For Immediate Release

June 1, 2011 - Washington D.C. - Today, the Immigration Policy Center releases Deportation in the Time of Cholera: DHS's Mixed Response to Haiti's Earthquake by Royce Bernstein Murray, Esq.

Days after the tragedy of the January 12, 2010, earthquake, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano swiftly exercised her discretion to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This enabled tens of thousands of Haitians already in the U.S. to apply for work permits and remain in the country without fear of deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) suspended removals to Haiti - including more than 1,000 Haitian orphans who were paroled into the U.S. for adoption by American parents. 

At the end of 2010, however, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hit a fork in the road. While gearing up for the final push before the mid-January 2011 TPS registration deadline – historically the time when the largest number of individuals register – ICE informally announced that it was resuming deportations to Haiti in December and anticipated deporting approximately 700 Haitians by year’s end. Over 300 Haitians were quickly rounded up, transported to remote detention centers in Louisiana far from their attorneys and family members, and prepared for removal. Despite a raging cholera epidemic (especially in the detention centers where Haitian deportees are routinely held), the first planeload of 27 Haitians was sent back on January 15, 2011. Ten days later, Wildrick Guerrier - a lawful permanent resident who had lived in the U.S. for 17 years - died of cholera-like symptoms in a Haitian jail cell. ICE deported a second group of 19 Haitians on April 15.

While the U.S. doesn’t typically suspend all removals to a TPS-designated country for more than a brief period, doesn’t Haiti’s extensive earthquake damage and recent cholera outbreak arguably make it an exception to the rule? What more can be done and what alternatives are there to deportation in the time of cholera?

To read the paper in its entirety, see:

    Deportation in the Time of Cholera: DHS's Mixed Response to Haiti's Earthquake by Royce Bernstein Murray, Esq. (IPC Special Report, June 1, 2011)

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.   

Division of the American Immigration Council.   

  

For Immediate Release

June 1, 2011 - Washington D.C. – The American Immigration Council is pleased to announce the winner of its 14th Annual “Celebrate America” Creative Writing Contest. Maya Young Wong of Altadena, California, won for her poem entitled “My Grandfather Ben.” Maya’s entry was chosen out of more than 6,500 entries from fifth graders across America. As the grand prize winner, Maya will attend the American Immigration Council’s annual benefit in San Diego, California where she will read her winning entry.

Maya’s poem describes the life of her grandfather coming from his Guangzhou village in China to America, his “Gold Mountain.” In less than 500 words Maya, a student at Castelar Elementary School in Los Angeles, was able to tell the saga of her grandfather’s journey to the United States, working in a laundry business, becoming a soldier and getting married.

From China sailed my Grandfather Ben.
He came to America when he was four plus ten.
His Guangzhou village was small and poor
And he helped his mother with farming chores.
Every morning he gathered bits of firewood
And drew water from the well as much as he could.
From morning to night he slaved like an ox.
But it was never enough to fill the rice box.
So his parents said, "You'd better leave home
And go to America where you can roam".
Until you find a great place of your own.
America, Gold Mountain, is the place to go
Big and wide, and high and low.

To read the poem in its entirety click here or visit www.communityeducationcenter.org

Maya never knew her grandfather who died before she was born. But, she heard of his adventures from her grandmother who Maya describes as a “super, super, amazing storyteller.”  Maya admits it was hard choosing between the stories of her grandfather and grandmother but ultimately she thought her grandfather’s tale should be told “because he needed to be recognized for all the great things he did in his life.”

Maya’s teacher, Ms. Dianne Manke, has been teaching at Castelar Elmentary School in the heart of Los Angeles’ Chinatown for 40 years. According to Maya, “Ms. Castelar has been teaching us how to write poetry since September and will help us put together poetry books of our writings for graduation.”

The top entries from each participating chapter of the American Immigration Lawyer’s Assocation were reviewed by a panel of teachers, immigration attorneys and authors who narrowed it down to a top five. The top five were ranked by celebrity judges including Olympic Gold Medalist in wrestling, Henry Cejudo; the President of the America Federation for Teachers, Randi Weingarten; Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, Gerda Weissman Klein; and Senator Dan Inouye. The winning entry will be read into the Congressional Record and the top five winners will receive a flag flown over the Capitol in their honor.
 
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For more information contact Claire Tesh at ctesh@immcouncil.org

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The Community Education Center strives to promote a better understanding of immigrants and immigration by providing educational resources that inspire thoughtful dialogue, creative teaching and critical thinking.  Dedicated to the American values of fairness, social justice and respect for all people, the Center is committed to making immigration an “everybody issue.”  The Center also highlights the positive contributions immigrants have made and continue to make to American society through its programmatic work.

