Napolitano Predicting Record Deportations

On October 5, 2011, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jane Napolitano wrote an Op-Ed piece for Politico about the enforcement of immigration laws.

Secretary Napolitano sought to respond to critics of immigration policy from both sides. In the editorial, she predicted that next year DHS will break records with the number of deportations from the United States but explained that "while the overall number of individuals removed will exceed prior years, the composition of that number will consist of more convicted criminals, recent border crossers and repeat immigration law violators than ever before."

The administration's focus on prioritizing which individuals should be deported with limited resources makes sense. However, her prediction that DHS will break records for deportations next year calls into questions the hope for those low-priority individuals who seek prosecutorial discretion. Rather, it seems more likely that DHS will see that "record" number of deportations for the coming year as a mandate from above or a quota. Unfortunately, the data can be easily massaged to make it look like DHS has really sharpened its focus on high-priority aliens. By lumping all criminal offenses together, DHS can crow about the removal of criminal aliens. Secretary Napolitano stated in her Op-Ed that "50 percent of immigrants removed from our country had been convicted of a criminal offense."

Such statistics don't delve into what percentage were deported for drug offenses or violent offenses and what percentage were deported after being pulled over for having a tail light out and then convicted of driving without a license because their international driver's license is only good for a short period here in the United States.

All crimes are not the same and we should remember this for the coming year when DHS produces statistics of record deportations of "criminal aliens."

Click here to see Secretary Napolitano's Op-Ed .

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Far Reaching Human Consequences of Failure to Change Immigration Laws

In a time of consistent inaction on any issue important to the governance of the United States by the United States Congress, the question becomes how individuals work within antiquated, draconian, biased and divisive immigration laws. The United States bases its existence on the rule of law, and sees the Constitution as a living document; therefore, ensuring that one is following the immigration law is of paramount importance.

Putting aside the fact that current immigration law is a hindrance to free market economy because employers basically have to ask permission from the United States Department of Labor to hire the employee of their choice (ask any employer who has chosen the perfect person to work for him and has had to navigate business based visas, the PERM Labor Certification Process, and the minimum six year waiting period for professionals to be eligible to then apply for permanent resident status); and not taking into account the fact that permanent residents of this country have to wait years to live with their spouses and children, it is becoming ever more clear that the human toll of the immigration laws in the United States is devastating, and affect so many, it becomes difficult to fathom why Congress has refused to act.

When considering all those that immigration law affects, consider those in the gay and lesbian community. People who are legally allowed to marry in a minority of states remain ineligible to petition for their spouses to remain in the United States because of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). DOMA denies same-sex couples all federal marital benefits, such as tax preferences, Social Security and spousal immigration rights. This means that even for same sex couples that are legally married to a United States citizen that citizen in their state, the government still does not allow them to petition for the foreign national spouse to remain in the United States. There are a number of Congress men and women who believe this is unfair, and have introduced bills to repeal DOMA and allow same sex married couples to petition for one another, but in the meantime families continue to suffer under Congress’ inaction. Just because a bill is introduced, it does not mean it will be passed, or even looked at.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fc%2Fa%2F2011%2F10%2F05%2FMNEJ1LDPA3.DTL

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Decline in Unauthorized Aliens Residing in US

Whether it is the economy or an increase in worksite enforcement, the number of unauthorized aliens in the United States has declined since 2008. According to the Congressional Research Service report published September 22, 2001, an estimated 10-11 million unauthorized aliens lived in the U.S. as of 2010, compared to over 12 million in 2007. The report surveyed the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Surveys (CPS) published since 1986, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS) reports based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) since 2000.

The report analyzed data collected not only on the number of unauthorized aliens in the U.S., but also countries of origin, residence in the United States, and year of arrival. The majority of unauthorized aliens residing in the U.S. as of 2010, approximately 30% of the total population, entered between 2000 and 2004. Only 9% of the current unauthorized alien population entered the U.S. between 2005 and 2009 according to a 2010 CPS report. Unauthorized aliens migrating from Mexico have declined since 1986, from 69% to 57% in 2010, while aliens originating from Asia have increased by 6%. The greatest number of unauthorized aliens continue to reside in California and Texas. According to the report, Colorado is not even in the top ten states "with unauthorized resident aliens" with a 2010 headcount between 140,000 to 325,000.

Contributing factors to the rise and fall of the unauthorized alien population in the U.S. since 1986 included economics, legislation, and enforcement. Some analysts attributed the rise of unauthorized aliens to "lax enforcement of employer sanctions," introduced in 1986 (Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) of 1986). These analysts point to the decrease in unauthorized aliens since work site enforcement increased in 2007-2008. However, the decrease in population since 2007 may also be attributed to the 2008 housing downturn and the subsequent recession.

In addition, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) "may have inadvertently increased the population of unauthorized resident aliens." Among other penalties, the act introduced the three and ten year bars to admission for aliens unlawfully present in the US for 180 days or more. These provisions "coupled with incrased resources for border enforcement" in the wak of the 911 terrorist attacks, according to the report, have created a "caging effect" that has "stymied what had been a rather fluid movement of migratory workers along the southern border." The result of IIRIRA "raised the stakes" and "created an incentive for those who succeed in entering the United States to stay."

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

2013 Diversity Lottery Opens October 4, 2011

The U.S. Department of State ("department") announced on September 27, 2011, that registration for the 2013 Diversity Lottery Program will open October 4, 2011. The department will accept electronically-submitted, registration applications (E-DV Form) until noon (EDT) on November 5, 2011.

Annually, the department sets aside 55,000 immigrant visas for the Diversity Visa Program. Out of the 55,000, 5,000 visas are allocated and available to aliens eligible to apply under the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA). The department selects and distributes the available 2013 Diversity Visas to nationals from among six geographic regions and up to 7% of applicants from any single, eligible country.

Nationals of countries sending more than 50,000 immigrants tot he United States or more are not eligible to register for the Diversity Visa Program. The list of ineligible countries includes natives from the following: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (mainland-born)*, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.

*Natives of Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan are eligible to register.

Eligible registrants must submit an E-DV Form at www.dvlottery.state.gov to enter the lottery. The department will no longer accept paper entries. The official, electronic form is only in English. However, registrants may find unofficial translations of the electronic form on the department's website, in Albanian, Armenian, Hungarian, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Ukrainian, and Uzbek. Other translations of the form or assistance with translations may be available at the respective US Embassy website or foreign post in the registrant's country of residence.

The electronic registration system provides each registrant with a unique confirmation number. On or after May 1, 2013, registrants can return to the department's website to check if their confirmation number has been selected. If selected, the departmen will then send instructions to the successful registrant on how to apply for an immigrant visa.

Every year through the wonders of internet technology more fraudulent websites are created as scams charging unnecessary fees to unwary lottery registrants. The websites often appear as official government websites. Scammers may also send emails or letters "posing as the U.S. government." Please remember that the department does NOT collect a fee from registrants to enter the Diversity Visa Program. In addition, the department will NOT send registrants status updates or selection notices via email or regular mail. Registrants must check the department's website using their confirmation number for updates on their entry.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

California Dreaming

The California DREAM Act has been signed into law. The Act, (AB 130) gives to undocumented students access to "privately funded scholarships for attendance at community colleges, state colleges, and public universities" in that state. Because there is no cost to the taxpayers, the measure passed easily. With the passage of AB 130, the legislators are now looking at AB 131, a much more controversial bill which would allow undocumented students to apply for state tuition assistance and Board of Governors fee waivers at community colleges. AB 131 would also give these students gain eligibility for university grants. Given the current economic situation in the United States, but especially in California, AB 131 may not be the boon that these students had hoped for since they will be "last in line" for the financial benefits after U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents. Nevertheless, to be given the opportunity to gain a college education where none existed before can only be counted as good. For more information on this subject, please follow the link below.

http://www.mondaq.com/unitedstates/x/145178/Labour+Relations/California+Passes+Part+1+Of+The+DREAM+Act+For+State+College+University+Students&email_access=on

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

First Reported Cases Benefiting from 8/18/11 Obama Administration Announcement

Scattered reports in the media have indicated that the August 18, 2011 announcement by the Obama Administration may be starting to have some effect.

CNN reports that an Arizona attorney was contacted by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials and told that she should request that her case be dismissed. The Huffington Post reports that two teenage men in Georgia have also had their deportation cases closed under the new policy.

Despite these reports of what seems to be an implementation of the August 18 announcement, it is important to recognize that the announcement is not an amnesty and does not grant anyone legal status. There is no new application that can be filed or that a person can sign up for. The announcement does not create any new way to file for a work permit either. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) put out a consumer advisory warning that there is no sure way to know whether one's case would be safely considered "low priority" under the new announcement and no sure way to know that a particular "low priority" case won't be prosecuted anyway.

While it will be interesting to see if these sporadic reports turn into a general trend of closing cases deemed "low priority" by DHS, for the time being there seems to be little change on the ground.

To read the CNN article, click here;

For the Huffington Post article, click here;

To review the AILA consumer advisory, click here.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Obama's Amnesty? Not so Fast

The Obama Administration announced on Thursday that it will make a case-by-case review of some 300,000 immigrants facing possible deportation in immigration courts around the country. The stated goal of the review is to focus on removing convicted criminals who might pose a threat to national security or public safety.

The Thursday announcement follows a June memo from the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), John Morton, outlining when and how ICE agents could use prosecutorial discretion in immigration cases.

Administration officials, to this point speaking anonymously, have indicated that those whose deportations are put on hold may be eligible for work authorization. Whether this would come in the form of an order of deferred action or some other way is unclear.

In fact, much of how this new policy will play out on the ground remains unclear. We know that it does not give anyone a new path to lawful permanent resident status. As of yet, there is no known way to affirmatively apply to have one's case put on hold or to apply for work authorization based on the new policy.

How this new policy unfolds will depend on how DHS officers and attorneys implement it. Which immigrants actually end up benefiting from this new policy is still far from clear.

Read the Washington Post Article.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Prosecutorial Discretion Memo, What Does It Mean?

On June 17, 2011, John Morton, Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), issued two memos encouraging the expanded use of prosecutorial discretion by ICE officers, agents, and attorneys in all phases of civil immigration enforcement.

The new Morton memo is significant because it clarifies that the actions that can be used to exercise prosecutorial discretion include decisions on whether to:

- Issue or cancel a notice of detainer;

-“Reissue” or “serve” Notices to Appear (NTA); this gives an ICE officer the flexibility to allow a respondent to accrue the necessary continuous residence or continuous physical presence time for LPR and non-LPR cancellation, respectively;

-Settle or dismiss a proceeding; this appears to apply at all stages of a removal proceeding, including federal court appeals.

The memo cites as favorable factors to consider: whether the case falls within agency priorities, whether the person has graduated from a U.S. high school or is in pursuit of higher education, family relationships. Only a few negative factors are listed warranting “particular” consideration, including national security risks, serious felons, repeat offenders, those with lengthy criminal records, gang members, and “egregious” immigration violators.

The memo encourages ICE officers to proactively consider prosecutorial discretion even without being asked to do so.

Only a month after the roll-out of the new Morton memos, it is still to be seen how they will play out in the field. Hopefully they will be used to help ICE keep its focus on its stated goal of deporting serious criminal offenders and dangers to the community while spending less time chasing the deportations of DREAM Act eligible and other non-priority cases.

For the Morton Memo, click here.

For an excellent detailed advisory by Mary Kenney for American Immigration Council, click here.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

ACLU Wins $200,000 Settlement from Maricopa County Sheriff for Illegal Detention of Citizen and LPR

68-year old Julian Mora and his son were driving in their truck when they were pulled over by the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department. They had not violated any traffic laws, but were nonetheless ordered out of the truck, zip-tied, and transported to a nearby work-site immigration raid that was being conducted. After being transported to the raid, they were detained for three hours by the police.

After three hours, they were given the chance to prove that they were lawfully in the U.S. Because Julian Mora is a lawful permanent resident who has lived in this country for over 30 years and his son is a U.S. citizen, they were easily able to do so.

The American Civl Liberties Union (ACLU) of Arizona brought suit on behalf of Mora against the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department and yesterday a settlement was reached for $200,000.

New state laws seeking to further involve local police in immigration enforcement will make these scenarios more and more common. Law enforcement officers in states with new "papers please" laws will inevitably detain U.S. citizens and some of these detentions will end up being for far more than three hours. Imagine the case where a U.S. citizen speaks with an accent and does not have ready access to his birth certificate or passport. Where the citizen is mentally disabled and is unable to explain his situation to the police. There are infinite complications that can and will cause people to be unable to prove their legal status at the drop of a hat. With time, these "papers please" laws will result in more and longer detentions by local police officers of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents who can't prove their status on the spot. And when that happens, the taxpayers will be on the hook for more expensive lawsuits and settlements.

See the ACLU press release here.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

ABC News Journalist Outs Self as Undocumented in Support of Dream Act

In the wake of Congress failing to pass the DREAM Act (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) last year, Jose Antonio Vargas decided to reveal his status as an illegal immigrant.

Vargas is an ABC News Journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. He arrived in the United States at the age of twelve from the Philippines and did not learn that he did not have immigration status until years later.

Vargas' story is one of many that should put a human face on the potential beneficiaries of the DREAM Act who ended up in the U.S. without immigration status through no fault of their own. Hopefully Congress considers his story and so many others like it and gets DREAM back on the table.

For more, click on the links:

-The short Denver Post article on Vargas speaking out

-Video of Vargas talking about being undocumented

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Georgian Farmers Blame Labor Shortage on State's New Immigration Law

Georgia recently passed an Arizona-like bill that goes into effect on July 1. Among other things, Georgia House Bill 87 requires private employers to use an employment eligibility verification system and provides authority for law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration laws and investigate the immigration status of Georgia residents.

As reported recently in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, migrant farm workers are choosing not to settle in Georgia because of HB 87. This has created a severe labor shortage among fruit and vegetable growers and potentially puts millions of dollars of crops in jeopardy.

Prospects for resolving the shortage look grim. Farmers say they are unable to recruit Georgia residents to work in their fields, because "it is temporary, hot and physically demanding." The president of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association said his farm is struggling against the worker shortage even after boosting pay to attract more migrant workers.

As states continue to pass piecemeal immigration laws, the labor shortage in Georgia will undoubtedly repeat itself throughout the rest of the United States. Georgia's struggle to save its crops exposes the country's dependence on migrant workers and calls for a guest worker program, both for the sake of our economy and the protection of immigrant workers.

Read more here in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Denver Immigration Court Overloaded

An article in Sunday's Denver Post documents the overwhelming caseload at the Immigration Court in Denver, Colorado. According to the article, two of Denver's immigration judges have as many as 2,400 pending cases each at any given time.

Judge Dana Leigh Marks, president of the National Associate of Immigration Judges, is quoted as saying that the necessarily rushed nature of the proceedings with such an inundation of cases is akin to trying death penalty cases in a traffic court setting.

With the enactment of Secure Communities and other programs designed to sweep more and more people into removal proceedings, the court's caseload seems likely to get worse. In the midst of the current budget struggles, it is difficult to envision Congress passing funding for more immigration judges and court staff to ensure due process and meaningful hearings in immigration court.

To read the article in the Denver Post, click here.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

United States Citizenship & Immigration Service Extends Temporary Protected Status to Haiti

On May 17, 2011 the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Haitians who qualified and applied during the designated time and who received TPS from the government. This move is a welcome and much needed recognition of the tens of thousands of human beings present in the United States who remain in need of protection from return to Haiti, a country still suffering from the earthquake that occurred more than a year ago. The extension is valid from July 23, 2011 until January 22, 2013.

Additionally, DHS has re-designated Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, allowing Haitian Nationals who were not covered by the initial designation but whom were continually present in the United States since January 12, 2011 to make a filing for TPS now. This measure allows people who entered the United States during the year following the earthquake to apply for TPS.

http://aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=35422

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

The "A" Word

After previous failures to get any traction on comprehensive immigration reform or the DREAM Act, President Obama has again ramped up his efforts to call for reform. The outlines of the President's proposed plan are nothing new. He emphasized the need to pore further resources into securing the borders and prosecuting business owners who willfully employ undocumented workers. At the same time, those illegally in the country could begin a legalization process after they (1) admit to having broken the law, (2) pay taxes and a fine, (3) learn English, and (4) undergo background checks to ensure that they have no serious criminal history.

For opponents of reform, the broad outline of the plan will be immediately deemed as unacceptable because it amounts to an amnesty. With so much of the political debate centered on whether or not a given plan is an amnesty, it is probably worth looking at what the word amnesty means.

According to dictionary.com, the definition of "amnesty" is (1) a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction; (2) an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole; or (3) a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.

The relevant definition word “pardon” is defined as (1) a release from the penalty of an offense; a remission of penalty, as by a governor; or (2) forgiveness of a serious offense or offender.

Would requiring offenders to (1) admit to having broken the law, (2) pay taxes and a fine, (3) learn English, and (4) undergo background checks to ensure no serious criminal history before they could start a legalization process really be an amnesty? Such requirements seem more akin a mass guilty plea and sanction (a presumably substantial fine and English classes) than a "release from the penalty of an offense" or a "forgetting or overlooking of any past offense."

When a person pleads guilty to DUI, he admits to having broken the law and then is required to pay court costs and fines and often agrees to take classes. DUI and other criminal offenders are not seen as having been granted amnesty.

A reform program should be envisioned as a mass guilty plea with serious sanctions attached. It would be to American society's benefit that fines will be paid, those who do not know English will be required to learn it, and 10 or so million people will no longer be living in the shadows.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Colorado Springs-Based Immigration Scam Shut Down

The Denver Post reports that an immigration-help services company named "Simply Done Immigration" has been shut down after a settlement with the Colorado Attorney General's Office.

The company represented its staff members as being immigration document experts despite having no legal or immigration training. The company also inferred an affiliation with the U.S. government. In addition, it sold forms which can be obtained for free from government immigration offices or from the website www.uscis.gov. Simply Done Immigration will also be forced to pay $20,000 in consumer restitution.

The Attorney General's office deserves kudos for going after this company and others like it whose scams prey on the immigrant community and cause untold damage to people's lives when sometimes irreversible mistakes are made on immigration filings.

For more information, click on the below links:

-the Denver Post article on "Simply Done Immigration"

-the list of forms available for free from the official United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website

-the USCIS initiative to combat the unauthorized practice of law.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

White House Posts Blog Regarding Immigration Reform

Many in the immigration community have wondered when the current Administration was going to focus its attention on Immigration Reform. Immobilized by a flailing economy, war, an oil spill crisis, world wide natural disasters, health care reform, a budget crisis, etc., many have thought that there will be no change to the crippled United States immigration law for at least another two years.

Yesterday, the President reiterated his dedication to immigration reform and met with national leaders in government, faith and community based organization to discuss his intent and continue to press this as a priority, not just for him but for all of the people in the room. President Obama listened to the concerns of those present and requested and received input on how to advance legislative efforts. The President urged serious and civil discussions around the country to help create the space for congressional action.

As an immigration practitioner, we are every day firsthand witnesses to the frustration and inconsistencies of our broken immigration laws; human beings unable (but certainly not unwilling) to change their documentation status and come out of the shadows. The frustration is deepened by what feels and looks like a federal government turning its back and consciously choosing not to act. And as the debate rages on and security remains at risk. A part of any immigration reform debate needs to address the undocumented population and ensure those that are deserving are able to remain and eventually earn Lawful Permanent Resident status while allowing Immigration & Customs Enforcement to focus its energies and resources on those that are a true threat to our national security.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/20/working-together-create-21st-century-immigration-system

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Staunch Cold War Ally Faces Deportation from U.S.

General Eugenio Vides Casanova, a former defense minister from El Salvador, was found by a 1983 United States Department of State report to have "acquiesced" in the cover-up to the rape and murder of four Catholic nuns and the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. He has also been found liable for the brutal and systematic torture of the detained Salvadorans during his time in power.

At the same time, Mr. Vides Casanova was a valued cold war ally of the United States who was praised for his iron-fisted approach to the battle with marxist guerillas. He was awarded the Legion of Merit award by President Reagan. He eventually retired to a coastal community in Miami, Florida.

Now, the Department of Homeland Security is seeking to deport this once valued ally for his role in torture and other human rights abuses. An immigration court in Florida is scheduled to hear Mr. Vides Casanova’s removal proceedings this week. Though normally removal proceedings take only a half-day, the immigration court has scheduled Mr. Vides Casanova’s case for a full week. Former U.S. ambassadors are supposed to both testify against Mr. Vides Casanova and in his defense.

This case involves a fascinating intersection between the U.S. history of realpolitik foreign policy in opposing leftists and Latin America and the Department of Homeland Security’s desire to deport a man responsible for severe human rights abuses. It will be interesting to see how it unfolds.

For more on the removal proceedings against General Eugenio Vides Casanova, click on the following links:

-article from the Florida Center for Investigative Reporting;

-article from The Guardian;

-article from The New York Times.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Gay Immigrant Rights Activists Allege Civil and Human Rights Violations at Immigration & Customs Enforcement Detention Centers

As the current executive administration battles budget issues, economic crises and proves to the anti-immigration reform movement that it is tough on employers for hiring undocumented workers, another, arguably more marginalized group of immigrants comes forward asserting rights to fair treatment under the law. On March 4, 2011 the Obama Administration announced that it will not defend the Defense of Marriage Act. This statement gave same-sex partners across the country hope that they would have the opportunity to petition for their loved ones just like heterosexual United States citizens are allowed to petition for their spouses.

Now, a group of gay immigrants are alleging Human Rights Abuses at already beleaguered Immigration & Customs Enforcement Detention Facilities. The complaints have been filed with the Department of Homeland Security alleging civil and human rights abuses of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender immigrants being detained pending removal proceedings. The Heartland Alliance National Immigrant Justice Center wants the agency's Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties to investigate the treatment of sexual minorities in DHS custody, and to craft policies to address any violations and oversee their implementation.

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2011/04/gay-immigrants-allege-human-rights-abuses-in-ice-detention-centers.html

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Major Portions of Harsh Arizona Immigration Bill Remain Blocked

Today, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to lift a stay that blocks major sections of last year’s tough immigration enforcement bill, passed in Arizona. The law, SB-1070, was set to take effect last July 29, 2010. However, the U.S. Justice Department sued to block the law, arguing that the Arizona law violates the constitution because immigration is a federal issue. The day before the law was set to take effect, a federal judge ordered an injunction blocking the enforcement of many parts of the law. Arizona governor Jan Brewer filed an appeal of the judge’s ruling, which the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied today. You can see the full article here.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

2010 Census Results Could Affect 2012 Presidential Elections

With the Presidential Campaign season quickly descending upon us, candidates may find that a true discussion on immigration reform will be not only advantageous to their election; but required. Results from the 2010 Census are slowly trickling in, and some of the most astonishing numbers indicate a substantial growth in the Latina population. The 2010 Census has revealed that over the past decade the adult Latino population has almost doubled in Nevada, Virginia and North Carolina; but one of the most riveting statistics is the 60 percent or more increase in Indiana and Ohio, historically known as battleground states.

What does this mean for political hopefuls? That it truly is time to focus on Comprehensive Immigration Reform. It means that Conservatives cannot simply ignore the growing problem and that liberals need to truly focus on reform instead of mentioning it in a sound-bite and then glossing over the matter after a successful campaign and election.

Bookmark this post with:

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•