Immigration Reform: Strategies for Legislative Action

Abstract

This paper deals with the current prospects and potential problems with passage of immigration reform. Rather than recommend legislative and programmatic changes that many other commentators have posed, this paper discusses the possible legislative strategies for accomplishing changes in an immigration system that most believe is in dire need of reform. Specifically it asks if the various complex issues involved in immigration should be considered as separable and discrete issues, subject to serial and incremental legislation, or, as currently being conceived by the Obama administration, as a comprehensive package of reforms. We begin by describing and analyzing the core set of issues defining immigration policy. We then discuss various theories of issue preferences and how those theories have implications for the choice of relevant strategies for the immigration debate. Finally we present evidence based on recent congressional voting patterns and the positions taken by the most important interest groups.

Recommended Citation

Marquez, Benjamin and Witte, John F. (2009) "Immigration Reform: Strategies for Legislative Action," The Forum: Vol. 7 : Iss. 3, Article 2.
DOI: 10.2202/1540-8884.1324
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/forum/vol7/iss3/art2