|
Policy
Resource
Section |
|
2008 Monthly Policy Briefs
MPB page last updated 31 December 2008 |
December
ACTIVITY IN OHIO
Translators will aid Norwood police
Electronic language translating devices soon will be poking holes in the language barrier between Norwood police and the city's Hispanic residents. The state-of-the-art devices, recently donated to Norwood Police Department by a local non-profit group, will enable Hispanics and officers to carry on conversations much more easily than with the older text-based electronic translators. Cincinnati Enquirer. 12/27/08.
Margaret Wong developed private practice into immigration-law powerhouse
Over the past 32 years [Wong] has turned a one-person, general-practice law office into an immigration law firm with eight attorneys and about 50 support staff. Margaret W. Wong & Associates Co. LPA now has $8.5 million in annual billings. A third of the company's growth comes from two New York City offices she acquired in the past two years. Wong, 58, has found a niche, primarily handling visa applications. The firm interviews 400 to 600 potential new clients a month and takes on about one in four of their cases. Each year, her staff files 4,000 to 6,000 work permits, green card applications, visas, naturalization certificates, citizen applications and forms to fight deportation. Plain Dealer. 12/24/08.
Oberlin may amend sanctuary proposal
A controversial proposal to make Oberlin Ohio’s first sanctuary city for illegal immigrants could be amended to allow police the ability to inquire about immigration status, according to City Manager Eric Norenberg. The current version of the resolution prohibits police or other city officials from requesting information about the immigration status of any person except as required by law or court decision. The Chronicle-Telegram. 12/23/08.
Executive director recognized by her peers for dedication
Ms. Ortiz-Flores, who has served as head of the county's human services agency since 2006, has just been awarded the Ohio Job and Family Services Directors' Association's annual Outstanding Director award. She is proud of her Hispanic heritage, and her office is decorated with artwork by Mexican painter Diego Rivera, as well as photos of Ms. Ortiz-Flores with Mexican-American farm worker activist Cesar Chavez, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, and actor Edward James Olmos. Toledo Blade. 12/22/08.
Latinos seek leader; Guzman was 'bridge to all cultures' Community mourns its 'ambassador'
As they mourned the loss of a rare leader, a pioneer who opened doors for Latinos all over town, many wondered who would replace a man widely seen as Cleveland's Spanish -speaking ambassador. Angel Guzman, holder of the fattest Rolodex in the Puerto Rican community, was buried Wednesday after a funeral Mass softened with tears, laughter and lively Spanish hymns sung to an island beat. He died Friday at his Cleveland home at age 58 after a long and painful battle with cancer. Plain Dealer. 12/18/08.
Oberlin moves toward being ‘sanctuary city’
Oberlin - Several members of City Council said Monday night they want to amend a proposal to make Oberlin Ohio’s first “sanctuary city” for illegal immigrants. The issue passed 6-to-1 on the first of three readings, but it could be amended before a final vote. The Chronicle-Telegram. 12/18/08.
Community mourns 5 victims: Small boxes of remains will go home to Mexico today, relatives say
Columbus - Julia Soledad, 41, and four of her children, Anthony E. Mejia Ramirez, 5; Danna Angelica Mejia, 7; Sergio Osvaldo Mejia, 10; and Hugo Ramirez Soledad, 12, died in an accidental electrical fire that ripped through their West Side apartment in the predawn hours of Dec. 6. Family, friends and acquaintances from the children's schools and strangers with heavy hearts gathered in the sanctuary at St. Stephen the Martyr Church on Clime Road. Dispatch-Fronteras. 12/16/08.
Area schools challenged by increase in non-English-speaking students
Stark County - Immigrants from not just Guatemala, but Honduras, Mexico, Romania, Ukraine, Vietnam, Thailand and China, are among those who have settled in Stark County, many speaking limited English. Some speak none at all. Local educators, especially in Canton City Schools, are seeing a rise in the number of students who can’t speak the language. Canton Repository. 12/16/08.
Supreme Court Seeks Comment on Court Interpreters Rules
The Supreme Court of Ohio today announced it will accept public comments until Jan. 13, 2009, on proposed amendments for court interpreters. For the first time, Supreme Court rules would require courts to hire a certified foreign language court interpreter whenever possible, a provisionally qualified foreign language interpreter if a certified interpreter is not available or in cases of rare languages, the courts may appoint a language-skilled interpreter. http://www.sconet.state.oh.us. 12/15/08.
Spanish -language church service comes to Mansfield
A husband and wife are breaking new ground with a new church. The Revs. Christian and Banny Ruiz have started a Spanish -language worship service at the Oasis of Love Church, 190 Chester Ave. "The Lord has opened the doors to expand the kingdom and open a Hispanic church in Mansfield," said Christian, 26. There are Hispanic people throughout Richland County, Christian said. A sizable population lives in the Willard area, he said. Mansfield News Journal. 12/14/08.
Group supporting Terra scholarships
A group of local Hispanic friends, known as Amistad, held its final special event that supports scholarships at Terra Community College. Since 1987, six area couples have been organizing dances, campouts and other social activities which benefitted local colleges. Terra students have shared in the group's generosity since 1996. Throughout the years, the group has contributed more than $15,000 for scholarships for Latino students enrolled at Terra. The Port Clinton News Herald. 12/9/08.
Ask public officials to fix immigration, Letter to the Editor
Dec. 10 is International Human Rights Day. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In the ongoing debates surrounding the issue of immigration, sometimes statements have been made to suggest that migrants and immigrants are excluded from this declaration. This year's theme for the day, "Dignity and Justice for All of Us," reinforces that the document's core values of inherent human dignity, non-discrimination, equality, fairness, and universality, apply to everyone, everywhere and at all times. Toledo Blade. 12/5/08.
Q&A: Language immersion classes
Mansfield - Buzz up! Because the new Spanish immersion program at Raemelton Elementary School this year is just one of five such programs in Ohio, the topic often draws both questions and concerns from people who want to know more about what language immersion classes are, how they work and how useful they'll be as a teaching tool. Mansfield News Journal. 12/4/08.
ACLU Warns Highway Patrol to Stop Racial Profiling: Reports in Ashtabula County Suggest Police Targeting Latinos Based on Appearance:
Ashtabula - The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio sent a letter to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) post in Ashtabula County warning them that targeting people based on their race is illegal and should not be tolerated. The ACLU of Ohio has received numerous reports recently of Latinos who reside, work or travel through Ashtabula County being stopped, searched and detained without due cause. www.acluohio.org. 12/2/08.
ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORING STATES
Illegal Immigration Bust at Indiana BP Oil Refinery
Indiana - Federal agents arrested 15 illegal immigrants at the BP Oil refinery in northwest Indiana. The immigrants were working as contract janitors with an Illinois company. http://www.indianasnewscenter.com/news/local/35965559.html. 12/11/08.
40 attend funeral for Salvadoran immigrant who died in jail in August
Kentucky - Nearly four months after her death, the family of a Salvadoran immigrant who hanged herself from her jail bunk bed as she waited for deportation said their final goodbyes. The service had been delayed because of a series of investigations surrounding Ana Romero Rivera's August death. Romero, 44, was remembered Wednesday in a traditional Catholic funeral Mass in Spanish attended by 40 people at Church of the Annunciation. Lexington News. 12/11/08.
Judge dismisses immigration suit
Kentucky - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit aimed at compelling some Lexington government agencies to curtail public benefits offered to residents who are undocumented immigrants. Lexington Herald-Leader. 12/11/08.
Metro area deportations climb 45%
Michigan - A sharp escalation in enforcement of immigration laws is yielding a spike in deportations of illegal immigrants and rampant fear in some Metro Detroit neighborhoods that are home to longtime, undocumented residents. Detroit News. 12/4/08.
ACTIVITY ACROSS UNITED STATES
Civil Rights
Parents of immigrant shot by agent file suit
Arizona - The parents of an illegal immigrant from Mexico who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the agent Tuesday. The lawsuit, the impact of which could be felt along the entire border, comes a month after an Arizona jury deadlocked for the second time in the prosecution of agent Nicholas Corbett on murder charges. The Arizona Republic. 12/10/08.
Tennessee immigrants fight back fear, sue for rights: Three cases challenge state and local policies
Tennessee - For Enrique Bautista, a turning point came last year at a Franklin driver's license office. A worker took his Tennessee-issued ID and U.S. government-issued green card and disappeared for 20 minutes. When she came back, it was to say she'd be keeping the documents on suspicion they were fake. Bautista, a legal permanent resident, was stunned. He'd never been in trouble with the law. He'd raised five children in the United States, working hard here for decades. But with no ID of any kind, Bautista would be unable to visit family in Mexico for Christmas or even leave the house without fear. So, last month, he sued the Tennessee Department of Safety and joined the ranks of Tennessee Latinos filing civil rights lawsuits against state and local governments. They're claiming policies and actions are directly aimed at making Tennessee a less attractive place to settle, even for legal immigrants. Observers and the plaintiffs themselves say the suits are the strongest evidence so far of a social turning point — a refusal to keep living anonymously and in fear. The Tennessean. 12/7/08.
Hundreds protest New York immigrant's fatal beating
New York - A few hundred people on Sunday marched in Brooklyn to protest last week's fatal beating of a 31-year-old Ecuadorean man -- an incident authorities say may have been a hate crime. Jose Sucuzhanay was beaten December 7 after leaving a party at a church. www.cnn.com. 12/15/08.
Drivers’ Licenses/ Identification
State to Seek Bill Tying Legal Status to Driver's Licenses
Maryland - Maryland's transportation secretary said yesterday that the state will move ahead with legislation to require immigrants to prove they are legal residents before they can drive. If approved by the General Assembly during the legislative session that begins next month, the change would reverse a long-standing policy that makes Maryland one of four states that allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. The move follows an announcement 11 months ago by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) that, in its effort to comply with the federal security law known as Real ID, Maryland would require immigrants to prove a "lawful" presence to be able to legally drive. In effect, O'Malley reversed a plan that his transportation secretary had set in motion to develop a two-tier system that would have issued separate licenses to undocumented immigrants and legal residents. The Washington Post. 12/16/08.
`Visitor' driver's licenses assailed / But Perry says new DPS rules for non-citizens increase security
Texas - "Requiring driver license applicants to prove they are in the country legally before issuing them a license is a prudent course of action that most states already follow," Perry said, adding that most Mexican states and Canadian provinces require foreign nationals to prove their legal immigration status to obtain a driver's license. Houston Chronicle. 12/1/08.
Labor and Employment
Day laborer jobs dry up in wilting economy
California - Across the Bay Area, and in many such centers that serve documented and undocumented workers around the country, the global financial crisis is hitting the sector of local economies once powered by home improvement projects and construction. The day jobs that placed immigrant workers such as Castillo in the job market have all but dried up as the housing crisis forced many homeowners to forgo paying for gardening, housecleaning and other work they used to hire out. San Jose Mercury News. 12/30/08.
State wage laws also protecting illegal workers
Massachusetts - Because the fish man is an undocumented immigrant, he was unlikely to complain to government officials. Then one day, he took a plastic bag of pay stubs to a lawyer, who used these and other documents to file a complaint with the state attorney general's office demanding his full pay. To the fish man's enormous surprise, he won. Super 88 agreed to pay $200,000 in back wages and fines this summer, divided among the fish man and more than 300 other workers, a major victory in a burgeoning statewide effort to curb increasing workplace abuses against immigrants. Increasingly, officials are enforcing a state law that requires that all workers, even those here illegally, are paid for their labor.In the past year, Attorney General Martha Coakley's office has hired more bilingual staffers, made it possible to file a complaint in 90 languages, and distributed a logbook to nonprofits that serve immigrants so that workers can track their hours and wages. The crackdown by lawyers and state officials is forcing companies to pay. Boston Globe. 12/29/08.
New Orleans drawing Hispanics They flock there for jobs, strain social services, become crime victims.
Louisiana - In the three years since Hurricane Katrina, immigrant laborers drawn to the construction and service industry jobs generated by the storm have transformed this rebuilding city. In an accelerated version of the already rapid Latino migration to the South, they are forging their own support networks, establishing businesses, packing churches and starting families - a process that usually takes a decade or more. "There's no place in the world like New Orleans in terms of how rapid the population change has been," said Margie McHugh, co-director of immigration integration policy at the Migration Policy Institute, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington. St. Louis Post - Dispatch. 12/25/08.
Illegal immigrants going home, endangering U.S. labor markets
Florida - While the potential ramifications of a reduced flow of immigrants may not be evident in a recession, labor shortages could emerge once the economy improves. "In a bad economy, U.S. workers may temporarily take those jobs that undocumented workers do, but once things turn around, we may see labor shortages if too many foreign workers leave," said Tammy Fox-Isicoff, a Miami attorney who specializes in business-related immigration. Illegal immigrants not leaving the country are traveling to any city, town or region where jobs might be more plentiful. Businesses that depend on foreign labor are already seeing an impact. Miami Herald. 12/15/08.
Remittances Abroad Hold Steady
Nationwide - The U.S. recession fueled speculation that remittances by migrants to their home countries would dwindle this year, plunging millions of poor families into hardship. As the year draws to a close, it is becoming evident that Mr. Flores and other immigrants have continued to send cash home, even if that required tapping into savings or making other sacrifices in the U.S. By some accounts, in fact, remittances to some countries may be rising as immigrants seek to use the strengthening dollar to put more money into their families' hands. Wall Street Journal. 12/11/08.
Mexicans find leaving U.S. a hard decision; Collapse of the economy forcing some illegal migrants to go back home
Nationwide - Besides the faltering economy, tighter border enforcement and increasing numbers of police raids on undocumented workers have contributed to a modest decline in the USA's illegal immigrant population -- the first such drop in recent memory, says Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based think tank. USA Today. 12/10/08.
Swift meatpacking plant workers 'not afraid anymore'
Utah – [S]ince the 2006 raid, many Latinos and others have taken charge of their own fates, said Juan Mejia, who has worked at the plant for 13 years. "They're not afraid anymore," he said. "They've learned their rights." And just last month, more than two-thirds of workers voted to unionize and join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW). The Salt Lake Tribune. 12/6/08.
Chamber proposes state guest worker program
Utah - Undocumented immigrants would be able to work in Utah legally for a two-year period and have health insurance funded by a special guest worker tax under a plan laid out by business leaders Wednesday. The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce delivered its proposal to the Legislature's Immigration Interim Committee. The plan is designed to address concerns employers have about keeping their workforce intact while complying with state and federal laws. The Salt Lake Tribune. 12/3/08.
Law Enforcement
Washington may deport jailed illegal aliens: Proposal modeled after Arizona program that has saved the state millions
Washington - Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire wants illegal immigrants serving time in state jails deported, a move intended to save the state more than $9 million in the next two-year budget. The deportation proposal is modeled after a program in Arizona that has saved the state more than $18.5 million since 2005, said Eldon Vail, Secretary of the state Department of Corrections. Associated Press. 12/31/08.
Program tries to speed deportations
Rhode Island - The idea was simple: States could flush their prisons early of nonviolent immigrant convicts while helping the federal government close the books on potentially thousands of pending deportations. But implementing what's known as the Rapid REPAT program has been anything but quick. Nearly four months have passed since Rhode Island became the first state to sign up for the program, which allows certain nonviolent immigrants to get out of prison early on the condition they never return to the United States. But the state has yet to finish creating a way to find such inmates in the prison system. And prison officials say the first deportations are months away. The Augusta Chronicle. 12/8/08.
