Monthly Archive: November 2009
BY KATHERINE FENNELLY* AND KATHLEEN MOCCIO** Over the summer, three graduate students at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute interviewed immigration attorneys and public defenders to document their experiences working with detained immigrants. The result—a heartbreaking account of detainees locked away, without access to counsel or family, in a system where rights and the most …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/18/new-report-shines-light-on-detainee-rights-violations-in-minnesota/
Tonight, chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force Representative Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)—along with Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)—will hold a national town hall telephonic briefing to “discuss a progressive outline for immigration reform legislation.” Picking up on the momentum from Department of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano’s speech last week …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/18/rep-gutierrez-to-hold-tele-town-hall-on-moving-comprehensive-immigration-reform-forward/
While the Obama administration has spent the past year discussing its plans to reform our broken immigration system, it is the day to day actions that, at times, draw a stark contrast to the hope and promise of a new strategy on U.S. immigration. The nomination of Stephanie Rose to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/17/does-us-attorney-nomination-send-a-mixed-signal-on-immigration/
Last week, the Supreme Court heard arguments in a case that involves an important safeguard for immigrants facing removal from the United States—access to federal court review. The case, Kucana v. Holder, was brought by an asylum seeker from Albania. Mr. Kucana is seeking court review of a government decision depriving him of the opportunity …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/16/supreme-court-hears-case-about-immigrants%e2%80%99-access-to-federal-court-review/
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano’s speech today at the Center for American Progress (CAP) will probably be remembered as a key moment in the history of immigration reform. The Secretary not only expressed support for a comprehensive overhaul of our immigration system, she also made it clear that it is an imperative for …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/13/secretary-napolitano-makes-first-speech-on-immigration-reform/
Lou Dobbs, CNN anchor and self-dubbed “Mr. Independent” signed off from his nightly post on the network Wednesday night. Ending a nearly 30-year career with CNN and a long history of spreading misinformation about immigration and immigrants, his departure marks an interesting opportunity for immigration reformers to stand up for a fair and honest debate …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/12/%e2%80%9cstrong-winds-of-change%e2%80%9d-sweep-dobbs-off-of-cnn/
America will celebrate its veterans around the nation today, honoring those who have served our nation with selflessness and bravery. Included in the millions who have served are immigrants. From the Revolutionary war to current conflicts, immigrants have joined the ranks of our military to fight for and defend America since its inception.
Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/11/today-we-honor-our-immigrant-service-members/
Late on Saturday night the House passed its health care reform bill and put the ball back in the Senate’s court. The goal is to make health care more affordable and more accessible for millions of Americans. Once again, immigration became a major obstacle to the bill’s passage as immigration restrictionists and others pushed for …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/10/house-health-care-bill-a-mixed-bag-for-immigrants/
Over the past several months, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has made concerted efforts to overhaul our flawed immigration detention system—aiming for more transparency and broadened federal oversight. Deserving of equal attention, however, is Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) loose enforcement policy, which also ensnares legal immigrants.
Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/09/two-legal-immigrants-unjustly-detained-by-ice/
As the U.S. experiences its highest unemployment levels in a generation and news reports document the desperation of some native-born workers who are unable to find steady work, we must ask the question whether now is really the best time to implement a legalization program. Basic math would suggest that 16 million unemployed American workers …
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Permanent link to this article: http://immigrationimpact.com/2009/11/06/would-mass-deportation-mean-more-jobs-for-us-workers/