Office of External Communications

Houston, TX 77204-5017 Fax; 713/743-8199

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 8, 2004

Contact: Eric Gerber
713/743-8189 (office)
713/617-7130(pager)
egerber@uh.edu

President Bush’s recently announced immigration proposal – which suggests adopting a temporary worker program that provides an option for participants to pursue permanent resident status – is a complex and controversial topic. These University of Houston faculty resources are available to the media to comment directly on the proposal or to provide background information. If you are unable to contact them directly or have a request for a subject not listed below, contact the External Communications office at 713-743-8189.

Center for Immigration Research (CIR) studies current immigration trends in order to inform decision making concerning international and national policies, as well disseminating information to local institutions, organizations and policy-makers involved with the settlement and incorporation of America's “new immigrants” into their communities. The Web site contains a wealth of information about the center’s research projects and reports: http://www.uh.edu/cir/

Michael A. Olivas, William B. Bates Distinguished Chair of Law and director of the Institute of Higher Education Law & Governance. The only person to hold membership in both the American Law Institute and the National Academy of Education, Olivas is a widely recognized expert on immigration law and policy. Additional information: http://www.law.uh.edu/faculty/
Phone: 713-743-2078. E-mail: molivas@uh.edu

Joseph A. Vail, associate professor of law and director of the UH Law Center’s Immigration Law Clinic, which supervises students working on a variety of actual immigration cases. Vail is a former immigration judge.
Phone: 713-743-0897. E-mail: jvail@uh.edu

Nestor Rodriguez, associate professor of sociology and co-director of CIR, is an authority in the study of immigration policy, border enforcement and state repression. (Available 1/9/2004.) Additional information: http://www.sociology.uh.edu/profile_Rodriguez.htm
Phone: 713-743-3946. E-mail: nrodriguez@uh.edu

Jacqueline Maria Hagan, associate professor of sociology and co-director of CIR, is a noted researcher in the fields of immigration, social policy and human rights issues. Additional information: http://www.sociology.uh.edu/profile_Hagan.htm
Phone: (713) 743-3945. E-mail: jhagan@uh.edu

Stephen Zamora, professor of law, is an expert in NAFTA and international trade and lead author of the forthcoming book “Mexican Law.” Additional information: http://www.law.uh.edu/faculty/
Phone: (713) 743-2137. E-mail: szamora@uh.edu

For more information about UH visit the university’s Newsroom at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom

About the University of Houston

The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate, civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and service with more than 35,000 students.

For more information about UH visit the university’s ‘Newsroom’ at www.uh.edu/admin/media/newsroom.