Alamance is ahead of the curve on crackdown
North Carolina - Alamance County has now gained a reputation as one of the toughest places in the South for undocumented immigrants. "The word is out across the state," Sutton said. "If you're an illegal alien, you're going to have a hard time surviving in Alamance County." On a practical level, that philosophy is carried out through what is called the 287(g) program. Greensboro News Record. 12/7/08.
Jamiel's Law may qualify for Los Angeles ballot
California - Since 1979, the Los Angeles Police Department has operated under Special Order 40, which prevents officers from initiating contact with suspects for the sole purpose of inquiring about their immigration status. The policy was implemented so undocumented residents could report crimes and cooperate with police without fear of being deported. The text of Jamiel's Law says the police department should develop a policy to "identify, arrest, deport and/or prosecute and imprison gang members who are in the country illegally, without waiting to catch them committing murders or other crimes before enforcing the immigration laws against them." The Daily Breeze. 12/5/08.
Immigration Enforcement across the States
Local jailers, feds link up to deport illegal foreigners
Georgia - Hundreds of Gwinnett County inmates who are in the country illegally will be fast-tracked for deportation once federal immigration officials begin a 26-day "surge" to screen foreign nationals. The surge is the latest step in an effort to forge a partnership between the county and the federal government that would allow local jailers to begin deportation paperwork. During the surge, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will check the immigration status of all foreign-born inmates booked into the jail regardless of their claim to citizenship. Inmates here illegally will be processed for removal to their home country, Bourbonnais said. The Atlanta Journal – Constitution. 12/31/08.
Dependent on Jail, City of Immigrants Fills Cells With Its Own
Rhode Island - Wyatt, nationally accredited, clean and modern, seemed like one of the better jails in the system, a patchwork of county lockups, private prisons and federal detention centers where government investigations and the news media have recently documented substandard, sometimes lethal, conditions. New York Times. 12/27/08.
Illegal Worker Fine Is Record: Feds hoping to send message on hiring practices
Texas - A record-setting, nearly $21 million settlement that allowed a Houston-based pallet company to avoid criminal prosecution for hiring illegal workers should send a clear message to employers tempted to break immigration laws, federal officials said. Prosecutors who handled the case against IFCO Systems North America said it "severely punishes" the nation's largest pallet manufacturing company, which was caught with more than 1,100 illegal immigrants on its payroll in spring 2006. Houston Chronicle. 12/20/08.
Detention Center Facing Inquiry Will Get No More Immigrant Detainees
Rhode Island - Federal immigration officials said on Friday that they would place no more immigration detainees at a detention center in Rhode Island that is under investigation for its treatment of a Chinese computer engineer from New York who died in custody last summer, his body riddled with cancer and his spine broken. New York Times. 12/6/08.
Latino community still in disarray
Utah - Early on Dec. 12, 2006 -- also the Day of Our Lady Guadalupe, considered a holy day by many Latinos -- immigration agents poured into the 1,100-employee plant in rural Hyrum. They arrested 154 undocumented Latino workers and charged all but seven with violating federal and state identity-fraud and immigration statutes. It was never disclosed how many of those arrested were deported, and it cannot be known how many returned to the U.S. Today, many Latinos -- from the deportees who returned to their children in Utah, to the friends who witnessed their compatriots' fear and misery -- say they were forever changed. Some have found other jobs for much less pay; others can't work because they're caring for families or because they remain undocumented. Many still fear law enforcement and wonder who or what company might be targeted next. The Salt Lake Tribune. 12/4/08.
Hispanic Janitors Arrested at the Library
Arizona - The Mesa Public Library found itself briefly touched by the nationwide conversation about immigration reform when the Maricopa County sheriff and a heavily armed group of some 60 deputies and volunteers, accompanied by police dogs, raided the main library at about 2 a.m. on the morning of October 16. The action resulted in the arrest of three allegedly undocumented janitorial workers of Hispanic descent, two inside the library and one in the library parking lot. American Libraries. Dec 2008. Vol. 39, Iss. 11; pg. 26.
Immigration Reform
Relieve the pressure; Legislative committee describes immigration strains on communities.
Nebraska - The Legislature's Judiciary Committee didn't begin its set of immigration-related hearings around Nebraska with a preconceived notion of its ultimate conclusions and recommendations. Ashford's record in civic life amply demonstrates that he recognizes the importance of respecting and understanding minority populations and the value of diversity. The new report from the Judiciary Committee states that time and again during its hearings, the committee heard Latinos explain a burden they share, as expressed during a hearing in Lexington: "The perception, as they walk through the door and speak that other language, is (that) in a lot of people's mind it immediately clicks -- 'illegal.'" At the same time, Ashford and his fellow committee members have issued a report that frankly concludes that law enforcement personnel, schools and hospitals in many Nebraska communities are under stress relating to illegal immigration. Omaha World – Herald. 12/20/08.
Immigration issues on front burner
Utah - A pitch for a million-dollar project to target immigration-related crime, a plea for help from Utah's federal congressional representatives and a few tweaks to pending state immigration-reform legislation will be considered during the next legislative session. Those changes were proposed as the the final acts of the special-project legislative Immigration Interim Committee, which ceased to exist after Thursday's final meeting at the Capitol. The committee spent the past nine months traveling the state and hearing from Utahns on one of the hottest political topics. The committee was put together following the passage of SB81, the controversial immigration omnibus bill passed in 2008 amid fierce debate and contention. It is not scheduled to take effect until next July. Deseret News. 12/19/08.
Baca targeted by protesting Minutemen
California - "It's time that ([Joe Baca]) stood up for the legal American citizens," said Mary Ann Rohde, a 72-year-old Rialto resident. "He's not representing us. We're his constituents." "Our states are broke," [Mazelle Dyke] said. "They won't pay police, firemen and teachers. But they continue giving free services to illegal aliens at taxpayers' expense." "They hate the fact that the demographics of our society are changing," said Baca, the outgoing chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. "They're not trying to solve problems. We have to deal with the reality that the (immigration) system is broken. People are still here. People have to come out of the shadows. It's not going to happen unless we address it." The Sun. 12/18/08.
Ashford backs state action on immigration; Have a say
Nebraska - Nebraska lawmakers could choose a more heavy-handed approach to illegal immigration by, say, having local police enforce federal rules. They also could lean another way and direct more money toward integration efforts such as English classes for foreigners. Or they could create a special driver's license for illegal immigrants -- a move that supporters say would make streets safer but that critics think would reward scofflaws. All are possibilities included in a report to be discussed at a public hearing Friday hosted by the Legislature's Judiciary Committee. Omaha World - Herald. 12/11/08.
Great Barrington welcomes new arrivals
Massachusetts - The town has joined two other municipalities and 500 residents in Berkshire County who have pledged to welcome and embrace immigrants to the state. The Selectmen on Monday signed on to the resolution that calls for residents and public officials to welcome people of diverse backgrounds in their communities, increase the public discourse on immigration and support legislation that brings about immigration reform. The Berkshire Eagle. 12/10/08.
A life in the shadows
North Carolina - To be an undocumented immigrant is to live in a constant state of worry. And with high-profile cases of massive stings and longtime residents finding themselves caught up in a crackdown, those fears are legitimate. The federal government removed more undocumented immigrants in the past year than any in history -- nearly 350,000 in the 12 months ending Sept. 30. And increasingly, the federal effort is being aided by a new program that essentially deputizes local law officers as federal immigration agents. To be sure, those on the side of getting tough on illegal immigration note that immigrants put themselves in that position. That no one forced them to come here. But advocates for immigrants say the crackdown is driving immigrants into the shadows, making them a separate community and fostering crime and alienation. And, they say, they came for a better life, just as the ancestors of current citizens did. If there were any way to come legally, they would. Greensboro News Record. 12/7/08.
Language and Assimilation
Business leaders urged to fight English-only vote: Dean says amendment is 'antithesis of hospitality'
Tennessee - Nashville business leaders should take up the fight against a proposed city charter amendment that would declare English the official language of the city and ban the city government from providing services in any other language, Mayor Karl Dean told Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday. Speaking at a gathering of members of the chamber's Partnership 2010 economic-development initiative, Dean said that requiring the city to stick to English in all of its dealings would "negatively impact" efforts to lure foreign companies to the city. The Tennessean. 12/10/08.
Supreme Court will not hear English Only appeal
The English Only charter amendment referendum seems to have cleared its last legal hurdle. The English Only charter amendment referendum seems to have cleared its last legal hurdle. On Monday, the Tennessee Supreme Court said it would not grant an expedited hearing to an appeal of a decision in Davidson County Chancery Court last week. Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman rejected a challenge seeking to keep English Only off the Jan. 22 election ballot, because she ruled the issue was not ripe until the special election had taken place. The Tennessean. 12/8/08.
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Citizenship and Status
Salvadorans urged to renew papers; The deadline to reapply for temporary protected immigration status is Dec. 30.
Consular officials in Los Angeles are urging Salvadorans to renew their immigration papers by a Dec. 30 deadline to avoid risking deportation. About 229,000 Salvadorans are eligible for temporary protected status, but only about 39%, or 90,340, have submitted applications, according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Los Angeles Times. 12/24/08.
Years later, a path to amnesty; Many who entered the U.S. on valid visas but fell out of legal status from 1982 to 1988 are eligible under '86 law.
For two decades, Anaheim businessman Erkan Aydin has taken on a task unimaginable for most immigrants like himself: trying to convince the U.S. government that he was here illegally. Aydin, 50, arrived in the United States from his native Turkey with a valid student visa in 1981, but fell out of legal status when he failed to enroll in school, he said.Thanks to a recent legal settlement, the chance to apply for amnesty is finally open to Aydin and tens of thousands of others who entered the country on a valid visa but fell out of legal status between 1982 and 1988. The settlement, approved this fall by a U.S. district court in Washington state, stems from a class-action lawsuit filed by attorney Peter Schey originally on behalf of an immigrant assistance program of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. Los Angeles Times. 12/15/08.
Bush Unveils New Rules for Guest Worker Hiring
The Bush administration announced new rules on Thursday that it said would lessen the bureaucratic burden on employers seeking to hire foreign farm workers. Advocates for the workers, however, contended the changes would depress wages and working conditions. New York Times. 12/12/08.
Human trafficking victims' long wait for relief near end / Immigration officials to issue rules letting them get green cards
Federal immigration officials agreed Monday to long-awaited proposals that for the first time would provide a path to permanent legal residency to hundreds of human trafficking victims in Houston and across the United States. Houston Chronicle. 12/9/08.
Customs, Border, and Federal Immigration Enforcement
Department of Homeland Security Expands Collection of Biometrics for Visitors; Additional Non-U.S. Citizens To Provide Fingerprints and Photographs When Entering the United States
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it is expanding the categories of non-U.S. citizens required to provide digital fingerprints and a photograph upon entry to the United States through the US-VISIT program. PR Newswire. 12/18/08.
Looming federal DNA collection draws protests / Illegal migrants are among federal detainees who will face the rule Jan. 9
The Bush administration on Wednesday published a controversial rule expanding federal agencies' power to collect DNA samples from all federal detainees, including hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants caught at the nation's borders each year. The regulation, which will take effect Jan. 9, has met with vocal opposition from civil libertarians and immigrant advocates, who argue that it gives the federal government broad discretion to collect sensitive biometric information. But the U.S. Justice Department described the expanded collection in its rule as a means to "prevent and deter" criminal activity and specifically to solve crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the U.S. Houston Chronicle. 12/11/08.
Deportation Airline Grows with Enforcement Efforts
The little-known Flight Operations Unit was established by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2006 to handle the repatriation of the surging number of illegal immigrants caught up in tougher enforcement. In fiscal 2008, which ended Sept. 30, the airline delivered more than 76,000 OTMs (other than Mexicans) back to their homes, a 51 percent jump from two years before. It also delivered about 134,000 Mexicans, mostly to places like San Antonio or San Diego, before they were bused to the border. This year's budget for all transportation and removal efforts is $281.4 million. The effort is not unlike running a commercial airline, said Craig Charles, a 22-year veteran of the immigration service who is now acting director of flight operations for what is known as ICE Air. It works to fill every seat on each plane to keep costs low, keep flights on time and treat its passengers well. Washington Post. 12/7/08.
Obama inheriting court fight on Bush immigration tactic
President-elect Barack Obama will inherit a legal dispute over the Bush administration's attempt to pressure employers to fire suspected illegal immigrants, now that a federal judge in San Francisco has denied a government request to decide the issue by mid-January. San Francisco Chronicle. 12/6/08.
Education
Lugar's bill aids immigrant children
There’s always something good that emerges from a really bad situation. In the case of the lousy economy, one positive outcome would be enactment of some sensible immigration legislation. Specifically, a bill to give the kids of illegal immigrants a path to citizenship. Sen. Richard Lugar has been a longtime and consistent supporter of such an approach, but intense – and often ugly – emotions have blocked it. Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. 12/7/08.
Human Trafficking
Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-Op Team Detectives Rescue 34 Undocumented Aliens from Phoenix Home
Detectives from the Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-op Team (IIMPACT) rescued 34 individuals identified as undocumented aliens today that were physically being held against their will. The residence had fortified windows with what is believed to be "guard post area" to prevent escape and control those being held (photos to be provided). Very little food was found in the kitchen, definitely not enough to feed the 34 being held plus the 3 suspects. The shoes had been removed and stored in a separate room as a form of control to prevent escape. It is believed that group may have been at that residence for at least four days. Interviews conducted so far have verified the physical assaults, threats and intimidation. The group is believed to consist of undocumented aliens from Central America. US Fed News Service. 12/26/08.
Immigration Reform
Immigration overhaul now?; Supporters hope to soon revive a package to legalize workers, but the economy may hamper matters.
Mermin said that the majority of Americans he surveyed for America's Voice support a comprehensive solution that would secure the borders, crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants, and offer legalization to undocumented migrants who pay fines, learn English and meet other requirements. Los Angeles Times. 12/19/08.
Language and Assimilation
'Americanization' effort is urged
The United States must embark on an aggressive effort to integrate immigrants, including teaching them English and U.S. history, a federal task force recommended Thursday. If this "Americanization" fails, the nation could see major problems in 20 or 30 years, with foreign-born populations detached from the larger society and engaging in anti-social behavior, said Alfonso Aguilar, who heads the U.S. Office of Citizenship. Aguilar compared the potential strife to what is occurring in some western European countries where foreign-born populations do not feel part of the larger society and are not accepted by many as full citizens. "We should not be naive and assume that the assimilation process is going to happen automatically," Aguilar said at a press conference. Deseret News. 12/19/08.
Military
Around the Nation
Struggling to find enough doctors, nurses and linguists for wars, the Pentagon will temporarily recruit foreigners who have been living in the United States on student and work visas, or with refugee or political asylum status. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has authorized the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps to recruit legal residents whose critical medical and language skills are "vital to the national interest," officials said, using for the first time a law passed three years ago. Though the military previously has taken recruits with green cards seeking permanent residency, Gates's action allows the services to start a one-year pilot program to find as many as 1,000 foreigners who have lived in the States legally for at least two years on certain types of temporary visas. The new recruits into the military would get accelerated treatment toward becoming citizens. The Washington Post. 12/6/08.
