In Focus

Apr 23, 2013 | Permalink »

Immigration Bill Envisions Path to Citizenship

Last week, the bipartisan Senate "Gang of 8" introduced S. 744 the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013. If enacted, this bill would be the largest scale change to immigration laws in over 25 years.

One of the major hallmarks of the bill is that it provides a path to citizenship for aspiring citizens, many of whom have lived and worked in this country for many years. Other key elements of the bill include border security measures, reforms to family- and employment-based immigration policies, and interior enforcement measures including the requirement, phased in over 5 years, for all employers to use an Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) to ensure that all newly hired employees are legally eligible to work in the U.S.

Eligible aspiring citizens may apply for a newly created Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status, renewable after 6 years and then be eligible for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) status after an additional 4 years (a minimum of 10 years in RPI status). Aspiring citizens following this path will be eligible to apply for citizenship after 3 years in LPR status.

Highlighting State EITC Efforts on Tax Day

By Helly Lee and Lavanya Mohan

It’s tax day and for many months now, Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites across the country have assisted working families with their taxes in time to meet today’s deadline. By filing taxes, many low wage workers and families are able to get important refundable tax credits. Among these is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), one of the largest anti-poverty programs having reached more than 27 million families and individuals in 2012 and that has far-reaching work, income and health benefits for its recipients. In fact, EITC lifted 6 million people out of poverty in 2011, according to the latest Supplemental Poverty Measure.

Because of the federal EITC program’s proven anti-poverty success, many states have adopted similar state-level Earned Income Tax Credits added onto the federal EITC. Low-income families and individuals who are eligible for the federal EITC are also eligible for the additional state EITC. Currently, 26 states provide a state EITC, 23 of which provide a refundable or partially refundable EITC. In facing tough budget decisions, however, many states have turned to the EITC as a place to cut costs while other states are pushing for improvements to their state programs.

States Strengthen Work Support Strategies in First Year of Initiative

By Christine Johnson-Staub

In the midst of tighter budgets and cuts in benefits spending, some states are focusing on more effective administration of public benefits that support working families. They're doing so because they know that these benefits, which include programs focused on nutrition, health care and child care, help families become and stay employed and promote children's success in school and life. By streamlining eligibility processes and cutting red tape for these programs, states can reduce administrative costs and make it less daunting for working families to get the help they need.

For example, states involved in the Work Support Strategies (WSS) project are making administrative and programmatic decisions that help families more easily acquire benefits for which they're eligible. Reports on the initial planning year of the project (2010-2011), released by the Urban Institute today, indicate that participating states have made progress in simplifying application processes, streamlining eligibility policies, and coordinating the administration of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP - formerly Food Stamps), Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and child care assistance.

As a partner in the WSS project, CLASP provides technical assistance to states to strengthen the administration of their child care assistance programs in the context of the broader WSS focus on coordinating across multiple programs. In the first year of the project, WSS states took steps to reduce barriers to families' enrollment in child care assistance programs and to improve continuity of care for children. Read More >>