Immigration is transforming the country, yet the United States currently lacks comprehensive and effective policies for managing its immigration system or responding to changing trends. The impact is being felt in the Midwest and nationwide as the country deals with significant growth in immigrant populations and large-scale integration issues. To address these concerns, The Chicago Council on Global Affairs convened an independent task force to examine the opportunities and challenges posed by immigration in the U.S. and develop a set of recommendations for national policy reform.

 

The Immigration Task Force was cochaired by Jim Edgar, former Governor of Illinois; Doris Meissner, former commissioner of U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services; and Alejandro Silva, president of Evans Food Products, Inc.

 

In addition to regular meetings in Chicago, Immigration Task Force cochairs visited Washington D.C., Ottawa, Canada, and Mexico City, Mexico to hear views from government officials and policy experts. Findings and recommendations from the Task Force are included in this study report.

Generous support from the Robert R. McCormick Tribune Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Motorola Inc., Margot Pritzker, and the Joyce Foundation made this Task Force and its report possible.

Download the executive summary and full report: