This couple lives in Texas in the winter and volunteers teaching English to immigrants. - - Donna Poisl
By: Vicki Gerdes, DL-Online
Though they are only winter residents of San Benito, Texas, Mary Ann and Duane Olson have managed to make an impact on the community through volunteering.
The Olsons, who live between Leaf and Big Cormorant lakes near Lake Park during the summer months, have spent the past seven winters as volunteer teachers at the Harlingen Literacy Center.
Duane teaches English, while Mary Ann teaches citizenship classes.
“I prepare students to pass the test to become U.S. citizens,” said Mary Ann.
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Saturday, April 30, 2011
New magazine guides Nuevos Paisanos through the American labyrinth
This new magazine has information that is especially for the immigrants in their community. - - Donna Poisl
By Ytzel Arrunada
EL PASO — Mario Fernandez, 45, crossed the border illegally in search of opportunity and a better life, but he found himself here without rights or guidance and countless unanswered questions.
But now, a new publication is on their side.
Nuevos Paisanos magazine was launched in February to help inform and aid immigrants with useful information. As of now, Nuevos Paisanos is the first immigration-oriented publication in El Paso.
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By Ytzel Arrunada
EL PASO — Mario Fernandez, 45, crossed the border illegally in search of opportunity and a better life, but he found himself here without rights or guidance and countless unanswered questions.
But now, a new publication is on their side.
Nuevos Paisanos magazine was launched in February to help inform and aid immigrants with useful information. As of now, Nuevos Paisanos is the first immigration-oriented publication in El Paso.
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Immigration Reform Won't Happen Without GOP Support, Obama Tells Latino Celebrities in a Meeting
The President can't make laws and without large majorities in the government, both parties must work together for reform. - - Donna Poisl
By Elizabeth Llorente
Comprehensive immigration reform doesn't stand a chance without Republican support, President Obama said in a White House meeting with Latino celebrities on Thursday.
The president said that without the support of Republicans, who now have a majority in the House of Representatives, an overhaul of the immigration system that would include a path to legalization stood little chance of happening, according to those who were at the meeting.
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By Elizabeth Llorente
Comprehensive immigration reform doesn't stand a chance without Republican support, President Obama said in a White House meeting with Latino celebrities on Thursday.
The president said that without the support of Republicans, who now have a majority in the House of Representatives, an overhaul of the immigration system that would include a path to legalization stood little chance of happening, according to those who were at the meeting.
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School In WA Immigrant Community Up For Presidential Recognition
This school is 90% Hispanic, with 82% of the senior class already accepted into college. It is a finalist in the contest to get the President to speak at graduation. - - Donna Poisl
Jessica Robinson
BRIDGEPORT, Wash. - One of six finalists in the competition to win a commencement address from President Obama is the high school in the tiny north-central Washington town of Bridgeport. Voting in the national contest ends this Friday. Correspondent Jessica Robinson reports nearly all the students in Bridgeport are first-generation Americans.
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Jessica Robinson
BRIDGEPORT, Wash. - One of six finalists in the competition to win a commencement address from President Obama is the high school in the tiny north-central Washington town of Bridgeport. Voting in the national contest ends this Friday. Correspondent Jessica Robinson reports nearly all the students in Bridgeport are first-generation Americans.
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Why Immigrant Entrepreneurs Are Leaving the U.S.
Many countries are offering better opportunities to immigrant entrepreneurs than we are. We must keep them here, we need them here. - - Donna Poisl
By Vivek Wadhwa
In a speech last week to Facebook employees, President Obama discussed the role immigrant entrepreneurs play in U.S. economic competitiveness. "We want more Andy Groves here in the United States," he told the crowd, touching on the Hungarian-born entrepreneur's startup success. "We don't want them starting Intel in China or starting it in France."
Sadly, our President didn't back his words with action. He simply said he would support "comprehensive immigration reform," which is legislation that has no chance of passing. This is because it tries to fix all the problems with immigration at the same time.
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By Vivek Wadhwa
In a speech last week to Facebook employees, President Obama discussed the role immigrant entrepreneurs play in U.S. economic competitiveness. "We want more Andy Groves here in the United States," he told the crowd, touching on the Hungarian-born entrepreneur's startup success. "We don't want them starting Intel in China or starting it in France."
Sadly, our President didn't back his words with action. He simply said he would support "comprehensive immigration reform," which is legislation that has no chance of passing. This is because it tries to fix all the problems with immigration at the same time.
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Help along the road
This attorney, born here, is the child of immigrants and understands the struggles of immigrants. She is an attorney now and helping immigrants. - - Donna Poisl
Attorney offers aid to legal immigrants
By JANELLE STECKLEIN
Shilpa Shah knows how difficult it can be to navigate the complex road toward becoming a United States citizen.
"I think my story is a bit unique," said the 39-year-old attorney.
While she was born in the United States, her father legally emigrated from India. She said he became a U.S. citizen just after she was born.
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Attorney offers aid to legal immigrants
By JANELLE STECKLEIN
Shilpa Shah knows how difficult it can be to navigate the complex road toward becoming a United States citizen.
"I think my story is a bit unique," said the 39-year-old attorney.
While she was born in the United States, her father legally emigrated from India. She said he became a U.S. citizen just after she was born.
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Thursday, April 28, 2011
Immigrants are crucial to the American Dream
Another opinion piece showing how important immigrants are to our country. - - Donna Poisl
by Xavier University's Mike Ford
No nation, not even the United States, has the in-house creative talent to rule the economic world forever. That's why immigrants are crucial to sustaining the American economy.
And despite widely reported anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S., 60 percent of Americans believe that immigration is important to keeping the American Dream alive, according to the second annual Xavier University Survey of the American Dream.
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by Xavier University's Mike Ford
No nation, not even the United States, has the in-house creative talent to rule the economic world forever. That's why immigrants are crucial to sustaining the American economy.
