A Generation Gap Over Immigration - NYTimes.com
RAD~ Here are some excerpts from a really interesting article in the NYT....I often find it fascinating to try to understand what influences me to think the way I do about things and why others see things differently.
Demographically, younger and older Americans grew up in vastly different worlds. Those born after the civil rights era lived in a country of high rates of legal and illegal immigration. In their neighborhoods and schools, the presence of immigrants was as hard to miss as a Starbucks today.
In contrast, baby boomers and older Americans — even those who fought for integration — came of age in one of the most homogenous moments in the country’s history.
Immigration, which census figures show declined sharply from the Depression through the 1960s, reached a historic low point the year after Woodstock. From 1860 through 1920, 13 percent to 15 percent of the country was foreign born — a rate similar to today’s, when immigrants make up about 12.5 percent of the country.
But in 1970, only 4.7 percent of the country was foreign born, and most of those immigrants were older Europeans, often unnoticed by the boomer generation born from 1946 to 1964.
Boomers and their parents also spent their formative years away from the cities, where newer immigrants tended to gather — unlike today’s young people who have become more involved with immigrants, through college, or by moving to urban areas.
-----------------------------------
Nicole Vespia, 18, of Selden, N.Y., said older people who were worried about immigrants stealing jobs were giving up on an American ideal: capitalist meritocracy.
“If someone works better than I do, they deserve to get the job,” Ms. Vespia said. “I work in a stockroom, and my best workers are people who don’t really speak English. It’s cool to get to know them.”
Her parents’ generation, she added, just needs to adapt.
“My stepdad says, ‘Why do I have to press 1 for English?’ I think that’s ridiculous,” Ms. Vespia said, referring to the common instruction on customer-service lines. “It’s not that big of a deal. Quit crying about it. Press the button.”
Showing posts with label comprehensive immigration reform. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comprehensive immigration reform. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Democrats Revive Immigration Push - WSJ.com
Democrats Revive Immigration Push - WSJ.com
excerpts from the WSJ click the link to see the full article
Democratic leaders in Congress have agreed to try to pass immigration legislation this year, placing the explosive issue ahead of an energy bill on their agenda and upending conventional wisdom that it was dead for now....
Passing a bill would require Republican support in the Senate. So far, Sen. Graham is the only Republican working on the issue. He has said he wouldn't introduce it without at least one other Republican on board. None has come forth.
Last month, Mr. Obama promised Sens. Graham and Schumer that he would try to recruit another GOP sponsor. This week, he called at least five Senate Republicans seeking their support.
Sen. Scott Brown (R., Mass.), who spoke Tuesday with the president, said he promised to read the bill but made no commitments about supporting it.
"I told him I have an open mind," Mr. Brown said in an interview. "I will read anything."
Mr. Obama also pitched Republican Sens. George LeMieux of Florida, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Richard Lugar of Indiana....
RAD~ If you were interested enough to read this blog then you should be interested enough to call Judd Gregg and ask him to help reform our immigration laws before he leaves office at the end of this year.
DC Address: The Honorable Judd Gregg
United States Senate
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2903
DC Phone: 202-224-3324
DC Fax: 202-224-4952
Email Address: http://gregg.senate.gov/contact/
WWW Homepage: http://gregg.senate.gov/
Twitter: No Known Twitter Account
excerpts from the WSJ click the link to see the full article
Democratic leaders in Congress have agreed to try to pass immigration legislation this year, placing the explosive issue ahead of an energy bill on their agenda and upending conventional wisdom that it was dead for now....
Passing a bill would require Republican support in the Senate. So far, Sen. Graham is the only Republican working on the issue. He has said he wouldn't introduce it without at least one other Republican on board. None has come forth.
Last month, Mr. Obama promised Sens. Graham and Schumer that he would try to recruit another GOP sponsor. This week, he called at least five Senate Republicans seeking their support.
Sen. Scott Brown (R., Mass.), who spoke Tuesday with the president, said he promised to read the bill but made no commitments about supporting it.
"I told him I have an open mind," Mr. Brown said in an interview. "I will read anything."
Mr. Obama also pitched Republican Sens. George LeMieux of Florida, Judd Gregg of New Hampshire, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Richard Lugar of Indiana....
RAD~ If you were interested enough to read this blog then you should be interested enough to call Judd Gregg and ask him to help reform our immigration laws before he leaves office at the end of this year.
