U.S House Member Motivations & Agenda Setting Strategies for Immigration Reform

• In Event: Poster Session: Public Administration; Public Policy; & State Politics and Policy
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: Public Policy

Abstract

This project explores the decision-making processes of House members on immigration reform, both individually (micro-level) and collectively (macro-level). I disentangle the forces that shape individual members’ decisions on bills proposing the expansion/contraction of immigration rights, giving attention to those industries that rely heavily upon immigrant labor. I find that these forces make political parties unstable coalitions in immigration policy. I further examine the consequences of these individual-level forces on agenda setting. Since majority party leaders have a vested interest in passing bills with broad majority party support, significant constraints are placed on the types of bills eligible for floor consideration.

Author

• Lauren Marie Rowlands, Temple University