BU Now » immigration reform

Arizona’s immigration battle

Dick Taffe — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:23:14 +0000

Protesters stormed the streets of Phoenix objecting to Arizona’s new immigration law, most of which was struck down by a federal court judge who ruled that the bulk of the law intruded on federal responsibilities for immigration control. Law Professor Susan Akram, an authority on immigration law, says the only way to keep states and Washington from fighting each other over this is for comprehensive immigration reform to be enacted by Congress because the reality is that 85 percent of the undocumented are working but drawing few government benefits.

“In other words, there is a net gain from immigrants and the undocumented, since they work and pay taxes but draw very few benefits. But the money they contribute often goes to federal and state coffers, while many services they benefit from — such as health and law enforcement — come out of local government budgets. That is the essence of the controversy between states such as Arizona and the federal government, with states claiming they are bearing the costs of the dysfunctional federal immigration policy. This cannot be resolved through the courts.”

Contact Susan Akram, 617-358-3060, smakram@bu.edu

SCOTUS to review 2007 Arizona law

Dick Taffe — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:53:24 +0000

The U.S. Supreme Court will review a 2007 Arizona immigration law that punishes employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers. The Justice Department says the law violates a federal law barring states from imposing penalties on those who employ people not in the country legally. Law Professor Susan Akram, an authority on immigration law, says the case is significant in that it tests whether such local measures can supersede federal immigration policy in regulating the employment of aliens.

“The case reflects the far-reaching consequences of states like Arizona ‘taking matters into their own hands,’ as the petition is jointly filed by private business, public, civil rights and immigration groups that rarely agree on immigration issues.”

Contact Susan Akram, 617-358-3060, smakram@bu.edu

Bad economy makes immigration reform even more needed

Dick Taffe — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:59:19 +0000

Law Professor Susan Akram, a Pakistan-born authority on immigration and refugee law, says it’s incorrect to suggest the financial meltdown makes it impossible to justify legalizing undocumented people when citizens are facing job losses. President Obama, she says, is right to push for immigration reform now.

“Hard evidence about U.S. immigration – both legal and undocumented – suggests that the U.S. can neither afford to maintain 12 million or so persons in undocumented status, nor can it realisitically deport any significant number of them. In the current economic environment, the need for a comprehensive legalization program is more urgent than ever.

“President Obama’s timing makes sense. In this economy, we cannot afford a continued policy of aggressive immigration enforcement, and we cannot afford not to legalize the undocumented.”

Contact Dick Taffe, Media Relations, 617-353-4626, rtaffe@bu.edu