California, New York
Migrant-related issues, Proposition 187 and police brutality, were in the headlines in April 1999 in the two major immigration states, California and

State Department: Visas, Admissions
Visas are government-issued travel documents that permit foreigners to assume they will be granted entry and other benefits when they reach the

INS: Border, Sanctions
Border. On April 2, 1999, eight Mexicans froze to death and dozens were rescued after being caught in a sudden overnight snowstorm in southern

INS: Reorganization
Many are of the opinion that the INS should be restructured, but there is little agreement on how. The INS has proposed keeping enforcement and

Welfare, Health
There were 14.1 million US residents receiving cash assistance in January 1993, and 7.6 million in December 1998. Most of the first wave studies of

Mitch, Mexico, South America
Mitch. A Gallup survey done for the US Information Agency estimated that 600,000 adults in Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador

Guest Workers, Labor
Nurses. The Immigration Nursing Relief Act of 1989 (INRA) permitted hospitals to recruit about 30,000 nonimmigrant foreign nurses a year until

Canada: Guest Workers
Canada is debating the need for high-tech foreign workers. Human Resources Development Canada released a report in April 1999 that concluded that

Asian Migration
A declaration resulted from an 18-nation symposium held April 24-28 in Bangkok. It included 18 action items, among them: 1. Migration,

China: Migrants, One Child
Beijing is adding 7,000 staff in 1999 to its 5,000-strong Special Administrative Team to manage migrant workers in China's capital, and has announced

Hong Kong: Right of Abode
On January 29, 1999, the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeals ruled that the children of parents who have the right to live in Hong Kong also have the

Japan: Admit Migrants?
Japan's Economic Council, a key advisory panel to the prime minister, on April 13, 1999 proposed that Japan begin accepting immigrants to reduce

Thailand: August 1999 Ban?
There were 90,911 foreign workers in Thailand registered as of January 31, 1999, including 79,057 from Burma; 10,593 from Cambodia; and 1,261 from

North and South Korea: Illegals, Visas
Illegals. Since September 1998, an average 2,000 illegal foreigners a month entered Korea, so that there were an estimated 111,000 illegal

Taiwan's Foreign Workers
There are 271,000 foreign workers in Taiwan and employers are requesting an additional 38,000 to fill some of what they say are 200,000 vacant

Malaysia, Indonesia
In April, the government recently lifted the freeze on the admission of new foreign workers for plantations, manufacturing, restaurants, cleaning

Kosovar Refugees
By the end of April 1999, about 600,000 residents of Kosovo had become refugees; another 400,000 were displaced inside Kosovo, meaning that half of

Eastern Europe, Russia
Czech Republic. Police recorded a total of 3,346 illegal crossings of the Czech border in March 1999, an increase of 1,323 over February

France: Aid, Not Kosovars
Prime Minister Lionel Jospin in April 1999 pledged more funds for Albania and Macedonia, but did not welcome Kosovars in France, saying: "Let us not

UK, Ireland: Asylum
The Labor government's "firm but fair" 132-clause Asylum and Immigration Bill remains mired in the House of Commons, with Conservatives questioning

Cyprus: Illegal Immigration
The governments of Cyprus and Syria signed an agreement designed to slow illegal immigration to the east Mediterranean island from its Arab neighbor.

South Africa: Immigration Reforms
An April 1, 1999 White Paper on International Migration recommended the creation of a special security service and separate detention facilities for

Middle East
Many countries' labor and foreign ministries actively market their workers overseas. For example, Sri Lanka's labor minister returned from the Middle

Australia
On April 13, China agreed to cooperate with Australia to stop the latest flow of illegal immigrants. The most recent influx began with the landing of

Democratic Politics and Multilateral Immigration Policy
By Gary P. Freeman, University of Texas at Austin, [email]gfreeman@jeeves.la.utexas.edu[/email] Presented at the CMS Annual Legal Conference, March 1999: