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Reports of Sexual Abuse at Family Detention Center Follows History of Abuse Allegations
Immigrant women held at a Texas family detention facility allege that guards have sexually abused and harassed them, according to a complaint legal groups filed with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last week. Lawyers say at least three employees at the Karnes County center “are suspected of engaging in harassment and sexual abuse in […]
Read MoreLatest Numbers Show Record-Breaking Deportations in 2013
Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its immigration enforcement statistics for the 2013 fiscal year, which ended September 30. The Obama administration set another record for deportations, removing 438,421 individuals from the United States—up nearly 5 percent from the 418,397 removals in 2012. As MPI’s Marc Rosenblum told the New York Times, […]
Read MoreLabor shortage looms: Record crops coming and Mid-Columbia farmers not ready
Columbia Basin and Yakima Valley farmers are looking for skilled workers to hand pick apples, harvest wine grapes, sort newly harvested onions and weed rows of blueberry bushes. They need them now, but finding enough workers is tough because of localized shortages of seasonal, skilled farmworkers and a tight labor supply statewide. While the difficulties […]
Read MoreProposed Refugee Program Limited in Central American Impact
Earlier this week, President Obama issued a memo that set the refugee cap at 70,000 refugees for the 2015 fiscal year. This is the same cap as Fiscal Year 2014, but the 2015 regional allotment for Latin America and the Caribbean decreased to 4,000 from 5,000. This region includes Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador, the […]
Read MorePresident Obama Follows Long History of Presidents Using Authority on Immigration
In a speech tonight at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual gala, President Obama is expected to reaffirm his promise to take executive action on immigration reform, according to Buzzfeed. After Congress’ failure to pass comprehensive legislation, immigrant communities have been waiting for months to see what form of relief the Obama administration would offer. […]
Read MorePlan That Allows DREAMers to Serve in Military Limited
Only a small number of undocumented immigrants could serve in the military after the Obama administration last week announced that young immigrants who qualify for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) can apply through the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program. The military has used MAVNI since 2008 to recruit immigrants on non-citizen […]
Read MoreMajority of Individuals Released from Immigration Custody Do Appear in Court
Media outlets reported last week that according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), about 70 percent of migrant families encountered at the border since May and released “haven’t reported” to an immigration office as instructed. ICE has released little other information about this data point. Several media outlets published this number but failed to provide […]
Read MoreChildren in Jail: What It’s Like for Immigrant Families Held at Karnes, Texas
This summer, tens of thousands of Central American families fled violence to the U.S. southern border. The administration responded by accelerating deportation proceedings, converting government facilities to family detention centers, and then prioritizing the detention and removal of families. First, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) turned the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, […]
Read MoreHow Investing in English Language Learning Can Boost Local Economies
As local leaders explore ways to grow their local and regional economies, one area to address is access to English language learning opportunities for all members of a community. A new report by the Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program, Investing in English Skills: The Limited English Proficient Workforce in U.S. Metropolitan Areas, examines workers with […]
Read MoreWill CBP Actions Increase Transparency and Accountability?
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) frequently refers to itself as the nation’s largest law enforcement agency, yet many of its practices fail to live up to the expectations and standards by which modern, civilian police forces are measured. A constant barrage of advocacy and evidence pointing to CBP’s weaknesses in handling a range of complaints […]
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