DC Address: The Honorable Judd Gregg
United States Senate
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510-2903
DC Phone: 202-224-3324
DC Fax: 202-224-4952
Email Address: http://gregg.senate.gov/contact/
WWW Homepage: http://gregg.senate.gov/
Twitter: No Known Twitter Account
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Recent restaurant raids show immigration agency's new strategy - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register
Recent restaurant raids show immigration agency's new strategy - Springfield, IL - The State Journal-Register
This article from Springfield, IL discusses the new enforcement strategy for immigration. That is to audit the I-9 files of employers all over the country and to fine the employers and putting the undocumented workers in deportation. This is what restrictionists say they want (although I'm not holding my breath waiting for them to praise the Obama administration). But it also has to be what reformers want because even though it is painful...change is not going to come until more powerful economic interests start to be affected by our antiquated immigration policy.
When popular restaurant chain names start appearing in articles like this with big fines next to their names - that is when you know reform is on the way.
This article from Springfield, IL discusses the new enforcement strategy for immigration. That is to audit the I-9 files of employers all over the country and to fine the employers and putting the undocumented workers in deportation. This is what restrictionists say they want (although I'm not holding my breath waiting for them to praise the Obama administration). But it also has to be what reformers want because even though it is painful...change is not going to come until more powerful economic interests start to be affected by our antiquated immigration policy.
When popular restaurant chain names start appearing in articles like this with big fines next to their names - that is when you know reform is on the way.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Our overloaded immigration courts - latimes.com
Our overloaded immigration courts - latimes.com
A recent report by the American Bar Assn. calls for making the court system independent of the Justice Department to reduce "public skepticism" and increase respect, and paints a harrowing picture in which final decisions are rushed, haphazard and inconsistent. At times the outcome of removal proceedings depends less on the facts of an immigrant's case than on which judge hears the case, the report says. It calls for hiring 100 additional immigration judges as soon as possible, adding new training and requiring more written, reasoned decisions from judges.
RAD~At least I am not alone in noticing this. We'll take one in Manchester please!
A recent report by the American Bar Assn. calls for making the court system independent of the Justice Department to reduce "public skepticism" and increase respect, and paints a harrowing picture in which final decisions are rushed, haphazard and inconsistent. At times the outcome of removal proceedings depends less on the facts of an immigrant's case than on which judge hears the case, the report says. It calls for hiring 100 additional immigration judges as soon as possible, adding new training and requiring more written, reasoned decisions from judges.
RAD~At least I am not alone in noticing this. We'll take one in Manchester please!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Immigration Impact » Blog Archive » New Study Confirms Positive Impact of Immigration on Wages of Native-Born Workers
Immigration Impact » Blog Archive » New Study Confirms Positive Impact of Immigration on Wages of Native-Born Workers
From EPI's Press Release -
“Americans are right to worry about the declining quality of jobs over the last few decades, but this report shows that, for native workers at all levels of education, immigration had very little to do with it,” said EPI economist Heidi Shierholz, author of the report. “Other factors, like employers’ aggressive anti-union tactics, the declining purchasing power of the minimum wage, and unbalanced foreign trade are the real culprits behind broad-based declines in wages and job quality.”
Nevertheless, said Shierholz, immigration could have a much more beneficial impact on the U.S. economy – and its impact on foreign-born workers already here could be mitigated – if the immigration system were given a comprehensive overhaul. “This report suggests that we have little to fear, and much to gain, from developing a fairer, more rational immigration system,” she said.
To see the executive summary click this link:
http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/bp255/
From EPI's Press Release -
“Americans are right to worry about the declining quality of jobs over the last few decades, but this report shows that, for native workers at all levels of education, immigration had very little to do with it,” said EPI economist Heidi Shierholz, author of the report. “Other factors, like employers’ aggressive anti-union tactics, the declining purchasing power of the minimum wage, and unbalanced foreign trade are the real culprits behind broad-based declines in wages and job quality.”
Nevertheless, said Shierholz, immigration could have a much more beneficial impact on the U.S. economy – and its impact on foreign-born workers already here could be mitigated – if the immigration system were given a comprehensive overhaul. “This report suggests that we have little to fear, and much to gain, from developing a fairer, more rational immigration system,” she said.
To see the executive summary click this link:
http://www.epi.org/publications/entry/bp255/
Monday, January 4, 2010
Senator Chuck Schumer to lead new effort at immigration reform | Irish News | IrishCentral
Senator Chuck Schumer to lead new effort at immigration reform Irish News IrishCentral
A major effort to swing at least five key Republican senators behind immigration reform will be the key task of Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who is leading the effort in the senate to create new legislation.
