Author: Karen Zeigler

Karen Zeigler

Demographer

Karen Zeigler serves as Demographer for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, DC-based immigration think tank. The Center produces credible, timely research on key immigration issues, examines the impact of immigration in American society, and educates policymakers and opinion leaders.

Since joining the Center in 2008, Ms. Zeigler has worked on projects producing statistics related to the immigration population, various unemployment measures, educational differences, and other prominent issues.

Ms. Zeigler earned a B.S. in Applied Mathematics and Criminal Justice from Shippensburg University, a Master’s in Justice, Law, and Crime Policy from George Mason University, and earned an MBA from Shippenburg University.

Working-Age, but Not Working, 1960 to 2025

Documenting the decades-long increase in the share of the U.S.-born not in the labor force and its implications for immigration policy

Report

Topics: Unemployment/Underemployment Rates and Immigration

Nearly Half of Non-Citizen Households with Young Children Use Food Welfare Programs

Cutoff of WIC & Food Stamps will affect immigrants disproportionately

Blog

Topics: Welfare

Why the Decline in the Foreign-Born in the Monthly Household Survey in 2025 Is Very Likely Real

Report

Topics: Current Numbers, Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers, Illegal Immigration

How Counting Noncitizens Distorts State Legislatures

Voters living near aliens get more representation

Report

Topics: Politics, State and Local Policy

Overall Foreign-Born Population Down 2.2 Million January to July

Illegal population estimated to have fallen 1.6 million this year

Report

Topics: Current Numbers, Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers, Illegal Immigration

The Foreign-Born Population at the State and Regional Level, 1850 to 2025

Report

Topics: Immigration Maps, Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers, Population Projections

Illegal Population Down Since January

Government data suggests the number of illegal immigrants may have fallen by 1 million

Report

Topics: Current Numbers, Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers, Illegal Immigration

The Fertility of Immigrants and Natives in the United States, 2023

Report

Topics: Population Projections

Foreign-Born Number and Share of U.S. Population at All-Time Highs in January 2025

Record increase in last four years driven primarily by illegal immigration

Report

Topics: Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers, Population Projections

The Declining Education Level of Newly Arrived Immigrants

Trend driven by the huge increase in illegal immigration from Latin America under Biden

Report

Topics: Education

Academic Articles
Op-ed
-Long-Form Essays
Podcasts
-Parsing Immigration Policy
Regulatory Comments
Litigation
-Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
-Environmental Lawsuits
Press Release
Report
-Memorandum
Book
Fact Sheet
Transcript
Testimony
Video
-Immigration Policy Interview
-Immigration Brief
-Immigration Newsmaker

