Federation for American Immigration Reform

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The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a non-profit tax exempt organization in the United States that advocates changes in U.S. immigration policy that they believe would result in significant reductions in immigration, both legal and illegal. It was founded on January 2, 1979 by John Tanton who is known as the founder of many anti-immigration and environmentalist groups,[1] and its first executive director was environmental lawyer Roger Conner. FAIR has its headquarters in Washington, D.C., and has been called to testify in front of the United States Congress, on immigration bills, more than any other organization in the country.[citation needed] The president of FAIR since 1988 is Dan Stein. The organization claims to have more than 250,000 members and supporters.[2] FAIR describes itself as non-partisan.[2] It is described as conservative in dozens of press reports and books.[3][4][5] However, the New York Times reports that it was founded with a centrist-liberal orientation.[6] According to Andrew Wroe, a lecturer in American Politics and author of The Republican Party and Immigration Politics,[7] it is viewed by many as an extremist group.[8] Georgie Anne Geyer, author of Americans No More: The Death of Citizenship, describes FAIR as a "highly respected group".[9]

Contents

Activities [edit]

FAIR seeks a moratorium on net immigration by anyone other than refugees and the spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens, until it can be shown that higher immigration levels are needed.[10]

FAIR describes itself as a "group whose membership runs the gamut from liberal to conservative. [Its] grassroots networks help concerned citizens use their voices to speak up for effective, sensible immigration policies that work for America’s best interests".[11] Its Board of Advisors has included individuals such as Republican Congressman Brian Bilbray and Democratic Governor Richard Lamm.

FAIR promotes policies to improve border security and stop illegal immigration, and to reduce legal immigration into the United States to around 300,000 people a year. FAIR's policy studies emphasize the environmental, economic, and social consequences of mass immigration.

FAIR's President Dan Stein serves on the 61-member board of the Citizens' Debate Commission, a nonpartisan American organization formed in 2004, which was established to sponsor future general election presidential debates.[12]

FAIR is a member of the Coalition for the Future American Worker, which describes itself as "an umbrella organization of professional trade groups, population/environment organizations, and immigration reform groups. CFAW was formed to represent the interests of American workers and students in the formulation of immigration policy."[13]

Under John Tanton's leadership FAIR was criticized for taking funding for many years from the Pioneer Fund, an organization dedicated to "improving the character of the American people" by promoting the practice of eugenics, or selective breeding.[14] Tanton’s activities are documented in 17 file boxes of archives he donated to the Bentley Historical Library at the University of Michigan.[15] Other FAIR organization records are stored at the Special Collections Research Center at the George Washington University.[16]

FAIR supports legislation that would deny automatic citizenship to children born in the U.S. whose parents are in the country illegally.[17]

Principles [edit]

FAIR advocates "7 Principles of True Comprehensive Immigration Reform":

1. End Illegal Immigration
2. No Amnesty or Mass Guest-Worker Program
3. Protect Wages and Standards of Living
4. Major Upgrade in Interior Enforcement, Led by Strong Employers Penalties
5. Stop Special Interest Asylum Abuse
6. An Immigration Time Out
7. Equal Under the Law

The FAIR website contains a detailed explanation of each principle and why FAIR considers each one important.[18]

Positions on the issues [edit]

To end illegal immigration through enforcement of existing immigration laws as well as the application of new technology; to set legal immigration at the lowest feasible levels consistent with the national security, economic, demographic, environmental and socio-cultural interests of the present and future.[19]

Influence and work [edit]

The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act, Senate Bill 1070, Arizona’s newest and most controversial immigration law, was written with the help of Kris Kobach, a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Law School, and currently the Kansas Secretary of State. Kobach states that the law is “perfect concurrent enforcement” meaning that Professor Kobach believes that the state law parallels federal law without conflict. The test will come soon as individuals and organizations are criticizing, President Barack Obama, and some have begun their lawsuits, American Civil Liberties Union.[20] Kris Kobach is the Immigration Reform Law Institute’s national expert on constitutional law. This Institute is the legal arm of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.[21][22]

Other Arizona interaction includes Proposition 200 in 2004 which was spearheaded by the group “Protect Arizona Now” which worked with the Federation for American Immigration Reform. It is similar to California’s Proposition 187 in which illegal aliens are restricted from public benefits and voting because they are most likely unable to provide the required proof of citizenship. It also made the crime of a public official not reporting illegal status a class 2 misdemeanor.[23]

Other groups created by FAIR [edit]

FAIR established the FAIR Congressional Task Force (FCTF) as a 501(c)(4) organization that describes itself as a "non-profit, public interest organization whose purpose is to serve the public welfare by developing and promoting immigration policies that are consistent with the economic, social and demographic interest of the United States; to restrict illegal immigration to the United States; and to limit legal admissions to reasonable levels."[24]

FAIR established the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) as an organization that describes itself as "America's only public interest law organization working exclusively to protect the legal rights, privileges, and property of U.S. citizens and their communities from injuries and damages caused by unlawful immigration."[25]

Criticism [edit]

