Ruth Wasem

Background

About Ruth Wasem

Ruth Wasem has over 30 years of experience in U.S. domestic policy, including immigration, employment, and social welfare policies. Recent publications include "Toward a Better Immigration System: Fixing Immigration Governance at the Department of Homeland Security," co-authored with Doris Meissner, Migration Policy Institute (2021), “More than a Wall: The Rise and Fall of US Asylum and Refugee Policy,” in the Journal of Migration and Human Security,(2020), and “At the Nexus of Refugee and Labour Migration: US Refugee Policy Formulation after the Second World War,” Journal of Migration History,(2020). Her 2013 book, Tacking Unemployment: The Legislative Dynamics of the Employment Act of 1946, continues to be cited. Wasem also studies local governments' efforts to integrate foreign-born residents into the civic life of the community and thus far has published reports for the cities of Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio, Texas. Wasem is a contributing opinion writer for TheHill.com and has been heard on NPR's All Things Considered, PRI's The World, KUT's Morning Edition, and The Texas Standard. Specialties: U.S. immigration law and policy; refugee and human security policy; demographic and socioeconomic statistical analysis; legislative development and analysis; employment policy; 20th century American history.