Executive Branch
New York Times Exposes ‘Shame of America’s Family Detention Camps’
The New York Times details the government’s dangerous and expanding practice of detaining women and children who have recently crossed our southwest border in the magazine’s cover story this weekend “The Shame of America’s Family Detention Camps.” The facility the Times describes in Artesia, New Mexico, has since been… Read More
New Study Finds Systematic Bias in Labor Certification Process
In most cases, when an employer is interested in hiring a foreign national to work in the United States on a permanent basis, a permanent labor certification from the Department of Labor (DOL) is necessary. When required, the DOL must certify to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services… Read More
Top Five Immigration Stories of 2014
This year, the narrative on immigration swung from hope that the House of Representatives would follow the Senate’s lead and act on comprehensive immigration reform legislation to hopelessness when Republican leaders refused to act. Then attention turned to anticipation of the President’s announcement of temporary executive actions to… Read More
How New Guidance Improves a Waiver Program to Limit Family Separations
When President Obama announced his executive actions on immigration in November, much of the focus was on the new temporary immigration protections, namely the deferred action programs (called DACA and DAPA). Of all of the announced reforms, DACA and DAPA certainly will affect the greatest number of people, with… Read More
Cities in States Suing Over Executive Action Are Welcoming Immigrants
Half of the states have joined a lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive action on immigration, the latest being Tennessee. Yet leadership of cities across the nation support the administration’s actions—even those within states whose governors and attorneys general are suing to stop it. What explains the disconnect?… Read More
Five Things to Know About Deportation Relief for Some Immigrant Parents
The most impactful component of President Obama’s Immigration Accountability Executive Action will be the creation of a new program designed to offer deportation reprieves and work authorization to undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and green card holders who pass a background check and meet other requirements. Here are… Read More
Legal Challenges to Immigration Executive Action: Long on Politics, Short on Law
Within hours of President Obama’s November announcement of his executive actions on immigration, collectively referred to as the Immigration Accountability Executive Action, lawsuits challenging these new policies began. The lawsuits appear to be politicized attempts to use the courts to challenge President Obama’s authority to defer deportations, even… Read More
New Family Detention Facility Opens in Dilley, Texas, Despite Due Process Problems
The Department of Homeland Security opened the largest immigrant family detention center in Dilley, Texas this week. The privately owned facility is designed to house 2,400 people—mostly women and children—who are caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. The opening of this detention center reflects the administration’s continuing commitment to its flawed… Read More
States Sue Over President Obama’s Immigration Executive Action
Seventeen states filed a lawsuit Wednesday challenging President Obama’s decision to temporarily defer deportation for millions of immigrants who qualify for DACA of the new Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program. The lawsuit argues that the president’s executive actions “violated his constitutional duty to enforce the laws and illegally… Read More
Talking Turkey—and all the Trimmings—on Immigration in 2014
My daughter, who is now in high school, casually mentioned to me that she had been talking to the receptionist in the school counselor’s office about the new deferred action program for parents of U.S. citizens and kids. She told the receptionist that this represents a great community service opportunity for high school kids who can babysit for the parents who will be filling out applications at the many legal clinics that would soon open up. This discussion of community service led to a broader conversation about why people come to America and that most of us, at some time or other, were immigrants. The African-American receptionist pointed out that not everyone came willingly, but she agreed with my daughter that everyone deserved a chance to improve their life in this country. Read More
All gifts are matched dollar for dollar
No one should face the immigration system alone
