Houston Immigration Research Data and Reports from HILSC Partners
The Collaborative strives to be a source of timely and accurate data and information about immigration in the greater Houston region. In general, we recommend seeking information from un-biased, reputable sources. The Migration Policy Institute and the Center for Migration Studies are excellent sources of high-quality data about immigrant demographics and trends as well as research about changing immigration policy. The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at the University of Syracuse is the go-to source of current data about immigration enforcement, staffing, and spending. New American Economy provides accurate data about the economic impact of immigrants at the state, county, and congressional district level.
Immigration Research Data in the Houston area
A good starting place for learning about the immigrant population in Houston is through MPI’s studies which were commissioned by the Collaborative:
- A Profile of Houston’s Diverse Immigrant Population in a Rapidly Changing Policy Landscape (2018)
- A Profile of Immigrants in Houston, the Nation’s Most Diverse Metropolitan Area (2015)
Additional reports about immigrants in the Houston area:
- New American Economy: New Americans in Houston: A Snapshot of the Demographic and Economic Contributions of Immigrants in the Metro Area (March 2019)
- Center for Houston’s Future: Houston’s Economic Future: Immigration A Report on the Regional Effect of Immigration (March 2019)
- Kaiser Family Foundation & Episcopal Health Foundation: Hurricane Harvey: The Experiences of Immigrants Living in the Texas Gulf Coast (March 2018)
- Migration Policy Institute: Immigrants and WIOA Services: Comparison of Sociodemographic Characteristics of Native- and Foreign-Born Adults in Harris County (April 2016)
Reports by HILSC Partner Organizations
- Human Rights First: Barred at the Border: Wait “Lists” Leave Asylum Seekers in Peril at Texas Ports of Entry (April 2019)
- Human Rights First: Family Incarceration Continues to Endanger Children, Impede Access to Legal Information & Waste Government Resources (March 2019)
- United We Dream: The Wall Between Undocumented Families and Health (February 2019)
- Living Hope Wheelchair Association: Pre-Existing Conditions In A Time of Disaster: Challenges and Opportunities Advancing an Equitable Recovery For Vulnerable Populations (January 2019)
- United We Dream: Systemic Racisms in Education and the Impact on Wellbeing among Undocumented Students (January 2019)
Reports from HILSC Partners in Previous Years (2016-2018)
- Human Rights First: Refugee Blockade: The Trump Administration’s Obstruction of Asylum Claims at the Border (Dec. 2018)
- Human Rights First: Zero-Tolerance Criminal Prosecutions: Punishing Asylum Seekers and Separating Families (July 2018)
- Tahirih Justice Center: National Survey: A Window into the Challenges Immigrant Women and Girls Face in the U.S. and the Policy Solutions to Address Them (Jan. 2018)
- Human Rights First: Punishing Refugees and Migrants: The Trump Administration’s Misuse of Criminal Prosecutions (Jan. 2018)
- After the Storm: Houston’s Day Labor Markets in the Aftermath of Hurricane Harvey (Commissioned by Fe y Justicia Worker Center, Nov. 2017)
- Human Rights First: Crossing the Line: U.S. Border Agents Illegally Reject Asylum Seekers (May 2017)
- Tahirih Justice Center: Recommendations for the Protection of Immigrant Survivors of Human Trafficking, Domestic Abuse, and Sexual Violence (Apr. 2017)
- KIND: Betraying Family Values: How Immigration Policy at the United States Border is Separating Families (Mar. 2017)
- Human Rights First: Violations at the Border: The El Paso Sector (Feb. 2017)
- Tahirih Justice Center: Backgrounder on Child Marriage (Feb. 2017)
- United We Dream: Shows The Success of Four Years of DACA (Oct. 2016)
Texas Data
- The Effects of Forced Family Separation in the Rio Grande Valley (Human Impact Partners, 2018)
- New Report Documents Mental, Physical, Legal Impact of Increased Detention in Texas (Human Rights First, 2018)
- Fact Sheet: Immigrants in Texas (American Immigration Council, August 2017)
- Stronger Together: Immigrants, Refugees, and the Future of Texas (Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, May 2016)
- ICE Inspections at Houston Processing Center (National Immigrant Justice Center and Detention Watch Network, Oct. 2015)
- Expose & Close: Polk County Detention Center (Detention Watch Network, Nov. 2012)
Immigration Research and Reports
- Exposing Corporate Profiteering from Immigration Detention and Enforcement (Ignatius Bau, 2018)
- Building Migrant Women’s Resilience to Violence and Trauma (Ignatius Bau, 2018)
- Newcomer Central American Immigrant’ Access to Legal Services (Center for Latin American & Latino Studies, 2018)
Searchable Data and Interactive Maps
- Migration Policy Institutes maintains a Data Hub with data including Texas’ profile of unauthorized immigrants
- Center for Migration Studies has Democratizing Data on State and Counties including data on the number of immigrants eligible to naturalize in Harris County
- Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) is a great resource for information out of the immigration courts. While the interface may look un-inviting, it is worth getting to know this resource for vital data such as deportation proceedings, removals, immigration court backlogs, and the impact of legal representation.
- New American Economy’s Map the Impact is an interactive map showcasing contributions of immigrants with information on immigrant tax contributions, spending power, entrepreneurship, workforce, home ownership, demographics, voting power, and more.
- InteractiveDetention Map and Statistics (Community Initiatives for Visiting Immigrants in Confinement, CIVIC)
- National interactive map of law enforcement participation in immigration enforcement (Immigrant Legal Resource Center)