MESA, Ariz. (Associated Press) — State Sen. Russell Pearce was riding high last year, notching wins that include enactment of a second Arizona law to crack down on illegal immigration and then his selection by fellow Republican senators as the chamber's new president.

This year, things haven't gone so well for the tough-talking former lawman.

Some fellow Republican senators blocked a new round of Pearce-backed legislation on illegal immigration. Then Pearce's acceptance of free trips from the Fiesta Bowl embroiled him in a still-simmering ethics scandal.

Now, he faces a possible recall election that could put his political future up in the air.

Critics on Tuesday plan to cap months of signature gathering by submitting petitions to the Arizona secretary of state's office to force a recall election. They have said they were within striking distance of the required 7,756 signatures of registered voters in his district in Mesa, Arizona's third-largest city.

That's after culling out duplicates and signatures of voters who don't live in the district, said Randy Parraz, a leader of the recall campaign.

Depending on how long various officials take to process and certify petitions and signatures, the election would be held in November or March.

Recall supporters call Pearce out of touch with most voters' major concerns, such as jobs and housing.

"He's down there focusing on his two pet issues," illegal immigration and gun owners' rights, said Chad Snow, a Republican lawyer who is the recall committee's chairman.

Signers, Parraz said, "are saying that they made a mistake and they've got to correct the mistake."

But if Pearce's past election performance is a gauge, he stands decent odds of surviving a recall election.

Within his Republican-leaning district in Mesa, a Phoenix suburb, Pearce has won election and re-election to the House or Senate without interruption since 2000. In both 2008 and 2010, he won with 56 percent of the vote.

In 2008, Pearce triumphed in a primary contest against a fellow Republican who tried to capitalize on business pushback to the Pearce-sponsored 2007 employer sanctions. However, Pearce easily defeated attorney Kevin Gibbons by a 2-1 margin.

Pearce said he takes the recall effort seriously but that he's not worried.

Noting that Parraz is a Democrat who ran unsuccessfully for his party's U.S. Senate nomination last year, Pearce said the recall proponents "will be exposed for who they are."

"They are anti-1070, they are anti the rule of law," he said, referring to his 2010 illegal immigration legislation known as SB1070. "This is not an assault on me. This is an assault on Arizona and what it stands for."

Pearce was interviewed Thursday, the same day that the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the employer sanctions law, which penalizes businesses that hire workers who in the United States illegally.

With the employer sanctions law, Pearce already was gaining notice as a critic of illegal immigration when he sponsored SB1070. The 2010 state law sparked protests, boycotts and legal challenges. Key provisions have been put on hold by lower courts as the state plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Pearce tried this year to win passage of still more legislation against illegal legislation, but he and his allies suffered a dramatic defeat on the Senate floor as a majority of the chamber killed five bills after business leaders' urged lawmakers to step back from the contentious issue.

Despite the setback, Pearce is still seen as a powerful figure at the state Capitol, with significant influence over the fate of legislative proposals.

He and fellow fiscal conservatives won passage of a new state budget that relies on spending cuts to close a shortfall, and majority Republicans of all persuasions coalesced with Republican Gov. Jan Brewer on a package of an economic development plan built around phased-in future tax cuts for businesses.

But Pearce got unwelcome publicity before the session ended in April when a Fiesta Bowl internal report disclosed that he accepted numerous free trips to college football games in other states.

Pearce has denied wrongdoing and said he took the trips to help promote the Fiesta Bowl and the state's economy, but he was among numerous legislators who amended their financial disclosure reports to list the trips. He and others said they didn't realize he had to report the trips.

Prosecutors are investigating aspects of the bowl scandal, which also includes questionable spending by bowl officials and illegal reimbursements for campaign contributions, but so far nobody has been charged criminally.

Pearce enjoys popular support and should survive a recall election even as he and other conservatives face criticism from business leaders and others over illegal immigration, said Rob Haney, Republican chairman for Maricopa County.

"Everything here politically is based on the illegal immigration issue," Haney said. "If you're opposed to the continuing invasion and you like law enforcement, you will be attacked unmercifully."

If there is a recall election, Pearce would face any challengers who qualify for the ballot by collecting their own signatures.

So far no challengers have announced intentions to run, and Parraz said that's understandable because it's not certain the election will be held.

