The non-partisan Migration Policy Institute says the government spent $18 billion on immigration in fiscal 2012. That’s more than the combined budgets of the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Secret Service. So where is all that money going? And is it paying off? For the answers, we turn to Muzaffar Chishti, the director of the Institute’s New York office and an author of a new report.

Congress ended its last session failing to reach one of its important goals, namely, comprehensive cybersecurity legislation. The sticking point was how the federal government and private operators of critical infrastructure should interact. Now the Business Roundtable, an industry group, is weighing in. Liz Gasster is a vice president of the Roundtable, specializing in information technology and communications.

You’ve probably been pretty focused on the sequestration side of the fiscal cliff drama recently. But don’t forget, there were changes in the tax code, too. Ed Zurndorfer, registered employee benefit consultant, offers details on what this all means for your refund.