Tens of thousands of Irish undocumented are among those anxiously awaiting new efforts this year to bring about reform. The last effort to create a bill, called the Kennedy/McCain immigration bill failed when Republicans refused to support it.
However, the new bill, which Senator Schumer and aides to President Obama are working on, will have strong enforcement measures in it in addition to a plan to legalize those here illegally.
President Obama has given a commitment to take up the issue soon after his health care reform bill passes, as is generally expected.
Schumer is counting on Republican Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, who has indicated that he will support a new bill that has strong enforcement measures and ensures that illegal immigration will be much harder after the bill passes.
"Schumer wants to show that legalizing the undocumented is actually good national security policy, as well as making it clear that it will become much harder for new illegals to work here if the new bill is passed" said a source.
Hispanic groups who have major clout with this White House are concerned that the proposed bill leans too far in the enforcement direction.
Among other senators on the Republican side that Schumer hopes will be reachable are Senators Olympia Snow and Susan Collins in Maine, Senator George Voinovich in Ohio and Senator John McCain of Arizona, who sponsored legislation before.
A House bill has already been introduced by Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, a close supporter of President Obama.
RAD~An update on CIR, and a reminder that immigration policy is not only about the border with Mexico.
A major effort to swing at least five key Republican senators behind immigration reform will be the key task of Senator Charles Schumer of New York, who is leading the effort in the senate to create new legislation.
Tens of thousands of Irish undocumented are among those anxiously awaiting new efforts this year to bring about reform. The last effort to create a bill, called the Kennedy/McCain immigration bill failed when Republicans refused to support it.
However, the new bill, which Senator Schumer and aides to President Obama are working on, will have strong enforcement measures in it in addition to a plan to legalize those here illegally.
President Obama has given a commitment to take up the issue soon after his health care reform bill passes, as is generally expected.
Schumer is counting on Republican Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, who has indicated that he will support a new bill that has strong enforcement measures and ensures that illegal immigration will be much harder after the bill passes.
"Schumer wants to show that legalizing the undocumented is actually good national security policy, as well as making it clear that it will become much harder for new illegals to work here if the new bill is passed" said a source.
Hispanic groups who have major clout with this White House are concerned that the proposed bill leans too far in the enforcement direction.
Among other senators on the Republican side that Schumer hopes will be reachable are Senators Olympia Snow and Susan Collins in Maine, Senator George Voinovich in Ohio and Senator John McCain of Arizona, who sponsored legislation before.
A House bill has already been introduced by Congressman Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, a close supporter of President Obama.
RAD~An update on CIR, and a reminder that immigration policy is not only about the border with Mexico.
Report: Number of immigration cases at record levels in US courts in 2009 - latimes.com
Report: Number of immigration cases at record levels in US courts in 2009 - latimes.com
MARK SHERMAN Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Immigration prosecutions rose to record levels in 2009 as the Obama administration kept up aggressive enforcement that began under President George W. Bush.Nearly 27,000 people faced serious federal charges relating to immigration in 2009, according to Chief Justice John Roberts' annual year-end report on the judiciary. More than three-fourths were accused of illegally re-entering the United States after having been sent home before.Immigration cases increased by about a fifth over the previous year and made up a third of all new criminal filings in U.S. district courts in the government spending year that ended Sept. 30. The statistics were compiled by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.Wendy Sefsaf, spokeswoman for the pro-immigrant Immigration Policy Center, said she expects the number of prosecutions to remain high until Congress passes a law that gives the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants a way to remain in the United States legally."Can we really afford to be spending this kind of time and money locking up people who essentially have come here to work?" Sefsaf said.Roberts's brief report, with no commentary on the numbers, broke with a nearly 40-year tradition of chief justices highlighting the needs of the federal judiciary. Instead, Roberts said the courts "are operating soundly" and tacked on a summary of their caseloads.He also noted that increases in fraud, marijuana trafficking and sex crimes cases helped push the number of criminal cases to the highest level since 1932, the year before the repeal of Prohibition.The number of cases excludes less serious crimes that are handled by federal magistrate judges. In 2008, there were nearly 80,000 immigration cases in all, including those dealt with by magistrate judges, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a private group at Syracuse University.
RAD~Is anyone really surprised that many people return after being deported even if they face likely prosecution? You shouldn't be, often their home, job, spouse and children still remain in the United States? It is fitting that the author mentions prosecutions are now at prohibition levels. When upwards of twelve million people living in the U.S. are in violation of the law and cannot get right with the law except by giving up everything they value - it is a recipe for political and social failure on the scale of prohibition.