November
ACTIVITY IN OHIO
Sheriff has advice for Obama
Butler County Sheriff Rick Jones, a Republican, wrote the following in a letter to Democrat Barack Obama: "The violence on the Mexico-United States border has increased to the point of United States citizens being kidnapped, taken into Mexico and held for ransom. The drugs coming from Mexico to the United States is out of control and it appears we have no policy to control any of these serious problems. I believe they need to be addressed by the new President ... Hopefully the members of Congress, Senate and Representatives can come up with a policy that will save this country from the mire before the conditions get worse." Cincinnati.com. 11/22/08.
Justice Department Opens Inquiry Into Franklin Co. Sheriff's Office
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an investigation into the Franklin County Sheriff's Office after complaints brought forth by the Ohio Hispanic Coalition. The complaint stems from a 4-year-old girl's drowning in May 2007. The complaint alleges that dispatchers "took too long to understand or communicate" with the girl's father. The complaint also referred to a September 2004 fire that claimed the lives of 10 Spanish-speaking people. The coalition claims that 911 dispatchers failed to communicate with callers in their "primary language." WBNS 10TV. 11/19/08.
Oberlin urged to become a sanctuary city
Federal officials will get no help from city officials or police in looking for illegal immigrants if council approves a proposed "no-assist" law. The city's Human Relations Commission this week recommended the council adopt a law that would make the town a sanctuary city, believed to be Ohio's first. The law would assure that all residents, including those living in the city illegally, can turn to the Police or Fire department for help and not be turned over to immigration officials, City Manager Eric Norenberg said. Plain Dealer. 11/13/08.
Casa Amiga, Catholic Charities forge partnershipThursday, November 13, 2008
Catholic Charities and Casa Amiga are pairing up to provide services to Hispanic and other residents in the rural areas of Clark County. Maria Messer, program director at Casa Amiga of the Tecumseh YMCA, said employees at Catholic Charities recently began sending employees into more rural sections of the county to help needy residents sign up for services, including food stamps and home heating assistance. In turn, Messer said Casa Amiga will begin working with its Hispanic clients to make them more aware of those services. Springfield News-Sun. 11/13/08.
Summit Officers Will Use High-Tech Translator - Units Can Turn Phrases Essential to Police Duty Into 9 Foreign Languages
For Sagamore Hills Township police officer Dan Rice, the situation was a nightmare. Inside the bar, a man lay on the floor drifting in and out of consciousness. Outside, officers tried to communicate with four Hispanic suspects accused of assaulting him. Three didn't speak English. Police in Summit County will soon have a new tool to help them deal with such frustrating and confusing situations- a high-tech, hand-held language translator. The county Emergency Management Agency has bought 36 SpeechGuards for $29,800 to hand out to local law enforcement agencies. Akron Beacon Journal. 11/10/08.
Oberlin holds vigil for immigrants
Tiny lights in the hands of about 50 people Saturday night pierced the darkness at Tappan Square during a vigil for Mexican nationals. The candlelight rally, on the corner of West College and Main streets, was triggered by the Oct. 30 arrests of two men working at Casa Fiesta restaurant in Oberlin. The men were targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who also raided Casa Fiesta on July 23 and arrested five other suspected illegal immigrants. The Chronicle-Telegram. 11/9/08.
ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORING STATES
Study: Immigrants drive job growth
Pennsylvania - About 220 businesses, employing 900 workers, occupy the six-block stretch of 52nd Street between Arch and Spruce streets in West Philadelphia. Overwhelmingly, they are immigrant-owned, reported the Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians, which hopes a study released this month will bring attention to the contributions being made by immigrants to the city’s struggling commercial corridors. Immigrants have accounted for nearly 75 percent of the area’s labor growth since 2000 and, when compared to native born, more are employed (73 percent versus 71.5 percent) and self-employed (10.7 percent versus 7.9 percent), according to a new Brookings Institution study, “Recent Immigration to Philadelphia: Regional Change in a Re-Emerging Gateway.” Philadelphia Business Journal. 11/28/08.
Woman who died in jail held there too long
Kentucky - Why was the woman found hanging in an isolated jail cell on Aug. 21 being held in custody 11 days longer at Franklin County Regional Jail than federal regulations allowed? That's the key question behind the suicide of Ana Romero 44, who was in the local jail awaiting deportation back to El Salvador, her home. Franklin County Jailer Billy Roberts said Thursday he didn't know why Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents hadn't come to get Romero. State-Journal. 11/21/08.
Lawmakers pushing change face hurdles
Indiana - The presidential election disappointed state Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, and not just because his party’s candidate lost. Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain avoided making immigration change a key platform issue. “None of the candidates were talking about it,” he said. Delph’s proposal during the last legislative session focused on a crackdown on companies that hire illegal immigrants. It drew criticism from opponents who called it antibusiness and others who called it racist. It prompted the session’s only walkout, by Delph’s Republican counterparts in the House. A Spanish-language newspaper in Indianapolis called Delph “El Diablo” – “the devil” – in a front-page headline. In the end, a much-tweaked version of Delph’s bill died in conference committee. Fort Wayne Journal Gazzette. 11/20/08.
Sides wrangle over enforcement
Indiana - An immigration officer, wearing the familiar brown and tan of the Allen County Sheriff's Department? It could happen. Advocates of local illegal immigration overhauls say area police agencies need the authority to arrest illegal immigrants. Critics say doing so usurps federal powers and could cast a cloud of suspicion over all Hispanics, even those born in the U.S. Fort Wayne Journal Gazzette. 11/20/08.
No consensus on immigration
Indiana - When it comes to the issue of illegal immigration in Indiana, it seems the only consensus is yes, it’s an issue. How extensive it is, how best to address it and even whether addressing it should be a priority are far from clear. Leaving a solution to federal lawmakers remains the best course. Fort Wayne Journal Gazzette. 11/18/08.
LMPD uses radio program to bridge gap with Hispanic community
Kentucky - November 20th marks the anniversary of a radio program designed to strengthen ties with the Spanish speaking community. Since many non-natives do not understand all of our laws, yet they can be punished for violating them, this program gives them a chance to learn and ask questions anonymously. WAVE, Kentucky. 11/18/08.
Program that teaches subjects in different languages given high marks
Michigan - Interest in Muskegon's Spanish-English immersion classrooms is so high this year that the school district decided to add pre-kindergarten to the new program. In all, about 90 English- and Spanish-speaking pre-kindergarten through second-graders have enrolled in the two-way immersion program at Moon Elementary School. Principal Kristina Precious said about 40 percent of students are English-speaking and 60 percent are Spanish-speaking. "We're pretty much full to capacity with the space we have here at Moon," Precious said. The immersion program, which has students learning all their subjects both in English and Spanish, is new this year. The idea is to have English-speaking students become fluent in Spanish and for Spanish-speaking students to become fluent in English. The Muskegon Chronicle. 11/9/08.
Illegal immigrants in Franklin County: Status checks not part of routine for police
Pennsylvania - While no one knows the number of illegal immigrants in Chambersburg and surrounding areas, they are indeed present. Law enforcement will tell you that. "There are a fair amount here," said new Chambersburg Police Chief David Arnold, in a recent interview. Chambersburg Public Opinion. 11/8/08.
Detroit ICE Office Returns Record Number Of Illegal Immigrants
Michigan - Record levels of criminal and fugitive alien arrests were made in Michigan during the fiscal year 2008, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Thursday. The number of illegal aliens recorded and sent back by the ICE’s Detroit Office of Detention and Removal Operations rose more than 45 percent in the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. WDIV. 11/6/08.
ACTIVITY ACROSS UNITED STATES
Drivers’ Licenses/ Identification
Many states ... not Texas ... reject federal ID law
Texas - In requiring foreign nationals to prove they are lawfully in the country in order to get a driver's license or ID card, Texas says it is closer to complying with the federal Real ID Act, a 2005 law intended to prevent terrorism and reduce identity fraud. Austin American Statesman. 11/18/08.
DPS checkpoint plan appropriately scrapped
Texas - Department officials had asked Attorney General Greg Abbott whether officers had the authority to set up checkpoints to randomly review licenses, registrations and proof of insurance. It was a thinly veiled attempt to ensnare illegal immigrants who might not have a valid license. There was no other good reason for such random checks. There was so much wrong with the idea, and it drew so much opposition from legislators and others, that Allan Polunsky, chairman of the Texas Department of Public Safety Commission, withdrew the request to Abbott. Austin American Statesman. 11/18/08.
Education
Urban Districts Urged to Prepare for Immigration Raids; Students whose parents are detained said to need many types of assistance.
Nationwide - At an Oct 24 panel discussion at the Council of the Great City Schools' (CGCS) annual conference, school district leaders urged their colleagues to make concrete plans for taking care of students whose parents have been picked up in workplace raids by federal immigration agents. CGCS is an organization of the nation's largest urban public school systems, advocating K-12 education in inner-city schools Education Week. 11/5/2008.
On Documented Dreams
Arizona - When Prop 300 passed, it meant that Principal Yvonne Watterson could no longer use state funding to pay for the college courses for undocumented students-more than 20% of the student body. Watterson explains: “After the Arizona Republic backlash, I met Jose Cardenas, a lawyer who also hosts a PBS program, Horizonte. He invited me to be on the program, and after it aired, we received an anonymous contribution of $25,000. We also earned a $50,000 grant from the Stardust Foundation and have received additional contributions and exposure from interviews with the New York Times, the Irish Sunday World, and even the BBC's World radio program.” Yvonne Watterson is the principal of GateWay Early College High School in Phoenix, AZ, and the editor of Documented Dreams, a published compilation of her students' letters to donors. Principal Leadership. 11/2008. Vol. 9, Issue 3, pg 60.
Health
Deported in Coma, Saved Back in U.S.
California - Antonio Torres's experience sharply illustrates the haphazard way in which the American health care system handles cases involving uninsured immigrants who are gravely injured or seriously ill. Whether these patients receive sustained care in this country or are privately deported by a hospital depends on what emergency room they initially visit. For days, Mr. Torres languished in a busy emergency room in Mexico, but his parents, Jesus and Gloria Torres, were not about to give up on him. Although many uninsured immigrants have been repatriated by American hospitals, few have seen their journey take the U-turn that the Torreses engineered for their son. They found a hospital in California willing to treat him, loaded him into a donated ambulance and drove him back into the United States as a potentially deadly infection raged through his system. New York Times. 11/9/08.
Housing
Cherokee County: Renter rule will be delayed
Georgia - The ordinance, Cherokee's second attempt in three years to crack down on illegal immigrants, also would give the county the power to suspend the business licenses of companies that hire undocumented workers. The Atlanta Journal - Constitution. 11/8/08.
Immigration Enforcement across the States
The Nation; Tax probe targets illegal workers; A Colorado county combed thousands of records for immigrants using stolen Social Security numbers.
Colorado - Last month, [Weld County authorities] served a warrant to search thousands of records at Amalia's Translation and Tax Services, looking for illegal immigrants who have used Americans' Social Security numbers to file their own taxes. "Obviously, the federal government isn't doing their job, and it's falling to local agencies to do it," Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said. The search is the latest sign of escalating tension as local authorities seek to combat illegal immigration, traditionally a federal concern. Weld County Dist. Atty. Ken Buck said prosecutors from throughout the Southwest have inquired about the effort. Los Angeles Times. 11/29/08.
U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Teams Nab 104 Illegal Aliens Following Five-Day Targeted Enforcement Action In Carolinas, Georgia
Regional - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced today that a five-day targeted fugitive operation that culminated Friday in the Carolinas and Georgia netted 104 fugitive aliens and immigration violators. US Fed News Service. 11/25/08.
Managers Indicted in Immigration Case
Iowa - The superseding indictment pulls together a handful of cases pending against Agriprocessors employees and lists charges including conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants for profit; harboring and aiding and abetting undocumented immigrants for profit; conspiracy to commit document fraud; aiding and abetting document fraud; aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft; and bank fraud. The Washington Post. 11/22/08.
Raided factory, workers make deal on owed OT
Massachusetts - The former owner of a New Bedford leather goods factory raided by immigration officials early last year has settled a class-action lawsuit, agreeing to pay $850,000 to former employees who worked up to 16 hours a day but weren't paid overtime. The lawsuit alleged that Michael Bianco Inc. set up a sham corporation, Front Line Defense Inc., to avoid paying overtime wages to employees, many of whom were illegal immigrants. Boston Globe. 11/19/08.
Tax Sweep Could Affect Thousands Of Immigrants
Colorado - An immigrant's tax scam in Weld County has launched a sweeping investigation authorities say could yield 1,300 arrests over the next year -- a crackdown some complain is a backhanded attempt to oust immigrants. TheDenverChannel.com. 11/16/08.
Back in the U.S., and back in trouble; Federal agents hope to shut a revolving door of deported criminals who return
Minnesota - Yet the illegal immigrant keeps coming back and getting into trouble, including convictions for drug possession, damage to property and fleeing a police officer. Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE's criminal investigations in Minnesota, said the strategy is to target the worst offenders -- gang members, drug dealers -- with felony reentry prosecution and a prison sentence of up to 20 years. Star Tribune. 11/3/08.
Immigration Reform
After helping Obama win, Latinos plan to press for comprehensive immigration reform
California - On Monday, after a meeting between Obama and Sen. John McCain, his defeated GOP rival, aides suggested immigration was an issue the two could work on together, given that McCain has a history of co-authoring comprehensive reform bills that included a program for undocumented workers to earn legal status, more workplace enforcement and more visas for foreigners to legally fill proven labor shortages. The Sacremento Bee. 11/24/208.
Va. Panel on Immigration Steps Back From Hard Line
Virginia - Virginia, known for some of the nation's toughest policies on illegal immigration, appears to be abandoning its hard-line approach as state officials consider proposals to help foreign-born residents assimilate, including increasing the number of English classes. In the coming weeks, the Virginia Commission on Immigration will send Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) two dozen recommendations, most of which would help immigrants instead of penalizing them. Those on both sides of the issue say interest in immigration has waned because of the growing economic crisis, a clearer understanding of the state's limitations on a largely federal issue and backlash at the voting booth. Washington Post. 11/24/08.
Deportation efforts defended / Chertoff's letter to Perry reveals a clash of the titans
Texas - U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff fired back Friday at Gov. Rick Perry's sharp criticism of federal efforts to deport illegal immigrants booked into Texas jails. Houston Chronicle. 11/22/08.
Protest supports minority groups
Rhode Island - Carrying signs that read "We are all human" and "No one is illegal," about 40 community activists and students gathered in the cold yesterday evening to chant, cheer and draw attention to the plight of some of their friends. They also came with a demand: that racial profiling and immigration enforcement by local and state police officers end. The Providence Journal. 11/20/08.
Widow of American Citizen Challenges Unlawful Green Card Policy
New York - The New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) today filed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service's (USCIS) policy of automatically denying green card applications submitted by husbands and wives of U.S. citizens solely because their citizen spouse died before the government processed the applications. PR Newswire. 11/20/08.
Cornyn seeks probe of inmate screening / Chronicle report prompts ICE to cite recent changes in immigrant releases
Texas - U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has called for an investigation into how immigration officials screen inmates in Harris County Jail, following a report this week by the Houston Chronicle. Houston Chronicle. 11/18/08.