And despite widely reported anti-immigrant sentiment in the U.S., 60 percent of Americans believe that immigration is important to keeping the American Dream alive, according to the second annual Xavier University Survey of the American Dream.
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Make legal citizenship more accessible to immigrants
This opinion piece is pushing for immigrants to become citizens MUCH easier than they can now. We need immigration reform now. - - Donna Poisl
by Leonardo Castaneda
Immigration in America began with the wide-eyed British settlers who landed in Virginia centuries ago in their quests for a better life. Immediately after, the debate about who else should be allowed to come here began. As the immigration issue once again bubbles to the top of our social consciousness, it is clear to all that the status quo is broken. We need a new system, one that respects the humanity of immigrants and realizes they can make America strong, if we let them.
With the fierce partisan battles unfolding on Capitol Hill regarding the deficit and Libya, it would be easy to cast aside immigration reform for less hectic times. However, we are in the midst of the largest wave of immigration in almost a century. There are 39 million foreign-born citizens living in the U.S. — almost 10 million of them in California — and the influx shows few signs of slowing.
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by Leonardo Castaneda
Immigration in America began with the wide-eyed British settlers who landed in Virginia centuries ago in their quests for a better life. Immediately after, the debate about who else should be allowed to come here began. As the immigration issue once again bubbles to the top of our social consciousness, it is clear to all that the status quo is broken. We need a new system, one that respects the humanity of immigrants and realizes they can make America strong, if we let them.
With the fierce partisan battles unfolding on Capitol Hill regarding the deficit and Libya, it would be easy to cast aside immigration reform for less hectic times. However, we are in the midst of the largest wave of immigration in almost a century. There are 39 million foreign-born citizens living in the U.S. — almost 10 million of them in California — and the influx shows few signs of slowing.
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Montgomery council members oppose federal deportation program
These council members know this is racial profiling and are opposing the program. - - Donna Poisl
County expected to participate in Secure Communities by September
by Erin Cunningham | Staff Writer
At least four Montgomery County Council members support a resolution opposing the anticipated involvement of the county later this year in a federal deportation program for illegal immigrants.
The resolution, drafted by Councilwoman Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring, was introduced Tuesday, shortly before about 20 protesters gathered outside of the County Council building in Rockville to oppose the Secure Communities program.
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County expected to participate in Secure Communities by September
by Erin Cunningham | Staff Writer
At least four Montgomery County Council members support a resolution opposing the anticipated involvement of the county later this year in a federal deportation program for illegal immigrants.
The resolution, drafted by Councilwoman Nancy Navarro (D-Dist. 4) of Silver Spring, was introduced Tuesday, shortly before about 20 protesters gathered outside of the County Council building in Rockville to oppose the Secure Communities program.
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More Than 6.6 Million Hispanics Voted in the 2010 Election: Pew Report
The number of Hispanics voting last year was up, but is still not a very large percentage of the people eligible. - - Donna Poisl
by Mark Hugo Lopez
A record number of Hispanics turned out to vote in last year's election, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center. Rapid population growth fueled Hispanics' increasing electoral participation, says the report.
More than 6.6 million Hispanics cast votes in the 2010 election and the group also accounted for a large share of the electorate in 2010 than in any previous midterm election, representing 6.9 percent of all voters, up from 5.8 percent in 2006, according to the Pew Hisapanic Center.
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by Mark Hugo Lopez
A record number of Hispanics turned out to vote in last year's election, according to an analysis of new Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center. Rapid population growth fueled Hispanics' increasing electoral participation, says the report.
More than 6.6 million Hispanics cast votes in the 2010 election and the group also accounted for a large share of the electorate in 2010 than in any previous midterm election, representing 6.9 percent of all voters, up from 5.8 percent in 2006, according to the Pew Hisapanic Center.
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Contemporary Chinese America: Immigration, Ethnicity, and Community Transformation (II)
Our country has the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. This article tells how they have spread across California and the whole country.
- - Donna Poisl
By Min Zhou
The majority of the Chinese American population is spreading out in outer areas or suburbs in traditional gateway cities as well as in new urban centers of Asian settlement across the country. Small suburban cities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area have also seen extraordinarily high proportions of the Chinese Americans in the general population.
As shown in Table 2.3, there are 11 cities (with at least 10,000 people) in the United States in which Chinese Americans share over 20 percent of the city’s population, all but two of these cities are in the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles. All cities, except for San Francisco, shown in Table 2.3 are suburban cities that have emerged as visible middle class immigrant ethnoburbs only after 1980. However, recent residential movements of affluent Chinese Americans into white middle class suburban communities have tipped the balance of power, raising nativist anxiety of ethnic “invasion” and anti-immigrant sentiment.
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- - Donna Poisl
By Min Zhou
The majority of the Chinese American population is spreading out in outer areas or suburbs in traditional gateway cities as well as in new urban centers of Asian settlement across the country. Small suburban cities in Los Angeles and the Bay Area have also seen extraordinarily high proportions of the Chinese Americans in the general population.
As shown in Table 2.3, there are 11 cities (with at least 10,000 people) in the United States in which Chinese Americans share over 20 percent of the city’s population, all but two of these cities are in the sprawling suburbs of Los Angeles. All cities, except for San Francisco, shown in Table 2.3 are suburban cities that have emerged as visible middle class immigrant ethnoburbs only after 1980. However, recent residential movements of affluent Chinese Americans into white middle class suburban communities have tipped the balance of power, raising nativist anxiety of ethnic “invasion” and anti-immigrant sentiment.
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Contemporary Chinese America: Immigration, Ethnicity, and Community Transformation (I)
Our country has the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. This article gives the trends and history of this community. - - Donna Poisl
By Min Zhou
Outside Asia, the United States has largest ethnic Chinese population. Chinese Americans are also the oldest and largest Asian origin group in the United States. They have endured a long history of migration and settlement that dates back to the late 1840s, including more than 60 years of legal exclusion.
