Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Dream Act would help many - San Bernardino County Sun

Dream Act would help many - San Bernardino County Sun:
"The DREAM Act is a major component of the 844-page bill introduced by the "Gang of Eight," a bipartisan group of four Democratic and four Republican senators. It would allow those who came into the country before the age of 16 to obtain legal status if they have a high school diploma or GED. Eligible persons would be able to obtain citizenship five years after achieving legal status."

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Milken conference panel: Immigration reform would boost economy - latimes.com

Milken conference panel: Immigration reform would boost economy - latimes.com: 

"Providing legal status to the country's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants would boost the U.S. economy and eradicate underground economies in cities such as Los Angeles, a panel of researchers, elected officials and a business tycoon said Monday. "

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Monday, April 29, 2013

Extended Families Would Fare Poorly in New Immigration Law - New America Media

Extended Families Would Fare Poorly in New Immigration Law - New America Media:

 "The broad-reaching bill — termed “clearly a compromise” by President Barack Obama, who nevertheless expressed his support for the proposal – would significantly increase the numbers of all employment-based visas, whilst narrowing the availability of family-based visas by tightening the definition of who is eligible. Significantly, the measure also creates a long pathway to citizenship for the nation’s 11 million undocumented residents.  

... but also objected to the elimination of the two family-based visa categories, which currently allow U.S. citizens to sponsor the brothers and sisters and married children over 30."

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Colorado Repeals Its Immigration Law | Fox News Latino

Colorado Repeals Its Immigration Law | Fox News Latino:

 "Colorado is dropping a law that requires police to alert federal authorities about immigrants suspected of living illegally in the United States."

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Justices refuse Alabama's immigration law appeal | Reuters

Justices refuse Alabama's immigration law appeal | Reuters: 
"The Supreme Court on Monday rebuffed the state of Alabama, and gave a [BIG WIN] to the Obama administration, by declining to review a lower court ruling that had blocked a controversial part of the state's tough immigration law."

SWEET!!!!!!!

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Expectation on Obama, amid Senate immigration reform framework

Expectation on Obama, amid Senate immigration reform framework: 

"“The border is more secure now than it’s ever been than any previous administration,” said Marielana Hincapie of NILC. “We’ve gotten more border enforcement than any other administration, what hasn’t been done is a road to citizenship—how do we ensure that people can quickly or smoothly have access to citizenship—this concerns us.”"

"

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SCOTUS rules for Jamaican immigrant fighting mandatory deportation after pot guilty plea - ABA Journal

SCOTUS rules for Jamaican immigrant fighting mandatory deportation after pot guilty plea - ABA Journal:

"The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled for a Jamaican immigrant trying to avoid mandatory deportation after police discovered a small amount of marijuana in his car during a 2007 traffic stop."

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Friday, April 26, 2013

Do Not Worry about DACA


'via Blog this'   Courtesy of UWD, United We Dream

Lifting Green Card limit may prove to be best investment of all - The Hill's Congress Blog

Lifting Green Card limit may prove to be best investment of all - The Hill's Congress Blog:

"One small piece of the legislation may pose the greatest potential for economic impact of all. It calls for removing the numerical limit of green cards awarded to foreign-born workers who have the skills and/or the capacity for contributing to the economy. “Doctoral degree holders in STEM fields” and “aliens of extraordinary ability in the sciences” are among the categories referenced. This means that if Congress were to approve the legislation as currently drafted, our nation would benefit greatly from this enhanced pipeline of brilliant talent."

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Mayor Bloomberg says immigrants are 'contributors' to city as Daily News' Citizenship NOW! hotline continues to field calls - NY Daily News

Mayor Bloomberg says immigrants are 'contributors' to city as Daily News' Citizenship NOW! hotline continues to field calls - NY Daily News:

"New York's 500,000 undocumented immigrants are a boon to the city, Mayor Bloomberg declared Thursday — as Congress wrangled over a plan to create a path to citizenship for people here illegally.

“They are contributors to our society, rather than takers,” Bloomberg said as he hosted other mayors at Gracie Mansion and released blueprints for other cities to follow on how to help immigrants fit into urban American life."

