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Recent National Publications  |
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| Children at the Border: The Screeing, Protection and Repatriation of Unaccompanied Mexican Minors |
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This new report, “Children at the Border: The Screening, Protection and Repatriation of Unaccompanied Mexican Minors,” produced by Appleseed and Mexico Appleseed, shows substantial noncompliance with federal law regarding the treatment of the Mexican children who are detained after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border when unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.
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| Below is a list of the latest reports published by Appleseed's National Office. To view a full archive of reports and materials produced by National Appleseed and Centers throughout the network, click here. |
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| The Same Starting Line: How School Boards Can Erase the Opportunity Gap Between Poor and Middle-Class Children |
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Appleseed’s new report, “The Same Starting Line: How School Boards Can Erase the Opportunity Gap Between Poor and Middle-Class Children,” focuses on ways that school boards, superintendents and key-decision makers can ensure that all children, especially poor children, are given the learning-related resources they need to succeed academically. The report is also a study of the disparity in educational resources in districts in five states--Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, Georgia and New Mexico. It includes a measurement tool, the Basic Resource Equity Assessment Document (READ),that can be used to measure the distribution of educational resources within districts.
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| Strengthening APS and Informing Implementation of the Elder Justice Act: A Nationwide Survey of APS Administrators |
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In an effort to understand the challenges of those working on the front lines to detect and address elder abuse, neglect and exploitation, Appleseed’s Life Long Justice Program conducted a national survey of Adult Protective Services administrators. Analysis of the survey identified glaring unmet needs involving significant shortages of resources, staffing, and training. Some other key concerns included investigation and response needs and insufficient data collection. The responses should have significant relevance in shaping policy responses for the problems identified with the goal of improving the level of protection offered to the nation’s elders. Appleseed’s pro bono partner Edgeworth Economics analyzed the survey data and prepared this slide presentation.
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| Due Process and Consumer Debt: Eliminating Barriers to Justice in Consumer Credit Cases |
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March 2010 - Burdened by continual unemployment and an ailing economy, more and more consumers are facing debt litigation in New York courts, and few have the knowledge or means to protect themselves from unfair judgments or settlements. Nearly 300,000 consumer debt cases were filed in New York City in 2008, with more than 98 percent of litigants going unrepresented, leaving them unaware of their legal rights and options. This report identifies and proposes solutions to the many problems with consumer debt litigation: default judgments, “sewer service,” undeliverable summons, and above all, lack of representation for low-income defendants. |
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| Protecting Assets & Child Custody in the Face of Deportation |
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December 2009 - The U.S. deported more than 358,000 immigrants in 2008, the sixth consecutive year of record-high deportations. Whether or not someone has a right to stay in the country, or an ability to enforce that right, he or she is entitled to a final paycheck and is not by law stripped of all financial rights or child custody. But in fact, persons being deported not only often lose their U.S. community and family security, but also the assets they have built up and to which they are entitled. This manual guides volunteer lawyers and non-lawyer practitioners through important financial and family rights threatened by the deportation process. |
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| Assembly Line Injustice: Blueprint to Reform America's Immigration Court System |
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June 2009 - The result of 15 months of research and analysis, including more than 100 interviews with experts in the field, this report documents numerous problems with the immigration court system. To redress these issues, Appleseed lays out a slate of practical recommendations to promote accuracy, legitimacy and efficiency in the courts. These proposals, both large and small, will help ensure that all immigrants receive a fair and impartial hearing, as well as an accurate ruling. |
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| The Value of a Credit Score: Developing an Equitable Model for the Use of Credit Histories in Financially Underserved Communities |
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February 2009 - This comprehensive report reveals the myriad problems faced by consumers with thin credit histories, emphasizing the need to pursue alternative models of credit scoring. Such models would take into account an individuals timely, reliable payment hisotry for such things as rent, utilities, insurance and telecommunications service. Alternative scoring would also benefit the market, as an estimated 50 million U.S. consumers have either thin or no credit. |
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| Remittance Transparency: Strengthening Business, Building Community |
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February 2009 - Documenting the results of a pilot program in which remittance fees and exchange rates were posted in banks and MSBs, this report reveals strong consumer demand for such disclosures. Increased transparency would therefore help the industry capture a larger share of the multibillion-dollar remittance market, while helping immigrants build financial assets for themselves in the U.S. and for their families abroad. Project Summary and Findings >> |
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| Immigrant Use of Financial Services and Unmet Needs: A Survey of Mexican Immigrants in Chicago |
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December 2008 - A survey of Mexican immigrants in Chicago identified strong demand for financial offerings that would help them to enter the financial mainstream, including personal credit, insurance, and remittance services. Despite this demand, Appleseed identified several structural obstacles which impede financial access for this community. This report offers several recommendations to address these shortfalls. Key Findings and Recommendations >>
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| Forcing Our Blues into Gray Areas: Local Police and Federal Immigration Enforcement |
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Updated May 2008 - Asking state and local law enforcement to don a second hat as federal immigration officers is poor public policy, according to a recently-revised Appleseed report. “Forcing Our Blues Into Gray Areas: Local Police and Federal Immigration Enforcement” contains legal and practical guidelines to combat local anti-immigrant ordinances. It also describes troubling legal and political efforts to involve local police in federal immigration matters, which lead to improper enforcement and a diversion of local safety resources. |
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| Banking in a Global Market |
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January 2008 - Appleseed released a first-of-its kind guide to assist banks and other financial institutions in better serving the growing remittance market. Immigrants living in the U.S. sent $45 billion to Mexico and Latin America in 2006, according to recent estimates. In addition to providing a detailed market overview, “Banking in a Global Market” offers a comprehensive hands-on approach to setting up transparent and efficient remittance services, drawing on the experiences of large and small financial institutions throughout the U.S. |
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