Cardinal calls for broad-based legalization plan / Church activists at summit take aim at U.S. policies
Texas - In arguments rich in biblical allusion, church and social activists Monday took aim at the nation's immigration policies - laws they contended split families, criminalize undocumented workers and undercut America's reverential self-image as a land of opportunity. "There are 200 million migrants," Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Catholic Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston told those gathered for The Metropolitan Organization's Clergy Summit: Welcoming the Stranger and Immigration Reform. Houston Chronicle. 11/18/08.
Immigration debate in St. George gets heated
Utah - State lawmakers heard various views on illegal immigration and some crowd members even appeared to support violent action taken against undocumented immigrants. The meeting of the Legislature's Interim Committee on Immigration was as informative at times as it was inflammatory. The group, comprised of 11 members of Utah's House and Senate, has been traveling the state to collect input on a Senate bill concerning undocumented workers that takes effect in July 2009. The Salt Lake Tribune. 11/13/08.
South Carolina Christian group wants end to immigration raids
South Carolina - A Christian group wants the federal government to stop immigration raids in South Carolina until immigration laws are overhauled. Spartanburg Herald – Journal. 11/12/08.
Mayors in quandry over Utah immigration law
Utah - State, county and city employees will be required to do the work of immigration agents next summer. And several mayors worry about where they will find the money to verify the legal residency of everyone who tries to use public services - from 8year-olds signing up for Little League to seniors attending activity centers. The Salt Lake Tribune. 11/9/08.
Labor and Employment
'Knowingly,' companies can argue against sanctions Firms can make the claim they aren't responsible for hiring illegal immigrants.
Missouri - Jeff Schaeperkoetter looked into his crystal ball and predicted what the next lawsuit against the state of Missouri would look like. The assistant attorney general represents his boss, Jay Nixon, on the Missouri Housing Development Commission, which grants state tax credits to encourage low-income housing developments. On Monday, Schaeperkoetter warned his fellow commissioners what would happen if they choose to punish a developer because one of his subcontractors hired illegal immigrants. Be careful, he said, about coming down hard on the company without being able to prove that it actually did something wrong. St. Louis Post – Dispatch. 11/30/08.
Immigrant workers not getting paid now a more common issue
Tennessee - Mr. Samayoa’s case is not that uncommon, local organizations and law enforcement officials say. Some employers feel they can get away with not paying illegal immigrants because, after all, what can such workers do? Fear of deportation keeps them away from the police or the courts, a sticking point some employers exploit. Chattanooga Police Department Officer Harold Diaz, who called Mr. Samayoa’s former employer about the wages owed, said he has received two complaints in the past couple of months about 12 Hispanic workers not getting paid at two separate companies. He’s sure there are many more cases he doesn’t hear about, he said. Chattanooga Times Free Press. 11/26/08.
Task force seeks to require E-Verify; Making the immigration status check mandatory is just one of the measures the task force is advocating.
Nebraska - A task force here wants to require employers to electronically verify the immigration status of job applicants or face penalties, including fines and a loss of the right to operate in town. Mandatory use of the E-Verify system was among the recommendations presented Wednesday to the Fremont City Council by the study group assembled after a controversial city debate over how to rid Fremont of illegal immigrants. Omaha World – Herald. 11/14/08.
Inquiry Finds Wrongdoing At Employment Agencies
New York - About half of the employment agencies licensed in New York City have used illegal or deceptive practices, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said in an announcement on Wednesday. In the most egregious cases, agencies have systematically swindled the city's most vulnerable job seekers, the mayor said. After an 18-month investigation, which included a review of the more than 330 licensed agencies in the city and undercover inspections by agents with video cameras, the Department of Consumer Affairs shut down three companies, collected $160,000 in fines and delivered $80,000 in restitution to clients. Many of the clients were immigrants looking for restaurant, domestic and manual-labor jobs as a "first foothold in the work force," the mayor said. New York Times. 11/13/08.
A waste of brain power; Nationwide, college-educated legal immigrants aren't fulfilling their potential because their credentials aren't recognized here, study finds.
California - Michael Fix, senior vice president of the Migration Policy Institute, said the need to help immigrant professionals gain the requisite credentials and experience is particularly acute now that the nation faces the impending retirement of 77 million baby boomers, considered the most skilled workforce in history. The report urged several new measures to help ease the way for immigrant professionals, including more language and workforce training, national coordination of credentialing criteria and three-year transitional visas to allow employers to "test the waters" with foreign workers. Los Angeles Times. 11/11/08.
Sanctions-law revamp faltered
Arizona - An attempt to rewrite the state's law on how to penalize employers for hiring undocumented workers headed for defeat. Proposition 202, the illegal-hiring measure, contained looser requirements for employers who hired new workers as of Jan. 1. It also proposed a tougher penalty for ID fraud. The Arizona Republic. 11/5/08.
Language and Assimilation
Justice in translation: Workload for courtroom interpreters soars in Marion's 5th Circuit
Florida - The sheer increase in numbers of non-English speaking individuals - mostly Hispanic - who have been moving into the county over the past decade is driving the demand for qualified interpreters who can translate court proceedings or conversations between attorney and client. The 5th Circuit employs 16 interpreters on a contract basis, 12 alone for the Spanish language. Unlike other circuits in the state, it does not employ any full-time interpreters, although it recently requested five full-time Spanish staff interpreters in its 2009-10 legislative budget proposal. Ocala.com. 11/21/08.
English-only fallout hard to predict: Other cities' results offer little insight
Tennessee - When Davidson County residents go to the polls Jan. 22, they'll have one thing to consider: Should Nashville become the largest U.S. city to name English as its official language, limiting to English virtually everything from ordinary interactions with government to Metro publications and meetings? What's likely to happen if the plan passes is difficult to measure, based on results from other U.S. cities that have taken similar steps. The Tennessean. 11/8/08.
All state ballot issues, constitutional amendments pass [including English Only]
Missouri - The English-only amendment passed overwhelmingly on Tuesday. Amendment 1 makes English the official language of government proceedings but would leave translation services unchanged. It adds to the Missouri Constitution a provision that applies to all governmental meetings where any public business is discussed or decided or public policy is formulated. This can cover any meeting, conference call, video conference, Internet chat or message board where public business is discussed. The Missourian. 11/5/08.
Voters don't limit teaching students new to English
Oregon - Voters rejected Measure 58, which would have strictly limit teaching students new to English in their native language. Supporters said the measure, which would have limited teaching English learners in their native language to one year in elementary school or two years in high school, would spur schools to work harder to teach students to read and write English as soon as they enter school. Opponents said the measure was a crude, one-size-fits-all approach that no educators endorse. Teaching students to read and write in their first language -- an approach used with only 15 percent of Oregon's English learners -- has proven to help students become stronger readers and writers in English in the long run. The Oregonian. 11/4/08.
Law Enforcement
ICE Will Screen Immigrants at Jail; County Gets Video Conferencing System
Virginia - The Fairfax County Sheriff's Office has been rejected for training and authorization to process illegal immigrants into the federal immigration system, but a better option has emerged, Sheriff Stan G. Barry said. Instead of training jail officers to be deputies, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency is installing video teleconferencing equipment in the Fairfax jail. ICE agents outside the jail will interview and screen illegal immigrants for possible deportation, Barry and agency officials said last week. The Washington Post. 11/27/08.
Immigrant's Death Overshadows a Debate
New York - Over the years, the immigration issue has been very, very good to Steve Levy, Suffolk County's suddenly embattled county executive. Beginning with his support of an English-only proposal two decades ago, to a number of high-profile initiatives he's pushed since he was elected county executive in 2003, Mr. Levy has become hugely popular locally and a national figure as a proponent of measures meant to crack down on illegal immigration. Now, in the wake of the killing of an Ecuadorean immigrant, Marcelo Lucero, by what the police said was as a group of seven teenagers intent on finding "a Mexican" to attack, and Mr. Levy's widely criticized comments after the death, the picture is decidedly more mixed. New York Times. 11/20/08.
Manassas to Check Arrestees' Immigration Status; Policy Mirrors Prince William's
Virginia - A new immigration policy will take effect in Manassas next month as officials try to curb the number of illegal immigrants who commit crimes in the community. Beginning Dec. 1, Manassas police will check the immigration status of anyone arrested in the city, Manassas Police Chief John J. Skinner told the City Council on Monday. The new "Immigration Enforcement General Order" policy is in line with Prince William County's plan and will be applicable to all sworn officers. Washington Post. 11/2/08.
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Citizenship and Status
Immigration to Go Paperless; Agency Plans Electronic Overhaul of Case-Management System
The Bush administration has launched a major overhaul of the nation's immigration services agency, selecting an industry consortium led by IBM to reinvent how the government handles about 7 million applications each year for visas, citizenship and approval to work in the United States, officials announced yesterday. The Washington Post. 11/7/08.
Customs, Border, and Federal Immigration Enforcement
New Immigration Regulation Eased After Firms Complain; Homeland Security Measure Requires Checks of New Hires
In a concession to business groups, the Homeland Security Department will significantly scale back its planned crackdown this winter on federal contractors that hire illegal immigrants. Under a rule published yesterday, the agency said only contractors that do more than $100,000 in federal work will be required to use an electronic government system to check the work documents of new hires. Originally, officials had proposed that companies doing $3,000 in federal work must comply. Washington Post. 11/15/08.
Language and Assimilation
Courts need more interpreters; Immigrant cases spike U.S. demand
An existing shortage of certified court interpreters is worsening, court officials say, as law enforcement agencies step up actions against illegal immigrants. Arrests leading to federal prosecutions and deportations reached record levels in fiscal year 2008, according to an October report by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. USAToday. 11/19/08.
Interpreter: Claims to Be Certified; No Reversible Error
A Tennessee Court has upheld the death penalty, after various claims of errors. One of these included the fact that the interpreter for a witness claimed to be certified but in fact was not. Because the defense had made no objection, and there was no other evidence that the fairness of the trial was undermined, the Court did not find this error to be sufficient for reversal. State v. Banks--- S.W.3d. http://representingforeignnationals.blogspot.com. 11/17/08.
Law Enforcement
FBI: Attacks against Hispanics on rise
Attacks on Hispanics grew 40 percent from 2003 to 2007, outpacing the estimated 16 percent increase in the Hispanic population in the U.S., according to FBI statistics. Over the same time period, the total number of hate-crime incidents reported nationwide has remained steady. Connecticut Post. 11/23/08.
Immigration Reform
Obama taps Stanford professors; Co-leader of team expected to bring broader perspective
Stanford law Professor Tino Cuellar was named this week to lead President-elect Barack Obama's transition working group on immigration, putting him among the many scholars from the Bay Area who are helping shape the next administration. The team is one of seven policy groups Obama has convened to develop priorities for the first months of his presidency on topics ranging from education to the economy to national security. San Francisco Chronicle. 11/22/08.
October
ACTIVITY IN OHIO
Newcomers learn English at bookstore
Sometimes, the best classroom isn't a classroom at all. Marilyn Mason learned that recently when trying to find a location for her English as a Second Language class at Scarlet Oaks Vocational School in Sharonville. With no school-funded program for adult students this fall, she decided to continue holding the class as a volunteer. But finding a space was a problem. Libraries, churches and community centers in the area were already in use. Cincinnati Enquirer. 10/30/08.
Fremont local honored
Mark Pickett of Fremont was honored with the Friend of the Latino Community award at the 19th annual Diamante Awards celebration this fall. The Diamante Awards are granted to individuals and organizations that have had a beneficial impact on the Latino community. The News-Messenger. 10/27/08.
Ohioans want immigrants to stay, poll says
Let illegal immigrants stay here. That's what 56 percent of Ohioans said in a poll conducted this month by the University of Cincinnati Institute for Policy Research – and people polled in Southwest Ohio topped that figure. In this corner of the state, 60 percent said they favored a government policy that allowed undocumented immigrants to stay in the country and become U.S. citizens if they met unspecified requirements in a certain timeframe. Cincinnati Enquirer. 10/26/08.
Abused women fear loss of home - But deportation won't follow police report, officials say
Immigrant women who are beaten by their spouses are sometimes reluctant to report abuse, their advocates say, out of fear that the men will be deported. And more might suffer in silence, they say, as federal authorities step up deportation efforts. The women want the violence to stop, but they don't want the family breadwinner and father of their children to leave the country. Also, the women fear being deported themselves. But they shouldn't worry about being arrested for reporting domestic violence, said Corey Price, an assistant field office director for Immigration and Customs Enforcement who is in charge of detention-and-removal operations for Ohio. Columbus Dispatch. 10/18/08.
Local economy needs influx of immigrants, banking official says
To some, immigration is a problem waiting to be solved. To Rose Zitiello, it's a resource waiting to be tapped. Zitiello, manager of bank relations for Cleveland, fancies herself a builder of multicultural bridges. A community-development specialist, Zitiello believes immigrants are a key to Cleveland's economic rebound and can help revitalize a sagging housing market. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 10/13/08.
Hispanic Marriage Day in Cleveland encourages couples to wed
At Cleveland's first-ever Hispanic Marriage Day, the keynote address came in two languages. But both speeches during the Sunday event conveyed the same firm message: As births to unwed couples climb upward in the Hispanic community, parents must learn to work through conflicts and stay together for their children's sake. Cleveland Plain Dealer. 10/13/08.
Hispanics angered by ad: Local GOP points to sender
National and local Hispanic groups are demanding Republican leaders apologize for and denounce a "racist" ad mailed to voters in a suburban Cincinnati state House race - an ad using a Chihuahua wearing a sombrero with the tagline, "Can you speak Spanish?" Cincinnati.com. 10/10/08.
English-only ballots for Huron County Board of Elections
At first glance, the English-only ballots in Willard appear to be at odds with the city's large cluster of Hispanic voters. But a closer look shows special ballots may not be necessary -- at least for now. Sandusky Register. 10/5/08.
Immigration policy forces a painful choice
Fatiha Elgharib will soon face a decision no mother should have to face. The Englewood mother is facing deportation to her native Morocco. Should she leave Sami — her 6-year-old son with Down syndrome — to grow up without his mother? Or should she bring the young American citizen back with her to a country where he will have minimal access to medical care and education? Dayton Daily News. 10/5/08.
Civil rights labor leader stresses unity to NKU in handling immigration issue
A civil rights leader who has been described as one of the most influential labor leaders in the last century came to Greater Cincinnati Thursday and focused on the hot-button issue of immigration . Dolores Huerta, who co-founded the United Farm Workers with Cesar Chavez, was the keynote speaker at a community awards gala held by Cincinnati's League of United Latin American Citizens. The event was held at Northern Kentucky University and more than 200 people attended. Cincinnati Enquirer. 10/3/08.
Healy works on economic ties with Mexico
The consul of Mexico for Northern Ohio said it's too early to gauge the impact of U.S. financial turmoil on Mexico's economy and trade activity between the two countries. "Our economies are very well connected," said Vicente Sanchez Ventura, consul of Mexico for the Consulate of Mexico in Detroit, which also represents Michigan. "I don't know what's going to happen in the next months." Sanchez Ventura told The Repository's editorial board Wednesday he is working to strengthen relations between Mexico and Canton and the Midwest, which could lead to local business investment and improved Canton Repository. 10/2/08.
ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORING STATES
Finding Mexico -- in Detroit
Michigan - During the Depression, Mexican muralist Diego Rivera -- whose glorious fresco cycle "Detroit Industry" graces the Detroit Institute of Arts -- lent his fame to an inglorious campaign by the city's "Mexican Bureau" and the Mexican consulate to ship Mexican relief applicants back to Mexico. Even as Detroit experienced a net loss of both white and black residents over the last two decades, the Latino population doubled from 1990 to 2007; it now represents 6% of the city. Los Angeles Times. 10/20/08.
City police reiterate their vow to improve relations with Latinos
Pennsylvania - The case of Guillermo Caballero, being held at the Cambria County Prison and facing deportation after Pittsburgh police turned him over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has angered and frightened immigration advocates and some in the city's Latino community, who argue that it is the duty of federal authorities, not local police, to enforce immigration laws. Pittsburgh Post – Gazette. 10/17/08.
West Virginia. lawmakers crack down on illegal aliens
West Virginia - Alarmed by felony crimes committed in Pennsylvania at the hands of aliens, West Virginia lawmakers stepped up their efforts Monday to crack down on the “invasion” of foreigners illegally taking up residence in this state. Boosting their legislative reform mission at a rally was Daryl Metcalfe, a state representative in Pennsylvania, and founder of State Legislators for Legal Immigration. Metcalfe addressed the rally on a booklet titled “Invasion Pennsylvania,” and a similar one is in the offing in West Virginia, Delegate Kelli Sobonya, R-Cabell, said afterward. Beckley Register-Herald. 10/13/08.
ACTIVITY ACROSS UNITED STATES
Census
Massachusetts fears a gap in census With immigrants wary, undercount would hurt state
Massachusetts - After years of highly publicized immigration raids, community organizers and government officials are growing increasingly worried that many immigrants will not open their doors to census takers in 2010, a scenario that could cost Massachusetts millions in federal dollars and possibly a congressional seat. Boston Globe. 10/22/08.
Drivers’ Licenses/ Identification
Judge rules for ID cards; He tosses lawsuit over city's plan to aid immigrants
California - A San Francisco Superior Court judge ruled Tuesday that the city's plan to issue municipal identification cards to residents regardless of immigration status does not violate state and federal law. Judge Peter Busch tossed out a lawsuit filed by the Immigration Reform Law Institute of Washington on behalf of four San Francisco residents who argued the program would amount to aiding and abetting illegal immigration. The ruling was a victory for city officials looking to implement the ID card program, which the Board of Supervisors approved in November but Mayor Gavin Newsom put on hold in August to make sure it complies with state and federal laws. San Francisco Chronicle. 10/15/08.
Change in driver's license rules may be addressed by Legislature
Texas - Texas has joined two other Southwest border states - California and Arizona - that require immigrants to prove their legal status before they can get a driver's license. The abrupt turnabout, which puts Texas' policy in line with all but eight states, took effect Oct. 1. The Public Safety Commission in Austin decided to change the rules administratively in late August after public hearings that received no publicity. The change did not ignite the acrimonious public debate that has surrounded the issue in other states with large immigrant populations, including New York, California and Florida.Family. Houston Chronicle. 10/11/08.
Education
Lawmaker challenges in-state tuition law
Texas - A state lawmaker has requested an attorney general's opinion on the constitutionality of a Texas law that allows illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates in light of a recent California court ruling. State Rep. Leo Berman, R-Tyler, formally requested the opinion from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott on Sept. 18 - three days after a California appellate court allowed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of California's in-state tuition law to move forward. Houston Chronicle. 10/21/08.
Not 'A Mexican Thing': Undocumented Asian students face stigma and lack of financial aid, job experience
California - Picture an undocumented student, and the first image to pop up is unlikely to be an Asian one. Yet a recent report by the University of California Office of the President revealed that 40 to 44 percent of undocumented students in the UC system are Asian. This is definitely not “a Mexican thing,” which is how one undocumented student characterized the Asian community’s dismissive views towards undocumented immigration. Asian Week. 10/13/08.
Family
Shelters to Be Paid for Aid to the Battered and the Illegal
New York - Karen Cheeks-Lomax, executive director of My Sister's Place here, said she believes that "no woman should be stuck in a lifetime of battering," but even if she believed otherwise, state law requires shelters to take in women regardless of their immigration status, a not-laughable Catch-22. While fierce opponents of illegal immigration oppose spending any government money on social services, the law's author, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin of Scarsdale, estimated that sheltering undocumented women should cost the state and localities not much over $1 million a year. New York Times. 10/19/08.
Immigrant Women Face Unique Risk of Abuse
Wisconsin - Tellez-Giron, 33, spent at least seven years in Wisconsin as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, said friends who were preparing for her funeral Thursday.Viviana Tellez-Giron considered herself a victim of emotional abuse, and planned to file for divorce - she'd moved out of the West Side condo she'd shared with her husband, Salvador Tellez-Giron, 66, and youngest son in June after attempts at counseling and reconciliation failed, said a friend, Varinia del Moral-Smith. Wisconsin State Journal. 10/10/08.
Housing
Mortgage Prospects Dim for Illegal Immigrants
New York - The Internal Revenue Service doesn't give Social Security numbers to illegal immigrants; it issues ITINs, which enable them to open bank accounts and report their income to the government for tax purposes. Wall Street Journal. 10/22/08.
Illegal residents, diligent owners; Data show that fewer immigrants than U.S. citizens are delinquent on their mortgages.
California - Home loans held by illegal immigrants in California and across the nation generally have had fewer delinquencies than similar loans held by U.S. citizens, in part because of stricter lending requirements, according to banks, insurers and Realtors. Los Angeles Times. 10/6/08.
Immigration Enforcement – (State)
After Raid, Federal Charges For Ex-C.E.O. at Meatpacker
Iowa - Federal immigration agents on Thursday arrested the former chief executive of Agriprocessors Inc., the nation's biggest kosher meatpacking company, accusing him of harboring illegal immigrants at a plant in Postville, Iowa, where about 400 immigrant workers were arrested in a raid in May. New York Times. 10/31/08.
Officials on border questioning need for fence / Citing decline in arrests of illegal immigrants, they see more agents as the solution
Texas - An analysis by the Texas Border Coalition, an association of elected officials and business leaders, shows a 56 percent drop in arrests during the last four years by the U.S. Border Patrol on the Texas-Mexico border. Foster, however, said by the time the economy bounces back Congress will have passed long-anticipated immigration reform that includes a guest worker program. Houston Chronicle. 10/27/08.
Schools say roundups of migrants a problem / Children are left stranded, urban educators are told
Texas - The increasing number of raids on undocumented immigrants is putting a hardship on public schools, who are left to care for students stranded on campus after parents are taken into custody, leaders of some of the nation's largest school systems said Friday. Raids are straining school systems' already limited resources and putting at-risk children in greater danger of dropping out of school, experts said. Houston Chronicle. 10/25/08.
Two factory managers plead guilty in immigration raid
Massachusetts - Two managers of a New Bedford leather-goods factory that was raided last year in a controversial crackdown on illegal immigration pleaded guilty yesterday to federal charges that they employed illegal workers. Neither manager at the former Michael Bianco Inc. factory would have to serve time in prison if a federal judge approves tentative plea deals. Boston Globe. 10/25/08.
U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Teams Arrests 19 Absconders, Illegal Aliens in Minnesota
Minnesota - Two U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Fugitive Operations Teams based here arrested 19 fugitive aliens and immigration violators in southern Minnesota during a three-day initiative that ended Thursday. US Fed News Service. 10/24/08.
As border fence lags, costs, controversy rise / Only half-mile of pedestrian part finished in Texas
Texas - The federal government has completed just a half-mile section of the 110 miles of pedestrian border fence promised along the Texas-Mexico border. Texas' incomplete portion, about 109.5 miles, accounts for about a third of the 316 miles of pedestrian and vehicle barriers that remains to be built along the border that officials had hoped to complete by the end of President Bush's term in January. The delays in completing the politically charged project, designed to stem illegal immigration, have been blamed on politicians' resistance, landowners' unwillingness to sell, shortages of materials, soaring costs and unforeseen construction problems. . Houston Chronicle. 10/11/08.
Agents make no promises on sweeps; The Immigration Debate
Rhode Island - Speaking out for the first time since Governor Carcieri issued his executive order cracking down on illegal immigration, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said yesterday that their focus is on criminal investigations, not arbitrary sweeps. But the ICE agents stopped short of making any promises to the advisory panel that's monitoring the effects of the order. The Providence Journal. 10/8/08.
300 suspected illegal immigrants caught in SC raid
North Carolina - Federal agents swept through a chicken processing plant today, detaining more than 300 suspected illegal immigrants, sending panicked workers running and screaming through the hallways. Police and agents during a shift change ordered all workers at the House of Raeford's Columbia Farms to show identification, according to officials and witnesses. Spartanburg Herald – Journal. 10/7/08.
Hearings to be held on illegal alien raids
Connecticut - An immigration judge has ruled that hearings are needed to determine whether several illegal immigrants' constitutional protections were violated during raids by federal agents last year in the New Haven area. Connecticut Post. 10/7/08.
Immigration Reform
Activist supports immigrant rights protesters
California - As the immigrant rights protesters finished their first week of fasting, longtime activist Dolores Huerta on Tuesday came to Olvera Plaza to show her support. She told the crowd that they were fasting for the future of immigrants and their children, but also for the future of California and the nation. Los Angeles Times. 10/22/08.
Immigration gaps drive study: A man charged in Aurora in three deaths drew no alerts before the September crash.
Colorado - Speaking at a special gathering of law enforcement officials, state lawmakers and other policymakers, Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said that despite multiple arrests and contacts with several law enforcement agencies, authorities never detected that Hernandez was not a citizen. Denver Post. 10/22/08.
Dallas suburb drops citizens task force
Texas - Council members of a Dallas suburb have dismissed plans to create a citizens task force to target illegal immigration, in part because a neighboring city has been halted from enforcing immigration-related measures. The Carrollton City Council could not agree on what the mission of the task force would be, how many members it would have or how those members would be chosen. Instead, officials decided to let four council subcommittee members study illegal immigration. Houston Chronicle. 10/14/08.
Panel critical of R.I.'s immigration efforts
Rhode Island - In an event that drew an estimated 500 people from across the country, Rhode Island's Republican governor -- and more specifically his recent efforts to enforce federal immigration laws -- played a central role. While many in Rhode Island applauded the governor's willingness to take action where the federal government did not, community leaders, advocacy groups and several of the state's top clergy members criticized the plan, prompting Carcieri to convene a panel monitoring any "unintended consequences." The Providence Journal. 10/12/08.
Immigration rhetoric, immigration realities
Virginia - Politicians who advocate deporting the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now living in the United States should spend a day in their nearest immigration court. A recent investigation by Washington Post reporters discovered a system that is dysfunctional and thoroughly overwhelmed. Even detainees who are pleading with officials to be deported spend up to 10 months in local jails at taxpayer expense because government prosecutors can't keep up with their caseloads. Virginian-Pilot. 10/10/08.
Family tangled up in immigration system, divided between two countries
North Carolina - Eager to stop living on the fringes of the law, as many illegal immigrants do, he flew to his native Mexico with papers a Wake County notary public had helped him prepare and a two-page letter from his American-born wife. What have we done to have our family separated like this? The family's experience is the backbone of a civil lawsuit filed in the Durham County courthouse by the North Carolina Justice Center against Eiblys and Edna Ochoa, who run Global Enterprises of North Carolina, an immigration-service business that once had offices in Durham, Wake County and Wilson. The Salt Lake Tribune News Service. 10/9/08.
Chamber joins immigration push
Oklahoma - Local business leaders have joined the national group Americans for Immigration Reform. The Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce's board recently voted unanimously to join the Houston-based group, which is seeking comprehensive reform in U.S. immigration laws. The goal, Chamber President Jim Fram said, is to find "a much more reasonable, calm approach" to handling immigration issues. Oklahoma "House Bill 1804 ended up being a source of challenge from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the State Chamber of Commerce," Fram said. "It put immigration reform on the backs of business, and we didn't care for it." Tulsa World. 10/7/08.
The Profit of Detention; Private $21 Million Facility Would Speed Process, Investor Says
Virginia - A clearing in the woods between this small town's water treatment plant and a metal salvage yard soon will be transformed into what could become the largest immigration detention facility in the mid-Atlantic region, a $21 million project fueled by the aggressive policies some Virginia localities have adopted toward identifying illegal immigrants and handing them over to the federal government. Washington Post. 10/5/08.
ICE Slow to Deport Detained; Illegal Immigrants From Va. Victims Of 'Broken' System
Virginia - The Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review notes whenever a detainee or detainee's file does not make it to the scheduled court hearing, but the agency does not perform a regular audit of those numbers or publish them in reports, spokeswoman Elaine Komis said. Washington Post. 10/5/08.
Temporary protected status extensions for Haitians sought as others gain eligibility
Florida - Even though he came here illegally, after Hurricane Mitch devastated his homeland, the United States gave Rijoberto Ayala permission to stay temporarily. That was 1999. Last week, about 70,000 Hondurans -- including Ayala -- got their eighth extension of their "temporary protected status." Now, as immigrant advocates push the government to grant the same status to Haitians, critics point to Honduran, Nicaraguan and El Salvadoran nationals who have been allowed to stay for years after natural disasters struck their countries. About a 100 people advocating for temporary protected status held a candle light vigil Friday in front of West Palm Beach, Fla.'s Paul G. Rogers Federal Building. Sun Sentinel. 10/4/08.
Pastors urge halt to raids on immigrants
Rhode Island - Both the Council of Churches and the Hispanic Ministerial Association support law enforcement actions "to arrest and detain criminals," but are asking a halt to immigration raids "that are directed only at undocumented persons" with no criminal history. The Providence Journal. 10/2/08.
Immigration tour to add public forum; People will be able to comment on the Judiciary Committee's findings.
Nebraska - State Sen. Brad Ashford said inaction by Congress to overhaul the immigration system is driving states like Nebraska to propose more restrictive policies on a state level "The failure of the federal government is so deep that it is incumbent upon me as chairman of the Judiciary Committee to lay out some options for the Legislature," he said. A public hearing will be added to the end of the statewide immigration tour sponsored by the Nebraska Legislature's Judiciary Committee. Ashford of Omaha, Judiciary Committee chairman, said Tuesday that the public forum probably will be held Dec. 12 at the Capitol in Lincoln. A time has yet to be decided, although it would be in the morning. People will have the opportunity to comment on the still-tobe-written committee report that will include remarks made during the tour and proposals to be considered in the next legislative session, Ashford said. Omaha World - Herald. 10/1/2008.
Labor and Employment
Worker verification sought; Senator touts electronic system to sift out illegal immigrants
Nebraska - Armed with feedback from a six-city immigration tour, State Sen. Brad Ashford plans to call for a mandatory system that electronically checks whether a Nebraska worker is in the country legally. The rationale is multifold, said the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, and reflects concerns of community leaders he met with over the past several weeks. Omaha World - Herald. 10/23/08.
Immigrants integral to state economy; Foreign-born workers raise production by $13.5 billion, a UNO analysis finds.
