Reform
Senator Schumer Urges Senator Graham to Get Immigration Reform Done
In the latest development on their bipartisan push for immigration reform, Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Graham (R-SC) appeared on Meet the Press yesterday to discuss immigration reform in a post-health care political environment. Amid criticism over his reaction to the passage of health care reform—the process of which he referred to as “sleazy,” Sen. Lindsey Graham called immigration reform a “heavy lift” and again threw down the gauntlet for more support on the issue from the President. Meanwhile, Schumer took a slightly more hopeful approach to the future of immigration reform—citing the wide range of support from key players, demonstrating the importance of fixing our broken system now and urging Sen. Graham to get this done. Read More
Committee Hearings on Visa Application Costs and Overstays Show Partisan Divide
This week, members of the House of Representatives held hearings dealing with visa application costs and visa overstays—and the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans was as clear as ever. As Congress and immigration experts continued to debate the specifics of visa processing and overstays, the need for an entire immigration overhaul—an overhaul that would tackle these issues and others more directly and on a larger scale—became even more apparent. Read More
Immigrants, African Americans and the Struggle for Civil Rights
In a new report released today by the Immigration Policy Center, Before Brown, There was Mendez: The Lasting Impact of Mendez v. Westminster in the Struggle for Desegregation, author Maria Blanco examines the impact of a federal circuit court's 1947 decision which found the segregation of Mexican American school children in California unconstitutional. It is fitting that Blanco, who is the Executive Director of the Chief Justice Earl Warren Institute at Berkeley Law, wrote this paper because of the key role that Justice Warren played in both the Mendez and Brown cases. Before Brown, There was Mendez tells a unique story of an immigrant family as well as the story of the people who came together to support them and make history. The Mendez family story alone is an amazing tale of strength and perseverance in the face of discrimination and bigotry. Read More
Courting the Latino Vote? The Republican Push for Immigration Reform
In the past few weeks, new voices have been added to the call for immigration reform—Republicans who recognize that ignoring immigration is ignoring the future of their own party. Their message isn’t that simple, however. Instead of simply calling for immigration reform, they blame President Obama for failing to keep his campaign promise of passing immigration reform in his first year. This serves two useful purposes—courting the Latino vote without necessarily alienating the base—many of whom are all too happy to lay the blame for healthcare, the economy, and every other issue at the President’s feet. The real question, however, is whether recent Republican support for immigration reform is political grandstanding or genuine support Latino voters and countless other Americans who care about immigration reform can count on when immigration legislation is on the floor. Read More
Marching Forward: Thousands Gather in Washington, D.C. to Demand Immigration Reform
Yesterday, an estimated 200,000 from at least 35 states gathered in Washington, D.C. to raise their voices for comprehensive immigration reform—reform President Obama promised to address within his first year in office. The National Mall and surrounding streets were full of supporters carrying signs with messages such as “Family Unity,” “Reform Not Raids,” “Friends Keep Their Promises” and “$1.5 Trillion to the U.S. Economy.” Representing a broad coalition of supporters, the immigration rally came on the heels of a series of White House meetings on the issue as well as Sens. Schumer and Graham’s rough legislative blueprint of an reform bill expected later this year. Read More
Strength in Numbers
The positive impact of Sunday’s rally on the mall for immigration reform is already in evidence. Yesterday, after months of pressure, Senators Schumer and Graham finally released their blueprint for immigration reform and President Obama immediately pledged to help push bipartisan legislation forward. Next was Senator Reid who promised to make time for legislation on the floor this year and Senator Leahy also pledging his support. Read More
President Obama Praises Sens. Schumer/Graham’s Bipartisan Immigration Blueprint
Today, Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) published their immigration blueprint in a Washington Post editorial—acknowledging that our immigration system has been broken for far too long and that the time for change is now. "Our plan has four pillars: requiring biometric Social Security cards to ensure that illegal workers cannot get jobs; fulfilling and strengthening our commitments on border security and interior enforcement; creating a process for admitting temporary workers; and implementing a tough but fair path to legalization for those already here." Shortly after their blueprint was published, President Obama issued a statement pledging his support moving forward on immigration reform: Read More
Is Senator Graham Sending Mixed Signals on Immigration Reform?
Two days after President Obama met with Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Graham (R-SC) to discuss moving forward on immigration reform, Senator Graham appeared on a Sunday morning talk show where he criticized President Obama and his “unwavering commitment” to immigration reform as “political spin” in response to plans for a large immigration rally next week. Graham delivered a one-two punch, chastising the President not only for pursuing reconciliation in order to pass healthcare reform, but for failing to get his hands dirty on immigration. On the one hand, Graham made it clear that he will continue to work with Senator Schumer to produce a public document laying out reform principles, but on the other he challenged the President to put his commitment on the line by writing his own bill. No matter how you read the statement, the evident frustration in Graham’s voice suggests that there is something more here than political grandstanding. Read More
After White House Meetings, What’s Next for Immigration Reform?
In the midst of trying to wrap up health care, President Obama carved time out of his schedule yesterday to meet with reformers and key Senators on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). After yesterday’s meetings, some are reporting that the President is again committed to moving CIR this year. Supporters of immigration reform are wary, but hopeful, that this time he means business. Read More
President Obama’s Statement on Fixing our Broken Immigration System
Today, President Obama met with a variety of immigration advocates, including Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who are working together on a bipartisan bill to fix our broken immigration system. Following the meeting, the President issued this statement: “Today I met with Senators Schumer and… Read More
Make a contribution
Make a direct impact on the lives of immigrants.
