year

• Presidential election years are fertile ground for politicking on immigrants and borders, but not lasting policy reform.
• In 2021, President Joe Biden and his supporters introduced an immigration bill that would offer a pathway to legal residency for nearly all undocumented immigrants.
• Now, Biden finds himself underwater with voters, including Democrats, on immigration and the perceived chaos at the border.

Daniel Tichenor does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• Safe & Green Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SGBX) (“Safe & Green Holdings” or the “Company”), a leading developer, designer, and fabricator of modular structures, announced today that Safe and Green Development Corporation, the Company’s subsidiary, has appointed David Villarreal as its President & CEO.
• With the spin-off, Safe and Green Development Corporation and its parent company, Safe & Green Holdings Corporation, intend to provide clarity to investors regarding the business model and characteristics of each company and unlock significant shareholder value.
• “I couldn’t be happier that David Villarreal has been appointed as the President and CEO of Safe and Green Development Corporation,” Paul Galvin, CEO and Chairman of Safe & Green Holdings Corp. explained.
• More information will be shared at a later date on Safe and Green Development Corp.’s corporate structure and internal team.

• "Since taking office, the administration has essentially gutted immigration enforcement not only at the border, but in communities around the country.
• "Now they are giving employers a green light to hire and employ illegal aliens, ordering a halt to nearly all worksite enforcement," Stein continued.
• "The 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA), which then-Senator Joe Biden voted for, explicitly prohibits the employment of illegal aliens.
• The latest blatantly illegal policy directive leaves no doubt that the administration's highest 'priority' is ensuring unchecked illegal immigration," Stein concluded.

• PASADENA, Calif., Sept. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --John A. Joannes, is being recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Trusted Attorney in the field of law as an Attorney and at John A. Joannes PC.
• John A Joannes has been practicing in the field of law for 50 years.
• Throughout his career, he has developed a special interest primarily in immigration law.
• A published author, Mr. Joannes has appeared as an expert witness and lectured on numerous matters involving general law.