"No one in their right mind is going to stick their head up right now," Parraz said.

"If they do that and the signatures don't get verified, you just committed political suicide. You just showed the sitting Senate president you don't like him and you want to take him out."

Related Russell Pearce Articles

• Russell Pearce faces possible recall vote after illegal immigration fight (05/29/2011 08:34)
• Tides shifting in immigration legislation (03/21/2011 11:57)
• Draconian Arizonan Politicians Lose their First Battle to deny citizenship to Millions of American Children (02/09/2011 12:10)
• Arizona Wants to Deport American Children. Oh my God! (06/15/2010 00:25)
• Arizona Gov. Brewer: I’ve got Nazis on my mind (06/09/2010 22:51)
• NeoNazi/AZ GOP connection exposed through Racist Anti Immigrant Law (05/13/2010 10:01)

May 29, 2011 - WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Alejandro Mayorkas announced today the launch of a federal initiative to raise awareness about the rights, responsibilities and importance of U.S. citizenship. The Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative will provide new opportunities for immigrants to learn about USCIS’s free citizenship education resources available to eligible lawful permanent residents (LPRs) and immigrant-serving organizations.

“Citizenship is the common thread that connects us all as Americans. This initiative emphasizes the importance of citizenship—not only to immigrants and their families but also to our nation as a whole,” said Director Mayorkas. “This effort marks a new milestone in USCIS’s outreach to lawful permanent residents.”

Approximately 7.9 million of the estimated 12.5 million LPRs living in the United States are eligible to apply for naturalization, according to the most recent Department of Homeland Security analysis.

USCIS will employ digital media, a video public service announcement, and print and radio messages in a variety of languages. The initiative will direct individuals to citizenship preparation materials and other training and educational resources available on the USCIS Citizenship Resource Center at www.uscis.gov/citizenship. Messages will run May 30-Sept. 5, 2011, in the first phase of a planned multiyear effort.

Since the early 1900s, the federal government has promoted an awareness of citizenship and prepared immigrants for successful citizenship. This current initiative builds upon those historic efforts and supports the mission of the USCIS Office of Citizenship, which was created by the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to promote instruction and training on citizenship rights and responsibilities. Since July 2009, USCIS has reached more than 32,000 LPRs and potential citizenship applicants at approximately 560 naturalization information sessions through partnerships between USCIS field offices, local community groups and immigrant-serving organizations.

To view the video public service announcement, visit the USCIS YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/uscisExit Disclaimer. To learn more about the Citizenship Public Education and Awareness Initiative and how organizations can support it, visit www.uscis.gov/citizenshipawareness.

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For Immediate Release

May 25, 2011 - Washington D.C. - Frustrated by the lack of comprehensive immigration reform, many immigrant advocates, from grassroots community organizers to Members of Congress, have begun calling on President Obama to take action on immigration. They want the President and his Administration to use the power of the executive branch to prevent or defer removals, to revisit current policies and priorities, and to interpret the law as compassionately as possible.

Like all government officials from the local traffic cop to the Attorney General of the United States, immigration officials must make decisions every day about how they exercise their power. It is within the discretion of immigration authorities to determine whom to target for removal. For instance, by prioritizing “criminal aliens” over “non-criminal aliens,” the Department of Homeland Security exercises its authority to enforce the law against some people but not others. These decisions are exercises of prosecutorial discretion.

For those unfamiliar with the idea of prosecutorial discretion—or with the way immigration laws are actually enforced—it can be confusing to identify and understand what is at stake when advocates call for more prosecutorial discretion.

Consequently, the Immigration Policy Center of the American Immigration Council has produced the following brief introduction to the concept of prosecutorial discretion in immigration law and answers the following questions:

    What is Prosecutorial Discretion?
    When is Prosecutorial Discretion Used in Immigration Enforcement?
    Who Exercises Prosecutorial Discretion?
    Is Prosecutorial Discretion Always Case by Case?
    What Factors Lead to an Exercise of Prosecutorial Discretion?
    Is Prosecutorial Discretion a New Idea in Immigration Enforcement?
    Is Prosecutorial Discretion the only authority the Executive Branch has to affect the immigration laws?
    Do Members of Congress Recognize Prosecutorial Discretion as An Executive Branch Authority?

To view the fact sheet in its entirety see:

Understanding Prosecutorial Discretion in Immigration Law (IPC Fact Check, May, 2011)

To view a list of resources and information on Executive Action see:

    Executive Action: A Resource Page

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at 202-507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.   

