Our Priorities

Immigration

Support TOA’s Immigration Work

Immigrants are critical to the vibrancy of American life, and yet they are a common scapegoat for politicians and others who lack meaningful solutions to our economic challenges. The Opportunity Agenda believes the way to push back against the harmful anti-immigration trend is to tell a values-based story that reflects the reality of the contributions immigrants make to our nation and the richness of border communities. We know that our diversity is our strength.

Immigration Messaging & Reports

Messaging Memo

How to Talk About the Leak & the Purported SCOTUS Decision to Overturn...

What Now?! Talking About the Supreme Court

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Research Report

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In The Opportunity Agenda’s Power of POP research series, we explore...

Power of Pop: What TV Gets Wrong About Getting By

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Discussion Guide

Art & Discussion Guide We believe that ending poverty is within our reach,...

We Can Thrive Together: Visioning Economic Justice for All

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Messaging Memo

As we process, discuss, and continue to respond to the January 6th attack...

Moving Forward: Three Ideas for Talking About the Moment

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Messaging Memo

On March 12, 2019, Representatives Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), and Yvette...

5 Tips for Talking About the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019 (H.R. 6)

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Messaging Memo

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps America, the systemic injustices in our country are...

Talking About COVID-19: Value, Problem, Solution, Action

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Messaging Memo

During these times of crisis and uncertainty, it is critical to pull together...

Justice Reform & Human Rights in a Time of Crisis: Releasing People from Detention

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Messaging Memo

There is much to say about the horror of watching our government imprison...

Talking About Imprisoned Children at the Border

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Messaging Memo

Headlines about the U.S.-Mexico border continue to fill our news feeds and screens...

Talking Border Issues Amidst the Government Shutdown

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Messaging Memo

The First Step Act, which recently passed the Senate with wide bipartisan support,...

Talking About Race and The First Step Act

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Messaging Memo

In the run up to the 2018 midterm elections, a Media Matters study found...

Five Questions to ask when Crafting Messages about Refugees in the Current Climate

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Messaging Memo

​  On June 26, 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its decision in...

Messaging Advice on The Supreme Court’s Muslim Ban Decision

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Messaging Memo

Updated October 2020 The administration’s willful separation of children from their parents at...

Talking About The U.S. Border: Imprisoned Children, Lost Parents, and Separated Families

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Messaging Memo

  Be cautious. Don’t comment until you’ve seen the facts and the lead...

Six Tips for Responding to Supreme Court Decisions

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Messaging Memo

We all deserve to live in a society that promotes dignity, supports families,...

Census Data: A Fair and Accurate Count

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Messaging Memo

​ On April 25, the Supreme Court heard Trump v. Hawaii, one of...

Talking About the Muslim Ban, Trump v. Hawaii

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Messaging Memo

Core Message: Due process is a human right central to the American justice...

Tips for Talking Due Process & Immigration

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Messaging Memo

Introduction This past February, as media reports began to circulate detailing a surge...

Redefining Sanctuary

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Fact Sheet

Immigrant Representation on Television

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Messaging Memo

​Over the last several months, millions of activists, advocates, business leaders, and everyday...

Communications to Protect Dreamers and our Nation’s Values

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Messaging Memo

​ In 2011, the U.S. Justice Department sued then Maricopa County Sheriff Joe...

Tips for Talking about the President’s Pardon of Ex-Sheriff Joe Arpaio

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Research Summary

The past few months have seen an increased volume of rhetoric that manufactures...

Rise Above: Countering Fear-Based Messaging

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Messaging Memo

​  Introduction As we enter the half way point of Donald Trump’s first...

5 Key Facts: Online Discussion of Immigration in The Trump Era

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Media Analysis

Introduction In the weeks following the 2016 presidential election, and the almost immediate...

Power of Pop: Media Analysis of Immigrant Representation in Popular TV Shows

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Messaging Memo

The immigration experience, one of moving from a familiar home to an uncertain...

Quick Tips for Talking Immigration Issues

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Messaging Memo

On Monday, June 26, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed portions of President Trump’s...

Talking About the Muslim Ban

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Messaging Memo

Recent executive orders pose grave threats to our communities and our values. As...

Messaging for Current Conversations

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Messaging Memo

#FightForFamilies The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on President Obama’s executive actions...

Talking United States v. Texas Supreme Court Case on DAPA and expanded DACA+

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Messaging Memo

​ The U.S.-­‐Mexico border and the communities surrounding it represent many things: billions...

Talking About Policing Issues: Border Communities

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​ When drafting responses to the President’s announcement today, please keep in mind...

5 Tips for Talking About Border Communities

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Research Summary

The Opportunity Survey, our national research into public opinion and attitudes on inequality,...

Opportunity Survey

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Messaging Memo

Tips Talk about the values that should guide our criminal justice system. We...

Talking About Immigrants and the Criminal Justice System

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Messaging Memo

Overview Adopted in 1868 and part of the “Reconstruction Amendments,” section 1 of...

Talking about the American Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment

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Messaging Memo

​ When drafting responses to the President’s announcement today, please keep in mind...

5 Tips for Talking About Border Communities Without Talking about a Wall

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Legal Policy Brief

​ Many Americans are frustrated with our immigration policies. But research and experience...

Immigration Policy Solutions: Supporting Child Migrants

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Research Summary

​ Numerous reports and several children have reported increasing violence in their home...

Unaccompanied Children at the U.S.-Mexico Border

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Messaging Memo

When entering or starting conversations about unaccompanied children coming to the United States...

Talking About Unaccompanied Refugee Children Fleeing Harm

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Messaging Memo

A narrative is a set of broad themes and values that help to...

Talking Immigration Issues Today: A Shared Narrative

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Messaging Memo

Upholding Our Values A Commonsense Approach Moving Forward Together Most audiences believe that...

Talking Immigration Issues Today: Due Process and Basic Rights

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Legal Policy Brief

​ Many Americans are frustrated with our immigration policies. But research and experience...

Immigration Policy Solutions: Due Process and Fair Treatment Under the Law

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Media Analysis

What follows is an analysis of mainstream newspaper coverage of the U.S. Supreme...

Coverage of Arizona v. United States, a Challenge to the Constitutionality of Arizona’s SB 1070

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Research Summary

Acknowledgements This report was made possible in part by a grant from the...

In Play

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Messaging Memo

Talking about Arizona’s S.B. 1070, an alarming and incredibly wrong-headed bill, provides immigration...

Uniting Our Voices on Arizona S.B. 1070

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Today’s Immigrants are Diverse and a Part of America’s Fabric As of 2008,...

Why Immigration Matters to All Americans

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Research Summary

This memo lays out recent research with African American audiences and offers ideas...

African Americans and Immigration

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Messaging Memo

It’s time to tell a new story about immigration in this country. Current...

A Core Narrative for Immigration Messaging

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Messaging Memo

An Effective Immigration Narrative A “Core Narrative” is a set of broad themes...

A Winning Narrative on Immigration

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Messaging Memo

When addressing immigration in the current economic climate, it is clear that advocates...

Talking Immigration and Economics

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Media Analysis

​ Acknowledgments This report was made possible in part by a grant from...

Media Content Analysis: Immigration On-The-Air

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Research Report

Acknowledgements This report was written by Meredith King Ledford, MPP, and reviewed by...

The State of Opportunity in America

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