With the lifting of legal barriers to Chinese immigration after World War II and the enactment of a series of liberal immigration legislation since the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (also called the Hart-Celler Act of 1965), the Chinese American community has increased 13 times: from 237,000 in 1960, to 1.6 million in 1990, and to 3.6 million in 2006 (including nearly half a million mixed-race persons) by the official census count.
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By Min Zhou
Outside Asia, the United States has largest ethnic Chinese population. Chinese Americans are also the oldest and largest Asian origin group in the United States. They have endured a long history of migration and settlement that dates back to the late 1840s, including more than 60 years of legal exclusion.
With the lifting of legal barriers to Chinese immigration after World War II and the enactment of a series of liberal immigration legislation since the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments of 1965 (also called the Hart-Celler Act of 1965), the Chinese American community has increased 13 times: from 237,000 in 1960, to 1.6 million in 1990, and to 3.6 million in 2006 (including nearly half a million mixed-race persons) by the official census count.
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Tuesday, April 26, 2011
THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION
Click the headline to read stories from this week from the Immigration Policy Center.
Eighteen immigrants take oath to become U.S. citizens
Immigrants from eight countries became U.S. citizens in Missouri. - - Donna Poisl
By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian
Daniel McCarty came to the U.S. from Canada 13 years ago as a self-described college student with "absolutely nothing." Today, he describes the life he's built here quite differently, one that now includes a home, a family and his own business.
McCarty said he owes it all to the opportunities he's found in America, which is why on Monday he expressed much gratitude after becoming a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony at the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.
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By Scott Moyers ~ Southeast Missourian
Daniel McCarty came to the U.S. from Canada 13 years ago as a self-described college student with "absolutely nothing." Today, he describes the life he's built here quite differently, one that now includes a home, a family and his own business.
McCarty said he owes it all to the opportunities he's found in America, which is why on Monday he expressed much gratitude after becoming a U.S. citizen during a naturalization ceremony at the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Cape Girardeau.
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New York immigrants boost city economy by $200 billion
New York's mayor knows immigrants come here to work and he welcomes them to his city. - - Donna Poisl
by Joan Gralla
(Reuters) - New York City's immigrants contribute $200 billion to the city economy every year and represent one-third of managerial and professional workers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday.
The mayor, a political independent and the billionaire founder of his eponymous company, often calls for stiffening border controls while relaxing limits that bar employers from bringing in highly educated foreign workers.
Bloomberg said that all too often currently, foreigners who earn graduate degrees in the United States must return overseas to find work, depriving the nation of their skills and talents.
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by Joan Gralla
(Reuters) - New York City's immigrants contribute $200 billion to the city economy every year and represent one-third of managerial and professional workers, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Monday.
The mayor, a political independent and the billionaire founder of his eponymous company, often calls for stiffening border controls while relaxing limits that bar employers from bringing in highly educated foreign workers.
Bloomberg said that all too often currently, foreigners who earn graduate degrees in the United States must return overseas to find work, depriving the nation of their skills and talents.
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Petaluma's Latino leaders emerge
This paper is running a series about leaders in the community. - - Donna Poisl
By THE ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
Just a couple of decades ago, before Petaluma's Latino population began to rapidly rise, few Latinos served in positions of leadership, but now many of them are playing significant roles in the business and non-profit communities.
This has been a main reason why Latinos have become an important part of the city's social and economic fabric, and the contributions of some of them, including those profiled in this article, are particularly noteworthy.
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By THE ARGUS-COURIER STAFF
Just a couple of decades ago, before Petaluma's Latino population began to rapidly rise, few Latinos served in positions of leadership, but now many of them are playing significant roles in the business and non-profit communities.
This has been a main reason why Latinos have become an important part of the city's social and economic fabric, and the contributions of some of them, including those profiled in this article, are particularly noteworthy.
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America's social ills do not arise from influx of minorities
Our history does not blame any social problems on minorities and immigrants. Even though people, at the time, blamed them. - - Donna Poisl
By ADAM PAULUS
A recent letter suggested America's contemporary cultural problems were encapsulated in the orderly response of the Japanese people to the recent catastrophe. The writer's assertion derived from two contentions: that America's Caucasian population is historically homogenous, and that "Third World" immigration is a recent phenomenon. In both cases, the writer is mistaken.
First, to assume whites, despite divergent ethnic backgrounds, are homogenous is to make the mistake of applying current racial attitudes to historical perspective. While the Founding Fathers were generally of Scots-Irish and British Protestant backgrounds, those they represented were much more of a cultural milieu, not only ethnically but religiously as well, including diverse religions such as the Anabaptists, Quakers, Moravians, Presbyterians, Catholics and Jews.
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By ADAM PAULUS
A recent letter suggested America's contemporary cultural problems were encapsulated in the orderly response of the Japanese people to the recent catastrophe. The writer's assertion derived from two contentions: that America's Caucasian population is historically homogenous, and that "Third World" immigration is a recent phenomenon. In both cases, the writer is mistaken.
First, to assume whites, despite divergent ethnic backgrounds, are homogenous is to make the mistake of applying current racial attitudes to historical perspective. While the Founding Fathers were generally of Scots-Irish and British Protestant backgrounds, those they represented were much more of a cultural milieu, not only ethnically but religiously as well, including diverse religions such as the Anabaptists, Quakers, Moravians, Presbyterians, Catholics and Jews.
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Cassidy: Proposed startup visa would be a boon to Silicon Valley
Visas that are aimed at people who want to live here and start a business would keep many students who are educated here, in this country. - - Donna Poisl
By Mike Cassidy, Mercury News Columnist
After growing up in a family that sometimes struggled to get by, Kunal Bahl headed off to the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with a dual degree in business and engineering, started an Internet company and now he's living the American dream -- in India.
