Center for Immigration Studies
U.S. right (immigration restrictionist)
Background
CIS was founded in 1985, growing out of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) network associated with activist John Tanton, and has operated since as a separate nonprofit focused on immigration research. It describes itself as independent and nonpartisan, but its studies and staff — including longtime executive director Mark Krikorian — consistently argue for reduced immigration and stricter enforcement, placing it firmly in the restrictionist camp. The Southern Poverty Law Center has criticized CIS for its ties to the Tanton network and for producing research used to support hardline immigration policy, though CIS has pushed back on that characterization and sought more mainstream credibility over time. Its funding comes largely from private foundations, most notably the Pittsburgh-based Colcom Foundation, along with other conservative-leaning grantmakers; it does not publish a full donor list. CIS officials and alumni have moved into Republican administrations, including the first and second Trump administrations (for example, former CIS-linked figures have served in immigration-enforcement roles), and the group's work is frequently cited by Trump administration officials to justify restrictive policies. In 2026, CIS continued hosting events featuring administration-aligned speakers, such as former Attorney General Jeff Sessions and a State Department official, while Krikorian has also publicly criticized some administration enforcement tactics as insufficiently aggressive, showing a generally sympathetic but not uncritical posture toward the administration.
Sources
- Center for Immigration Studies - Influence Watch
- Center for Immigration Studies - Wikipedia
- Center for Immigration Studies - SourceWatch
- Center for Immigration Studies - Ballotpedia
- Center for Immigration Studies Inc. (990 report)
Profile compiled 2026-10-02; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.