MARK SHERMAN Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) — Immigration prosecutions rose to record levels in 2009 as the Obama administration kept up aggressive enforcement that began under President George W. Bush.Nearly 27,000 people faced serious federal charges relating to immigration in 2009, according to Chief Justice John Roberts' annual year-end report on the judiciary. More than three-fourths were accused of illegally re-entering the United States after having been sent home before.Immigration cases increased by about a fifth over the previous year and made up a third of all new criminal filings in U.S. district courts in the government spending year that ended Sept. 30. The statistics were compiled by the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts.Wendy Sefsaf, spokeswoman for the pro-immigrant Immigration Policy Center, said she expects the number of prosecutions to remain high until Congress passes a law that gives the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants a way to remain in the United States legally."Can we really afford to be spending this kind of time and money locking up people who essentially have come here to work?" Sefsaf said.Roberts's brief report, with no commentary on the numbers, broke with a nearly 40-year tradition of chief justices highlighting the needs of the federal judiciary. Instead, Roberts said the courts "are operating soundly" and tacked on a summary of their caseloads.He also noted that increases in fraud, marijuana trafficking and sex crimes cases helped push the number of criminal cases to the highest level since 1932, the year before the repeal of Prohibition.The number of cases excludes less serious crimes that are handled by federal magistrate judges. In 2008, there were nearly 80,000 immigration cases in all, including those dealt with by magistrate judges, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, a private group at Syracuse University.
RAD~Is anyone really surprised that many people return after being deported even if they face likely prosecution? You shouldn't be, often their home, job, spouse and children still remain in the United States? It is fitting that the author mentions prosecutions are now at prohibition levels. When upwards of twelve million people living in the U.S. are in violation of the law and cannot get right with the law except by giving up everything they value - it is a recipe for political and social failure on the scale of prohibition.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
FY 2009 Federal Prosecutions Sharply Higher; Surge Driven by Steep Jump in Immigration Filings
FY 2009 Federal Prosecutions Sharply Higher; Surge Driven by Steep Jump in Immigration Filings
RAD ~ It is time for restrictionists like "FAIR" to stop complaining. When criminal prosecutions of immigration violations make up the majority of the federal trial docket (and the Circuit Courts are also flooded with petitions for review of immigration cases) you know it is time for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
RAD ~ It is time for restrictionists like "FAIR" to stop complaining. When criminal prosecutions of immigration violations make up the majority of the federal trial docket (and the Circuit Courts are also flooded with petitions for review of immigration cases) you know it is time for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Monday, December 21, 2009
MyrtleBeachOnline.com | 12/20/2009 | Deported adults leave U.S. citizen children behind
MyrtleBeachOnline.com | 12/20/2009 | Deported adults leave U.S. citizen children behind
Here's an all too typical story of how Congress (in an effort to look tough on illegal immigration) made poor public policy by removing discretion from immigration enforcement and immigration judges.
It happens all the time - not just in the immigration context. The war on drugs with its diparate treatment of "crack" cocaine offenders; the federal "three strikes" policy; mandatory federal sentencing guidelines. All of these expressions of Congressional bravado have been revisited over time because of their unfair or self-defeating effects in the real world outside Washington, D.C.
Law enforcement and judges need to have the ability (known as discretion) to decide how to apply and enforce the law under differing circumstances. This article discusses parents who have lived in the United States for close to 30 years raising a family of two U.S. born children (one heading off to college) - there is no discussion of these people being criminals or on welfare or not paying taxes or running up bills at the emergency room. They even have other family who have filed papers to get them legal status more than 10 years ago.
This should be an easy case...where the factors in favor of letting the family stay together outweigh the harms of the violation of the immigration law. Other cases may not be so easy, but the law gives the enforcement officers and the immigration judge's almost no ability to take each such case on its own merits. It's time to rethink that policy as well.
It is time for Congress to stop trying to look like tough guys and to give the people who actually do the work of immigration back the tools they need to do their jobs wisely.
Here's an all too typical story of how Congress (in an effort to look tough on illegal immigration) made poor public policy by removing discretion from immigration enforcement and immigration judges.
It happens all the time - not just in the immigration context. The war on drugs with its diparate treatment of "crack" cocaine offenders; the federal "three strikes" policy; mandatory federal sentencing guidelines. All of these expressions of Congressional bravado have been revisited over time because of their unfair or self-defeating effects in the real world outside Washington, D.C.