Sure, his online coupon startup sounds like a perfect fit for Silicon Valley, and Bahl certainly was tempted by the allure of the United States' premier technology hub. But Bahl is not a U.S. citizen, and the barriers to a foreigner starting a business here made the idea of launching in Silicon Valley all but impossible.
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By Mike Cassidy, Mercury News Columnist
After growing up in a family that sometimes struggled to get by, Kunal Bahl headed off to the University of Pennsylvania. He graduated with a dual degree in business and engineering, started an Internet company and now he's living the American dream -- in India.
Sure, his online coupon startup sounds like a perfect fit for Silicon Valley, and Bahl certainly was tempted by the allure of the United States' premier technology hub. But Bahl is not a U.S. citizen, and the barriers to a foreigner starting a business here made the idea of launching in Silicon Valley all but impossible.
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Mexican student facing deportation wins US stay
Politicians have helped this student stay here, they all know he is an asset to this country. We need people like him here. - - Donna Poisl
By Elaine Quijano
(CBS News) Updated 4/26/11
HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP) - Sen. Richard Blumenthal says the Department of Homeland Security called his office to inform him that a stay of removal had been granted for 23-year-old Mariano Cardoso.
Cardoso said Tuesday that he felt relieved and honored after Blumenthal called him to deliver the news.
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Connecticut's Governor Dan Malloy has joined a grass-roots campaign to stop federal officials from deporting an undocumented immigrant. Malloy says the young man can contribute to the country, and he's proven it.
CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reports that when Mariano Cardoso Jr.'s parents brought their then-22-month-old son to America from Mexico, all they wanted was a better life for him.
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By Elaine Quijano
(CBS News) Updated 4/26/11
HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP) - Sen. Richard Blumenthal says the Department of Homeland Security called his office to inform him that a stay of removal had been granted for 23-year-old Mariano Cardoso.
Cardoso said Tuesday that he felt relieved and honored after Blumenthal called him to deliver the news.
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Connecticut's Governor Dan Malloy has joined a grass-roots campaign to stop federal officials from deporting an undocumented immigrant. Malloy says the young man can contribute to the country, and he's proven it.
CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano reports that when Mariano Cardoso Jr.'s parents brought their then-22-month-old son to America from Mexico, all they wanted was a better life for him.
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Event relates progress, struggles of Hmong
This University's series on multiculturalism and diversity presented the story of the Hmong community and the struggles and successes they have had in this country. - - Donna Poisl
By Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee
Resiliency and family have helped the Hmong adjust to the U.S. culture and endure struggles during their assimilation the past three decades, a forensic psychologist said Friday.
"It's completely amazing how far we've come in 30 years," Diana Vang said.
Vang, 28, spoke about Hmong successes and hardships at a presentation at Alliant International University in east-central Fresno.
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By Eddie Jimenez / The Fresno Bee
Resiliency and family have helped the Hmong adjust to the U.S. culture and endure struggles during their assimilation the past three decades, a forensic psychologist said Friday.
"It's completely amazing how far we've come in 30 years," Diana Vang said.
Vang, 28, spoke about Hmong successes and hardships at a presentation at Alliant International University in east-central Fresno.
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One Year Since SB 1070 Signed Into Law and a Long Journey for Immigrants
This article tells the story of an undocumented student and how SB1070 has affected her. - - Donna Poisl
by Valeria Fernández
PHOENIX, AZ–When Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law last April 23, Arizona was hit by a tsunami of international media attention.
My phone was ringing of the hook from radio stations in Colombia, Spain, France, Argentina and even Uruguay—my home country—wanting to know what this law was all about. In a nutshell, I would tell them that SB 1070 made it a state crime to be in Arizona without documents–and it was punishable with jail.
But SB 1070 is more complex than that. Even as a federal court injunction stopped five of its main provisions just before the law was to take effect—including the one I mentioned—other aspects of the law remain on the books.
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by Valeria Fernández
PHOENIX, AZ–When Gov. Jan Brewer signed SB 1070 into law last April 23, Arizona was hit by a tsunami of international media attention.
My phone was ringing of the hook from radio stations in Colombia, Spain, France, Argentina and even Uruguay—my home country—wanting to know what this law was all about. In a nutshell, I would tell them that SB 1070 made it a state crime to be in Arizona without documents–and it was punishable with jail.
But SB 1070 is more complex than that. Even as a federal court injunction stopped five of its main provisions just before the law was to take effect—including the one I mentioned—other aspects of the law remain on the books.
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Hispanics remaking the Deep South
Hispanics are going to make the political map look much different in the Southern states. - - Donna Poisl
BY HALIMAH ABDULLAH, MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON -- Huge surges among Hispanic populations in the Deep South could mean a political sea change over the next two decades, as immigrants become naturalized and they and their American-born children register to vote.
The states with some of the largest percentages in Hispanic population growth make up a large swath of the Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to an analysis of the most recent census figures by the Pew Hispanic Center.
In all those Republican-dominated states, the percentage of Hispanics nearly doubled.
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BY HALIMAH ABDULLAH, MCCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON -- Huge surges among Hispanic populations in the Deep South could mean a political sea change over the next two decades, as immigrants become naturalized and they and their American-born children register to vote.
The states with some of the largest percentages in Hispanic population growth make up a large swath of the Southeast: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, according to an analysis of the most recent census figures by the Pew Hispanic Center.
In all those Republican-dominated states, the percentage of Hispanics nearly doubled.
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Thursday, April 21, 2011
Demonstrators protest at Reynolds American
This group is demonstrating for the human rights of immigrants, who are often underpaid farm workers. - - Donna Poisl
By JOHN HINTON | Winston-Salem Journal
A group of 17 demonstrators staged a rally Tuesday in front of Reynolds American Inc.'s downtown headquarters to call attention to tobacco-farm workers, who the protesters said are often underpaid and forced to live in poor conditions.
