Friday, March 29, 2024

The Hispanic Institute calls on Governor Romney to reign in Extreme Faction

Today, The Hispanic Institute called on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to denounce a House bill that would effectively militarize America’s borders. The National Security and Federal Lands Protection Act (H.R. 1505), authored by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah), would give the Department of Homeland Security expanded powers to obtain operational control of federal lands […]

Arpaio Kicked Out of Federal Immigration Enforcement Program

The findings by the U.S. Justice Department that Sheriff Joe Arpaio violated the civil rights of Latinos in his pursuit of undocumented immigrants have led to the expulsion of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office from a federal immigration enforcement program. The program, part of the Department of Homeland Security, allows trained deputies to enforce immigration […]

U.S.-Mexico Border Arrests Drop to Lowest Level in Decades

The number of undocumented immigrants apprehended at the U.S.-Mexico border in the past fiscal year dropped to the lowest it’s been since the 1970s. According to statistics from the Department of Homeland Security released in late November, the total number of apprehensions, 327,577, is 53.5% lower than it was in 2008. The peak was in 2000, when 1.6 million […]

By the Numbers: AZ-Type Law Would Devastate Florida

Let’s call it the economic imperative; the argument against stringent immigration laws that had success in Arizona and Utah. The argument makes a case in favor of immigrants for a very sound economic reason – immigrants are vital to the economic well being of the state. In Arizona and in Utah the message was carried by state […]

U.S. Judge Suspends Deportation of Argentine Gay Spouse

A New York judge suspended the deportation of the foreign-born same-sex partner of an American citizen last week, granting them time to petition for federal recognition of their marriage. After government attorneys agreed that Argentine-bore Monica Alcota’s marriage to Cristina Ojeda, a U.S. citizen, should allow her to remain in the country, Judge Terry A. […]

Four-year-old American Citizen deported to Guatemala

Emily Samantha Ruiz, a 4-year-old U.S. citizen was deported to Guatemala along with her grandfather earlier this month, raising concerns over the treatment of children born to undocumented immigrants in the country. “The case is alarming because it shows what can happen once you start treating kids who are born here whose parents are undocumented […]

Tennessee GOP Anti-Immigration Bills Out of Step with Constituent Concerns

On Wednesday, Tennessee State Rep. Joe Carr introduced a package of tough anti-immigration bills including one mimicking Arizona’s controversial SB 1070. Carr and Republican Senate sponsor Bill Ketron of Murfreesboro asserted during a press conference that they believed their legislation would survive a court challenge.  Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union […]

Homeland Security Head Calls for Passage of DREAM Act

Joining a chorus of diverse support, yesterday Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, called on Congress to pass the DREAM Act citing improved immigration enforcement as another reason to back the legislation. “It’s important to point out that the DREAM Act fits into a larger strategy of immigration enforcement, and would actually complement the Department […]

Latino Workers Help Rebuild New Orleans but Face Wage Theft

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans five years ago, immigrant workers that flocked to the city to help rebuild continue to face the all too common problem of day laborers, wage theft. After a Department of Homeland Security directive that suspended employment immigration enforcement in the area immediately following the hurricane, thousands of workers traveled […]