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Immigrants Have an ‘Enormous Work Ethic,’ Says Acclaimed Documentarian and Entrepreneur
In 2011, photographer and documentarian Jesus Ramirez was asked to help produce a special about the Mexican Revolution, to highlight the untold historic contributions brought to the United States by Mexicans fleeing their country. The goal was a single hourlong episode, but the order quickly grew to 20 independent episodes featuring a who’s who of […]
Read MoreSuccessful Foreign-Born CEO Explains Why Immigrant-Run Franchises Almost Never Fail
Ask any Hawaiian about L&L Hawaiian Barbecue, a fast-food chain ubiquitous on the islands and the West Coast, and they can likely tell you about its traditional plate lunches complete with heaping scoops of macaroni salad. What they might not know is the company has more than 200 franchise locations, gross sales of $96 million, […]
Read MoreEthiopian Refugee and Business Owner Is Grateful for Welcoming Idahoans
In April 2015, Kibrom Milash opened Kibrom, one of Boise, Idaho’s few Ethiopian restaurants. It was part of the Boise International Market, a place where customers could buy food and products from countries around the world. A fire gutted the market the following September, but Milash wasn’t deterred. In February 2016, he re-opened the restaurant […]
Read MoreAbout Us
Why We Do It We have a proud—and complicated—history as a nation of immigrants. Our immigration system and the way it treats immigrants often fail to live up to our highest values and ideals. Not only have we failed, in many cases, to afford basic due process rights, but in countless ways, our outdated immigration […]
Read MoreCurrent J-1 Participant
Exchange Visitors come to the United States to gain the knowledge, skills, and techniques from host organizations/institutions in the U.S. and share these attributes after the end of the program. As a part of the American Immigration Council family, you receive direct support throughout your time in the United States from our cultural exchange team. […]
Read MoreDespite Obstacles, A Majority of Child Migrants Appear in Immigration Court
Reuters reported last week that the Obama Administration would begin to round up Central American women and children, including “minors who have entered the country without a guardian and since turned 18 years of age” and begin deporting them. The news report goes on to say that “many of those apprehended for unlawful entry are […]
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 MoreReports of Additional Round-Ups of Refugees Met with Strong Condemnation
Reuters reported late on Thursday that the Obama Administration will launch a new round of immigration raids targeting Central American women and children following their last round-ups in January. The Reuters report says that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is “planning a month-long series of raids in May and June to deport hundreds of Central American […]
Read MoreRestrictive Voting Laws Threaten to Block Millions of Latino Voters, Including Many Newly-Naturalized
Naturalization and voter registration rates have surged in recent months, but strict new voter laws in many states are threatening to reduce the number of Latinos voters (including many newly naturalized) who will be allowed to cast ballots. More than 185,000 citizenship applications were submitted in the final three months of 2015, which is a […]
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 […]
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