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At Graduation Time, ICE Targets Young Dreamers
As young people and their families are celebrating graduations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been ramping up enforcement across the country. One new tactic: arresting teenage students.
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How Immigration is Shaping US Cities
Immigrants have long been key to population growth in the United States. Between 2018 and 2023, they were responsible for 42.1% of population growth in America’s 100 largest metro areas.
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As indiscriminate immigration enforcement actions sweep across Los Angeles, it’s important to remember the valuable contributions that immigrants make to the metro area.
According to the latest data available, the American Immigration Council found that nearly 33% of LA residents are immigrants. In 2023, immigrants in LA paid $56.5 billion in taxes and had a combined spending power of $145 billion.
Immigrants are also integral to the workforce in the LA area, and make up large portions of the construction, manufacturing, and wholesale trade industries. A total of 54.5% of all construction workers in the Los Angeles metro area are immigrants. The industry is particularly important in the wake of the Palisades Fire earlier this year.
State, local, and national data on immigrants is available through the Council’s recently updated data interactive, Map the Impact.
Read more: Los Angeles Metro Area: Map the Impact |
Last week, the Council filed a lawsuit to protect the right to seek asylum at ports of entry along the border.
The ability to seek asylum is a fundamental right that affords refuge to the most vulnerable. The United States has long been a leader in this mission, opening our doors to individuals fleeing persecution from around the world.
Despite the legal framework establishing this right, the Trump administration has adopted a policy to block access to asylum at our ports, preventing people from being able to make their claims.
The Council’s lawsuit—filed on behalf of Al Otro Lado, the Haitian Bridge Alliance, and individual plaintiffs who are seeking access to asylum at ports—aims to hold the government accountable for this violation of law.
Read more: Challenging the Shutdown of Asylum Access at Ports of Entry
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice sued the state of Texas seeking to strike down a Texas law granting in-state tuition to certain undocumented students, known as the Texas Dream Act. A federal judge in Texas subsequently ordered an end the policy following settlement negotiations between the Texas Attorney General and the Trump administration.
Without the Texas Dream Act, students who are undocumented now face significantly higher educational costs. This limits their access to higher education and affects their future opportunities, which will impact economic growth and prosperity for all Texans.
A group of 84 organizations, including the Council, wrote a letter to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, asking that he reconsider his stance on the Dream Act.
Read more: Defend the Texas Dream Act |
“Immigrants are not a threat to our communities; they are the backbone of them. In Los Angeles and cities across the country, immigrants are building homes, caring for our families, launching businesses, and driving innovation. If we want stronger, more resilient cities, the path forward is clear: protect immigrant families and invest in their success.”
– Nan Wu, Director of Research at the American Immigration Council |
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American Immigration Council
1331 G St. NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC xxxxxx
United States |
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