Law enforcement and judges need to have the ability (known as discretion) to decide how to apply and enforce the law under differing circumstances. This article discusses parents who have lived in the United States for close to 30 years raising a family of two U.S. born children (one heading off to college) - there is no discussion of these people being criminals or on welfare or not paying taxes or running up bills at the emergency room. They even have other family who have filed papers to get them legal status more than 10 years ago.
This should be an easy case...where the factors in favor of letting the family stay together outweigh the harms of the violation of the immigration law. Other cases may not be so easy, but the law gives the enforcement officers and the immigration judge's almost no ability to take each such case on its own merits. It's time to rethink that policy as well.
It is time for Congress to stop trying to look like tough guys and to give the people who actually do the work of immigration back the tools they need to do their jobs wisely.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
All I want for Christmas is Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR)
Here is a summary (by the Immigration Policy Institute) of the Gutierrez bill on CIR. Of course it is a long way from the introduction of this bill to a completed new immigration law (just look at health reform). But it is a start!
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/CIR_ASAP_2009_Summary.pdf
http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/sites/default/files/docs/CIR_ASAP_2009_Summary.pdf
Monday, November 30, 2009
The boon of immigration: Newcomers to America more than pull their economic weight
The boon of immigration: Newcomers to America more than pull their economic weight
The need for combining secure borders with a rational policy for admitting newcomers is as pressing today as it was when the last attempted remake went down in flames under President George W. Bush, victim largely of the myth that immigration is a drain on the economy and a threat to native-born workers.
The truth is just the opposite. As documented by the Fiscal Policy Institute, immigration has, in fact, been a vital force in the American economy. Even in tough times, immigrants boost or replenish the labor pool and inject entrepreneurial energy that opens businesses and creates jobs.Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/11/30/2009-11-30_the_boon_of_immigration.html#ixzz0YNpESCVX
RAD~ Wow, I agree with the NY Daily News!
The need for combining secure borders with a rational policy for admitting newcomers is as pressing today as it was when the last attempted remake went down in flames under President George W. Bush, victim largely of the myth that immigration is a drain on the economy and a threat to native-born workers.
The truth is just the opposite. As documented by the Fiscal Policy Institute, immigration has, in fact, been a vital force in the American economy. Even in tough times, immigrants boost or replenish the labor pool and inject entrepreneurial energy that opens businesses and creates jobs.Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2009/11/30/2009-11-30_the_boon_of_immigration.html#ixzz0YNpESCVX
RAD~ Wow, I agree with the NY Daily News!
Lou Dobbs, Looking at Public Office, Says He's in Favor of Policy He Used to Spin as "Shamnesty for Illegals" | Media and Technology | AlterNet
Lou Dobbs, Looking at Public Office, Says He's in Favor of Policy He Used to Spin as "Shamnesty for Illegals" Media and Technology AlterNet
Mr. Dobbs couldn't be reached Tuesday. Spokesman Bob Dilenschneider said Mr. Dobbs draws a distinction between illegal immigrants who have committed crimes since arriving in the U.S. and those who are "living upright, positive and constructive lives" who should be "integrated" into society. He said Mr. Dobbs recognizes the political importance of Latinos and is "smoothing the water and clearing the air."
RAD~ Also see the Wall Street Journal article that covers the same topic (doesn't have the nice pic though)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125910998942663259.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy
RAD~ Also see the Wall Street Journal article that covers the same topic (doesn't have the nice pic though)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125910998942663259.html?mod=rss_Politics_And_Policy
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Where the Public Stands on Immigration Reform - Pew Research Center
Where the Public Stands on Immigration Reform - Pew Research Center
Recently the Obama administration announced that it will push for legislation next year to overhaul the nation's immigration system. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that the administration will argue for what she called a "three-legged stool" including stricter enforcement, a "tough and fair pathway to earned legal status" for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., and a more efficient process for legal immigration.
How is the public likely to react to this new push? Since 2007 when the Bush administration failed in its effort to build a coalition in support of comprehensive reform, the issue has been relatively dormant. Pew Research polling has found significant public support for both tougher enforcement and the so-called "path to citizenship," but several factors suggest that the debate could be a difficult one.
First, if the experience of 2007 is any guide, opposition to setting up a process for undocumented immigrants to achieve citizenship may be more intense -- even if less widespread -- than support for it. Second, the nation's economic situation is significantly worse than it was when the issue was debated in 2006 and 2007. Some Republican lawmakers reacted to Secretary Napolitano's speech by raising concerns about the competition for jobs posed by foreign-born workers. More generally, partisan differences on the issue have grown since two years ago, potentially making it more difficult to achieve a consensus in Congress. And third, as the debate over health care reform has shown, there is considerable public anxiety right now about the scope of the federal government's activities and its capacity to undertake major policy changes.