Gail Phares of Raleigh, an organizer and advocate for immigrants' rights, said that the U.S. must reform its immigration policies.
"It's time for us to recognize the labor of farm workers and immigrants and their contributions to economic life in America," Phares said to the group as they stood in a circle on the sidewalk in front of the building. "We must reject the criminalization of immigrants, and the politicians must fix a broken system."
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By JOHN HINTON | Winston-Salem Journal
A group of 17 demonstrators staged a rally Tuesday in front of Reynolds American Inc.'s downtown headquarters to call attention to tobacco-farm workers, who the protesters said are often underpaid and forced to live in poor conditions.
Gail Phares of Raleigh, an organizer and advocate for immigrants' rights, said that the U.S. must reform its immigration policies.
"It's time for us to recognize the labor of farm workers and immigrants and their contributions to economic life in America," Phares said to the group as they stood in a circle on the sidewalk in front of the building. "We must reject the criminalization of immigrants, and the politicians must fix a broken system."
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Several Q-C churches step up to help refugees
Refugees often need more help than other immigrants do and they are often given very little. These churches are helping them learn to live here. - - Donna Poisl
from Quad City Times
A telephone call about two years ago to Broadway Presbyterian Church in Rock Island, asking for someone to take a Burmese refugee to a doctor, turned out to be a life-changing experience for Vikki Blair, the church administrator and outreach director.
Through that office visit and follow-up conversations, she and her husband, Doug, "discovered there were many refugees (from Asia and Africa) living around the church we were not aware of," she said.
Since then, with Blair's leadership, Broadway has developed a major outreach program.
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from Quad City Times
A telephone call about two years ago to Broadway Presbyterian Church in Rock Island, asking for someone to take a Burmese refugee to a doctor, turned out to be a life-changing experience for Vikki Blair, the church administrator and outreach director.
Through that office visit and follow-up conversations, she and her husband, Doug, "discovered there were many refugees (from Asia and Africa) living around the church we were not aware of," she said.
Since then, with Blair's leadership, Broadway has developed a major outreach program.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Integrating a community: Hispanic Ministry reaches out to teach, advocate
These people know English fluency is necessary before immigrants can be fully assimilated. And now they are helping their community learn English. - - Donna Poisl
by Jane Newton
Galenians Connie Basso and Janet Post saw a need for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the community while working at the United Churches' Clothes Closet on Main Street.
Post, a former ESL teacher at Highland Community College, greeted a former student of hers who walked into the store. She hadn't seen this student in awhile because ESL classes had been canceled due to funding cuts at the college.
"He asked me when classes were going to start again," said Post.
Post didn't have an answer for him. She was willing to teach again, she just needed a place to do it. Basso thought that St. Michael's Catholic Church should provide ESL classes as part of the Hispanic Ministry at the church.
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by Jane Newton
Galenians Connie Basso and Janet Post saw a need for English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the community while working at the United Churches' Clothes Closet on Main Street.
Post, a former ESL teacher at Highland Community College, greeted a former student of hers who walked into the store. She hadn't seen this student in awhile because ESL classes had been canceled due to funding cuts at the college.
"He asked me when classes were going to start again," said Post.
Post didn't have an answer for him. She was willing to teach again, she just needed a place to do it. Basso thought that St. Michael's Catholic Church should provide ESL classes as part of the Hispanic Ministry at the church.
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Georgia considers guest-worker program for illegal immigrants
This proposed guest worker program might solve Georgia's problem of not having enough workers on their farms. - - Donna Poisl
by Ewa Kochanska, Atlanta Political Buzz Examiner
One of the provisions in the immigration bill that passed Georgia Congress last week is implementation of a state guest-worker program provided it doesn’t interfere with a similar federal program.
The measure included in Georgia’s H.B. 87 is mirrored after the one Utah Legislature passed earlier this year, which allows illegal immigrants to get work permits and live in the state legally.
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by Ewa Kochanska, Atlanta Political Buzz Examiner
One of the provisions in the immigration bill that passed Georgia Congress last week is implementation of a state guest-worker program provided it doesn’t interfere with a similar federal program.
The measure included in Georgia’s H.B. 87 is mirrored after the one Utah Legislature passed earlier this year, which allows illegal immigrants to get work permits and live in the state legally.
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Study estimates that illegal immigrants paid $11.2B in taxes last year, unlike GE, which paid zero
These figures put it into perspective. - - Donna Poisl
by ALBOR RUIZ - NY LOCAL
I bet most of you didn't know undocumented immigrants contributed more - much more - to the national treasury last year than General Electric. Surprised? Yet it's true.
While GE - which earned a whopping $14 billion last year - is reported to have paid nothing, nada, zero in taxes (GE denies it), the undocumented paid billions in state and local taxes in 2010.
No, it's not me talking; it's the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (itepnet.org), a prestigious, nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that works on federal, state and local tax policy issues.
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by ALBOR RUIZ - NY LOCAL
I bet most of you didn't know undocumented immigrants contributed more - much more - to the national treasury last year than General Electric. Surprised? Yet it's true.
While GE - which earned a whopping $14 billion last year - is reported to have paid nothing, nada, zero in taxes (GE denies it), the undocumented paid billions in state and local taxes in 2010.
No, it's not me talking; it's the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (itepnet.org), a prestigious, nonprofit, nonpartisan research organization that works on federal, state and local tax policy issues.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Study: Md. immigrants pay $275M in taxes
This recent study shows that immigrants do pay taxes and are not a drain on the economy where they live. - - Donna Poisl
Posted by John Fritze
Illegal immigrants in Maryland will pay $275 million in state and local taxes this year, according to a study released Monday by a Washington group that advocates for immigrants. The report ranks Maryland as the 11th-highest state in the nation in collecting tax receipts from unauthorized immigrants.