Nebraska - If immigrants vanished and weren't replaced in three of its key industries, Nebraska would lose 78,000 jobs, including some filled by U.S.-born workers Production throughout the state would drop nearly 9 percent, or by $13.5 billion Hardest-hit financially would be rural communities and sectors that deal in meat processing, construction and food services Those were among the major findings of a new University of Nebraska at Omaha economic impact analysis sponsored by the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies in conjunction with UNO economist Christopher Decker and UNO demographer Jerry Deichert. Omaha World – Herald. 10/15/08.
Language and Assimilation
English Only At Meetings? Missourians Will Decide
Missouri - Because the state's demographics tilt so heavily to English speakers already, there's little reason to have such an "English-only" amendment in the first place, said James Crawford, founder and president of the Institute for Language and Education Policy in Takoma Park, Md. "It would be one thing if there were a practical debate over which language to conduct meetings in," Crawford said. "The basic crux of this amendment is to simply ensure that when a citizen of the state of Missouri walks into any entity of their government, they will be able to understand those proceedings because they are done in English," he said. St. Louis Post – Dispatch. 10/21/08.
State: Teacher claim has merit; She says boss demoted her after complaint about English-only rule
Florida -- A new state report supports a Lake County teacher's claim that her boss demoted her after she complained about being ordered to stop speaking Spanish to co-workers -- even during lunch. The Florida Commission on Human Relations recently finished its investigation of allegations made by Patricia Hall. She worked for the Lake County school district helping teachers, guidance counselors and others work with children learning English before she was moved last October to a job with duties she compared to a data clerk. Orlando Sentinel. 10/12/08.
English-only signatures verified for special election
Tennessee - A controversial push to make English the official language of Nashville has gathered enough voters' signatures to hold a special election in January. Proponents led by Metro Councilman Eric Crafton submitted a petition with the required 2,475 valid signatures, Davidson County Election Administrator Ray Barrett said Tuesday. Tennessean.com. 10/8/08.
Lewisville City Council rejects English-only measures
Texas - The City Council voted Tuesday night not to change the practice of translating documents into Spanish, and a motion to make English the city’s official language failed to get a second. Texas – Star-Telegram.com. 10/8/08.
Verizon; Verizon Awards $185,000 to English as a Second Language Technology Programs
Massachusetts - The grants, announced at an awards ceremony Monday (Sept. 22) at The Immigrant Learning Center Inc. in Malden, Mass., will support English as a Second Language (ESL) literacy programs throughout the state. Technology & Business Journal. 10/7/08.
Law Enforcement
Harris County testing immigrant ID program: Sheriff's office the first local law enforcement group to try automated fingerprint system
Texas - The Harris County Sheriff's Office today became the first local law enforcement agency in the nation to test an automated fingerprint check system that gives jailers full access to suspects' immigration history, officials said. Houston Chronicle. 10/28/08.
Police Release 10 Day Laborers Arrested at Gathering Place in Queens
New York - Charges against 10 men accused of blocking a sidewalk at a popular Queens gathering place for day laborers will be dismissed after six months if the defendants stay out of trouble, the Queens district attorney's office said on Wednesday. The men, who were arrested on Tuesday on charges of disorderly conduct, were all released from police custody by Wednesday afternoon, and their cases were "adjourned in contemplation of dismissal," said Helen Peterson, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office. . New York Times. 10/23/08.
Arizona Sheriff Conducts Immigration Raid at City Hall, Angering Officials
New York - Mayor Scott Smith of Mesa criticized Sheriff Arpaio for sending the SWAT team into his city without properly advising the Mesa police, who learned about raid when an officer discovered sheriff's deputies assembling in a residential park about 12:30 a.m. "Law enforcement should never put the public at risk," Mr. Smith said. New York Times. 10/18/08.
Emotions Run High Over Sheriff's Policy on Undocumented Inmates
Wisconsin - Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney ran into a buzz saw of opposition Wednesday to his policy of notifying federal immigration authorities about undocumented inmates at the jail. A dozen people spoke and another two dozen registered in opposition to the policy at a meeting of the Dane County Equal Opportunity Commission. Critics said the sheriff's practice bred mistrust of the Sheriff's Office in the Latino community, who now shy away from contacting any law enforcement officer. Madison Capital Times. 10/16/08.
Frederick's Uneasy Crackdown; Enforcement Policy For Illegal Immigration Raises Ethics Questions
Maryland - In the six months since the Frederick County Sheriff's Office began working closely with federal immigration authorities, 183 illegal immigrants have been identified, detained and put on track for deportation, a crackdown that has spooked the area's Latino community and provoked accusations by rights groups of ethnic profiling. Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, the first law enforcement official in Maryland to sign a cooperative agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said that since April, about 9 percent of all people arrested and taken to the county detention center have proven to be illegal immigrants. The Washington Post. 10/13/08.
Immigration task forces are planned
Missouri - The Missouri State Highway Patrol and federal immigration authorities plan to set up three joint task forces in Missouri to focus on illegal immigration. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 10/12/08.
Federal probe into S.F. policy; Grand jury seeks documents about illegal immigrants
California - A federal grand jury is investigating whether San Francisco's policy of offering sanctuary to undocumented immigrants violates U.S. laws against harboring people who are in the country illegally, city officials say. City Attorney Dennis Herrera said his office has hired a criminal defense lawyer to represent employees who might be questioned or asked for documents. He and Mayor Gavin Newsom said they would cooperate with the investigation. San Francisco Chronicle. 10/4/08.
Legal and Notary Services
Microsoft launches program to help illegal immigrant children with legal aid
Washington- Partnered with some of the nation's legal powerhouses -- and with actress Angelina Jolie as a spokesperson -- Microsoft on Thursday launched an initiative to provide free legal help to hundreds of illegal immigrant children who are on their own and facing deportation. Through Kids in Need of Defense (KIND), the company and a group of law firms in nine cities will spend about $14.5 million over the next three years on an immigration legal defense program for children, similar to a partnership Microsoft has had with local attorneys for years. Seattle Times. 10/16/08.
Immigrants hurt when notaries go beyond the law
North Carolina - Immigration lawyers here and across the country say they are seeing a growing number of unknowing, undocumented immigrants fall victim to notary publics who improperly practice law. Without proper authorization and professional training, some notaries are dispensing legal advice on how to get work permits, residency status and driver's licenses, lawyers say. Greensboro News Record. 10/7/08.
Voting
New citizens eager to vote Number of naturalizations swells in months before election
Wisconsin - "Since the summer of 2007, we've seen a tremendous surge of applications for naturalizations, which takes from six to 12 months," said William Wright, a spokesman for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Washington, D.C. One reason is the jump in the application fee from $300 to $595 in summer 2007, he said. "But there was also a major movement from advocacy groups who pushed for naturalization as part of the get-out-the-vote campaign," he said. "There was a lot of talk about comprehensive immigration reform, so many wanted to get in while they can. That motivated a lot of folks." Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 10/23/08.
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Citizenship and Status
Midlands immigration court open for business
Iowa and Nebraska - Fujimoto returned to the case when it became obvious who the man was "We're off to an interesting start," said the judge Fujimoto will hear cases this week, but teleconferencing will resume next week until the two permanent judges are trained The court will hear mostly deportation proceedings, but also political asylum cases and other U.S. residency status reviews Immigration judges often ask questions during such proceedings and usually render a decision the same day. The new immigration court that will serve Nebraska and Iowa opened Monday, and Joseph Lopez-Wilson wanted to be part of history. Omaha World - Herald. 10/28/08.
Carolinas will have their own court for immigration cases
North and South Carolina - Two judges will hear cases in the Executive Office for Immigration Review Court starting Nov. 4, The Charlotte Observer reported Saturday. Virginian – Pilot. 10/12/08.
Customs, Border, and Immigration Enforcement - (Federal)
Immigrants' advocates slam plan to get DNA / But backers say federal proposal would cut crime
The Bush administration wants to implement a controversial plan to collect DNA samples from federal detainees starting Dec. 31, amid an outcry by immigrant advocacy organizations and uncertainties about federal funding. Last spring, the U.S. Department of Justice published a proposed regulation that set the December deadline to start collecting DNA from an estimated 1.2 million people arrested each year by federal agents, including hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants detained along the nation's borders. The DNA samples would then be added to the FBI's national DNA database, which contains the genetic codes of millions of convicted felons. Houston Chronicle. 10/26/08.
Chertoff to renew push on workers; The U.S. will seek to install verifications on Social
In a final drive to toughen immigration enforcement, the Bush administration will again try to institute a system that would force employers to fire workers who have discrepancies in their Social Security data. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday that he would ask a federal judge to lift an injunction imposed against the "no-match" rule after foes including the American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sued to stop it last year. Washington Burea. 10/24/08.
Chertoff finds silver lining in economy / Urges creation of worker program during decline in illegal crossings
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on Thursday urged the next president to take advantage of slowing illegal immigration during the country's economic downturn to create a temporary guest worker program. Washington Bureau. 10/24/08.
Supreme Court takes on identity theft case
The Supreme Court is taking a look at federal prosecutors' efforts to pin identity theft charges on undocumented foreign workers who have Social Security and identification numbers that belong to others. The government has used the charges -- with the possibility of prison time -- to persuade people to plead guilty to lesser immigration violations. In other cases, defendants have been convicted of "aggravated identity theft," even without proof that they knew their phony ID numbers belonged to real people. The central question is whether the defendant must know that the counterfeit identification belongs to someone else. Federal prosecutors have increasingly been bringing the more serious identity theft charges against undocumented immigrants, including many who were arrested in raids on meatpacking plants. The case is Flores-Figueroa v. U.S., 08-108. Bennington Banner. 10/21/08.
Number of Illegal Immigrants to U.S. Is Down, Report Finds
The report by the nonpartisan Pew Hispanic Center offers the most detailed picture of the illegal immigrant population to date, and its findings are in line with trends identified in less comprehensive recent analyses by the Department of Homeland Security and the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington think tank that advocates stricter limits on immigration. The Washington Post. 10/3/08.
Study: Immigration Law Enforcement Helps Check Criminal Street Gangs
A new Center for Immigration Studies Backgrounder finds that immigration law enforcement has been highly effective in fighting gang activity around the country. The authors present previously unpublished statistics on gang arrests by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), describe how immigration law enforcement authorities are used to combat gang activity, and offer policy recommendations to improve federal-local cooperation without damaging relations with immigrant communities. PR Newswire. 10/1/08.
Search for illegal immigrants goes far from border; Patrol's transport checks increase
Border Patrol agents are stepping up surprise inspections on domestic trains, buses and ferries, nabbing illegal immigrants far from the border. In Vermont, Washington, Louisiana, New York and elsewhere, the agents, who have the authority to search any mode of transportation within 100 miles of the border, are working routes that don't cross into Canada or Mexico. Most checks are at bus and train stations and ferry terminals. USA Today. 10/1/08
September
ACTIVITY IN OHIO
Migrant workers help northern Ohio nursery expand
On at least one shelf of the Huron Public Library sit books written entirely in Spanish. This is where Juan Patino, 41, often heads in his free time for cheap entertainment. Patino is one of about 250 migrant workers who are legally employed by Willoway Nurseries Inc., a wholesale plant nursery with two main farms in Avon and Huron. Sandusky Register. 9/28/08.
Fingerhut Launches Initiative to Measure International Student Satisfaction at Ohio Schools
The state's higher education system will partner with a British group to determine how happy international students are with their Ohio schools, Chancellor Eric Fingerhut announced Wednesday. The University System of Ohio will partner with International Graduate Insight Group to adopt the International Student Barometer, he said in a news release. The student satisfaction survey will measure the services provided at Ohio campuses and compare them to competitors in the U.S. and abroad. Gongwer-OH. 9/24/08.
Hispanics have long history in Valley
Hispanics have been a dominant part of the Mahoning Valley for decades, a Hispanic expert told a YSU crowd. Speaking to about 250 people attending the 2008 Hispanic Heritage Celebration in Youngstown State University’s Kilcawley Center, Ramirez recounted his family’s immigration journey from Michoacan, Mexico, to Youngstown’s West Side in the 1960s. They got on a bus and rode for three days into Ohio, he said. Youngstown Vindicator. 9/20/08.
Immigration reform vigil unites faiths at Statehouse
On a cool summer night, members of religious groups gathered outside the Statehouse to pray about what has become the subject of heated political debate: illegal immigration. Baptists, Catholics, Episcopalians, Jews, Muslims, Unitarians and others -- about 75 people in all -- prayed for justice, mercy, strength and dignity for illegal immigrants. They prayed to end immigration raids and deportations. Columbus Dispatch. 9/11/08.
Columbus Dispatch Features Series of Articles on Immigration Policy
The Columbus Dispatch included a four day series of articles regarding proposed immigration legislation in Ohio, which is modeled after an Oklahoma bill. The series touched upon the impact of immigration policy on the Ohio and Oklahoma economy and health care system, and examined the nature of immigration enforcement. See Columbus Dispatch, “Foreign fallout: Tough line on immigration touches everyone” “Tougher enforcement turns up heat on illegal immigrants,” and “Latinos flee Oklahoma; new law hits others, too,” 9/7/08. “Law bars officials from cross-checking Social Security numbers,” and “Do illegal workers help or hurt the U.S. economy?” 9/8/08. “Tougher Oklahoma law adds risk to health-care decisions,” Free health care comes at a price: Are illegal residents' medical bills a moral obligation or an undue burden on taxpayers?” 9/9/08. Tulsa deputies say they're not picking on anyone Tulsa deputies say they're not picking on anyone, 9/10/08.
ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORING STATES
Chicago U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Fugitive Operations Teams Arrest 144 Aliens During 4-Day Initiative
Regional - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following press release: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested 144 fugitives and immigration violators in Chicago, suburban communities, and northern Indiana during a four-day initiative targeting immigration absconders which ended Monday. During the four-day operation which began Sept. 12, four local ICE Fugitive Operations Teams targeted immigration fugitives in the Chicago area and northern Indiana. The Chicago ICE office oversees a six-state area that includes: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. US Fed News Service. 9/17/08.
Indiana legislators tackle illegal immigration again, But some experts argue the authority lies with the federal government
Indiana - The number of Hispanics living illegally in Indiana has reached at least 100,000, but efforts by the state to stem the flow of illegal immigrants could run into trouble if they're seen as usurping federal law, legislators were told Tuesday. Illegal immigration is expected to return as a hot topic at the Statehouse next year. State Sen. Mike Delph, R-Carmel, has vowed to reintroduce legislation that would crack down on employers who knowingly hire illegal workers. The Democrat-controlled House and Republican-ruled Senate passed different versions of Delph's bill last session but could not reach a compromise. The Interim Study Committee on Immigration Issues, comprising House and Senate members from both parties, is taking a deeper look at the issue to see whether it can reach consensus before the start of the 2009 session in January. Indy-star.com. 9/10/08.
Appeals court to consider law aimed at illegal immigrants
Pennsylvania- The city of Hazleton, Pa., will get to argue before a federal appeals court Oct. 31 that a federal judge wrongly struck down the city's ordinance making it against the law to hire or rent housing to illegal immigrants, Mayor Lou Barletta announced Monday. U.S. District Judge James M. Munley struck down the ordinance in July 2007, calling it unconstitutional and saying it violated due process protections and the Supremacy Clause, which acknowledges federal law as the supreme law of the land. After the arguments, the federal panel likely will not rule for six months, and perhaps a year, an attorney for the city said. The Morning Call. 9/8/08.