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Wednesday, April 24, 2013

A Defense of Immigration-Enforcement Discretion: The Legal and Policy Flaws in Kris Kobach’s Latest Crusade

The Yale Law Journal Online - A Defense of Immigration-Enforcement Discretion: The Legal and Policy Flaws in Kris Kobach’s Latest Crusade:

This a superior article regarding what's is wrong with Kobach's reasoning in Crane, et al., v. Napolitano, et al., Case 3:12-cv-03247-O, this a must read!

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Crane, et al., v. Napolitano, et al., Case 3:12-cv-03247-O Document 58


"For the reasons set forth below, the Court concludes that Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim that the Directive and related provisions of the Morton Memorandum violate 8 U.S.C. § 1225(b)(2)(A), but the Court defers ruling on Plaintiffs’Application for Preliminary Injunction (ECF No. 24) until the parties have provided the Court with additional briefing." 
@ p.1 ~ Federal District Judge Reed O'Connor, click here for complete decision


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Is DACA Illegal? A Dallas Court Says, 'Maybe' (UPDATED)

Is DACA Illegal? A Dallas Court Says, 'Maybe' (UPDATED): 

""A court challenge by federal immigration agents seeking to block President Barack Obama’s deferred-deportation initiative will probably succeed, a judge said.  U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Dallas today put off his own decision on whether to grant the request for a preliminary injunction by 10 U.S. Immigration and Customs agents.  He asked both sides to file additional arguments no later than May 6. ...  “The court finds that DHS does not have discretion to refuse to initiate removal proceedings” when the requirements for deportation under a federal statute are met, O’Connor said today in a 38-page decision, referring to the Department of Homeland Security.  Still, the judge said he can’t decide the case based on the arguments he’s heard so far.  “Accordingly, the court hereby defers ruling on the plaintiffs’ application for preliminary injunction until the parties have submitted additional briefing,” O’Connor said."" 

- Bloomberg News, Apr. 23, 2013. -
Crane v. Napolitano, 3:12-cv-03247, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas (Dallas).

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Monday, April 22, 2013

Patrick Leahy To Chuck Grassley: Don't 'Exploit' Boston Bombing

Patrick Leahy To Chuck Grassley: Don't 'Exploit' Boston Bombing:

"Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) chastised some of his Republican colleagues on Monday for saying immigration reform should be delayed in light of the bombing last week in Boston, accusing them of taking advantage of the tragedy to push their own political agenda.

"Late last week opponents of comprehensive immigration reform began to exploit the Boston Marathon bombing," Leahy said at the second Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on an immigration bill released last week by the "gang of eight." "I urge restraint in that regard. ... Let no one be so cruel as to try to use the heinous acts of two young men last week to derail the dreams and futures of millions of hardworking people.""

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Thursday, April 18, 2013

AILA's 8 Points from the Senate Immigration Bill


AILA's 8 Points from the Senate Immigration Bill

"AILA issued this press release commending the Senators for their work on the bill...here are but a few things S.744 would do:

1.    Legalization: Allow noncitizens who are unlawfully present and who entered the U.S. before December 31, 2011 to adjust status to that of Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI). Eligible applicants would be required to pay a penalty and back taxes. Individuals in RPI status would receive work authorization and may travel abroad. They would also become eligible to apply for LPR status after 10 years, and can apply for naturalization 3 years after acquiring a green card. Includes generous provisions for DREAMers and agricultural workers.


2.    Family-Based Immigrants: Move the current FB-2A category into the immediate relative classification, allow for derivatives of immediate relatives, eliminate the FB-4 category, cap the age of eligibility of married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens at 31, and bring back the V visa.


3.    Employment-Based Immigrants: Exempt the following categories from the quota: EB-1 immigrants, doctoral degree holders, physicians who have completed the foreign residency requirement, and derivatives. Add a new "EB-6" category for certain entrepreneurs.


4.    Temporary Workers: Create a W-1 visa for lesser-skilled workers, a W-2 visa for aliens coming to the U.S. temporarily to perform agricultural services or labor under a written contract, and a W-3 visa for "at-will" workers with an offer of full-time employment in an agricultural occupation. The W-2 and W-3 visas would replace the current H-2A agricultural worker program.


