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The Growing African Immigrant Population in the United States
Much is said and written about the immigrant population in the United States. However, most work focuses on immigrant populations from Latin America and Asia. Fortunately, the Pew Research Center has just provided a new snapshot of the foreign-born population that hails from countries across Africa. While Africans remain a small share of the total […]
Read MoreCongress Passes a Budget, But a Government Shutdown is Still Possible
Last week Congress passed and on Monday the President signed a two year bipartisan budget agreement that also raised the debt ceiling through March 2017. The two year budget sets federal spending through the 2016 and 2017 fiscal years (FY), and lifts spending caps by providing an additional $80 billion, split evenly between military and […]
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 MoreThe Battle Over Birth Certificates in Texas
In May, a group of undocumented parents, represented by South Texas Civil Rights Project and Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, filed a lawsuit against the State of Texas for denying their children, born in the state, birth certificates. The legal team also asked the judge to issue a preliminary injunction—a temporary order that would force […]
Read MoreSenate to Vote on “Sanctuary Cities” Legislation
The Senate will vote Tuesday on whether to begin debate on Senator David Vitter’s (R-LA) “Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act” (S. 2146). The bill is an enforcement-only approach to immigration and fails to address our outdated immigration laws and the need to enact comprehensive reforms. S. 2146 attempts to punish so-called “sanctuary cities” […]
Read MoreHow North Carolina’s Anti-Immigrant Bill Would Impact All State Residents
At a time when many states are adopting policies that harness immigrant’s social and economic contributions, elected officials in North Carolina are advancing anti-immigrant legislation that could have sweeping implications for all state residents. The state legislature recently passed H.B. 318, misleadingly titled as the “Protect North Carolina Workers Act.” The bill contains the following […]
Read MoreWhat Americans Think Should Be Done on Illegal Immigration
The foreign-born share of the U.S. population has doubled in the past three decades and now stands at its highest point in nearly a century. Little wonder, then, that illegal immigration triggers visceral debate and white-hot rhetoric during a presidential election campaign. What may be more surprising is that Americans, by a large majority, continue […]
Read MoreWill the Guidance on Extreme Hardship Waivers Allow More Individuals to Become Permanent Residents?
This week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued draft guidance on what constitutes “extreme hardship” for purposes of an immigration waiver. The much anticipated guidance is a component of the Administration’s executive actions on immigration announced in November 2014. Many had hoped that the guidance, and its potential to make waivers available to more […]
Read MoreImmigrant Entrepreneur Named “Engineer of the Year”
Dr. Karen Lozano is no stranger to public recognition for her achievements. A Mexican-born professor of mechanical engineering at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and a leading researcher in the field of nanotechnology, Lozano has won prizes ranging from R&D grants to outstanding teaching awards. Still, her latest award, “Engineer of the Year,” […]
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