I'm working on several research and writing projects that investigate the local politics of immigrant rights, integration, and representation:
Grassroots Democracy: How Cities and States Integrate Immigrants
This book project is a comprehensive qualitative study of the nearly 50 city and state immigrant affairs offices in the United States. It analyzes the development, institutionalization, and impact of these government offices, with a focus on understanding their accomplishments as well as their limits—specifically in terms of changing local, state, and federal policies, meeting benchmarks for successful immigrant integration, building immigrant community capacities, and strengthening grassroots democracy in the United States. This research has been funded by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and several PSC-CUNY Research Awards.
This book project is a comprehensive qualitative study of the nearly 50 city and state immigrant affairs offices in the United States. It analyzes the development, institutionalization, and impact of these government offices, with a focus on understanding their accomplishments as well as their limits—specifically in terms of changing local, state, and federal policies, meeting benchmarks for successful immigrant integration, building immigrant community capacities, and strengthening grassroots democracy in the United States. This research has been funded by the Eugene M. Lang Foundation and several PSC-CUNY Research Awards.
Immigrant Integration in New York State
This project examines the state and municipal politics and policies of immigrant integration, with a focus on the development, evolution, and impact of immigrant-focused institutions and programs created by executive officials in New York government. As part of this project, I am creating a comprehensive New York dataset on immigrant-focused institutions and program at the state level, in all of New York's counties, and in New York cities with populations over 50,000. This project has received support from the Howard J. Samuels State and Policy Center and the International Migration Studies Program at the CUNY Graduate Center.
This project examines the state and municipal politics and policies of immigrant integration, with a focus on the development, evolution, and impact of immigrant-focused institutions and programs created by executive officials in New York government. As part of this project, I am creating a comprehensive New York dataset on immigrant-focused institutions and program at the state level, in all of New York's counties, and in New York cities with populations over 50,000. This project has received support from the Howard J. Samuels State and Policy Center and the International Migration Studies Program at the CUNY Graduate Center.
The Local Implementation of the DACA Program
This collaborative research project, developed and implemented with Dr. Shannon Gleeson from Cornell University, uses a comparative case study approach to examine the role that distinct local actors have played in the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an initiative created by President Obama in 2012 to provide temporary deportation relief and work authorization to some young undocumented immigrants. To this end, we have conducted over 400 interviews with assorted local governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders in the Houston, New York City, San Francisco, and San Jose metro regions, including elected and appointed city officials, school district representatives, nonprofit organization leaders, union representatives, legal service providers, consular officials, and DACA applicants to better understand how these localities are implementing DACA. This research was funded for three years (2014-2017) by National Science Foundation Law & Social Sciences Program (SES-1353889).
This collaborative research project, developed and implemented with Dr. Shannon Gleeson from Cornell University, uses a comparative case study approach to examine the role that distinct local actors have played in the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, an initiative created by President Obama in 2012 to provide temporary deportation relief and work authorization to some young undocumented immigrants. To this end, we have conducted over 400 interviews with assorted local governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders in the Houston, New York City, San Francisco, and San Jose metro regions, including elected and appointed city officials, school district representatives, nonprofit organization leaders, union representatives, legal service providers, consular officials, and DACA applicants to better understand how these localities are implementing DACA. This research was funded for three years (2014-2017) by National Science Foundation Law & Social Sciences Program (SES-1353889).
Community Organizations and New American Leaders in City Government
This project examines the role of community nonprofit organizations as important training grounds for new American leaders in city government. Specifically, it examines how nonprofit organizations that work with immigrant communities in San Francisco have served as pipelines for first- and second-generation immigrants, also known as new Americans, to serve in local elective office and to work on immigrant-inclusive local policies from inside San Francisco government. This project is supported by a PSC-CUNY Research Award and the International Migration Studies Program at the CUNY Graduate Center.
This project examines the role of community nonprofit organizations as important training grounds for new American leaders in city government. Specifically, it examines how nonprofit organizations that work with immigrant communities in San Francisco have served as pipelines for first- and second-generation immigrants, also known as new Americans, to serve in local elective office and to work on immigrant-inclusive local policies from inside San Francisco government. This project is supported by a PSC-CUNY Research Award and the International Migration Studies Program at the CUNY Graduate Center.
Immigrant Organizations in New York City
The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive database of immigrant organizations in New York City and to gain more insights into how the city's nonprofit sector supports the city's diverse immigrant communities. To these ends, I am collecting information on immigrant organizations in New York City by using four distinct sources of data: (1) the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) database of registered nonprofit organizations and the listing of community organizations maintained by (2) key elected officials and city administrative agencies, (3) community organizations themselves, and (4) local foundations. Data from this project will be used to develop a searchable public-use database of immigrant organizations that city residents, city officials, and nonprofit practitioners can use to locate the information and services they need. This project was funded by CUNY's Diversity Projects Development Fund.
The goal of this project is to develop a comprehensive database of immigrant organizations in New York City and to gain more insights into how the city's nonprofit sector supports the city's diverse immigrant communities. To these ends, I am collecting information on immigrant organizations in New York City by using four distinct sources of data: (1) the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) database of registered nonprofit organizations and the listing of community organizations maintained by (2) key elected officials and city administrative agencies, (3) community organizations themselves, and (4) local foundations. Data from this project will be used to develop a searchable public-use database of immigrant organizations that city residents, city officials, and nonprofit practitioners can use to locate the information and services they need. This project was funded by CUNY's Diversity Projects Development Fund.