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Federalism and immigration: models and trends
Author(s) -
Spiro Peter J.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
international social science journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.237
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1468-2451
pISSN - 0020-8701
DOI - 10.1111/1468-2451.00294
Subject(s) - federalism , immigration , immigration policy , political science , enforcement , realm , immigration law , government (linguistics) , cooperative federalism , public administration , discretion , fiscal federalism , corporate governance , immigration reform , political economy , economics , decentralization , law , politics , linguistics , philosophy , finance
Although immigration policy has traditionally been considered a realm of exclusive central government authority, recent trends evidence a greater role for federal units in the area. This article summarises and evaluates those trends as they relate to immigrant rights, immigration enforcement, and immigration benefits under three basic models of federal governance: central government hegemony, cooperative federalism, and devolutionary federalism. The article concludes that affording increased discretion to subnational authorities over immigrant and immigration policy will ultimately work to the net benefit of immigrants, and that even while complete devolution remains impracticable cooperative federalism has emerged a desirable approach in the area.