Maryland comes in after California, Florida and New York but ahead of Nevada and New Mexico. The state will collect $76 million in state income taxes, $22 million in property taxes and $177 million in sales taxes in the 2010 tax year, according to the Immigration Policy Center study. In all, the group estimates that households headed by illegal immigrants will pay $11.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2010.
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Posted by John Fritze
Illegal immigrants in Maryland will pay $275 million in state and local taxes this year, according to a study released Monday by a Washington group that advocates for immigrants. The report ranks Maryland as the 11th-highest state in the nation in collecting tax receipts from unauthorized immigrants.
Maryland comes in after California, Florida and New York but ahead of Nevada and New Mexico. The state will collect $76 million in state income taxes, $22 million in property taxes and $177 million in sales taxes in the 2010 tax year, according to the Immigration Policy Center study. In all, the group estimates that households headed by illegal immigrants will pay $11.2 billion in state and local taxes in 2010.
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Asian-Americans settle in Metro Detroit enclaves
These immigrants are seeing great opportunity in this area that many of the former residents gave up on. Entrepreneurial immigrants may be able to save parts of Detroit. - - Donna Poisl
Micki Steele / The Detroit News
Upen Saparia followed his brother from India to Michigan 10 years ago after a brief stop in Canada, and since then, the computer contractor has never been out of work or worried about losing his job.
"I like everything, except winter, everything in Michigan," said Saparia, 38, of Rochester Hills, who also owns a full-service Indian grocery store in Troy. "The people are great, and it's the land of opportunity."
The economic downturn of the past decade may have brought unemployment and plummeting housing values to some Metro Detroiters, but Asian-Americans see nothing but opportunity here.
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Micki Steele / The Detroit News
Upen Saparia followed his brother from India to Michigan 10 years ago after a brief stop in Canada, and since then, the computer contractor has never been out of work or worried about losing his job.
"I like everything, except winter, everything in Michigan," said Saparia, 38, of Rochester Hills, who also owns a full-service Indian grocery store in Troy. "The people are great, and it's the land of opportunity."
The economic downturn of the past decade may have brought unemployment and plummeting housing values to some Metro Detroiters, but Asian-Americans see nothing but opportunity here.
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Undocumented paying taxes hoping to ease into legality
Millions of undocumented immigrants file their taxes every year with an ITIN, since they don't have a SSN. - - Donna Poisl
More than 3.5 million nationwide use special number to file taxes.
By Matt O'Brien, Contra Costa Times
OAKLAND -- Isaias Aguilar filed his income tax returns for the first time this year and took a financial hit for it. He owed $579 to the Internal Revenue Service for some of the work he did last year, including as a part-time taekwondo instructor.
The 29-year-old Mexican immigrant is not authorized to live and work in the United States, but he is one of millions of illegal immigrants known to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, to file their taxes because they do not have Social Security numbers.
Parting with the $579 might hurt him in a tough economy, but the Oakland resident hopes his fiduciary responsibility will help him in the long run. If Congress ever creates a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, those who tried to play by the rules might have a better chance of getting a green card, he said.
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More than 3.5 million nationwide use special number to file taxes.
By Matt O'Brien, Contra Costa Times
OAKLAND -- Isaias Aguilar filed his income tax returns for the first time this year and took a financial hit for it. He owed $579 to the Internal Revenue Service for some of the work he did last year, including as a part-time taekwondo instructor.
The 29-year-old Mexican immigrant is not authorized to live and work in the United States, but he is one of millions of illegal immigrants known to use an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, or ITIN, to file their taxes because they do not have Social Security numbers.
Parting with the $579 might hurt him in a tough economy, but the Oakland resident hopes his fiduciary responsibility will help him in the long run. If Congress ever creates a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, those who tried to play by the rules might have a better chance of getting a green card, he said.
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Senate Democrats Tell Obama to Hold Off on Deportations of Young Immigrants
These senators are asking the president to stop deporting the kids who were brought here by parents and have been educated here. - - Donna Poisl
from Fox News Latino
Senate Democrats want President Obama to put off deporting young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States by parents who overstayed their visas or who entered unlawfully.
The 22 senators who signed the letter suggested smaller steps the president can take to help the young immigrants, such as making sure they know they can request deportation delays.
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from Fox News Latino
Senate Democrats want President Obama to put off deporting young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States by parents who overstayed their visas or who entered unlawfully.
The 22 senators who signed the letter suggested smaller steps the president can take to help the young immigrants, such as making sure they know they can request deportation delays.
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Remind Obama: Change Takes Courage
from Marissa Graciosa, Reform Immigration FOR America
He heard our voices, We need to keep the pressure up
President Obama heard our message loud and clear. Yesterday, he held a major meeting on immigration reform to give the process new life.
This jump start for the immigration reform debate is the direct result of thousands of us demanding that he keep his campaign promises. He knows that our immigration system is broken, that our families are being torn apart and we need relief. But we need to make sure the President keeps his word.
Tell the President we support his efforts, but words are not enough.
We need action. He has heard us loud and clear, but will he listen? Bringing immigration reform back is a good first step, but it’s not enough.
He heard our voices, We need to keep the pressure up
President Obama heard our message loud and clear. Yesterday, he held a major meeting on immigration reform to give the process new life.
This jump start for the immigration reform debate is the direct result of thousands of us demanding that he keep his campaign promises. He knows that our immigration system is broken, that our families are being torn apart and we need relief. But we need to make sure the President keeps his word.
Tell the President we support his efforts, but words are not enough.
We need action. He has heard us loud and clear, but will he listen? Bringing immigration reform back is a good first step, but it’s not enough.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Discovering the polka in Prince George
The polka is one of many things that were brought to this country by immigrants and has stayed and is a strong part of the country. - - Donna Poisl
By BRUCE VLK
Polka dances in Prince George County? Decades ago this was a regular weekend occurrence in rural communities some 30 miles south of Richmond.
