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DHS Funding Controversy Over, But Enforcement-First Approach Remains
Over five months into fiscal year 2015, the President on Wednesday finally signed the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’) appropriations bill, after Congress twice narrowly averted shutting down the agency. Congressional members called it a “clean” bill, without House Republicans’ efforts to repeal President Obama’s recent executive actions (well within the President’s authority). But the […]
Read MoreHouse Judiciary Considers Same Costly, Enforcement-Only ‘Reform’
The House Judiciary Committee devoted two days this week to the markup of three enforcement-only immigration bills. The legislation would strip much-needed protections from an already vulnerable population–including children and asylum seekers–impact the agriculture industry, place burdensome requirements on small business owners, and cost the American taxpayer a lot of money. The Legal Workforce Act, […]
Read MoreGroups Recommend How the White House Could Boost Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Immigrant entrepreneurs and small business owners contribute to local economies, often forming the backbone of neighborhoods. As part of his November announcement on immigration executive action, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum that creates a White House Task Force on New Americans to explore ways to strengthen federal immigrant and refugee integration. The task force […]
Read MoreHouse Funds Homeland Security Through September
The House voted to approve a measure Tuesday to fund the Department of Homeland Security through September, the rest of the fiscal year. The bill, which originally passed the Senate on Friday, is a “clean” funding bill without any amendments attempting to defund President Obama’s executive actions. The House vote was 257-167, with only Republicans […]
Read MorePotential Presidential Candidates Fail to Offer Immigration Solutions at CPAC
Most Americans want immigration reform. President Obama’s executive actions took temporary steps to provide relief for millions of undocumented immigrants who have spent years here, but it is up to Congress to pass legislation that would comprehensively improve the immigration system. According to a February poll from Public Religion Research Institute, nearly three-quarters of Americans […]
Read MoreImmigration Action Provides Certain H-4 Spouses Work Authorization
As part of the package of executive actions announced in November 2014, the secretary of Homeland Security directed the immigration agencies to implement new policies and regulations intended to support U.S. high-skilled businesses and workers. Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued the first of these new regulations: effective May 26, 2015, spouses […]
Read MoreNew Immigration Enforcement Policy Remains In Effect Despite Texas Lawsuit
The political lawsuit challenging the legality of parts of President Obama’s Executive Action should fail for a variety of reasons. But the lawsuit has already succeeded in two respects. First, it won a dubious preliminary injunction from a lower court judge temporarily halting the program while the case proceeds. (Earlier this week, the Obama Administration […]
Read MorePresident Obama: Being ‘As Aggressive As We Can’ Defending Executive Actions
President Obama said during Wednesday’s town hall in Florida that his administration is being “as aggressive as we can” to defend his executive actions against a legal challenge brought by 26 states. After a federal judge in Texas temporarily halted the President’s deferred action initiatives, the expansion of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and […]
Read MoreNY Farm Bureau favors immigration reform
WASHINGTON – The “secure the border first” approach advocated by many congressional Republicans doesn’t work for the New York Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau President Dean Norton was in Washington Wednesday to reinforce his organization’s support for comprehensive immigration reform. Owners of New York dairies and other farms that rely on immigrant workers say they need […]
Read MoreCourt Orders DHS to Stop Detaining Mothers and Children to Deter Future Immigration Flow
In June 2014, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) began implementing a border security policy of detaining nearly all mothers and children fleeing violence and persecution in Central America. DHS vastly increased its detention capacity for families to “send the message unequivocally that if you come here you will be turned around.” But last Friday, […]
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