Division of the American Immigration Council.   

  

For Immediate Release

May 18, 2011 - Washington, D.C.—The American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center commends Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, for convening today’s hearing on “Improving Efficiency and Ensuring Justice in the Immigration Court System.” Immigration courts have long suffered from crushing backlogs that can delay the scheduling of hearings for years at a time.  Additionally, immigrants who appear before these courts enjoy fewer legal protections than most Americans expect from any fair system of justice.   With the dramatic and rapid escalation of immigration enforcement policies and resources, too little attention has been paid to the many challenges that face our immigration court system.

The backlogs in our nation’s immigration courts are longer today than at any time in U.S. history.  In many U.S. cities, immigrants must wait eighteen months or longer for a hearing before an immigration judge.  These backlogs not only delay the removal of noncitizens with no lawful claim to remain in the United States, but also impose hardships on individuals—such as asylum seekers—whose status and ability to work remain in limbo until their cases are resolved.  The troubles that have long faced our immigration court system have been magnified and compounded by the Department of Homeland Security’s increasing reliance on state and local law enforcement agencies.  So long as the federal government continues to expand its enforcement efforts through programs like Secure Communities and ignores the need for court reform, our nation’s immigration courts will continue to be flooded beyond capacity.

Moreover, immigrants in removal proceedings have historically been denied the very rights that Americans have come to expect from civilized justice systems.  Unlike criminal defendants, immigrants who cannot afford an attorney have no right to appointed counsel.  Immigrants can also be removed on the basis of hearsay and other evidence that would be excluded in federal courts.  Vulnerable immigrants, including those who lack mental competency, are often deported without inquiries into their ability to comprehend the proceedings against them.  And the immigration court system remains largely exempt from crucial checks and balances like judicial review.

“For far too long, immigration courts have failed to provide a fair and efficient system of justice for immigrants in this country,” said Melissa Crow, Director of the Legal Action Center at the American Immigration Council.  “While the enactment of comprehensive immigration reform should remain Congress’s ultimate goal, improving the immigration courts would help treat a chronic, if underappreciated, symptom of our broken immigration system.”

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For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at (202) 507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org.

The Legal Action Center strives to increase the accountability of government agencies that administer the immigration laws and to ensure these laws are interpreted and implemented in a way that honors fundamental constitutional and human rights. The LAC engages in impact litigation, including appearing as amicus curiae (friend of the court) before administrative tribunals and federal courts in significant immigration cases on targeted legal issues, and has long worked to protect the right to counsel for noncitizens facing removal from the United States.

For Immediate Release

May 17, 2011 - Washington D.C. - Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) took an important step on behalf of Haitians affected by last year’s devastating earthquake, demonstrating the humanitarian side of its immigration responsibilities.  Secretary Janet Napolitano announced that DHS would extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for an additional eighteen months for Haitians currently residing in the United States. She also announced that she would permit Haitians who arrived up to one year after the earthquake, many of whom came in on visitor visas and other authorized measures, to apply for TPS.  The following is a statement from Mary Giovagnoli, Director of the Immigration Policy Center.

“We applaud DHS’s decision both to extend the timing of TPS and to broaden the scope of people who qualify for it. In the chaotic days following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the men and women of DHS worked hard to provide relief to survivors, admitting many people temporarily to save them from devastation, disease, and starvation. While DHS quickly designated TPS status for those Haitians residing in the U.S. at the time of the earthquake, many others who came to the U.S. within days or weeks of the disaster were ineligible for TPS, but were also unable to return home. Today’s announcement addresses these problems and recognizes the extraordinary need for a compassionate and humane response to the devastation in Haiti.

Today’s decision by the Secretary is evidence of the power of the Executive branch to shape the implementation of existing immigration law. Secretary Napolitano could have declined to extend TPS or make more people eligible, because the law did not require her to do so.  But because she had the discretion to revisit the original determination, and ultimately used it to expand the range of people eligible for this protection, the U.S. will be able to help thousands of people who might otherwise have faced deportation to Haiti and enormous suffering.  However, DHS will continue to deport some Haitians back to Haiti. We urge DHS to continue to exercise discretion with respect to Haitians still facing deportation and others adversely affected by harsh immigration policies who are eligible for immigration relief.”

For more information on DHS’ response to the Haitian Earthquake see:

   Second Annual DHS Progress Report (April 2011)

For more information on Executive Action see:

    Executive Action: A Resource Page

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at 202-507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.   

Division of the American Immigration Council.   