ACTIVITY ACROSS UNITED STATES
Advisory Board/Commission Activities in Other States
Latino Summit in Chester today / Service providers for Latinos can get data about state resources
Virginia - The Virginia Latino Advisory Board will hold the 2008 Virginia Latino Summit today. The event at John Tyler Community College in Chester will provide information about state services and resources to those who serve Latinos in education, health, human resources, public safety and commerce. About 300 hundred people are expected to attend the all-day event, which will feature workshops on generating optimal results among Virginia's English-language learners, helping students pursue a path toward college and initiatives adopted by police departments across the state to serve immigrants. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine will make a brief appearance in the morning. Richmond Times. 9/19/08.
Drivers’ Licenses/ Identification
Mayor puts the city's controversial ID card program on hold; He wants vetting for compliance with state and federal law
California – San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has delayed a program to offer identification cards to all city residents regardless of their immigration status as city officials review the sanctuary policy for illegal immigrants. As currently planned, the card will be available to anyone who can prove he or she has lived in the city at least 15 days, along with proof of identity. It will be accepted as identification by city departments, including the police, and by any agency that receives city funding. San Francisco Chronicle. 9/4/08.
Education
Precedent Setting Ruling May Be Used to Challenge Many State Benefits for Illegal Aliens, Says Immigration Reform Law Institute
California - A three judge panel of the California Court of Appeals unanimously ruled Monday that a California law intended to permit illegal aliens to attend public colleges and universities at in-state tuition rates is unconstitutional because it conflicts with federal law, and violates both the equal protection clause and privileges and immunity clause of the constitution. Ruling in the case of Martinez et al. v. Regents of the University of California, brought by the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) on behalf of some 80,000 nonresident American students who were denied in-state tuition benefits, the Appeals Court agreed that California policy violates expressed provisions of both the Immigration Act and the Welfare Reform Act of 1996. PR News Wire. 9/16/08.
Emergency Preparedness/Safety
Undocumented workers fear help / Many have lost everything but won't seek aid
Texas - The fear of deportation is pervasive in the immigrant community in Galveston despite public assurances by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials, and local and county officials, that no enforcement operations are under way. Elmer Martinez, 22, lost all his possessions in Hurricane Ike's storm surge. The restaurant where he worked is closed, and it may be weeks before he finds another job. That would make him like many Galveston residents, except for one important distinction: He is one of several thousand illegal immigrants living in a post-storm limbo, afraid they will be discovered by the squads of law enforcement officers now patrolling the streets and guarding the causeway entrance. Houston Chronicle. 9/20/2008.
Family
Troubling link in domestic violence cases: Immigrants more likely to be victims, data show
Massachusetts - Immigrants account for a disturbingly high share of domestic violence deaths in Massachusetts, advocates say, raising fears that the nation's heated immigration debate is deterring abuse victims from seeking help. Illegal immigrants are perhaps the most vulnerable, advocates say, because they fear deportation. Batterers often threaten to report their victims to immigration officials if they go to police. Some batterers who are US citizens or legal residents even refuse to help their spouses apply for legal residency, effectively holding them hostage, advocates say. Boston Globe. 9/12/08.
Housing
Documented or not, people will be cold this winter
Connecticut - Attorney General Dick Blumenthal, in a legal opinion last year, called it a paradox that federal law prohibits energy-assistance benefits from illegal aliens, but local community action agencies are not required to verify someone's citizenship or immigration status. Connecticut Post. 9/10/08.
Opponents seek restraining order on Dallas suburb / Measure to keep illegal immigrants in Farmers Branch from housing has some calling foul
Texas - Opponents of a Dallas suburb's latest effort to drive away illegal immigrants asked a federal judge Monday to restrain Farmers Branch officials from enforcing a ban on rental housing to people who can't prove they are in the country legally. They are seeking a temporary restraining order to keep Farmers Branch from requiring prospective apartment and house renters to obtain a city license as part of a rule set to take effect Saturday. Under the ordinance, the city would forward information from the license application to the federal government so it can verify immigration status. Houston Chronicle. 9/9/08.
Immigration Reform
Bishop Tobin troubled by 'vile' letters; immigration debate
Rhode Island - The bishops' group asked Homeland Security to specifically refrain from immigration arrests at churches, hospitals, community health centers and other agencies that provide humanitarian relief; help arrested individuals find "meaningful legal representation" that thoroughly informs them of their legal rights and options; and allow family members "to remain together and locate each other during and following" such raids. The USCCB letter struck similar themes as the August letter that Bishop Tobin and the 15 pastors -- many from Hispanic churches -- sent last month to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's regional office in Boston, requesting a moratorium on raids here until the country can implement "comprehensive and just reform of our immigration laws." The Providence Journal. 9/11/08.
Forum blasts raids on workers
Utah - The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling on the Department of Homeland Security and President Bush to "reconsider use of . . . raids," which involve "hundreds of law enforcement officials using weapons," and instead turn the focus back on efforts to institute a "comprehensive overhaul of the broken immigration system," a representative of the Conference said . The Salt Lake Tribune. 9/10/08.
15 States Pass Workplace Immigration Measures
From January 1 until June 30, 198 employment-related immigration bills were introduced in state legislatures around the country. Following are some of the more far-reaching laws: 1. Arizona House Bill (HB) 2745, signed May 1, and effective immediately, revisits legislation the state passed in 2007, adjusting the prohibitions against intentionally employing an unauthorized alien and eliminating independent contractors from the definition of employee. 2. Colorado HB 1325, signed June 5 and effective August 6, creates a pilot guest worker program to expedite the approval of foreign workers under the federal H-2A visa program. 3. Virginia HB 926/SB 782, signed March 12, provides for various disciplinary actions for a violation of state or federal law prohibiting the employment of illegal aliens. HRMagazine. Alexandria. 9/2008. (Vol. 53, Iss. 9).
Labor and Employment
Deportations, unemployment reduce amount of money Mexican workers send home
Texas - U.S. authorities are deporting Mexican immigrants at a rate not seen in 50 years, including more than 208,000 "removals" from the U.S. interior in the current fiscal year, which ends this month. Luis Martinez went from being a successful Dallas businessman to a struggling alfalfa farmer in rural central Mexico because of a crackdown on illegal immigrants. Dallas Morning News. 9/28/08.
Two Appellate Court Decisions Guide States on Immigration Enforcement
Arizona - The U.S. 9th Circuit Court upheld an Arizona law that targets employers who hire illegal immigrants by revoking their licenses to do business in the state. The law also requires businesses to use an electronic verification system to check the work-authorization status of employees through federal records. The Arizona case decided by the 9th Circuit is Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc. v. Napolitano. PR News Wire. 9/19/08.
Language and Assimilation
English-only amendment sparks heated debate
Missouri – A question on the ballot in November is prompting debate among St. Joseph business owners who all call English their second language. But Missourians this election will be able to solidify that when it comes to government business, only English is allowed. Amendment 1 asks voters if the Missouri Constitution should be amended so that English will be the language of all governmental meetings at which any public business is discussed. St. Joseph News - Press. 9/24/08.
Macy's case highlights confusion over English-only rules
Minnesota - The eight Macy's employees say supervisors told them they would lose their jobs at the company's store in the Southdale mall in Edina if they refused to stop speaking their native language at work. Between 2002 and 2007, complaints to the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission rose from a few hundred to almost 9,400. And even though the law is clear in prohibiting English-only rules, it does allow exceptions for business necessity. That means employers can require English for communication with customers or for safety reasons. English-only rules also violate Minnesota state human rights law. Minnesota Public Radio. 9/23/08.
Measure 58's goal of English-only classes already a reality
Oregon - Measure 58, one of five measures on the November ballot authored by Bill Sizemore, would prohibit schools from teaching English learners in their native language after one year in elementary school or two years in high school. Sizemore wants to plunge them into all-English classrooms as soon as possible because, he says, schools intentionally delay getting students fluent in English. The Oregonian. 9/21/08.
Law and Immigration Enforcement
Deal will let county officers start deportation proceedings
Nevada - Immigration officials have entered into an agreement with Las Vegas police that will allow specially trained officers at the Clark County Detention Center to identify immigration violators and initiate deportation proceedings against them. The agreement is expected to substantially increase deportations of local undocumented immigrants who are jailed, officials with the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday. Las Vegas Review - Journal. 9/30/08.
Immigration And Customs Enforcement Arrests More Than 1,000 in Largest Special Operation Yet Targeting Criminal Aliens, Illegal Alien Fugitives in California
California - The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued the following press release: More than 1,000 criminal aliens, immigration fugitives, and immigration violators have been removed from the United States or are facing deportation today following the largest special enforcement operation ever carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Teams in California. US Fed News Service. 9/29/08.
Phoenix sheriff's border tactics walk a fine line / Some challenge popular official's approach, calling it racial profiling
Arizona - A federal lawsuit by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund accuses the Sheriff's Office of racial profiling and detaining legal residents and American citizens for long periods while their status is checked. Joe Arpaio, a cherished figure in the anti-immigrant movement, is running for a fifth term as the Maricopa County sheriff. But a referendum on his contentious approach to law enforcement - and the growing challenges to it - is already under way in the public arena. Houston Chronicle. 9/28/08.
Valley police deal with law enforcement and immigration
Texas - Texas legislators moved last month to try to include immigration enforcement in the responsibilities of local police departments, but area officials insist the differences among communities would make it almost impossible to uniformly implement those laws. In Brownsville, a losing competition for staff with the U.S. Border Patrol and the city’s daily flow of legal and illegal immigrants have resulted in a police department with barely enough personnel to carry out its regular duties. The Brownsville Herald. 9/24/08.
DWIs ensnare many aliens
North Carolina - Wake's numbers show a trend similar to that found in other North Carolina counties that have the federal program. In Alamance and Mecklenburg counties, for example, most inmates flagged for deportation were charged with DWI or traffic offenses, not violent crimes. Wake commissioners approved a measure Tuesday that allows federal immigration agents to use up to 50 beds in the jail to temporarily house those facing deportation. The federal government will reimburse Wake County at $63.86 per day, per person. Raleigh News & Observer Raleigh. 9/18/08.
ACLU: Allow immigrants to see counsel; The Immigration Debate
Rhode Island - Expressing concerns over how state corrections authorities will implement a federal rapid deportation program, the Rhode Island Affiliate of the American Civil Liberties Union is requesting that inmates "at minimum" be allowed access to immigration counsel before deciding to participate. Governor Carcieri announced last week that, in accordance with his March executive order on illegal immigration, the state and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had signed an agreement for a "Rapid REPAT program." The program allows early release for some illegal immigrants serving time for nonviolent crimes and who are facing final deportation orders. The Providence Journal. 9/17/08.
Few Arrestees Are Found To Be Illegal Immigrants; Police Chief Issues Post-Crackdown Report
Virginia - Fewer than 2 percent of people charged with crimes in Prince William County since the well-publicized crackdown on illegal immigration began in March have turned out to be undocumented, Police Chief Charlie T. Deane told county supervisors yesterday. Deane provided a status report on the first six months of the county's illegal immigration enforcement program, which generated nationwide attention. He told the supervisors that police questioned 626 illegal immigrants in all. Of those questioned, 341 were arrested, 196 were released with no charges and 89 were charged and released on summonses. Ten others were determined to be in the country legally. The Washington Post. 9/10/08.
Voting
Virginia's Hispanics have clout in election / With immigration an issue, Latino groups expect a rise in voter turnout this fall
Virginia - "Any candidate that doesn't have an outreach plan for Latinos is [crazy]," said Mauricio Vivero, executive director of Ayuda, a nonprofit group of Latino businesses in Northern Virginia that advocates involvement in the political and legislative process. Hispanic community leaders say debate this year and last year over proposed crackdowns on the ability of illegal immigrants to work or attend college in Virginia have energized Hispanic voters and could bring them to the polls in greater numbers. Richmond Times. 9/14/08.
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Citizenship and Status
USCIS Announces 18-Month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Nationals of Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador
September 26, 2008 - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that it will extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to nationals of Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador. The extension will last 18 months. USCIS News Update. 9/26/08.
Americanizing new arrivals in an effort to break immigrants' hold on their old language and culture, the U.S. is launching a program today to more actively assimilate them.
In an effort to combat what Bush officials believe is a growing problem, the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Citizenship will today launch a new program designed to more adeptly welcome and assimilate new immigrants. Starting Oct. 1, new citizens must demonstrate a grasp of self-government and principles such as freedom of religion, rule of law and separation of powers. Denver Post. 9/9/08.
Customs, Border, and Immigration Enforcement
Protect People from Unlawful Raids
On Friday, September 26th, Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) proposed the “Protect Citizens and Residents from Unlawful Raids and Detention Act” (S.3594) to establish minimum standards of treatment for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents and immigrants who are impacted by immigration enforcement operations. Hudson Valley Press Online. 9/28/08.
Bush's border fence costs extra $400 million / Higher prices for fuel, materials and labor blamed
To complete the 670-mile fence - already half built - the administration has asked Congress to approve the use of $400 million that was set aside for surveillance technology projects along the U.S.-Mexico border, Jayson Ahern, the deputy commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, told The Associated Press. Houston Chronicle. 9/10/08.
Labor and Employment
U.S. News: Immigration Slows in Face of Economic Downturn; U.S. Crackdown On Illegals Further Dims Opportunity
The data, and additional analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center, provide the first solid evidence that fewer foreigners are entering the U.S -- and some illegal immigrants who are already here may be returning home because of decreased opportunity. The collapse of the housing market and the broader economic malaise hat has followed have reduced the number of low-skilled jobs in construction and other sectors that are the mainstay of low-skilled Latin Americans, in particular. Wall Street Journal. 9/23/08.
Moving Forward With E-Verify: Program to Check Legal Status Already 99.5% Accurate
The E-Verify program, which allows employers to check the immigration status of new employees, has been steadily improving and is now 99.5 percent accurate, according to a new paper by the Center for Immigration Studies. This voluntary program is already screening more than one in ten new hires nationwide, and as of September 13, 2008, has processed 6.21 million queries. E-Verify is set to expire on November 30, 2008, unless it is re-authorized by Congress. The House of Representatives has already passed a reauthorization bill by a vote of 407-2. The Senate has yet to take action. PR Newswire. New York. 9/19/08.
August
ACTIVITY IN OHIO
Mexican Drug Trade Feared
Local and federal drug enforcement agents have reported that “powerful and well-organized Mexican drug-trafficking groups have seized control of drug distribution throughout Ohio, flooded local markets with increasingly cheap heroin and are using Columbus and Dayton as distribution hubs for southwestern Ohio and parts of Indiana.” See Columbus Dispatch, “Mexican Gangs dominate Ohio drug trade” 8/18/08.