More than 120 years ago, Czech and Slovak immigrants from other American states and Europe began settling in the rural counties around Petersburg. After the Civil War, the Southern agricultural system collapsed and there was a labor shortage in the rural counties.
Drawn by land agents, these industrious Czechoslovakian farmers would provide the transition to the new era of farming. Called "Bohunks" by native Virginians, they initially were not welcome.
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By BRUCE VLK
Polka dances in Prince George County? Decades ago this was a regular weekend occurrence in rural communities some 30 miles south of Richmond.
More than 120 years ago, Czech and Slovak immigrants from other American states and Europe began settling in the rural counties around Petersburg. After the Civil War, the Southern agricultural system collapsed and there was a labor shortage in the rural counties.
Drawn by land agents, these industrious Czechoslovakian farmers would provide the transition to the new era of farming. Called "Bohunks" by native Virginians, they initially were not welcome.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Maryland Bucks Trend by Passing Dream Act
The state has educated these kids for years until now, it is very smart to allow them to go to college and become citizens and stay in the state, work, start businesses and pay taxes. - - Donna Poisl
By Althea Fung
In voting this week to extend tuition discounts to illegal immigrants, the Maryland legislature went against a national tide that has been moving in the other direction.
The legislation that Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to sign will offer in-state tuition to undocumented students as long as they have graduated from a secondary school within the state and lived within the state for at least three years, and a parent or guardian has paid income tax each of those years. The passage of the Maryland Dream Act would make the state the 11th to pass such legislation.
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By Althea Fung
In voting this week to extend tuition discounts to illegal immigrants, the Maryland legislature went against a national tide that has been moving in the other direction.
The legislation that Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley is expected to sign will offer in-state tuition to undocumented students as long as they have graduated from a secondary school within the state and lived within the state for at least three years, and a parent or guardian has paid income tax each of those years. The passage of the Maryland Dream Act would make the state the 11th to pass such legislation.
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For decades, immigrants have called Haltom City home
This Texas city has many Vietnamese immigrants and they are welcoming Hispanics also. - - Donna Poisl
BY DARREN BARBEE
Years ago, An Truong and his two sons built their own two-story house from the ground up.
Along the way he helped build three Buddhist temples as well.
Now, the city he calls home, Haltom City, is all but built out. It's a melting pot, too, with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents in Tarrant County, at about 22.1 percent.
Truong, born in Vietnam, chose to live in the area chiefly because the cold of Pennsylvania did not appeal to his family. He joined other Vietnamese in Haltom City, which was a resettlement center for refugees after the Vietnam War. About 25 percent of the city's foreign-born population is Asian, and 70 percent Latin American.
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BY DARREN BARBEE
Years ago, An Truong and his two sons built their own two-story house from the ground up.
Along the way he helped build three Buddhist temples as well.
Now, the city he calls home, Haltom City, is all but built out. It's a melting pot, too, with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents in Tarrant County, at about 22.1 percent.
Truong, born in Vietnam, chose to live in the area chiefly because the cold of Pennsylvania did not appeal to his family. He joined other Vietnamese in Haltom City, which was a resettlement center for refugees after the Vietnam War. About 25 percent of the city's foreign-born population is Asian, and 70 percent Latin American.
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A Setback for Arizona-Style Immigration Laws
The Arizona state government is vowing to keep fighting. - - Donna Poisl
EDITORIAL
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld a trial judge’s ruling blocking the most egregious parts of Arizona’s infamous immigration law. The three-judge panel said that Arizona intruded onto federal responsibility by requiring that police officers check the immigration status of anyone they have “reasonable suspicion” of being in the state without authorization, demanding that immigrants carry papers and making it a crime for illegal immigrants to work or look for work.
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EDITORIAL
The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has upheld a trial judge’s ruling blocking the most egregious parts of Arizona’s infamous immigration law. The three-judge panel said that Arizona intruded onto federal responsibility by requiring that police officers check the immigration status of anyone they have “reasonable suspicion” of being in the state without authorization, demanding that immigrants carry papers and making it a crime for illegal immigrants to work or look for work.
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Chinese Americans the most Linguistically isolated of all Asian Americans in NYC
These Chinese immigrants usually live in communities where they don't need English but they should certainly learn it. They need it for their children who are in school, contracts they must sign and any legal information and documents. - - Donna Poisl
By Kate McGee
A new report from the advocacy group, Asian Americans for Equality, has found that 60 percent of Asian Americans living in the 20 New York City neighborhoods with the highest Asian American populations speak English with limited proficiency.
The report also found that 42.5% of Asian Americans reside in linguistically isolated households, or homes where no one over five years old speaks English with proficiency.
Neighborhoods with the highest rates of linguistically isolated homes are Chinatown, Flushing and Jackson Heights in Queens, and Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
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By Kate McGee
A new report from the advocacy group, Asian Americans for Equality, has found that 60 percent of Asian Americans living in the 20 New York City neighborhoods with the highest Asian American populations speak English with limited proficiency.
The report also found that 42.5% of Asian Americans reside in linguistically isolated households, or homes where no one over five years old speaks English with proficiency.
Neighborhoods with the highest rates of linguistically isolated homes are Chinatown, Flushing and Jackson Heights in Queens, and Sunset Park in Brooklyn.
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Illegal immigrant protesters won't face deportation
The students who demonstrated for the DREAM Act will not be deported, they will have to perform community service. Very good news! - - Donna Poisl
By Jeremy Redmon, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Federal immigration authorities have decided not to take action against seven demonstrators who disclosed they were in the country illegally before they were arrested on charges of blocking downtown Atlanta traffic during a protest last week.
Asked whether her agency planned to deport the protesters, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement saying ICE was not taking any “enforcement actions against the student demonstrators.”
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By Jeremy Redmon, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Federal immigration authorities have decided not to take action against seven demonstrators who disclosed they were in the country illegally before they were arrested on charges of blocking downtown Atlanta traffic during a protest last week.