  

For Immediate Release

May 11, 2011 

Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Richard Durbin, Harry Reid, and Robert Menendez re-introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act. Last fall, the DREAM Act passed the House of Representatives, and garnered the support of a majority in the Senate, but was ultimately defeated when the Senate failed to invoke cloture and proceed to debate. The sponsors of the DREAM Act hope to build on last year’s momentum and continue to highlight the importance of fully utilizing the talent and potential of thousands of young people who are Americans in every way but their birth certificates.

First introduced in 2001, the DREAM Act would address the plight of young immigrants who have been raised in the U.S. and managed to succeed despite the challenges of being brought here without proper documentation. The proposal would offer a path to legal status to those who have graduated from high school, stayed out of trouble, and plan to attend college or serve in the U.S. military for at least two years.

Each year, approximately 65,000 undocumented students graduate from high school, many at the top of their classes, but cannot go on to college, join the military, work, or otherwise pursue their dreams. They belong to the 1.5 generation: immigrants brought to the United States at a young age who were largely raised in this country and therefore share much in common with second-generation Americans. These students are culturally American and fluent in English, growing up here and often having little attachment to their country of birth. 

The moral, intellectual and practical rationale for the DREAM Act is overwhelming. The White House supports it. The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice, entrusted with enforcing and implementing our immigration laws, support it. The Department of Education and America's academic and faith community support it, as well as state legislators, community groups, and the American public. The DREAM Act is even part of the Department of Defense's 2010-2012 Strategic Plan to assist the military in its recruiting efforts.

Despite broad support for the legislative proposal, the divisive political environment around immigration poses an enormous challenge for the DREAM Act. If Congress fails to act, the Administration can and should take more decisive steps to ensure that the values driving their legislative agenda are reflected in their implementation and interpretation of current law.  DHS should ensure that its officers use their prosecutorial discretion to defer the removal of any eligible student caught up in the broken immigration system.   

 For research and resources on the DREAM Act visit IPC's resource page:

IPC DREAM Act Resource Page

IPC Executive Action Resource Page

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For more information contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524.

The Immigration Policy Center (IPC), established in 2003, is the policy arm of the American Immigration Council. IPC's mission is to shape a rational conversation on immigration and immigrant integration. Through its research and analysis, IPC provides policymakers, the media, and the general public with accurate information about the role of immigrants and immigration policy on U.S. society. IPC reports and materials are widely disseminated and relied upon by press and policy makers. IPC staff regularly serves as experts to leaders on Capitol Hill, opinion-makers and the media. IPC is a non-partisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any political party or candidate for office.    

Division of the American Immigration Council.    

For Immediate Release

May 10, 2011

Washington, D.C. - Today, President Obama offered his most concrete articulation of a new way forward for resolving our broken immigration system. Echoing and expanding upon the concepts of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the American Dream, the President invited the American public to join him in pressing Congress for comprehensive immigration reform.   

Benjamin Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, issued the following statement:

“The President continues to refine his argument that comprehensive immigration reform is a key component of ensuring our success in the 21st century. While this message cannot be repeated often enough, the blueprint for change released by the White House today marks a new page in the immigration debate. The blueprint offers numerous ideas that can be translated into specific legislation and will challenge both parties to come together to work in the country’s best interests. The blueprint also invites the public to engage Congress directly on this issue, setting the stage for a showdown between the President and the public—who overwhelmingly support immigration reform—and a recalcitrant Congress.     

We look forward to engaging in a more robust discussion of the economic impact of immigration, and we take today’s events as a signal that the Administration will continue to lead on this important issue. Immigration reform is on the table, and the time is long overdue for an honest, constructive debate over how to create a 21st century immigration system that is good for American workers and families, and reflects our history as a nation of immigrants.”

To view information on the economics of immigration reform, see: 

• The Economics of Immigration Reform (IPC Resource Page, 2011) 

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For Immediate Release

May 6, 2011 

Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

"The indictment unsealed today charging Manuel Osorio-Arrelanes and unnamed co-conspirators with crimes related to the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry is an important step in seeing that justice is served for this unconscionable crime. I applaud the FBI, state and local law enforcement, and the United States Attorney's Office in Arizona for taking swift action in this case to ensure those responsible for Agent Terry's death are brought to justice.

This indictment also sends a clear message to those who would consider committing violence against the Border Patrol: we will not stand for aggression against our men and women in uniform, and we will bring the full resources of the federal government to bear in protecting them from harm and holding accountable those who would threaten their lives or their safety."