5.    Asylum: Eliminate the one-year filing deadline and authorize asylum officers to grant asylum during credible fear interviews.


6.    E-Verify: Require all employers to be on the system after 5 years.


7.    H-1Bs: Increase the quota to a floor of 110,000 and a ceiling of 180,000, increase the U.S. advanced degree exemption to 25,000 but limit it to STEM graduates, add a recruitment requirement for all H-1B labor condition applications involving a detailed posting on an Internet site designed by the Labor Department, add a non-displacement attestation, change the prevailing wage formula, provide EADs for spouses, and add a 60-day grace period after an H-1B has been terminated from his or her job.


8.    Fraud: Make it a crime to knowingly defraud an immigrant or hold oneself out as an attorney or BIA accredited representative when one is not authorized to do so. Require the identification of individuals who assist immigrants with the completion of forms and empower the Attorney General with injunctive authority to act against an unscrupulous "immigration service provider" at the federal level."

courtesy of AILA, http://www.aila.org

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

‘‘Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act’’.


Thank you, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. BENNET, and Mr. FLAKE for having the courage, foresight and wisdom to address this issue to help keep our families together and improve our economy!  

You are all true PATRIOTS!!!!!


Click on this link for the complete copy of the bill: ‘‘Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act’’

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Read the Outline of the Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast

Read the Outline of the Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast:

 "Now you can read the outline of the plan for yourself"

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Read the Outline of the Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast

Read the Outline of the Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast:

 "Now you can read the CIR outline of the plan for yourself"

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What You Need to Know About the Gang of Eight's Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast

What You Need to Know About the Gang of Eight's Immigration Reform Deal - The Daily Beast:

 "The Gang of Eight's proposed immigration reform will create a 13-year path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, increase funding for a nominal effort to tighten border security, put low-skilled, poorly educated farm workers on a fast-track to citizenship, and create a massive new "guest worker" program whose funding will be tied to bringing in more workers."

FYI- The outline of the CIR bill is at the bottom of above-mentioned article.

'via Blog this'

Senators unveil outline of immigration-reform bill

Senators unveil outline of immigration-reform bill: 

"The bill would allow the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally a chance to legalize their status by applying for a new form of temporary visa called registered provisional immigrant status. Only people who entered the country before Dec. 31, 2011, could apply for the provisional status. They would have to pay a $500 penalty, back taxes and an application fee. Any immigrant convicted of a felony, aggravated felony, three or more misdemeanors, an offense under foreign law, or illegally voted would be barred from applying for the provisional status."

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Monday, April 15, 2013

Immigration Reform Backed By Republican Donors

Business leaders and mayors support a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million immigrants that are currently undocumented.

Immigration Reform Backed By Republican Donors:
"Top donors have signed onto a new bipartisan group known as the Partnership for a New American Economy, which includes business leaders and mayors who support a path to legal status for the estimated 11 million immigrants in the country illegally. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire, backs the organization, as does top Romney backer Bill Marriott, Jr. – who heads the Marriott International hotel company – and GOP donor Jonathan Johnson, the CEO of Overstock.com."

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Undocumented Immigrants Closely Tied to U.S., Poll Says - US News and World Report

Undocumented Immigrants Closely Tied to U.S., Poll Says - US News and World Report:

"Undocumented immigrants are overwhelmingly in family environments, not in isolation," writes Matt Barreto, an analyst with Latino Decisions, in a memo accompanying the poll results...The poll also revealed the deep ties many of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants have in the U.S. – 68 percent of the respondents said they have been living in the country for more than a decade, 71 percent living in homes that own cars and 15 percent said they are homeowners."

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The Dream is Now

PLEASE click on link this: The DREAM is NOW!,  watch and learn the truth of the young aspiring Americans among us!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Senate Gang of Eight to unveil immigration reform bill on Tuesday

Senate Gang of Eight to unveil immigration reform bill on Tuesday:

"After months of negotiations, the bipartisan Senate “Gang of Eight” will unveil a comprehensive immigration reform bill on Tuesday, according to two Congressional aides."

