Grad - Filindra

Abstract

Until recently, political scientists were prepared to think of immigration as a single policy domain associated with the federal government in the same way as foreign policy or defense policy. The purpose of this study is twofold: to show that federal exclusivity in policies pertaining to immigrants is a myth and states are heavily involved in regulating the rights and benefits available to noncitizens;  2) to analyze state approaches to immigrant policies in welfare, healthcare, education, identification documentation, driver's licensing, housing, property ownership, voting in local elections (e.g., school boards), employment, and many other issues, and identify the factors that drive state immigrant policy preferences.