Our Latest Updates – Archive

NEW ProCon.org Website! – 2020 Presidential Election: The Candidates and Where They Stand on the Issues
8/29/2019 -

Learn about the presidential candidates’ views on important issues, compare them with a side-by-side chart, find your best match with a fun quiz, track their finances, and so much more on our 2020 Presidential Election website. The New York Times called our previous presidential election site “The most comprehensive tool for researching the candidate’s stance on issues.” Check back monthly for expanded issue coverage.

California Becomes First State to Extend Medicaid to Undocumented Young Adults
7/10/2019 -

Beginning in 2020, California will allow low-income undocumented immigrants between 19-and-25 years old to access healthcare through Medicaid.

SCOTUS Rules Undocumented Immigrants Charged with Possessing Firearms Must Know Their Unlawful Immigration Status to Be Convicted
6/25/2019 -

The US Supreme Court ruled on June 21, 2019 that an undocumented immigrant has to be aware of their immigration status in order to be convicted of “possessing firearms as an alien unlawfully in the United States.”

New York Becomes 13th State to Allow Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Immigrants
6/18/2019 -

New York joins states including California, Hawaii, and Washington in issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, though New York’s law has an added emphasis on privacy.

United States and Mexico Sign Joint Deal on Immigration
6/12/2019 -

The United States and Mexico signed a joint deal on June 7, 2019 declaring in part that Mexico will increase immigration enforcement throughout the country and in particular along Mexico’s southern border.

Does Illegal Immigration Relate to Higher Crime Incidence?
5/23/2019 -

Explore this debate with quotes from Professor Barry Latzer (pro), news organization The Marshall Project (con), Professor John Lott (pro), Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo (con), Center for Immigration Studies Research Director Steven Camarota (pro), and Professor Aaron J. Chalfin (con).

New ProCon.org Website! – Should Birth Control Pills Be Available Over-the-Counter?
2/21/2019 -

Our new topic explores the pros and cons in the debate over making birth control pills available over-the-counter (OTC). 9.1 million women (12.6% of contraceptive users) use birth control pills, which are the second-most commonly used method of contraception in the United States. Proponents say making the birth control pill available over-the-counter would lower teen pregnancy rates, provide contraceptive access to medically underserved women, and ease access to a health-improving drug with decades of safe use. Opponents say making the Pill over-the-counter would raise the cost of contraception for women, pose a danger to teens’ and women’s health by removing the doctor’s visit requirement, and limit what options are made available.

Our new website presents the top pro & con arguments and quotes, a history of the debate, a video gallery, the prescription status of birth control pills around the world, and a list of drugs switched from prescription to OTC status.

Demographics of Immigrants in the United States Illegally
1/28/2019 -

The most recently available data show that about half of undocumented immigrants in the United States are from Mexico and 20.6% reside in California. The most popular occupations are maids/cleaners and construction laborers. Explore more about the countries of origin, states of residence, jobs, gender, and ages of undocumented immigrants.

Researcher Wanted at Educational Nonprofit ProCon.org
1/17/2019 -

ProCon.org, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity,
seeks an in-house Researcher (full-time with benefits or part-time
without benefits) to develop content for websites devoted to a
nonpartisan in-depth presentation of 70+ controversial issues. Three
items are required for application, as specified in the job notice.

50 Lesson Plan Ideas Using ProCon.org
7/16/2018 -

We’re excited to announce 50 free lesson plan ideas for educators! Visit our Teachers’ Corner for inspiration, including lessons plans about distinguishing fact from opinion, how to write a “call-to-action” letter, and content from our partner Credo Reference.

US Supreme Court Upholds Trump Travel Ban and Overturns 1944 Justification of Detention Camps
6/26/2018 -

In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upheld President Trump’s travel ban as a national security measure. The Court simultaneously overruled the 1944 Korematsu v. US ruling that justified the detention of Japanese Americans during World War II.

What Happens (Deportation, Prison Transfer, Incarceration, etc.) to Undocumented Immigrants Who Commit Crimes in the United States?
3/15/2018 -

Explore this topic with quotes from KPCC immigration reporter Leslie Berestein Rojas, the US Department of Homeland Security, and Wake Forest University law professor Margaret H. Taylor

Should State or Local Governments Help Enforce Federal Immigration Laws?
3/15/2018 -

Examine both sides of this debate with quotes from Attorney General Jeff Sessions (pro), the National League of Cities (con), Sheriff Mike Borkovich (pro), former Sheriff Steve Keane (con), FAIR (pro), and Professor Emeritus Doris Marie Provine (con).

Are Sanctuary Jurisdictions (Cities, Counties, and States) Good Policy?
3/15/2018 -

View both sides of this topic with quotes from undocumented immigrant advocate Jose Antonio Vargas (pro), President Donald J. Trump (con), City Attorney of San Francisco Dennis Herrera (pro), US Representative John Culberson (con), former Assistant Secretary for Border, Immigration, and Trade Policy for the Department of Homeland Security Seth M. Stodder (pro) and the National Review Editorial Board (con).

US Supreme Court Rules Undocumented Immigrants Can Be Detained Indefinitely
2/27/2018 -

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2017 that immigrants should get bond hearings after being detained for six months. Prior to the ruling, immigrants – both legal and undocumented – could be held in detention until their cases were resolved, no matter how long that took. The Supreme Court in its Feb. 2018 decision ruled that detained immigrants are not entitled to periodic bond hearings.