About.com Immigration Issues

Immigration Quote of the Week

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:29:13 +0000

"Today's guilty plea makes it clear that those who harm our brave men and women in uniform will be swiftly brought to justice and punished. I am confident that any others involved in Agent Rosas' tragic death will also be held responsible, and I applaud the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI, as well as the Government of Mexico for their cooperation in this case. The devoted men and women of Southern California's law enforcement and first responder community deserve our deepest appreciation for their support of Agent Rosa's family and his Border Patrol colleagues over the past four months."

- Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Friday's guilty plea in the case of murdered border patrol agent Robert Rosas.

Immigration Quote of the Week originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 18:29:13.

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ICE: Campaigns and Crackdowns

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:25:53 +0000

ICE has launched an ad campaign to publicly recognize businesses who use E-Verify and participate in the IMAGE program.

The "I E-Verify" campaign kicked off with a public service announcement promoting the use of the E-Verify program. In the ad is a sign that will presumably be displayed at participating companies' places of business. The sign reads: "This business uses E-Verify in its hiring practices to achieve a lawful workforce."

ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton ends the clip saying, "Employment verification: it's the law," but he is not referring to E-Verify, a voluntary program. Only federal contractors, some federal subcontractors and employers in some states are required to use E-Verify. Employment verification, however, is the law. All U.S. employers are required to complete and retain Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for each individual they hire for employment in the United States, including citizens and noncitizens.

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano commented on the "I E-Verify" campaign, saying:

Strong Show of Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:53:36 +0000

ALIPAC might think that "several thousand" supporters at its tea parties is "dramatic and encouraging," but those numbers can't compete with the 60,000 people who joined last night's virtual town hall in support of comprehensive immigration reform.

Attendees gathered at more than 1,000 house parties in 45 states and Puerto Rico to listen to the teleconference, hosted by the Reform Immigration FOR America Campaign, featuring Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Rep. Raul Grijalva, and Rep. Nydia Velazquez.

Congressman Gutierrez led the call to action and announced that he will introduce his reform bill in December. He urged listeners to keep the pressure on members of Congress to move forward with immigration reform.

"We need everyone on this call to take action with your churches, your families and your organizations so that we can deliver a strong message to President Obama and Congress that, hey,� it has been a year...We want you to keep your promise to our families.� We'll be watching on the State of the Union to make sure you keep your promise."

You can listen to a recording of the call at Reform Immigration For America.

Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Strong Show of Support For Comprehensive Immigration Reform originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 20:53:36.

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Is ALIPAC Losing Support?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:10:27 +0000

"Only 12 days remain in our funds drive. ALIPAC has never failed to reach our minimum goals before but we are in danger of not reaching the mark unless we receive a new and strong wave of donations immediately."

That desperate-sounding message was posted on the anti-immigrant Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) website this afternoon and sent via "emergency backup e-mail system." Is one of the largest anti-immigrant groups in the country running out of steam? They may be.

The "Tea Parties Against Amnesty and Illegal Immigration" held this past weekend were not what you'd call a rousing success. "Several thousand" people attended tea parties nationwide, ALIPAC President William Gheen reported, likely the same 5,575 supporters who signed up on the event website. According to news reports, crowds ranged from a few dozen to a few hundred in each of the 53 tea parties held across the country. Those numbers pale in comparison to the thousands of people who typically come out for pro-migrant rallies. Hardly what I'd call "dramatic and encouraging" results.

"Please remember that the $25,000 we must raise by Nov. 30 is our minimal survival operations costs. Anything less and we will not be able to continue our mission into 2010."

What's that? ALIPAC might not be able to continue dehumanizing immigrants through their campaign to "control and reverse America's illegal alien population?" What a pity.

Is ALIPAC Losing Support? originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 at 21:10:27.

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Immigration Quote of the Week

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:14:12 +0000

"Our overhead, our costs, need to be reduced. There exists the possibility that we may have to seek a fee increase. We're considering all the options."

- USCIS Director Alejandro Mayorkas in an interview with the Houston Chronicle. The agency is struggling with a $164 million revenue drop at the close of the 2009 fiscal year. USCIS last raised its fees in 2007.

Immigration Quote of the Week originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Saturday, November 14th, 2009 at 20:14:12.

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White House Recommits to Immigration Reform

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:55:53 +0000

During a speech Friday, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano stressed the Administration's commitment to moving ahead with immigration reform in 2010.

With economic recovery efforts underway and a strong foothold in health care reform, Napolitano, designated by President Obama as point person for immigration overhaul, emphasized the need "to deal with long lingering problems that cloud our future," and identified immigration as the next problem that will be addressed.

Homeland Security has worked hard at strengthening the border and doing a better job of immigration enforcement, according to Naplitano, but the department has done all it can do "within the current legal framework" and "the laws themselves need to be reformed."

Let me be clear: when I talk about "immigration reform," I'm referring to what I call the "three-legged stool" that includes a commitment to serious and effective enforcement, improved legal flows for families and workers, and a firm but fair way to deal with those who are already here. That's the way that this problem has to be solved, because we need all three aspects to build a successful system. This approach has at its heart the conviction that we must demand responsibility and accountability from everyone involved in the system: immigrants, employers and government. And that begins with fair, reliable enforcement.

In her speech, Napolitano outlined the changes that have been made to the immigration landscape since the last failed attempt at immigration reform in 2007: additional manpower, technology and infrastructure, has strengthened the border, increasing the number of seizures and reducing the levels of illegal entry into the U.S.; new policies have been put in place to to enforce interior and worksite enforcement laws; and policies have changed to improve and streamline the legal immigration system. Having met many of the benchmarks Congress asked for back in 2007, the Administration is ready to push ahead.

The President is committed to this issue because the need for immigration reform is so clear. This Administration does not shy away from taking on the big challenges of the 21st century, challenges that have been ignored too long and hurt our families and businesses. When Congress is ready to act, we will be ready to support them.

You can watch a video of Napolitano's speech or read her full remarks.

White House Recommits to Immigration Reform originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Friday, November 13th, 2009 at 22:55:53.

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Honoring Immigrant and Native-Born Veterans

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:01:35 +0000

November 11th is Veteran's Day; a time to recognize the service and sacrifices of U.S. veterans. While Memorial Day serves to honor military members who died in service to their country, today we honor the bravery and sacrifice of all American veterans.

Immigrants contribute something special to our military. I've had the pleasure of speaking with immigrant service members, and they told me that it an honor to serve their adopted nation and its people. They talk about this country with deep respect, and you can hear the gratitude and appreciation in their voices when they discuss having the opportunity to serve.

The uniform is the great equalizer. Immigrants' native tongues, upbringings and past experiences may be different from that of U.S. citizens, but once that uniform is on, those differences disappear. America's immigrants stand shoulder-to-shoulder with native-born citizens for a shared purpose: to protect our great country.

While Veterans Day is our opportunity to thank our brave men and women for their service to our country, we would be remiss if we didn't spend a moment remembering the 13 people killed on November 5th in Fort Hood, Texas. Two of these soldiers came to the United States as children. These immigrants chose to serve their adopted country, and in doing so, paid the ultimate price.

President Obama closed his Fort Hood memorial speech with the following remarks--perfect words for Veterans Day.

"So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity.� We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those that we have lost."

Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Honoring Immigrant and Native-Born Veterans originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 01:01:35.

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Immigration Quote of the Week

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:42:49 +0000

"I did not knowingly hire any illegal aliens."

- Sholom Rubashkin, former chief executive officer and vice president at Agriprocessors, responding to assistant U.S. attorney C.J. Williams during Thursday's trial in Sioux Falls. The former manager of the Postville, Iowa slaughterhouse and son of company founder Aaron Rubashkin testified that he never knowingly violated federal immigration laws.

Immigration Quote of the Week originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Saturday, November 7th, 2009 at 02:42:49.

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Rep. Space Wants PAYBACK

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:45:31 +0000

House Representative Zack Space wants foreign countries to foot the medical bills incurred by undocumented immigrants in the United States.

Yesterday, Space introduced the Preventing All Your Bucks from Aiding non-Citizens is Key (PAYBACK) Act. Under the new bill, 110% of the costs of treating undocumented immigrants would be withheld from any foreign assistance provided to another country. If the United States does not offer any foreign assistance, the country would be billed for 110% of the medical costs. If we happen to be in debt to the foreign country, the amount of the debt would be reduced by 110% of the costs of caring for the foreign country's citizen.

"I am absolutely opposed to taxpayer dollars being used to support benefits and services for illegal immigrants," Space said. "It is fundamentally unfair and outrageous to foot the bill for immigrants unlawfully in the United States. The bill I intend to introduce will allow taxpayers to be reimbursed for the cost of care and services provided to illegal immigrants in our hospitals."

All funds collected under the PAYBACK Act would be transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the purpose of strengthening border security.

What do you think of Space's proposed legislation?

Photo: Barry Williams/Getty Images

Rep. Space Wants PAYBACK originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 19:45:31.

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A New Year's Present, Long Overdue

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:57:23 +0000

Finally, more than a year after Congress voted to repeal the HIV travel and immigration ban, the policy barring HIV-positive immigrants from entering the U.S. is finally coming to an end. The regulations were published Monday in the Federal Register, which will be followed by the standard 60-day waiting period prior to the new rule taking effect.

President Obama announced the elimination of the ban during last week's signing of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. Following are the President's comments regarding the HIV travel ban. From the White House blog:

"Twenty-two years ago, in a decision rooted in fear rather than fact, the United States instituted a travel ban on entry into the country for people living with HIV/AIDS.

We talk about reducing the stigma of this disease yet we've treated a visitor living with it as a threat. We lead the world when it comes to helping stem the AIDS pandemic, yet we are one of only a dozen countries that still bar people with HIV from entering our own country. If we want to be the global leader in combating HIV/AIDS, we need to act like it.

And that's why, on Monday my administration will publish a final rule that eliminates the travel ban effective just after the New Year.

Congress and President Bush began this process last year, and they ought to be commended for it. We are finishing the job. It's a step that will encourage people to get tested and get treatment, it's a step that will keep families together, and it's a step that will save lives."

Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images

A New Year's Present, Long Overdue originally appeared on About.com Immigration Issues on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 18:57:23.

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