Both Sides of the Human Impact of Immigration Policy
The Dayton Daily News featured the story of Armando Mondragon in a three-part series. Mondragon is an undocumented immigrant living in Butler County, who now faces deportation charges after being stopped for a traffic violation and held in jail from June 24, 2008 until August 6. Mondragon has five children, all of which are U.S. Citizens. The articles also demonstrated the impact of the detention on his family. On the flip side, an article in the series also shared the story of Kevin Barnhill, who founded Citizens for Legal Communities in Southwest Ohio after his son was killed by an undocumented immigrant in Mason. Many editorials followed the series, most of which took an anti-immigration stance. See Dayton Daily News, “Illegal immigrant home from jail” 08/15/08; “Immigration system in tatters” 08/05/08; “Butler County dad's arrest splits immigrant family” 08/05/08; “'What is right for this country’” 08/26/08; “Readers react to articles about illegal immigrant” 08/24/08; “Close borders until reform happens” 08/15/08.
Northern Ohio Immigration Raid Resonates
An immigration raid in late July at Casa Fiesta restaurants yielded the arrests of 58 employees by ICE. Casa Fiesta is a chain of Mexican restaurants located in Ashland, Fremont, Norwalk, Oberlin, Oregon, Sandusky, Vermillion, and Youngstown. The raid provoked strong opinion pieces in Northern Ohio newspapers such as The Cleveland Plain Dealer, “ICE raiders ignore the boss” 8/3/08; “Arrests are not immigration reform” 8/3/2008; and The Fremont News-Messenger, “Casa Fiesta arrests should be a wake-up call” 8/5/08.
The Immigration Debate in Ohio
Immigration is predicted to have an impact on campaigns throughout the nation, and Ohio is not an exception. For example, Republican Fred Daily is using the issue as a campaign tactic against Zack Space, who is a first term Democrat from Ohio’s 18th Congressional District. Frank Sharry, president of America’s Voice, believes that a GOP strategies to portray Democrats as “soft on illegal immigration” will backfire. In contrast, Numbers USA President Roy Beck said that it was still a concerns in many districts. See Dayton Daily News, “GOP accused of using immigration as wedge issue” 8/3/08.
Butler County Sheriff Captures National Spotlight
Butler County Sheriff Richard K. Jones, known for his strong stance on illegal immigration received national attention after purchasing two half-page ads asking Senator John McCain the question: “Why haven’t we heard from you on immigration? Are you avoiding this American issue? We are all EARS.” The ads coincided with a visit to Butler County by McCain. Sheriff Jones had also made comments that he might not vote for McCain but if he does, he will do it “holding his nose.” He also said he wouldn’t appear on a platform with him. See Dayton Daily News “Butler sheriff blasts McCain on immigration” 8/3/2008.
Migrant Farm Workers Celebrated
State Representative Jeff Wagner (R-Sycamore), the office of state representative Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green), and the director of Ohio Latino Affairs presented proclamations to Rural Opportunities, which held their annual farm worker recognition day on August 2, 2008. Rural Opportunities is a nonprofit, regional community-development and human-service organization providing services to farmworkers, low-income families and economically depressed communities throughout New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana and Puerto Rico. See The Fremont News-Messenger, “Celebrating farm workers” 7/30/08.
Ohio Latino Affairs Awards Grants To Further Education, English-learning Opportunities
Our commission visited five different cities to announce the award of eight grants to Latino serving organizations across Ohio. The grants are designed to build the capacity of community organizations to better assist Hispanic Ohioans, especially in the areas of education and integration of American norms and customs. After conducting workshops in eight cities across Ohio and providing over 70 organizations and 100 individuals training opportunities through the Capacity Building Initiative, the Office of Latino Affairs completed the second stage of this important initiative with the adjudication of $80,000 in community grants. For more information about grant awards, see http://ochla.ohio.gov/homearchive.aspx.
Governor Strickland’s Education Forums
Starting in late July, Governor Strickland began hosting 12 "Conversations on Education" throughout every region of Ohio. The conversations focus on the six principles for education reform the governor laid out in his State of the State address as well as specific policy ideas for making sure that Ohio's schools are among the best in the world and meet the needs of every child. At each regional forum, Governor Strickland gives local citizens the opportunity to share their thoughts and proposed ideas. Many member of the Latino community have attended the forums held in the following cities: Columbus, Akron, Cincinnati, Dayton, Cleveland, Zanesville, Chillicothe, Lima, Marietta, and Toledo. Upcoming conversations are in Youngstown on September 3, 2008, 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM, and Mansfield September 15, 2008, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM.
FLOC Launches Initiative for Safer Communities
Toledo’s Farm Labor Organizing Committee held a meeting with the Lucas County Sheriff’s department, including Sheriff James A. Telb, and members of the local community to discuss a possible resolution that would oppose Senate Bill 260, the “Immigration Authority Bill,” which would allow local law enforcement agencies to enforce civil immigration law. For more information see http://ochla.ohio.gov/ohla/prs127sb260.aspx, or http://www.floc.com.
Latino Association of Ohio Registers with Secretary of State
After registering as a political action committee with the Secretary of State, the Latino Association of Ohio held a meeting in Canton, Ohio on August 23, 2008. The meeting focused on the continuing formation of the organization. The association will host a conference call on September 11, 2008, at 6:00 p.m. To participate in the call or for more information contact Ms. Ramona Reyes, ramona_reyes13@yahoo.com, (614) 264-5045, or Ms. Jacqueline Baires, jaxnoodle@gmail.com, (614) 282-7991.
ACTIVITY IN NEIGHBORING STATES
Migrant labor is plentiful in West Michigan
Michigan - In recent years, Mike DeGrandchamp struggled to find enough hands to pick the blueberries that make their way onto customers' breakfast cereals and fruit plates. But not this year. Migrant workers who might have hoped to work construction and landscaping jobs that have dried up as a result of the sour economy are flocking to harvesting jobs, state officials said. www.mlive.com, 8/18/08.
ACTIVITY ACROSS UNITED STATES
Drivers’ Licenses/ Identification
Drivers' license applications down in Oregon
Oregon - Fewer people are now trying to get an Oregon driver's license, after tough new regulations took effect earlier this year. The Statesman-Journal also reports that the number of driver-knowledge tests taken in Spanish has fallen to its lowest level since the state began offering the exams in that language in 1990. www.kgw.com, 8/28/08.
Initiative 100: Racial Profiling or Safe City Measure?
Colorado - Voters said yes to a measure that will require Denver Police to seize anyone's vehicle who is stopped and found to be without a valid drivers license and insurance. www.myfoxcoloarado.com, 8/13/08.
Education
Arizona law has illegal students dropping out
Arizona - Changing laws have made life tougher for illegal immigrants in Arizona, including young people giving up dreams of college and better lives because they are unable to pay out-of-state tuition as required by voters. With privately funded grants and scholarships lagging far behind the demand, some would-be students have dropped out, and others are considering a return to homelands they hardly remember in search of opportunity. East Valley Tribune, 8/17/08.
Dream for immigrant teens; A local advocacy group tackles thorny immigration issues, including education, starting with the youngest among us.
Minnesota - The nonprofit advocacy group's mission includes improving educational opportunities for immigrant youths, changing the language used in the news media to describe immigrants and lobbying for reform at the state Legislature. The Minnesota Dream Act, which would provide resident tuition rates at state colleges for all high school students regardless of their parents' immigration status, is among MIFN's biggest goals. Star Tribune, 8/12/08.
Colleges to discuss allowing illegal immigrants
North Carolina - The state community college system will discuss at its monthly meetings this week whether to allow illegal immigrants into degree programs. The decision to revisit the contentious issue comes after federal Homeland Security officials told the state Attorney General's Office in July that no federal law bars illegal immigrants from pursuing degrees. The Fayetteville Observer, 8/11/08.
Health
Illegal immigrant crackdown may threaten America's health, some doctors say
Illinois - Doctors say a growing fervor over illegal immigration may scare illegal immigrants away from seeking health care and create a public health threat. Chicago Sun-Times, 8/1808.
Immigration Reform
Immigration initiative seeks state crackdown; Signature campaign | Driver's licenses, hiring among targets of I-409; critic sees scare tactics
Washington - Under their initiative: Applicants for a driver's license in the state would have to provide proof of citizenship. State agencies would be required to verify the lawful presence of anyone 14 or older seeking local, state or federal benefits they administer, not including emergency care. All state agencies, including law enforcement, would be required to cooperate with immigration authorities in enforcing immigration law. Seattle Times, 8/26/08.
Survey: Latino immigration, legal and illegal, has Intermountain West polarized
Regional - An overwhelming 71 percent of those polled endorse efforts to stop illegal immigration, including building a fence across the U.S.-Mexico border and penalizing employers who hire undocumented workers. Respondents from four of the six states considered immigration the top issue facing their state (in Utah and Wyoming it was No. 2 behind oil and gas drilling on public lands), and Utah Republican Rep. Chris Cannon thinks GOP candidates for Congress might not fare well in November because they did not deal with immigration "in a way that makes some sense." The Salt Lake Tribune, 8/26/08.
Some States Seek Integration Path for Immigrants
Regional - Behind the national debate over immigration, a handful of Democratic governors are mounting a quiet offensive to integrate, rather than repel, foreign newcomers. The governors of Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Washington have signed orders that make immigrant integration a priority for their states, focusing on language, job and citizenship training as well as access to services, such as health care and public safety, for immigrants. Wall Street Journal, 8/14/08.
Labor and Employment
State pushes appeals court to uphold HB 1804
Oklahoma - State officials say the core of the act is "to ensure that (the state) collects all taxes due from illegal individual contractors, to ensure that public monies were not spent in support of illegal aliens and to ensure that legal workers do not lose their jobs due to the hiring of illegal workers." Tulsa World, 8/29/08.
Input solicited on new laws over illegal immigration in S.C.
South Carolina - The S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation is accepting public comment as it develops policies for enforcing a new law that requires all businesses to verify their workers' legal status, said Jim Knight, a department spokesman. The department is publishing notices today in the S.C. State Register to ask for public comment. Tribune Business News, 8/22/08.
Language and Assimilation
'English-first' initiative is eligible for November ballot
Tennessee - A petition drive to let Davidson County voters decide whether to set English as Nashville's official language has gathered enough legitimate signatures to place the measure on the November ballot.. The Tennessean, 8/23/08. See also, The Tennessean, “Council passes resolution opposing English Only”, 8/8/08.
School prevails in English-only lawsuit
Kansas - A federal judge ruled Friday that a Wichita Catholic school policy requiring students to speak only English didn't break any civil rights laws. The Wichita Eagle, 8/16/08.
Companies Take Lead in Assimilation Efforts; Programs Aid Immigrant Workers
D.C. - Business leaders hope to counter criticism that immigrants steal jobs and burden public services by highlighting the contributions they make to the U.S. economy and improving their ability to integrate. Washington Post, 8/09/08.
Federal Court Ruling Prods Texas on ELLs
Texas - Officials say that they are likely to appeal a federal court order telling the state it must, by the 2009-10 school year, revamp programs for English-language learners in grades 7-12 and improve monitoring of programs for ELLs in all grades. Education Week, 7/29/08.
Law and Immigration Enforcement
Similar Impacts Found in Study Of Immigration Crackdowns
Virginia - Prince William County may have one of the nation's toughest enforcement laws against illegal immigration, but a recent examination of largely less stringent measures across the country found that their impact on communities is often the same. The Washington Post. 8/ 28/08.
Gordon talks of burden tied to illegals to U.S. police group: Phoenix mayor also says sheriff's office is profiling
Arizona - Illegal immigration is placing a heavy burden on Phoenix, both in terms of financial expenses and social costs, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon told a group of law enforcement officials at a national Police Foundation conference Thursday in Washington, D.C. Tribune Business News, 8/22/08.
Agents step up work in Fremont
Nebraska - Federal immigration agents have stepped up their efforts in Fremont, Neb., since the city's divisive proposal that would have punished people who housed or hired illegal immigrants, officials said Wednesday "We're getting a much quicker response," said Dodge County Attorney Paul Vaughan County Corrections Director Doug Campbell said his staff has had increased contact with field agents of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, since the city's controversial immigration measure garnered national attention "They've been coming up and talking to us in person," Campbell said, "reassuring us that if we need anything, they're there and available." Omaha World, 8/21/08.
RI bishop wants US to halt mass immigration raids
Rhode Island - Rhode Island's Roman Catholic bishop is calling on U.S. authorities to halt mass immigration raids and says agents who refuse to participate in such raids on moral grounds deserve to be treated as conscientious objectors. The Washington Post 8/21/08.
Immigrants urged to report crimes
Kansas - The Liberal Police Department wants victims and witnesses of crime to know they can call the police -- regardless of residency documentation. Tribune Business News, 8/20/08.
Suthers: Illegal immigrants cost state $39.8M
Colorado - Attorney General John Suthers has told the state's Congressional delegation in a letter that he wants the state to be reimbursed for the cost of incarcerating illegal immigrants. It cost Colorado approximately $39.8 million last fiscal year to house imprisoned illegal immigrants, according to an estimate from state Department of Corrections Executive Director Ari Zavaras, which Suthers quoted in his letter. The state received only about $3.3 million from the federal government last year to defray those costs, Suthers said. The Denver Post, 08/19/08.
Pr. William has sent more inmates to ICE than other counties in area
Virginia - Prince William County has turned over...more than any other county in the Washington area. Prince William and Loudoun are the only local counties that formally partner with the federal government to crack down on illegal immigration. The Examiner, 8/14/08.
FBI probing claims against sheriff's office: Local group says feds looking into possible civil rights violations
Arizona - The FBI is investigating whether the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office is violating residents' civil rights in association with the police agency's illegal immigration enforcement efforts. Raquel Teran said the event will feature theatrical components that will illustrate long response times to 911 calls and noninvestigations into rapes, plus testimonials by people who feel they have been subject to civil rights violations by the sheriff's office and discussions by legal experts on civil rights laws. Tribune Business, News 8/8/08.
New Va. immigration law targets inmates
Virginia - A year after Prince William County launched a crackdown on illegal immigrants, Virginia has implemented a law that requires something similar for every jurisdiction in the state. Jail officials are now required to notify federal authorities of all foreign-born inmates regardless of their immigration status. The Washington Post, 7/28/08.
Voting and Citizenship
Would-be immigrant voters anxiously endure backlog of citizenship applications
Missouri - The FBI name check is a security feature separate from the long-standing practice of running an applicant's fingerprints or birth dates through a criminal database. Fred Tsao of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights said applicants with names similar to anyone on a terrorist watch list are doomed to lengthy waits with no explanation. Kansas City Star. 8/24/08.
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Citizenship and Status
U visas issued for immigrant crime victims
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued the first handful of U visas for immigrant victims of crime and domestic violence, almost eight years after the United States Congress enacted the legislation meant to help law enforcement. McClatchy - Tribune News Service. 8/7/08.
Customs, Border, and Immigration Enforcement
Travelers' Laptops May Be Detained At Border; No Suspicion Required Under DHS Policies
Federal agents may take a traveler's laptop computer or other electronic device to an off-site location for an unspecified period of time without any suspicion of wrongdoing, as part of border search policies the Department of Homeland Security recently disclosed. The Washington Post. 8/1/2008.
Language and Assimilation
Truck drivers need to be required to speak English
There may be a few universal signals that all drivers understand, but when it comes to driving a commercial truck or a bus in this country, the operator should know how to speak English.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed new federal regulations that would strengthen the nation’s current laws regarding English and the operation of commercial vehicles. The law now says that a licensed commercial operator must speak English well enough to converse with law-enforcement officers. Media General News Service, 8/6/08.