Timelines

Explore histories of migration, citizenship and belonging in Germany and the U.S. over the centuries.

2023

2016

The Struggle for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Starting in 2001, U.S. lawmakers debated Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR)—a legislative strategy to offer legal pathways, updated visa programs, and increased border enforcement. At the heart of this debate is the fate of over 11 million undocumented immigrants—many of whom have lived in the U.S. for years, contributing to their communities while facing exclusion from legal protections, a constant threat of deportation, and limited access to basic rights and political representation. While supported by wide coalitions spanning civil rights, labor, faith, and business sectors, repeated attempts—including major bills in 2007 and 2013—failed in Congress, largely due to political gridlock and rising anti-immigrant sentiment.

Democrats generally backed CIR but struggled with internal disagreements, while Republicans, once open to reform under Bush, moved increasingly toward restrictionist platforms under Democratic leadership. The 2016 election of Donald Trump marked a turning point, ushering in an era of aggressive enforcement, mass detention, and dismantling of existing protections. In response, many immigrant-led movements shifted away from a narrow focus on federal reform, emphasizing local action, intersectional organizing, and new visions beyond the bipartisan “grand bargain” approach. CIR came to represent both a powerful aspiration and a reminder of the limits of the U.S. political system to deliver lasting change.