Source Notes #16 (Academic Research, Multiple Images)

Title: Surge in Immigration Prosecutions Continues

Summary: This is a Transactional Records Action Clearinghouse (TRAC) report that talks about immigration crimes and since the turn of the century.  TRAC is part of a research branch at Syracuse University in New York.

Topic: Should employers be held accountable by the Department of Homeland Security for hiring illegal immigrants?

Category: Academic Research

What is it? A series of charts and graphs that contain immigration prosecution numbers.
Publication Information: 2008
Author: TRAC, Syracuse University
Location: http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/188/
Accessed: 3/11/09

Support: Operation Streamline, Freedom of Information Act

TRAC received its information for this report through the Freedom of Information Act by the Department of Justice.  Operation Streamline was put into effect in 2005, which is a program that brings low-level criminal charges to virtually all illegal immigrants caught crossing into the United States border.

Audience and Agenda:
According to quantcast.com, trac.syr.edu receives 15,300 visits a month.  The traffic is mostly dominated by college and graduate students.  TRAC was established in 1989 and is known as a data gathering and research organization at Syracuse University. TRAC is supported financially by Syracuse University and also through private donations and research grants.

Usefulness:
This is an important research document because it provides charts and graphs with information about immigrant crime.  The #1 violation among the illegal immigrants in March of 2008 was re-entry of a deported alien.  There were 1,331 of these violations in March alone. This information suggests that border control and a vigorous deportation strategy will not keep immigrants from returning to the United States.  There needs to be a legalization path for the immigrants.  Many immigrants are looking for lower-skilled work; work that Americans don’t want.  Employers need the immigrants, and holding the employers accountable for hiring illegal immigrants  would put many American businesses in a tough spot.

Works cited:
TRAC, Google, Quantcast