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Language Diversity and the Workforce: The Growing Need for Bilingual Workers in Massachusetts’ Economy
On June 21, New American Economy (NAE) joined with business leaders and education advocates at the Massachusetts State House to call for the creation of a state Seal of Biliteracy. The Seal of Biliteracy, which formally recognizes high school graduates who are proficient in more than one language, has been hailed as an important mechanism to promote foreign […]
Read MoreEmpty Benches: Underfunding of Immigration Courts Undermines Justice
Backlogs and delays benefit neither immigrants nor the government—keeping those with valid claims in limbo and often in detention, delaying removal of those without valid claims, and calling into question the integrity of the immigration justice system.
Read MoreWhy California’s Bill Allowing Undocumented Immigrants to Purchase Health Insurance is Good Policy
Governor Jerry Brown of California signed a historic law which could make his state the first to allow undocumented immigrants to purchase health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. SB10 directs the state to negotiate a waiver with the federal government to allow this population to purchase insurance on the state’s Covered California Health Insurance Exchange. […]
Read MoreLack of Labor: A Sweet Potato Farmer’s “Nightmare”
Every winter, Melissa Edmondson sends a stream of paperwork along with a $4,000 check to a firm in Georgia that specializes in processing visas for seasonal immigrant labor. The firm mails all the appropriate forms to all the appropriate agencies – state and federal offices scattered around the country – but Edmondson still needs to […]
Read MorePublic Radio Report Mischaracterizes U.S. Asylum Process
Media outlets are reporting on the uptick in the number of individuals crossing the southern border into the U.S. This trend is not surprising given the ongoing violence in Central America. The conditions in the region are not significantly improving by any measure, and as a result people continue to flee while the Administration’s refugee […]
Read MoreWeekend Reading: Highlights from this week’s immigration news (May 16-20)
This week Tom Nassif, president and CEO of the Western Growers Association, which represents farmers in California, Arizona, and Colorado, penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal, proposing that governors take the lead on immigration reform. “As chief executives,” he writes, “governors know how to get things done. They are problem-solvers who are usually […]
Read MoreLatest Flores Filing Highlights Stories of Children and Mothers Unlawfully Detained by Obama Administration
This week, the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law (CHRCL) asked a federal judge to order the government to comply with the Flores settlement and appoint an independent monitor to oversee the Obama Administration’s ongoing family detention policy.
Read MoreTexas Judge Continues to Delay the Licensing of State Detention Centers as Childcare Facilities
On Friday, a Texas judge extended the temporary restraining order preventing Texas from licensing the Dilley detention center as a childcare facility. Dilley is one of two privately operated detention centers in Texas that house Central American mothers and children who fled violence and poverty in their home countries and are seeking protection in the […]
Read MoreWhat the New Citizenship Fee Structure Means for Aspiring Americans
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is primarily a fee-funded agency within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Every two years they are required to review the fees they collect and adjust as needed. Earlier this month USCIS announced they have completed their “fee study” and have proposed raising fees across the board by an […]
Read MoreDemand for Bilingual Workers Increasing in Maryland
As employers strive to increase their competitiveness in the global economy, they are increasingly seeking candidates who have the language skills necessary to communicate with a diverse customer base, and with operations and competitors overseas. New analysis of Burning Glass data explores the growing demand for bilingual talent in Maryland from some of the state’s […]
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