Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration

Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration
Name	Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration
Founded	2007
Founder	John Skrentny
Type	Research institute
Location	San Diego, California
Affiliation	University of California, San Diego

Contents

Center for the Study of Immigrant Integration is an academic research center based at the University of California, San Diego that studies patterns of immigration, integration, and social inclusion. The center links quantitative analysis, qualitative fieldwork, and policy engagement to examine immigrant incorporation across metropolitan regions such as Los Angeles, New York City, Miami, Chicago, and Houston. It maintains connections with scholars from institutions including Harvard University, Stanford University, Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, and Columbia University.

History

The center was founded in 2007 by sociologist John Skrentny amidst debates following events like the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 and the post-9/11 landscape shaped by the USA PATRIOT Act. Early work referenced comparative studies from scholars at University of California, Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, University of Chicago, and University of Michigan. Over time the center engaged with initiatives linked to the Brookings Institution, Migration Policy Institute, Pew Research Center, RAND Corporation, and the American Immigration Council. Its timeline intersects with policy moments such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals rollout, debates over the Secure Communities program, and litigation around the Arizona SB 1070 statute.

The center's stated mission aligns with objectives promoted by think tanks like the Wilson Center and academic units such as the Brennan Center for Justice: produce empirical research on immigrant integration, inform policymakers in bodies like the United States Senate and California State Assembly, and support community organizations including National Immigration Forum, United Farm Workers, and La Raza (National Council of La Raza). Objectives include comparative metropolitan analysis across regions like the San Francisco Bay Area, Phoenix, Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, Philadelphia, and Boston. The center emphasizes evidence-based collaboration with stakeholders such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, International Organization for Migration, Human Rights Watch, and the ACLU.

Research programs have covered topics found in literature from scholars at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School, Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, Cornell University, and University of Southern California. Projects include longitudinal surveys in immigrant gateways like San Diego County, destination studies in regions such as Raleigh–Durham, and comparative work with institutions like Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Peking University, University of Oxford, University of Toronto, and Australian National University. The center has undertaken studies on labor market incorporation referencing frameworks used by ILO-related research, family reunification patterns akin to work at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and civic integration measured alongside programs by National League of Cities and Mayors for Immigration Reform.

The center publishes working papers, policy briefs, and reports drawing scholarly norms from journals like the American Journal of Sociology, Demography, Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, International Migration Review, and Population and Development Review. Notable outputs have addressed assimilation debates traced to theorists such as Alain Touraine, Robert Putnam, Alejandro Portes, Nancy Foner, and Saskia Sassen. Reports have been cited by outlets including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, The Atlantic, and policy briefs circulated to committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and local bodies like the San Diego County Board of Supervisors.

The center engages in policy dialogues with agencies including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, California Governor's Office, and municipal offices in cities like San Diego, Los Angeles, and San Jose, California. It has provided testimony before legislative bodies and collaborated on policy toolkits similar to those from the Urban Institute and National Policy Consensus Center. The center liaises with advocacy organizations such as Immigrant Legal Resource Center, Service Employees International Union, Catholic Charities USA, and Southern Poverty Law Center to translate research into practice.

Funding sources have included grants and awards from institutions like the Russell Sage Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, National Science Foundation, and private donors connected to foundations such as Pew Charitable Trusts. Governance has involved university oversight by the University of California Board of Regents and advisory input from scholars affiliated with Princeton University, Brown University, Duke University, University of California, Los Angeles, and Rutgers University. The center's directors and advisory board have included scholars, legal experts, and former public officials with ties to entities such as the U.S. Department of Justice, CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, and municipal administrations in San Francisco and San Diego.