A State Resilient:  Immigrant Integration and California's Future,
Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration, University of Southern California (USC), June, 2010, 13 pp.
In this brief, the authors question the methodology and findings of a June 2010 report published by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) entitled "A State Transformed:  Immigration and the New California."  The CIS report linked immigration to declining high school completion rates and rising inequality in the state. Specifically, the state was the seventh most educated state in 1970 but 50^thin 2008. The USC brief accuses the authors of the CIS report of "cherry-picking" facts to support their anti-immigration bias. The authors point out that California's median household income during this period of heavy immigration rose from 10^th in the nation to 8^th. They also note that any slippage in college completion rates seems attributable to the native born, rather than to immigrants, who currently constitute 40% of 25-64 years olds with doctorate degrees in California.  Finally, the authors point out that the economic fortunes of immigrants who didn't graduate from high school in their home countries (and who arrived in the U.S. at age 19 or older) are considerably better than native-born non-high school completers.

New Patterns of Immigrant Settlement in California,
Public Policy Institute of California, July, 2009, 40 pp.
This report discusses California's "decline in popularity" among immigrants, as evidenced by its falling share of the nation's immigrant population. Although still the state with the highest number of immigrants, its percentage of the nation's immigrant population dropped from its historic high of 32.7% in the eighties to  26.4% in 2007. A process of immigrant dispersal has taken place within the nation and within California itself, as counties within the state that previously had not seen large immigrant populations, such as Alameda and Sacramento,  show much higher growth than traditional gateway communities like Los Angeles and San Francisco. During the same period, the educational level of new immigrants to California has risen, with declines in the number of immigrants without high school diplomas and increases in the number of college graduates. The report also comes to a "striking conclusion,"  i.e. that there has been a "decline in social factors as a driver of location choice" among immigrants. The magnet of a pre-existing immigrant community may be less strong today in attracting new immigrants than the availability of good jobs at above average wages. Finally, the report notes a reveral of the trend of native-born Americans leaving areas of high immigrant concentration. Instead, both native-born and immigrants seem to be moving to the same destinations.

Integrating Immigrants in Colorado: Accomplishments, Challenges and Lessons Learned,
A report based on the evaluation of The Colorado Trust's Supporting Immigrant and Refugee Families Initiative, October, 2011, 33 pp.
The Colorado Trust launched an immigrant integration initiative in 2004, awarding 10, five-year grants during Cycle 1 and 9 grants during Cycle 2. This report, prepared by an independent investigator, evaluates the results of the first cycle of grant-funded projects. The Trust required grantees to follow a "two-way street" definition of integration but encouraged them to tailor their grant requests to the needs of their local communities.  Facilitation and technical assistance to grantees was provided by the Spring Institute for Intercultural Learning. Grantees pursued seven main strategies, two of which were to "create opportunities for immigrants and receiving community members to interact and get to know one another" and "to help receiving community members learn more about the cultures of the newcomers in their community."  Among issues that surfaced during the grant period were how to definite and whether to use the word "immigrant," the desirable background and qualifications for project managers, and the appropriateness of advocacy/lobbying for achieving systems change. The report summarizes the accomplishments of the various projects, as well as efforts to sustain the projects beyond the period of grant support.

The Impact of Immigrants in Maryland: Final Report,
Commission to Study the Impact of Immigrants in Maryland, February 8, 2012, 36 pp.
In order "to provide fact-based and objective information concerning ... the demographic, economic, and fiscal impacts of immigration," the Maryland General Assembly authorized the creation of a special commission in 2008. As part of its work, the Commission was tasked with studying "the benefits and costs of unauthorized immigration, including impacts on income distribution, crime, education, and health care." The Commission, consisting of 19 members, with staff support provided by the University of Maryland (Dept. of Economics) and the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, began its deliberations in May of 2010. This is the final report of the Commission.  The report is notable for its critique of a FAIR study of unauthorized immigration in Maryland. The Commission also concludes that "a healthy and growing economy needs immigrants of all types" and that "programs that enroll local law agencies in enforcing immigration law can work against the interests of Maryland's communities." The Commission also produced a supplemental report, containing background information, minutes of Commission meetings, and evidence for several of the findings in the report.

Bad English,
Center for an Urban Future (CUF), January, 2012, 12 pp.
This follow-up to CUF's 2006 Lost in Translation Report explores the policy implications of New York State's growing immigrant population and the declining availability of state-funded ESOL (English Speakers of Other Languages) classes. The report finds that, despite the significant benefits immigrants bring to the state economy--- in terms of population replenishment, entrepreneurship, and labor--- "New York is not leveraging their full potential." According to the authors, ESOL classes serve as an essential building block for increasing the skills and knowledge necessary to employment. Yet capacity has not kept pace with the growing need for instruction. The report sites two major factors in declining enrollment trends:  a decrease in inflation adjusted state-funding for ESOL and a move towards higher-quality, longer-term education.  While improving outcomes for learners, according to the report, smaller class sizes and extended course length has reduced the capacity of many ESOL programs to serve a majority of those that seek their assistance. The report also finds fault with the Employment Preparation Education (EPE) funding formula based on county property values. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations calling for state and local governments to increase funding and develop collaborative partnerships amongst agencies and service providers. (Dan McNulty)

New Immigrants on Long Island: A Vital Sixth of the Economy,
Fiscal Policy Institute, October, 2011, 59 pp.
Based on data from the 2009 American Community Survey and the 2010 and earlier decennial censuses, this report paints a detailed portrait of the economic contribution of immigrants to Long Island.  Immigrants share in the general affluence of the suburban population in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. More than half (54%) work in white collar jobs. Forty-eight percent of immigrant families (compared to 52% of native-born families) earn between $80,000 and $199,999, and another 13% (compared to 16% of native-born families) earn more than $200,000. Yet earnings for individual immigrants are on average 25% less than U.S. born (family income for immigrants is propped up the higher percentage of immigrant families with at least three adults working).  Immigrants are significantly overrepresented in some blue-collar and service jobs, e.g. machine operators (50%), gardening and farm workers (44%), construction laborers (42%), and private household and personal services workers (37%). Twenty-two percent, or 15,000, of the 53,000 small businesses on Long Island are owned by immigrants. While immigrants make up 16% of the total population, they account for 17% of total economic output.