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Tip of the ICEberg
The irony of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acronym—ICE—has never been lost on anyone, including the agency itself. Shortly after its formation, posters appeared in government offices of an iceberg as big as the one that sunk the Titanic with the motto: ICE—What you see is just the tip of the iceberg. The idea was to […]
Read MoreLocal Enforcement of Immigration Laws Through the 287(g) Program
Updated 04/02/10
Since 2004, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) has greatly expanded its partnerships with local police through the 287(g) program. As of March 2010, more than 1,075 local officers have been trained and certified through the program under the 67 active Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) in 24 states. However, while the number of MOAs has increased, the numerous problems surrounding them have also become more apparent. Recent reports have found that 287(g) agreements are costing localities millions to implement while ICE provides little oversight and support to the program. Additionally, crime-solving activities are being compromised, the trust between police and community is eroding, and accusations of racial profiling and civil rights violations are on the rise. Furthermore 287 (g) agreements are being used as political tools that interfere with the kind of true community policing that protect and serve our communities.
Steele Pledges to Find Second Republican, Maybe
In a meeting yesterday with immigration advocates, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele reportedly committed to working with Senator Lindsey Graham to find another Republican senator for a comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) bill. Pramila Jayapal, executive director of OneAmerica, remained skeptical, stating that while “Chairman Steele clearly understands that the future of the Republican […]
Read MoreImmigration and the Future of American Innovation: Does America Need to Pump Up the Volume?
It should come as no surprise to anyone following the global economy that when it comes to innovation and competition, America has lost that loving feeling. Numbers in key areas of innovation—percentage of patents issued, government funded research and venture capitalists’ investments—are all down. While some point a finger at a weaker economy, others look […]
Read MoreImmigration Reform: The Not So Merry Go Round of Washington Politics
First, Republicans said they wouldn’t work with Democrats on immigration if health care passed—now they will. The Obama administration announced that immigration enforcement would target dangerous criminals only—but as it turns out, they aren’t. Senator Chuck Schumer said we’re moving forward on immigration, while his partner, Senator Lindsey Graham, insists that the President write a […]
Read MoreThe Folly of Repealing Birthright Citizenship
Washington D.C. – This Sunday, the editorial pages of the Washington Post included a piece penned by journalist George Will on the topic of birthright citizenship. Will highlights a scholar who argues against giving those born in the United States birthright citizenship and characterizes the repeal of a 150 year-old constitutional tenet as “a simple […]
Read MoreICE Slip Up Casts Serious Doubt on Immigration Enforcement Strategy
Over the last week, there has been a great deal of outrage, confusion, and backtracking on the issue of who and how many people the U.S. government deports. Faced with a great deal of criticism for Bush-style enforcement, the Administration announced last year that it would no longer be conducting large scale worksite raids, and […]
Read MoreSenator Schumer Urges Senator Graham to Get Immigration Reform Done
In the latest development on their bipartisan push for immigration reform, Senators Schumer (D-NY) and Graham (R-SC) appeared on Meet the Press yesterday to discuss immigration reform in a post-health care political environment. Amid criticism over his reaction to the passage of health care reform—the process of which he referred to as “sleazy,” Sen. Lindsey […]
Read MoreCommittee Hearings on Visa Application Costs and Overstays Show Partisan Divide
This week, members of the House of Representatives held hearings dealing with visa application costs and visa overstays—and the partisan divide between Democrats and Republicans was as clear as ever. As Congress and immigration experts continued to debate the specifics of visa processing and overstays, the need for an entire immigration overhaul—an overhaul that would […]
Read MoreImmigrants, African Americans and the Struggle for Civil Rights
In a new report released today by the Immigration Policy Center, Before Brown, There was Mendez: The Lasting Impact of Mendez v. Westminster in the Struggle for Desegregation, author Maria Blanco examines the impact of a federal circuit court’s 1947 decision which found the segregation of Mexican American school children in California unconstitutional. It is […]
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