RAD ~ This is going to be a painful process but we will be better off as a country once this debate is behind us.
Recently the Obama administration announced that it will push for legislation next year to overhaul the nation's immigration system. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said that the administration will argue for what she called a "three-legged stool" including stricter enforcement, a "tough and fair pathway to earned legal status" for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S., and a more efficient process for legal immigration.
How is the public likely to react to this new push? Since 2007 when the Bush administration failed in its effort to build a coalition in support of comprehensive reform, the issue has been relatively dormant. Pew Research polling has found significant public support for both tougher enforcement and the so-called "path to citizenship," but several factors suggest that the debate could be a difficult one.
First, if the experience of 2007 is any guide, opposition to setting up a process for undocumented immigrants to achieve citizenship may be more intense -- even if less widespread -- than support for it. Second, the nation's economic situation is significantly worse than it was when the issue was debated in 2006 and 2007. Some Republican lawmakers reacted to Secretary Napolitano's speech by raising concerns about the competition for jobs posed by foreign-born workers. More generally, partisan differences on the issue have grown since two years ago, potentially making it more difficult to achieve a consensus in Congress. And third, as the debate over health care reform has shown, there is considerable public anxiety right now about the scope of the federal government's activities and its capacity to undertake major policy changes.
RAD ~ This is going to be a painful process but we will be better off as a country once this debate is behind us.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Wiggiblawg on ILW.com
Immigration Law Weekly or ILW.com is a national resource for immigration news. I have a link to it here and even an rss feed widget. If you check this link you can see that they have published my article on why reforming immigration and having a legalization program makes sense for the country's future.
http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,1117-drew.shtm
http://www.ilw.com/articles/2009,1117-drew.shtm
Friday, November 13, 2009
White House to Begin Push on Immigration Overhaul in 2010 - NYTimes.com
White House to Begin Push on Immigration Overhaul in 2010 - NYTimes.com
The Obama administration will insist on measures to give legal status to an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants as it pushes early next year for legislation to overhaul the immigration system, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Friday.
RAD~ Better late than never.
The Obama administration will insist on measures to give legal status to an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants as it pushes early next year for legislation to overhaul the immigration system, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said on Friday.
RAD~ Better late than never.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Over 100 Democrats Push Obama on Immigration Reform - NAM
Over 100 Democrats Push Obama on Immigration Reform - NAM
A report from New American Media on Congressional Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
A report from New American Media on Congressional Support for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
Monday, October 26, 2009
ImmigrationProf Blog: Sacramento Police Chief: It's time to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants who are productive, law-abiding citizens - the public's safety depends on it
ImmigrationProf Blog: Sacramento Police Chief: It's time to legalize millions of undocumented immigrants who are productive, law-abiding citizens - the public's safety depends on it
Sacramento Police Chief Rick Braziel has joined other chiefs in the nation in calling for an immigration overhaul that considers legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants.
Braziel said Congress must take a two-pronged approach: tighter borders and a way to allow undocumented immigrants who are productive to stay in the U.S. legally. Now, many are afraid to assist in criminal investigations, Braziel said.
"We need to remember that there are at least 12 million people out there who are unauthorized to be in this country, and they're our neighbors," Braziel said during a telephone press conference Thursday with police officials from Iowa and Texas.
"They're the ones that live down the street, participate in our communities, send children to our schools."
Their fear of deportation is putting the general public at risk, Braziel said. He told the story of a couple rear-ended by a drunk driver. "Prior to the police showing up, all of the witnesses left," Braziel said, "And the reason they left is because none of them had legal status in this country."
To read the rest you can check out the Immprof blog or go straight to the Sacramento Bee
http://www.sacbee.com/government/story/2275917.html
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Editorial Comment on Immigration Reform
Two reasons why pragmatism must trump passion on immigration reform
Think the health care reform debate got ugly? Well maybe so, but you may also have noticed that illegal immigration already made some cameo appearances in the health care debate. The August town hall debacle was perhaps just a glimpse of what awaits in this upcoming winter of our Congressional discontent.
Having practiced immigration law in New Hampshire for over a decade now, I can attest that our national immigration system is in dire need of an overhaul. With the lingering effects of recession pumping the brakes on both legal and illegal immigration – it is a good time to tackle the problem so that we can enjoy a glorious summer of economic recovery in 2010.