In December 2007, FAIR was designated a hate group by the nonprofit civil rights organization[26][27][28] Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). In its declaration, the SPLC gave a detailed accounting of its determination.[29] FAIR has responded to this charge by claiming that there is no factual basis for the accusation;[30] that FAIR has compiled a long record of mainstream credibility and respect on immigration issues and has always opposed discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion; and that the accusation is an "act of desperation, resulting from the SPLC’s failure to convince the American people of their viewpoint."[31] FAIR president Dan Stein said of the SPLC, "They've decided to engage in unsubstantiated, invidious name-calling, smearing millions of people in this movement who simply want to see the law enforced and, frankly, lower levels of immigration"[32]

FAIR has also been criticized for accepting contributions from the Pioneer Fund. Between 1982 and 1994, FAIR received $1.2 million from the foundation.[33] The Pioneer Fund focuses on projects it perceives will not be easily funded because of controversial, racial, or pro-eugenics subject matter.[14] It was described by the Sunday Telegraph as a "neo-Nazi organization closely integrated with the far right in American politics" in 1989.[34] FAIR has responded to this criticism by asserting that the Fund clearly states that it supports equal opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, religion, national origin, or ethnicity; that other major institutions, including universities and medical facilities in the United States and other countries, have also accepted grants from the Fund;[35] and that the Fund's contributions to FAIR were used only for the general operation of the organization.[31]

References [edit]

  1. ^ ”The Puppeteer.” Intelligence Report. Summer 2002.
  2. ^ a b Federation for American Immigration Reform: About FAIR
  3. ^ "Partisan Heat Shows No Signs of Letting Up". CBS. September 16, 2009. Retrieved September 17, 2009. [dead link]
  4. ^ Jordan, Miriam (November 4, 2004). "The Bush Victory Arizona Limits Illegal Immigrants' Access to Benefits". Wall Street Journal. p. A.4. 
  5. ^ "Salvadoran Immigrants Feel Tense Uncertainty About Future Status". The Christian Science Monitor (Boston, Mass.). January 30, 1992. 
  6. ^ DeParle, Jason (April 17, 2011). "The Anti-Immigration Crusader". New York Times. 
  7. ^ "Andrew Wroe". Macmillan. Retrieved April 14, 2010. 
  8. ^ Wroe, Andrew (2008-03-18). The Republican party and immigration politics. Macmillan. ISBN 0-230-60053-0, 9780230600539 Check |isbn= value (help). 
  9. ^ Geyer, Georgie Anne (2009-08-10). "WE SHOULD BE MORE CONCERNED ABOUT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION". www.uexpress.com. Retrieved 2009-10-19. 
  10. ^ Federation for American Immigration Reform: Why America Needs an Immigration Time-Out
  11. ^ FAIR: : About FAIR
  12. ^ Citizens' Debate Commission: Advisory Board[dead link]
  13. ^ What is the Coalition for the Future American Worker
  14. ^ a b Potok, Mark, Intelligence Report, Spring 2004, pp. 59-63.
  15. ^ Beirich, Heidi, "The Tanton Files", Intelligence Report (Southern Poverty Law Center) (132), retrieved May 24, 2011 
  16. ^ Preliminary Guide to the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) records, Special Collections Research Center, Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, The George Washington University.
  17. ^ "Congressman Seeks to End Birthright Citizenship for Children of Illegal Aliens". fairus.org. June 1, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2011. [dead link]
  18. ^ Federation for American Immigration Reform: 7 Principles of True Comprehensive Immigration Reform
  19. ^ About FAIR | Federation for American Immigration Reform
  20. ^ New York Times, John Schwartz and Randal C. Archibold http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/28/us/28legal.html
  21. ^ [1][dead link]
  22. ^ Gadsden Times, Heidi Beirich http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=1988344061&SrchMode=2&sid=2&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1273084504&clientId=83650
  23. ^ Anthropological Quarterly, Tamar Diana Wilson http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?Ver=1&Exp=05-02-2015&FMT=7&DID=1549366201&RQT=309
  24. ^ FAIR Congressional Task Force
  25. ^ Immigration Reform Law Institute
  26. ^ Ma, Ken (November 24, 2005). "College students' blackface stunt creates backlash". The Orlando Sentinel (Orlando, FL). 
  27. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (April 26, 2006). "Racial Slurs Make For Ugly Commute; Vandals Deface Bowie Church, Sound Barrier". The Washington Post (Washington, D.C.). 
  28. ^ Dininny, Shannon (January 16, 2012). "Civil-rights history gets boost; Whitman College students to teach subject this week". The Seattle Times (Seattle, WA). 
  29. ^ FAIR: Crossing the Rubicon of Hate Hatewatch, Southern Poverty Law Center, December 11, 2007
  30. ^ Beware the Politicized "Hate Group" Designations by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
  31. ^ a b Federation for American Immigration Reform: Response to the Southern Poverty Law Center
  32. ^ HSu, Spencer (September 15, 2009). "Immigration, Health Debates Cross Paths". The Washington Post. 
  33. ^ "The New Nativism"[dead link] Leonard Zeskind, November 10, 2005, The American Prospect
  34. ^ "Fascism Resurgent"
  35. ^ ISAR

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