Edward Alden and Liam Schwartz explain how a safe and simple visa process can help the U.S. tourism industry.

Edward Alden and Liam Schwartz recommend a visa screening system that will benefit U.S. security and the economy by focusing scrutiny on high-risk travelers and speeding approval for low-risk ones.

Edward Alden says that as the United States has for the past two decades pursued securing the nation's borders against illegal immigration, the more serious threat to U.S. national security is that ill-conceived or poorly implemented border controls will do lasting damage to the U.S. economy.

Edward Alden says recent progress in the use of biometrics in border control is impressive, but the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department need to tell travelers what is in store.

Immigration reform remains a hot topic in the 2012 presidential race, but the winner will have to move beyond an enforcement-only approach in dealing with illegal immigrants, says CFR's Bernard L. Schwartz Senior Fellow Edward Alden, in a video issue brief.

As the pace of illegal immigration ebbs, Edward Alden writes that politicians should turn their focus to reforming policies for legal immigration.

Four experts weigh in on the role of free trade in driving U.S. economic growth and competitiveness amid high U.S. unemployment and a faltering global economic recovery.

The U.S. ratification of the stalled Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama indicates that "there is a possibility, despite the very great partisan divisions in Congress, of bipartisan cooperation on economic issues," says CFR's Edward Alden. However, Alden emphasizes that "it is important not to overstate the potential job creation benefits" of the agreements.

This Independent Task Force report encourages the Obama administration and Congress to adopt a "pro-America" trade policy that brings to more Americans the benefits of global engagement.

Matthew Slaughter, Ted Alden, Andrew Card, and Tom Daschle recommend the U.S. adopt a comprehensive trade policy to revitalize the American economy.

Edward Alden says the Department of Homeland Security has developed a sensible and effective way to track visa overstays, but the question now is whether Congress will embrace it.

President Obama's much-anticipated speech on reviving the economy was heavy on familiar stimulus measures but failed to lay out policy initiatives that would spur a productive, more competitive U.S. economy, says CFR's Edward Alden.

Which policies have worked and which ones need work ten years after the worst terrorist attacks in U.S. history? CFR experts examine ten issues that have preoccupied U.S. planners.

The tightening of U.S. border and immigration policy since the 9/11 attacks has been far too sweeping, turning away the kind of visitors who have strengthened the country, writes CFR's Edward Alden.

Washington claims that the country's borders are more secure than ever, but the truth is that no one knows for sure.

Edward Alden testifies before the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement. He warns that unnecessary visa delays damage the United States' reputation as a country that champions fairness and due process.

Edward Alden argues that border enforcement must be coupled with sensible reforms that allow more Mexicans to come into the United States legally to work.

Edward Alden discusses how the United States' opaque system of visa checks undermines its ability to attract and retain skilled immigrants.

Edward Alden and James Ziglar argue that fixing the U.S. immigration system requires reforming the laws on legal immigration rather than just the enforcement components. A realistic, flexible visa program that matched available workers to open jobs would reduce pressure on limited enforcement resources.

Edward Alden discusses the next steps in border strategy and a genuine system of “perimeter security” between the United States and Canada.