The Amnesty issue
Entering the United States without admission or inspection is a crime. To be precise, it is a class B misdemeanor under federal law – or what is called a “petty offense”. But you don’t have to take my word for it, you can read U.S. v. Sanchez, 258 F.Supp.2d 650 (S.D.Tex., 2003).
In this part of the country, a good percentage of the persons who are here unlawfully actually entered the United States legally but then failed to leave when they were supposed to – this does not constitute an actual criminal offense. Most of the time, however, these matters are not handled in criminal courts at all but rather as civil matters in administrative immigration courts set up within the Department of Justice. These administrative hearings are called Removal proceedings or more commonly known as Deportation.
Everyday we as a country deport non-citizens (some of whom have lived and worked here for decades) who are married to United States citizens and who have children born and raised here. In most cases these people cannot legally return to the United States for at least ten years. This country has the right to deport non-citizens who violate the law; however, that does not mean it is always in our best interests to do so. I personally don’t believe deportation should be the only government response to a petty criminal immigration offense or a civil immigration law violation.
Other options, such as legalization after paying a fine, have been proposed – but lately these have been shouted down as an amnesty. It should be noted that there are many people who would not qualify for such an “amnesty” due to a criminal record, other previous immigration violations, obtaining government benefits through fraud, lack of a qualifying relative or lack of prospective employment, etc. Such a plan is hardly a true amnesty if there is a fine assessed for the criminal behavior, unless one considers paying a speeding ticket an act of amnesty. Rather, it is a practical way to penalize people who have violated the law but then legalize the status of those whose removal from this country would do more harm than good.
The Demographic issue
The baby boom generation is beginning to reach retirement age. The US Census Bureau estimates that in 2010 there are five people of working age (18-64) to every person of retirement age (65+). Over the next twenty years that ratio is expected to drop to three to one.
From 2010 to 2030 the total number of persons of working age is expected to grow at an average rate of less than one million persons per year. This trend does not portend well for a growth economy or for public programs dependent on payroll taxes for funding – such as Medicare and Social Security.
The United States’ current immigration policies discourage foreign students from staying in this country to work once they have graduated from U.S. colleges and universities. The number of visas made available for skilled workers has also been curtailed over the past decade. It is all the more difficult to rebound from a recession if we attract and retain an ever shrinking number of the world’s best and brightest young workers, entrepreneurs and inventors. Perhaps you noticed that a majority of the American Nobel Prize winners this year were originally from somewhere else. [insert tasteless President Obama joke here]
Given the demographic trends, however, we may have a difficult time as a country producing enough homegrown labor for even semi-skilled or unskilled jobs. Just to maintain the current ratio of workers to retirees the country would need to increase immigration and guest worker levels to approximately seven million persons per year for the next twenty years. Even if we assume that greater numbers of people will continue working past age 65 due to increased longevity and decreased 401(k) balances – the US workforce will still have to be supplemented by a far greater numbers of foreign born workers than are present today if we are to avoid escalating payroll taxes and/or ever increasing budget deficits to cover entitlement programs.
It may be difficult to picture in these times when there already more people out of work than jobs to fill – but the numbers are looming out there for anyone who cares to look. The United States must get its immigration policy back on the track of welcoming the immigrants who have always been one of the great engines of our economic growth. More (not less) new immigrants, the businesses they start, the inventions they create and the work that they perform will make or break the middle-class of this country over the next twenty years.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/files/nation/summary/np2008-t2.xls
Think the health care reform debate got ugly? Well maybe so, but you may also have noticed that illegal immigration already made some cameo appearances in the health care debate. The August town hall debacle was perhaps just a glimpse of what awaits in this upcoming winter of our Congressional discontent.
Having practiced immigration law in New Hampshire for over a decade now, I can attest that our national immigration system is in dire need of an overhaul. With the lingering effects of recession pumping the brakes on both legal and illegal immigration – it is a good time to tackle the problem so that we can enjoy a glorious summer of economic recovery in 2010.
The Amnesty issue
Entering the United States without admission or inspection is a crime. To be precise, it is a class B misdemeanor under federal law – or what is called a “petty offense”. But you don’t have to take my word for it, you can read U.S. v. Sanchez, 258 F.Supp.2d 650 (S.D.Tex., 2003).
