THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION:

Posted By: HSL-Admin
Category: Immigration - Inmigracion
Source: The Immigration Policy Center

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THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION:

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Lost in Translation: What the President Really Said about Immigration Reform
Unless you were hanging on every word in Wednesday night's State of the Union Address, you might have missed that the President reaffirmed his commitment to fixing our broken immigration system. His commitment wasn't as specific as many of the things he has said about immigration reform in the past. In fact, this glancing mention of immigration reform has already caused a backlash among activists--many of whom are disappointed that the message was too muted and without teeth. But upon closer inspection, you might find the President's message of bipartisanship, American values and the importance of diversity translates into moving forward on immigration reform.

To Mention Immigration or Not To Mention Immigration? That is the Question
In Wednesday's State of the Union Address, President Obama's comments on immigration were simple, 'we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system--to secure our borders, enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.' It was neither detailed nor overly passionate, but signaled that immigration reform was still a priority for his administration under a broader push for greater civil rights.

Dear Reps. Smith and Miller, Don't Confuse Your Talking Points with Facts
Representatives Lamar Smith (R-TX) and Gary Miller (R-CA) would like the public to think that they have the same concerns as most Americans, releasing a joint statement expressing anxiety over the 15 million Americans currently without work. On its face, their statement--"we must enforce our current immigration laws to ensure illegals do not take away jobs that rightfully belong to American and legal workers"--makes sense. In a vacuum, if our economy provided only a set number of jobs available for American workers, Messrs. Smith and Miller would be correct. However, this is just not the case.

Got Faith? A Closer Look at the Religious Movement for Immigration Reform
Tuesday, hundreds of Evangelical leaders from around the country joined hands to raise awareness for comprehensive immigration reform during a National Day of Prayer. Like many faith groups, Evangelicals are the most recent to sign onto the national religious effort to "act on the Biblical mandate of compassion and justice toward immigrants" and call for reform of our broken immigration system. Some restrictionist groups, however, continue to criticize the role of religion and faith in the immigration reform movement--some even using the Bible as a weapon to condemn immigrants as law-breakers and sinners.

ICE Assistant Secretary Stakes his Legacy on Detention Reform
At the Migration Policy Institute on Tuesday, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), John Morton, outlined his vision for immigration detention reforms which he hopes will mark his time and tenure at ICE. Morton emphasized the need for detention facilities that are designed specifically for immigration detention purposes as opposed to converted prisons. While detention advocates welcome the intention of Morton's new goals, the question remains as to whether ICE is capable of implementing these much needed changes after years of less than favorable reports about the immigration detention system and a flurry of articles by Nina Bernstein in the New York Times detailing some of the problems in the system.

This article was published on:
Sunday, January 31, 2010