September 11, 2018. The Trump administration’s decision to decrease the number of refugees admitted and in general slow down the refugee resettlement process means that only a trickle of refugees are coming into the United States. As FPI noted in our recent reporton refugee employment, the United States is on track to resettle just 20,000 refugees in 2018, down from 97,000 in 2016.

This is a tragedy for refugees, who languish in resettlement camps or live in horrific danger. … (read more)

July 30, 2018. For many decades, refugees were not at the center of attention in immigration debates. Refugee resettlement was viewed as a duty to the United States that we handled quietly and with pride. There were debates about how to handle border enforcement, interior enforcement, visas for farm workers, visas for high-skilled workers, and of course constant wrestling about a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Refugee resettlement, never a big share of overall immigration, was seen as a … (read more)

May 22, 2018.

Employers that hire refugees see positive outcomes for their businesses, according to a report released today by the Fiscal Policy Institute and the Tent Partnership for Refugees. The study, based on over 100 interviews in four regions of the country, finds that when employers hire refugees they see lower turnover rates among refugees, and widen their pool of potential employees. In addition, many see overall improvements in the company, with their managers becoming more versatile as they … (read more)

February 15, 2018. In its 28th annual New York State budget briefing book, the Fiscal Policy Institute analyzes and comments on Governor Andrew Cuomo’s FY 2019 Executive Budget.

The Trump Administration’s tax law, looming federal budget cuts, multi-billion-dollar state budget deficits, glaring unmet human and physical infrastructure needs throughout the state…this year’s New York State budget negotiations are taking shape against a worrisome and uncertain backdrop. The president and congress are threatening to dismantle decades-old federal entitlement programs, make … (read more)

On Tuesday morning, February 13, 2018, the Fiscal Policy Institute will present its 28th annual budget briefing in Meeting Room 7 of the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. A complimentary breakfast and check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. Our presentation begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 10:15 a.m. We hope that you and/or your colleagues will be able to join us for what we are confident will be a useful and informative session. You can RSVP online here… (read more)

February 9, 2018. New York State has a long and proud history of trailblazing innovative policies that expand access to healthcare coverage to all its residents. From developing and establishing the nation’s first comprehensive health insurance program for children to the launch of the New York State of Health Marketplace under the Affordable Care Act, New York has often been a national leader in expanding access to quality affordable health coverage.

In the midst of federal attacks against immigrants, Governor … (read more)

February 1, 2018. A webinar on how to understand and talk with audiences about the economics of immigration, featuring:

David Dyssegaard Kallick, Fiscal Policy Institute

Marisa Gerstein Pineau, FrameWorks Institute

Andrew Lim, New American Economy

Linda Fleener, Illinois Immigrant Business Coalition

Denzil Mohammed, The Immigrant Learning Center Public Education Institute

Sponsored by the Immigrant Learning Center and the Public Education Institute.

The FPI powerpoint used for the discussion is available by clicking here. The best way to view it is … (read more)

Termination of TPS Hurts Families and The Economy 26,000 At Risk in New York

On January 8, 2018, the Trump administration announced that it would be terminating Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for individuals from El Salvador, and that these recipients have until September 9 to obtain another legal status or return to their country of birth. This follows a chain of terminations of other TPS statuses including Haiti, Sudan, and Nicaragua, while Honduras’s status is still under … (read more)

Blame Congress, Not Immigrants, If America’s Taxes Don’t Pay for Our Expenses

December 25, 2018. Recently, WhiteHouse.gov put up a post on its web site claiming that immigration results in “$300 billion annually in net fiscal costs on U.S. taxpayers.”

As I said in talking with PolitiFact, this is just sophistry. The United States has been running a deficit for years. So, by definition, all Americans have a bigger net cost than contribution – 1st generation immigrants, 2nd generation … (read more)

January 18, 2018. In the current political context, a number of members of congress are thinking about immigration even more than they usually do. To inform the discussion, FPI occasionally provides information about the residents of different congressional districts. Here is a little bit of background on the 13^th Congressional District located in New York City, which includes upper Manhattan and a part of the Bronx.

There are 3.1 million immigrants living in New York City, and 280,000 in … (read more)