In this part of the country, a good percentage of the persons who are here unlawfully actually entered the United States legally but then failed to leave when they were supposed to – this does not constitute an actual criminal offense. Most of the time, however, these matters are not handled in criminal courts at all but rather as civil matters in administrative immigration courts set up within the Department of Justice. These administrative hearings are called Removal proceedings or more commonly known as Deportation.
Everyday we as a country deport non-citizens (some of whom have lived and worked here for decades) who are married to United States citizens and who have children born and raised here. In most cases these people cannot legally return to the United States for at least ten years. This country has the right to deport non-citizens who violate the law; however, that does not mean it is always in our best interests to do so. I personally don’t believe deportation should be the only government response to a petty criminal immigration offense or a civil immigration law violation.
Other options, such as legalization after paying a fine, have been proposed – but lately these have been shouted down as an amnesty. It should be noted that there are many people who would not qualify for such an “amnesty” due to a criminal record, other previous immigration violations, obtaining government benefits through fraud, lack of a qualifying relative or lack of prospective employment, etc. Such a plan is hardly a true amnesty if there is a fine assessed for the criminal behavior, unless one considers paying a speeding ticket an act of amnesty. Rather, it is a practical way to penalize people who have violated the law but then legalize the status of those whose removal from this country would do more harm than good.
The Demographic issue
The baby boom generation is beginning to reach retirement age. The US Census Bureau estimates that in 2010 there are five people of working age (18-64) to every person of retirement age (65+). Over the next twenty years that ratio is expected to drop to three to one.
From 2010 to 2030 the total number of persons of working age is expected to grow at an average rate of less than one million persons per year. This trend does not portend well for a growth economy or for public programs dependent on payroll taxes for funding – such as Medicare and Social Security.
The United States’ current immigration policies discourage foreign students from staying in this country to work once they have graduated from U.S. colleges and universities. The number of visas made available for skilled workers has also been curtailed over the past decade. It is all the more difficult to rebound from a recession if we attract and retain an ever shrinking number of the world’s best and brightest young workers, entrepreneurs and inventors. Perhaps you noticed that a majority of the American Nobel Prize winners this year were originally from somewhere else. [insert tasteless President Obama joke here]
Given the demographic trends, however, we may have a difficult time as a country producing enough homegrown labor for even semi-skilled or unskilled jobs. Just to maintain the current ratio of workers to retirees the country would need to increase immigration and guest worker levels to approximately seven million persons per year for the next twenty years. Even if we assume that greater numbers of people will continue working past age 65 due to increased longevity and decreased 401(k) balances – the US workforce will still have to be supplemented by a far greater numbers of foreign born workers than are present today if we are to avoid escalating payroll taxes and/or ever increasing budget deficits to cover entitlement programs.
It may be difficult to picture in these times when there already more people out of work than jobs to fill – but the numbers are looming out there for anyone who cares to look. The United States must get its immigration policy back on the track of welcoming the immigrants who have always been one of the great engines of our economic growth. More (not less) new immigrants, the businesses they start, the inventions they create and the work that they perform will make or break the middle-class of this country over the next twenty years.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/files/nation/summary/np2008-t2.xls
Monday, October 19, 2009
AgJobs 2009 Bill
If you follow this link to the AgJobs 2009 Bill -- you might be seeing a part of the upcoming Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill that Sen. Schumer of NY was expecting to finish by Labor Day (so much for that plan, maybe Groundhog Day).
This bill would allow the legalization of Farm workers, who meet the days worked criteria and who have no disqualifying criminal history, by giving them a "BlueCard" status. This would give them the right to enter the US everyday as a commuter worker or to remain and work in the United States like a permanent resident or "GreenCard" holder. However, there is no direct path to US citizenship. After 3-5 years in BlueCard a worker and the family could apply for GreenCard status. After five years of GreenCard status (LPR) then they could apply for citizenship.
This bill would allow the legalization of Farm workers, who meet the days worked criteria and who have no disqualifying criminal history, by giving them a "BlueCard" status. This would give them the right to enter the US everyday as a commuter worker or to remain and work in the United States like a permanent resident or "GreenCard" holder. However, there is no direct path to US citizenship. After 3-5 years in BlueCard a worker and the family could apply for GreenCard status. After five years of GreenCard status (LPR) then they could apply for citizenship.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Immigration fees set to go up as applications go down
Here is a link to the story in the LA times...immigration fees may be raised again because the immigration service is supposed to be largely self-funding and with enforcement up and applications down...well you get the picture.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immig24-2009sep24,0,1871688.story
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immig24-2009sep24,0,1871688.story
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