2022 Lame Duck Session Immigration Legislation
The Case of Mahmoud Khalil
Human Trafficking
Ideological Exclusion
Biden Border Crisis
-Reports from the Border (2021)
--Reports from the Border: Del Rio Sector
--Reports from the Border: Big Bend Sector
Title 42
Border Crisis 2019 - 2020
Covid-19 and Immigration
Federal Regulations
Guatemala
Immigration in Foreign Countries
-Mexico
--Matricula Consular
-Central America
-Cuba
CIS Investigates Terror Travel Threat in Panama and Costa Rica
CIS Reports From America's Other Southern Border: Guatemala-Mexico
Unsecured Border Series
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
Optional Practical Training Program (OPT)
Chain Migration
Migrant Caravans
-Migrant Caravans - National Security Threat
-Migrant Caravans - Credible Fear Loophole
-Migrant Caravans - Mexico/UNHCR Plan
RAISE Act (S.354)
Immigration Courts
Immigration Maps
Partnership For A New American Economy
Remittances
Eugene Katz Award
Fraud and Immigration
-Document Fraud
--Tax Fraud
--Driver's License Fraud
--Social Security Fraud
--Employment Fraud
-Visa Fraud
--Marriage Fraud
--Tourist Visa Fraud
--Student Visa Fraud
--Diversity Visa Lottery Fraud
-Voter Fraud
Supreme Court Decisions on Immigration Policy
Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
UnidosUS
Black Americans
Canada
How to Break the Immigration Policy Impasse
Costs of Immigration
-Welfare
--Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
-Social Security
-Health Care
-Wages, Jobs, and Poverty
--Unemployment/Underemployment Rates and Immigration
Education and Foreign Students
-Foreign Students
-Education
National Security
-9/11 Terrorist Attacks
-Faisal Shahzad: The Times Square Bomber
Politics
-The 2012 Presidental Election
-Onyango Obama
-Hispanic Voters
Population and Environment
-National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
Immigration History
Religion
-Catholics
-Evangelicals
-Jews
-Mormons
State and Local Policy
-Sanctuary Cities
-Alabama
-Alaska
-Arizona
--Arizona's Enforcement Law S.B. 1070
-California
--Los Angeles County
-Colorado
-Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI)
-District of Columbia
-Florida
-Georgia
-Illinois
--Chicago, Cook County
-Maryland
-Massachusetts
-Michigan
-Minnesota
-Mississippi
-Nevada
-New Jersey
-New Mexico
-New York
-North Carolina
-Ohio
-Oregon
-Pennsylvania
-South Carolina
-Texas
-Utah
--Utah Amnesty Law (HB116)
-Virginia
-Washington
Current Numbers
-Immigrant Characteristics and Latest Numbers
-Population Projections
-Hispanic Voter Projections
-Immigrant and U.S. Born Employment
--State Level Employment Data
Polls and Surveys
Media Coverage of the Center for Immigration Studies
-C-Span Videos
-TV Interviews
-Radio Interviews
-Outside Events
Federal Immigration Legislation and Executive Action
-DREAM Act
-House Legislation
--House Legislation 2013-14
---Strengthen and Fortify Enforcement Act (SAFE Act - H.R.2278)
--House Legislation 2015-16
---Secure Our Borders First Act of 2015 (H.R.399)
---Legal Workforce Act (H.R.1147)
--2021 Budget Reconciliation Bill
-Senate Legislation
--Senate Legislation 2013-14
---Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act (S.744)
--Senate Legislation 2015-16
---Immigration Innovation Act of 2015 (I Squared Act - S.153)
-Executive Actions
--2014 Executive Action Amnesty
--Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Illegal Immigration
-Influx of Unaccompanied Minors
-Amnesty and Comprehensive Immigration Reform
--The 2013-14 Immigration Debate
--Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) (1986)
-Attrition and Enforcement
-In-State Tuition
Media Coverage of Immigration Policy
-Washington Post Coverage of Immigration Policy
--Department of Preening Editorials
-The New York Times Coverage of Immigration
-Univision and Telemundo Coverage of Immigration
U.S. Department of State
-Refugees and Asylum
--Asylum
--Refugees
---Afghan Refugees
-Bureau of Consular Affairs
-Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
-Visa Waiver Program
-Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
Assimilation and Citizenship
-Birthright Citizenship
-Dual Citizenship
Criminal Aliens
-Gangs
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
-Immigration Parole
-REAL ID Act and Secure Identification
-Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
--Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
--Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE)
--Legal Immigration
---Legal Permanent Residence (LPR) (Green Cards)
----Family Reunification
----Employment Visas
-----EB-5 Permanent Investor Visa Program
----Diversity Visa Lottery
--Nonimmigrant Visas
---Guestworkers
----H-1B Nonimmigrant Visa Progam
-----IBM and H-1Bs
-----2015 Disney Layoffs
----H-2A Nonimmigrant Visa Program
-----AgJOBS and Farmworkers
----H-2B Nonimmigrant Visa Progam
----J-1 Nonimmigrant Visa Program
----L-1 Nonimmigrant Visa Program
----R-1 Nonimmigrant Visa Program
--E-Verify
-Customs and Border Protection (CBP)
--Border Wall
--Secure Border Initiative (SBI/SBINet)
--Increasing the Number of Border Patrol Agents
-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
--Secure Communities Program
--287(g) Program
-US VISIT and EXIT System
LEAPS.TV Web Programs
Pew Hispanic Center
Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC)
The Government Accountability Office (GAO)
Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC)