Our legislators have indicated that they intend to address the urgent topic of immigration in the coming weeks and months. So this Fall, there is no more appropriate time and no more appropriate response than to pray for them because, as Christians, we are specifically called to pray "for kings and all those in authority" (1 Timothy 2:2). Across the country, particularly from October 12 through October 20, Christians across the country will gather together in Jesus' name to pray for our elected officials and for immigration reform. Read more.. EIT: Suggested Prayer Topics for Immigration Reform 2013 - Crossmap Christian News | U.S.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
EIT: Suggested Prayer Topics for Immigration Reform 2013 - Crossmap Christian News | U.S.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
VOANEWS:Foreign Investors Buy Their Way to US Citizenship
SOURCE: Foreign Investors Buy Their Way to US Citizenship
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON — An Idaho gold mine, a
proposed wind farm in central Washington state, a new casino in Las
Vegas and ski resort expansions in Vermont, all have one thing in
common: they're investment vehicles for well-to-do families seeking U.S.
green cards.
Under U.S. immigration law, wealthy foreigners can get a green card by investing at least a half-million dollars to create at least 10 jobs in America.
That looked like a good plan to Canadian Jordan Gagner. He and his wife
had a problem a few years ago. They needed to relocate to a drier,
desert climate. Something like Arizona. At first glance, the prospects
for permanently relocating south of the border looked daunting.
"Being a self-employed wealth manager and a teacher, those are two
occupations that are not on the top 10 lists of visas being given to
foreigners to come down to the U.S.," Gagner said. "Trying to get an
executive visa of some sort would've been very hard to do."
Path to citizenship
But then Gagner discovered the immigrant investor visa shortcut. He
and a number of other foreign investors chipped in $500,000 each to
build an assisted living complex outside Bellingham, Washington. Gagner
got credit for creating lots of construction jobs in the midst of the
recent recession and the whole family received green cards. Continue reading @ Foreign Investors Buy Their Way to US Citizenship
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Obama adds to list of illegal immigrants not to deport: Parents - Washington Times
Source: Obama adds to list of illegal immigrants not to deport: Parents - Washington Times
The Obama administration issued a policy late last week telling immigration agents to try not to arrest and deport illegal immigrant parents of minor children — a move that adds to the categories of people the administration is trying not to deport.
In a nine-page memo issued Friday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said agents should use “prosecutorial discretion” to try to avoid detaining parents and, if parents are detained, agents should make sure they have the ability to visit with their children or participate in family court proceedings.
The move won praise from immigrant rights groups who said it’s a step toward a kinder detention policy. But a top Republican blasted the memo as another effort by the Obama administration to circumvent the law.
“President Obama has once again abused his authority and unilaterally refused to enforce our current immigration laws by directing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to stop removing broad categories of unlawful immigrants,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Obama's immigration test run raises cheers, alarm - Washington Times
Obama's immigration test run raises cheers, alarm - Washington Times
President Obama’s non-deportation policy for children turns a year old Thursday, and both sides agree it’s a test run for a broader legalization — one that has thrilled immigrant rights groups who say it has broken stereotypes and changed the political calculus, but that has worried enforcement advocates who say illegal immigrants are being given blanket approval without enough attention to fraud.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Farm Groups Rally Support for Reform of Immigration Law
SOURCE: goldrushcam.com Farm Groups Rally Support for Reform of Immigration Law By Christine Souza August 14, 2013 - With fields left unharvested and farmers adjusting cultural practices due to a lack of willing and able employees, agricultural organizations including the California Farm Bureau Federation are working alongside farmworker advocates, asking the House of Representatives to pass meaningful reform to the federal immigration system when Congress returns from its August recess. During a roundtable discussion with U.S. Department of Agriculture Acting Deputy Secretary Michael Scuse in Sacramento last week, CFBF President Paul Wenger said it is time to "rally the troops" on the issue of immigration reform. "There are folks who say, 'If they don't get it done this year, there's always next year.' No, there is no next year. This is it," Wenger said. "It is time for folks to put their differences aside and get it done. It's going to take phone calls from our members and talking to folks that they have supported for a lot of years saying, 'This is it.'" CONTINUE READING HERE.....
Immigration Reform News and Impact on US Homeland Security August 14, 2013
SOURCE: rightsidenews.com Right Side News reports from the Federation for American Immigration Reform on comprehensive immigration reform legislation Schumer, Reid Confident House Will Pass Immigration BillAmerica the Free Taxpayers Foot Bill for Illegal Alien Hotels as Asylum Claims Rise Zuckerberg-led Groups Promote Amnesty, Defend Paul Ryan Schumer, Reid Confident House Will Pass Immigration Bill Senate Gang of Eight leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) expressed confidence in an interview last week that the House will pass amnesty legislation. "I actually am optimistic that we will get this done," Schumer stated. (The Hill, Aug. 7, 2013) "I've had a lot of discussions with various members of both parties in the House. Things are moving in the right direction," he said. (Id.) Despite previously criticizing the House's piecemeal approach to immigration reform, Schumer has now given the lower chamber his blessing. "We would much prefer the comprehensive bill, but any way the House can get there is all right by us," Schumer said. (Id.) With each chamber taking a different approach to immigration reform, the differences will have to be resolved by a conference committee which will then send the agreed upon language back to the Senate and House floors for final approval. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) agreed that getting to conference is the tactical end game for passing the Senate's 1,200 page "comprehensive" immigration reform bill. "If [Speaker John Boehner (R-OH)] wants to pass something and send it over to the Senate, we will take a look at it because what we will do is just go to conference and just do our bill anyway," Reid announced during a local radio interview. (The Hill, Aug. 9, 2013) "If we go to conference, we will win," he declared. (Id.) COUNTINUE READING @ rightsidenews.com
Monday, August 5, 2013
Demonstration at Arizona Border Divides Supporters of Immigration Overhaul
SOURCE: nytimes.com
A protest by nine Mexican immigrants in which they tried to enter the country through a border station in Arizona even though they had no valid documents has provoked an unusual public argument among groups pushing Congress to overhaul the immigration laws.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Obama Adviser Optimistic on Immigration Reform
SOURCE: lasvegassun.com
A top White House adviser says the stars seemed aligned for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year.
Speaking
Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," David Plouffe (pluhf) said
support for reform is strong among lawmakers, the business community and
the American people.
He says there's, quote, "no reason" immigration reform shouldn't move through Congress this year.
Plouffe also is optimistic about passing stricter gun laws but expects a long fight.
He says last month's massacre at an elementary school in Connecticut, quote, "changed the debate."
He says, quote, "It's going to be a hard battle, but we're confident."
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Rapid DNA: Coming Soon to a Police Department or Immigration Office Near You
By Jennifer Lynch
source: EFF.org
In the amount of time it takes to get lunch, the
government can now collect your DNA and extract a profile that
identifies you and your family members.
Rapid DNA Analyzers—machines
with the ability to process DNA in 90 minutes or less—are an
operational reality and are being marketed to the federal government and
state and local law enforcement agencies around the country. These
machines, each about the size of a laser printer, are designed to be
used in the field by non-scientists, and—if you believe the hype from
manufacturers like IntegenX and NetBio—will soon “revolutionize the use of DNA by making it a routine identification and investigational tool.”
From documents we received recently from US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and DHS’s Science & Technology division, we’ve learned that the two agencies are working with outside venders NetBio, Lockheed Martin and IntegenX and have “earmarked substantial funds” to develop a Rapid DNA analyzer that can verify familial relationships for refugee and asylum applications.
In the refugee context—where people are often
stranded in camps far from their homes with little access to the
documentation needed to prove they should be granted asylum in the
US—DNA identification could be useful for both the federal government
and the asylum seeker.
However, DNA samples contain such sensitive,
private and personal information that their indefinite storage and
unlimited sharing create privacy risks far worse than other types of
data. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) stated in a 2008 Note titled DNA Testing to Establish Family Relationships in the Refugee Context that DNA testing “can have serious implications for the right to privacy and family unity” and should be used only as a “last resort.” The UNHCR also stated that, if DNA is collected, it “should not be used for any other purpose
(for instance medical tests or criminal investigations) than the
verification of family relationships” and that DNA associated with the
test “should normally be destroyed once a decision has been made.” Read the Full article at EFF.org
Friday, July 20, 2012
Obama on new DREAM Act policy: This isn’t amnesty, it’s the right thing to do
Contrary to popular belief, this shift doesn’t appear to stem from any new executive orders from The One. It comes from a directive issued by Janet Napolitano
(at Obama’s behest, of course) instructing DHS to defer action on all
young illegals who meet the DREAM-like criteria specified in the
directive. That’s why O is insisting that this isn’t amnesty:
It’s not formal legalization, it’s de facto legalization insofar as
they’re simply not going to enforce the existing law against a certain
class of illegal immigrants. It’s prosecutorial discretion, in other
words — exercised en masse on behalf of something like 800,000 people.
President Romney’s DHS director could reverse it with a single memo, but
of course Obama’s calculating that he won’t dare now that the
precedent’s been established, especially given all the pressure Romney’s
feeling and will continue to feel to be more competitive for Hispanic
votes.
When O was asked about this last year, he claimed his hands were tied. Amazing what sorts of “evolution” can happen with Election Day bearing down:
THE PRESIDENT: I just have to continue to say this notion that somehow I can just change the laws unilaterally is just not true. We are doing everything we can administratively. But the fact of the matter is there are laws on the books that I have to enforce. And I think there’s been a great disservice done to the cause of getting the DREAM Act passed and getting comprehensive immigration passed by perpetrating the notion that somehow, by myself, I can go and do these things. It’s just not true…
[W]e live in a democracy. You have to pass bills through the legislature, and then I can sign it. And if all the attention is focused away from the legislative process, then that is going to lead to a constant dead-end. We have to recognize how the system works, and then apply pressure to those places where votes can be gotten and, ultimately, we can get this thing solved. And nobody will be a stronger advocate for making that happen than me. continue reading here @ hotair.com
Monday, June 11, 2012
Marco Rubio's Immigration Pivot: A Search for Solutions or Politics as Usual?
Recently Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said something that went
largely unnoticed by the media but could foreshadow a seismic shift in
the immigration debate.
Speaking with reporters after his keynote speech to the Latino
Coalition Annual Economic Summit, the first-term Florida Republican
speculated that Democrats may be better off politically with a broken
immigration system than with one that actually functions.
"I think there are some in the Democratic Party -- not all -- but I
think there are some people in the Democratic Party that think that the
immigration issue is more valuable to them unsolved," CNN
quoted Rubio as saying. "That it gives them something to talk about,
that they can go back to Hispanic communities and make unrealistic
promises every two years and win votes."
Rubio added, "And I think for some -- not all -- but for some
Democrats, the issue of immigration is better politically if they just
leave it the way it is now because they can use it against Republicans."
Rubio's claim is a serious indictment. Given the millions of people
whose lives are impacted daily by immigration dysfunction -- including
the hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens whose families are torn apart
each year by the deportation of a loved one -- it follows that if Rubio
were sincere about his allegation then he -- and the Republican party
-- would be all about fixing the immigration system so that it works for
American families and businesses.
Yet, since he arrived in Washington in January 2011, Rubio has
seesawed between anti-immigrant and vaguely pro-immigrant positions, but
doesn't really seem to have a core on the issue. And he has done
little to set himself apart from those in the GOP who continually do
what they can to stymie legislative and administrative attempts to
ameliorate the harshness of the current law. Nor has Rubio stood up to
the anti-immigrant fringe that rabidly opposes anything short of
deporting the 12 million undocumented immigrants and virtually locking
America's doors to newcomers. read full Story @ www.huffingtonpost.com
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Human Rights Watch Reports: Farmworkers suffer sex abuse to avoid deportation and job loss
Human Rights Watch has released a report, "Cultivating Fear: The
Vulnerability of Immigrant Farmworkers in the US to Sexual Violence and
Sexual Harassment." The report, a summary, recommendations, and a video
are at the Human Rights Watch website.
The
report acknowledges the help of CRLA staff members in providing
information for the key sections on indigenous farmworkers and
farmworkers from the LGBT community. The groundbreaking efforts of CRLA
staff and clients and our work to fight sexual harassment are featured
throughout the report.
The full report can be found here:
Source: crla.org
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Best Practices In INS Immigration Services
INS
was the first governing body that had major control over the immigration issues of the country.
The early days of US immigration history did not have any policy or legislation
to regulate the immigrants. This was due to the fact that the Americans favored
and actually encouraged open immigration. The country was greatly benefitted by
the unique and varied skills of the immigrants which led to a rapid
development.
How was the INS founded?
The
country’s first immigration
ins law was passed in the year 1864, which encouraged immigration by offering
transportation and settlement benefits to the immigrants. Since the immigrant
numbers were within a controllable limit, every state was able to tackle the
issue on its own. It was considered to be a domestic issue before the influx of
immigrants began to increase.
The
Immigration Act of 1891 authorized the US Federal Government to undertake
complete control of the immigration system. This led to the formation of the
Office of Immigration under the US Department of Treasury. This streamlined the
immigration process with the help of its immigration stations and its
inspectors (offices who were stationed at all immigrant stations).
Till
the year 1933, Immigration and Naturalization were treated as two separate
issues. The merger of these two portfolios and the beginning of World War
changed their importance. INS was thus born and it was immediately entrusted
with the major responsibility of managing the country’s security. INS
functioned under the US Department of Justice and was headed by a Commissioner.
Practices
of the INS
A general idea of the role of INS is that, it is
concerned with the deportation of illegal aliens. The truth is that, this is
only a part in the list of responsibilities of the USCIS. The following are the
functions of the IN
- Strict enforcement of immigration laws
- Helping the asylee and refugees to get the benefits that they are entitled to
- It works in association with other major departments like the Departments of State, Health, Human services, US Foreign Service and the UN
The INS had a workforce
of about more than 25,000 employees and control over more than 250 Ports of
Entry into the US. This helped them to screen all those who were entering the
US and declare them to be eligible or not. This saved a great deal of money as
deportation costs were minimized.
Illegal immigration
became a persistent headache to the US after a few years of the formation of
the INS. The entry of a large number of illegal aliens exposed the fragility of
the nation’s borders as these were the main gateways for them. So the Border
Patrol was put into action to continuously guard the borders and detain
illegals. The officers patrol the borders on land, sea and air as the illegals
find every possible way to come in to the US in an illegal fashion.
Major
accomplishments of the INS
·
Apprehension of more than 1.5 million of
illegals
·
Deportation of these illegals and around
176,000 criminals from the US
·
Winning more than 45,000 criminal cases.
·
Receiving around 5 million applications
( immigration benefits and naturalization) which brought in a revenue of more than $1billion as fee.
All these were accomplished in the year 1999 which
could be considered as the most productive and successful year for the INS.
Reasons
for its downfall
It was very difficult for this national body to
balance both its responsibilities. Even though the US was proud of the fact that it was the most
favorite choice of immigrants, it found it very difficult to manage the
security issue at its borders. Immigration and naturalization procedures were
going on very smoothly until terrorists staged a monstrous attack on the World
Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Three newly formed components – USCIS, ICE
and CBP that were placed under the newly formed US Department Of Homeland Security
shared the functions of the former INS.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Law Could Sow Discord Among U.S. Immigrants
The proposed Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, while aiming to diminish some of the backlog in the system which gives immigrants permanent American green cards, may cause rifts within the U.S. immigrant population.
The bill's critics have argued it may be promoting unfair employment options to non-permanent residents while U.S. citizens continue to look for work in the recession, according to the Washington Post. The act has also been attacked for favoring those immigration requests from workers originally residing in larger countries, such as India, over those hailing from smaller ones, like the Philippines.
Current laws only allow 140,000 green cards annually for those holding temporary work permits, and impose per-country quotas, which has greatly lengthened wait times for countries with large emigrating populations, like India.
Immigrants from smaller countries, however, believe that the new bill is unfair. The Post quoted an electrical engineer from Bangladesh who posted to an online message forum about the issue. The engineer wrote, “If this bill is passed, then thousands of people from India will get to
cut in line in front of me and add three to four more years to my already ridiculous wait time."
For some immigrants from India, however, many of whom already hold temporary teaching, government, and technology-related positions, wait times can stretch to more than 40 years, literally half a lifetime. Southern Methodist University professor Caroline Brettell believes that one of the greatest travesties of United States immigration services are those immigrants who have spent nearly their whole lives in this country, but remain unable to attain higher education or permanent employment.
"Why shouldn't smart immigrants, who might have come to the United States at six months, be able to go on to higher education? It would be economically productive and morally right," Brettell said during the Centennial Academic Symposium in Dallas, according to the SMU Daily Campus.
SOURCE: Law Could Sow Discord Among U.S. Immigrants
Monday, January 9, 2012
'If they make me go back, I will be lost'
From the outside, Ayded Reyes seems like she's living the American dream.
The 20-year-old, who attends Southwestern College in Chula Vista near San Diego, is California's top-ranked women's junior college cross country athlete. She carries a 3.50 GPA and her goal is to become an obstetrician. She is also a community volunteer who has worked extensively with children and the elderly. She is a young woman many describe as sweet, effusive and energetic, the "All-American" type.
There's just one catch: She's in the United States illegally.
Source: w.espn.go.com
Thursday, January 5, 2012
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