Immigration Reform
Why Congress Should Eliminate the Term “Alien” from Federal Law
Last week, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) introduced legislation to remove derogatory language describing noncitizens as “aliens” from federal law. The bill, known as the Correcting Hurtful and Alienating Names in Government Expression (CHANGE) Act, eliminates the use of this terminology in U.S. code and federal agencies’ materials and documentation. Read More
Complexity of Central American Migration Explored at Senate Hearing
This week, the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held yet another hearing to examine the causes and implications of the high rate of migration from Central America, mainly from the Northern Triangle countries of El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala. Chairman Ron Johnson (R-WI) opened the hearing by… Read More
Senate to Vote on “Sanctuary Cities” Legislation
The Senate will vote Tuesday on whether to begin debate on Senator David Vitter’s (R-LA) “Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act” (S. 2146). The bill is an enforcement-only approach to immigration and fails to address our outdated immigration laws and the need to enact comprehensive reforms. S. 2146 attempts… Read More
Will the Guidance on Extreme Hardship Waivers Allow More Individuals to Become Permanent Residents?
This week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued draft guidance on what constitutes “extreme hardship” for purposes of an immigration waiver. The much anticipated guidance is a component of the Administration’s executive actions on immigration announced in November 2014. Many had hoped that the guidance, and its potential… Read More
Fifty Years Later, the Immigration Act That Transformed America
Fifty years ago this past Saturday, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) into law. This Act is best known for having dismantled an earlier immigrant admission system that was based on national origin quotas. Instead, the INA established a new immigration system that prioritized… Read More
Congress Narrowly Avoids Shutdown, Reauthorizes Key Immigration Programs
Just hours before the federal government was set to shut down on Wednesday, Congress passed a continuing resolution, a stop-gap measure which continues funding the government at current levels and keeps the government open. The continuing resolution passed easily by large majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate… Read More
Visa Bulletin “Do-Over” Undercuts Visa Modernization
Earlier this month, the immigration agencies took a positive step forward in implementing the executive action promise to reform the visa system when they issued the October Visa Bulletin, informing the public about who would be eligible to apply for lawful permanent resident status in October. But now the… Read More
Immigrants Integrating As Well, If Not Better, Than Previous Generations, Report Finds
If you have been paying even a little attention to the Presidential debates, you might have picked up on the theme cast by some that there is something terribly wrong with today’s immigrants. That somehow they are not assimilating into U.S. society as well as the waves of immigrants who… Read More
Citizenship Day to Be Celebrated Around the Country
September 17 marks Citizenship and Constitution Day, a combined event that commemorates the anniversary of the United States’ constitution and recognizes all those who are or have become U.S. citizens. The day is marked by ceremonies and celebrations around the country, including over 50 naturalization ceremonies throughout September, that… Read More
Welcoming Week Honors Immigrant Contributions and Builds Bridges in Local Communities
The heated political rhetoric so far in the 2016 presidential campaign has often been at the expense of immigrants. And the policy solutions put forth by some candidates have centered around punitive, impractical measures that are out of touch with the humane approach most Americans want to see… Read More
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