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Indiana Anti-Immigration Law Unconstitutional, Court Says | Legal News | Lawyers.com

Indiana Anti-Immigration Law Unconstitutional, Court Says | Legal News | Lawyers.com:

"A federal court on Mar. 28 struck down an Indiana law, inspired by Arizona’s infamous SB 1070, that reportedly allowed police to arrest immigrants without warrants. With that lawsuit, immigrant advocate groups have basically shut down state efforts to pass laws that give police unfettered power to bust suspected illegal immigrants."

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Why Mark Zuckerberg cares about immigration reform - The Washington Post

Why Mark Zuckerberg cares about immigration reform - The Washington Post:

"Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is launching a new organization to advocate for immigration reform in the United States.

Zuckerberg announced the group, called Fwd.us, Thursday in an op-ed in The Washington Post."

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Give Lawyers to Immigrant Children - NYTimes.com

Give Lawyers to Immigrant Children - NYTimes.com:
"While the overall number of apprehensions of immigrants unlawfully entering the country is at a 40-year low, the number of children coming illegally and alone is surging, largely as a result of increasing drug-fueled violence in Central America, particularly Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. One in 13 people caught by the Border Patrol last fiscal year were under 18. Seventeen percent of them were 13 or younger. Close to 14,000 minors, twice as many as the previous year, were placed in federal custody. (This figure doesn’t include an equal number of Mexican children who were quickly deported.)"

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Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Leahy: Hearing on comprehensive immigration reform set for April 17 - First Read

Leahy: Hearing on comprehensive immigration reform set for April 17 - First Read:

 "Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy has formally announced an April 17 hearing on comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will testify. The hearing is in part the result of talks with the bipartisan Gang of Eight working on the soon-to-be unveiled legislation -- including Marco Rubio, who pushed for a slower committee process.

The mark-up is now not expected to begin until early May."

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LIers head to D.C. for immigration-reform rally

LIers head to D.C. for immigration-reform rally: 

"Hundreds of immigrants and their supporters boarded buses in Brentwood, Hempstead and New York City on Wednesday morning to join advocates from throughout the United States in a national rally meant as a show of force for immigration reform in Washington, D.C."

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Rep. Hank Johnson: Time Is Right for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Rep. Hank Johnson: Time Is Right for Comprehensive Immigration Reform:

"For reform to succeed, it needs three interactive elements: 1) it must create a roadmap to citizenship for 11 million immigrants here without immigration papers; 2) it must create an orderly 21st century legal immigration system that reunites families and grows our economy, and; 3) it must keep our borders secure and it must require that employers verify that all employees are legal."

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Immigration Reform 2013: A Critical Pro-Immigrant Bill, the TRUST Act, Gains Traction in California

Immigration Reform 2013: A Critical Pro-Immigrant Bill, the TRUST Act, Gains Traction in California:

"Those conditions merely mean to hold the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and ICE to the standards they set forth when S-Comm was developed. To date, under guise of seeking to detain and deport serious or violent offenders, 72,694 Californians have been deported. 70% of those are "people without criminal records, including victims of domestic violence, or people charged with lesser offenses.""

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Immigration Reform 2013: Why is There Still Opposition?

Immigration Reform 2013: Why is There Still Opposition?:

"The United States is a country built on the backs of immigrants. Unless one’s ancestry is 100% Native American, we are all decedents of immigrants or we ourselves have immigrated. During tough economic times, this may be forgotten."

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Thursday, April 4, 2013

Immigration reform: where things stand now - What’s the status of the negotiations? - CSMonitor.com

Immigration reform: where things stand now - What’s the status of the negotiations? - CSMonitor.com:

..."With this in mind, perhaps, the most prominent member of the Senate to openly object to immigration reform, Jeff Sessions (R) of Alabama, is asking for months of time to review whatever legislation a bipartisan “Gang of Eight” senators produces.

Other Republicans, including one on that Gang of Eight, are also calling for deliberation. Sen. Marco Rubio (R) of Florida argued that “in order to succeed, this process cannot be rushed or done in secret,” in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont"...

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