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Millions of Immigrants Could Become U.S. Citizens—and Voters
Politicians who demonize immigrants do so at their own peril. Immigrants are already a key voting bloc in many states. And they are only going to get stronger as more and more of them become lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and, ultimately, U.S. citizens who are eligible to vote. Needless to say, all of these potential […]
Read MoreTalking Turkey on Immigration 2015
Today, I have the pleasure of following in the footsteps of Mary Giovagnoli, who, during her five years at the American Immigration Council, entertained and enlightened us with her annual blog about how to survive and thrive when the topic turns to immigration at the Thanksgiving Day table. With good humor, she reminded us that […]
Read MoreCongress Continues its Knee-Jerk Reaction to Paris Attacks
Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 4038, the “American Safe Act of 2015” by a vote of 289 to 137, with 47 Democrats and all but two Republicans supporting the bill. This comes less than one week after the horrific attacks in Paris, which have left many feeling vulnerable and fearful. But this knee-jerk […]
Read MoreForeign Students Add Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs to the U.S. Economy
Most people don’t think of foreign students as an economic resource, yet that is precisely what they are. Each year, students from other countries spend billions of dollars in the U.S. economy, pumping money not only into the colleges and universities they attend, but the surrounding businesses as well. In addition, many foreign students go […]
Read MoreOur View: Immigration Reform Key to Magic Valley Growth
Don’t expect Congress to take up immigration reform any time soon – probably not until we have a new president, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson told the Times-News editorial board last week. That’s devastating news to thousands of workers and employers in the Magic Valley, who literally can no longer afford to wait. As we reported […]
Read MoreThe Changing Face of Television
This fall, actress Viola Davis made history by becoming the first black woman to win an Emmy for “Outstanding Lead Actress in Drama.” In her acceptance speech, she drew attention to the lack of opportunities for women of color in television and film — an accusation against Hollywood that has been echoed by many over […]
Read MoreWhy 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 MoreICE Detention System Still Lacks Transparency and Accountability, Says Report
After 9/11, the immigration detention system in the United States began to expand dramatically, with very little in the way of transparency or accountability as to how the system operated or what happened to the people who were detained. Not surprisingly, stories began to surface of human rights abuses suffered by detainees at the hands […]
Read MoreCBP Releases Use of Force Breakdown: Unclear What It Means
Last week, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a yearly report on the number of use of force incidents. The report stated that use of force incidents by officers and agents were down 26 percent from the previous year, from 1,037 in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 to 768 in FY 2015. The announcement was […]
Read More100 Immigrant Women Begin 100-Mile Pilgrimage in Time for Pope’s Visit
Today, 100 immigrant women, domestic workers, and faith and immigrants’ rights leaders, set out on a 100-mile journey by foot from Pennsylvania to Washington D.C. Their message to Pope Francis—who begins his visit to the U.S. on September 22—put immigration at the front and center of his meetings and address before Congress. The 100 women began […]
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