Asked whether her agency planned to deport the protesters, a spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement saying ICE was not taking any “enforcement actions against the student demonstrators.”
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THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION
Click the headline to read stories from this week from the Immigration Policy Center.
In Georgia, Politics Trump Common Sense on Immigration
For Immediate Release
Leaving "Wisdom, Justice and Moderation" Behind
April 15, 2011
Washington D.C. - Last night, the Georgia legislature passed HB 87, a bill modeled after Arizona's SB 1070 law. The bill allows local police to investigate the immigration status of individuals and requires businesses to verify work eligibility of new hires through E-Verify, a flawed federal employment verification system. Governor Nathan Deal has indicated he will sign the bill despite pleas from Georgia's business community who rightly fear the law will hurt the state's critical farming and restaurant industries.
By doing so, Governor Deal is ignoring the economic reality of the state's $1.3 billion budget shortfall, and the fact that the costs associated with the bill have not been enumerated by state legislators who failed to attach a fiscal note to it. He is also closing his eyes to the cautionary tale that Arizona provides. After passage of their similar law - which has not been implemented and has been deemed unconstitutional - they lost $141 million from cancelled conferences, including a "quarter billion dollars in lost economic output," a projected $86 million in lost wages, 2,800 jobs over the next two to three years and more than $1 million that the state has already spent on legal fees defending it. Plans for an economic boycott of Georgia are also reportedly underway.
In addition to the the economic disaster this law will inflict on the state, the Governor should be prepared for the considerable reputational damage that will also follow. By allowing this bill to become law, the Governor is walking away from the state's motto "Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation" and is poised to leave a dark mark on Georgia's history and his own governing legacy. These state measures are economic and public relations disasters and are no replacement for common sense solutions at the federal level.
###
For press inquiries, contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
or 202-507-7524.
Leaving "Wisdom, Justice and Moderation" Behind
April 15, 2011
Washington D.C. - Last night, the Georgia legislature passed HB 87, a bill modeled after Arizona's SB 1070 law. The bill allows local police to investigate the immigration status of individuals and requires businesses to verify work eligibility of new hires through E-Verify, a flawed federal employment verification system. Governor Nathan Deal has indicated he will sign the bill despite pleas from Georgia's business community who rightly fear the law will hurt the state's critical farming and restaurant industries.
By doing so, Governor Deal is ignoring the economic reality of the state's $1.3 billion budget shortfall, and the fact that the costs associated with the bill have not been enumerated by state legislators who failed to attach a fiscal note to it. He is also closing his eyes to the cautionary tale that Arizona provides. After passage of their similar law - which has not been implemented and has been deemed unconstitutional - they lost $141 million from cancelled conferences, including a "quarter billion dollars in lost economic output," a projected $86 million in lost wages, 2,800 jobs over the next two to three years and more than $1 million that the state has already spent on legal fees defending it. Plans for an economic boycott of Georgia are also reportedly underway.
In addition to the the economic disaster this law will inflict on the state, the Governor should be prepared for the considerable reputational damage that will also follow. By allowing this bill to become law, the Governor is walking away from the state's motto "Wisdom, Justice, and Moderation" and is poised to leave a dark mark on Georgia's history and his own governing legacy. These state measures are economic and public relations disasters and are no replacement for common sense solutions at the federal level.
###
For press inquiries, contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
or 202-507-7524.
Friday, April 15, 2011
50 Million And Growing: Why It’s Time For Businesses To Pay Attention to Hispanics
This editorial is telling businesses to use the talents and diversity that the Hispanic population can offer. It also tells the Hispanics to show the businesses what they can do. - - Donna Poisl
by Glenn Llopis
It’s official: the Census counts more than 50 million Hispanics in the US. This acknowledgment of the new prominence of Hispanics in the US brings with it a “to-do” for both the country and the Hispanics themselves:
To-Do #1: It’s time for the US to embrace diversity and get real about becoming a 21st century country.
To-Do #2: It’s time for Hispanics to stop believing themselves to be victims and embrace their leadership identity.
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by Glenn Llopis
It’s official: the Census counts more than 50 million Hispanics in the US. This acknowledgment of the new prominence of Hispanics in the US brings with it a “to-do” for both the country and the Hispanics themselves:
To-Do #1: It’s time for the US to embrace diversity and get real about becoming a 21st century country.
To-Do #2: It’s time for Hispanics to stop believing themselves to be victims and embrace their leadership identity.
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Life after deportation: Young citizens left behind when Mom and Dad leave country
This story and even worse ones, are repeated all over our country. - - Donna Poisl
By VIKKI ORTIZ HEALY, Chicago Tribune
In the two years since her father was deported, 13-year-old Elisabeth and her three younger siblings have settled into an after-school routine while their mother, Maria Lourdes works long hours at a beauty salon.
The family shares a cramped bedroom in a Waukegan, Ill., apartment. When school friends wonder why her father is no longer in the picture, Elisabeth has learned to change the subject.
"I don't answer," she said. "It's such a long story."
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By VIKKI ORTIZ HEALY, Chicago Tribune
In the two years since her father was deported, 13-year-old Elisabeth and her three younger siblings have settled into an after-school routine while their mother, Maria Lourdes works long hours at a beauty salon.
The family shares a cramped bedroom in a Waukegan, Ill., apartment. When school friends wonder why her father is no longer in the picture, Elisabeth has learned to change the subject.
"I don't answer," she said. "It's such a long story."
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Helping Immigrants Navigate Government
Immigrants from all countries are being taught how to access all the programs that can help them live here and are urged to be more involved in their community. - - Donna Poisl
By SAM DOLNICK
At a Haitian church in Canarsie, Brooklyn, officials from the mayor’s office spent a recent Saturday morning discussing food stamps and discrimination in the workplace, their words translated into Creole for an audience of some 50 people.
The next night, another delegation spoke to a group of Bangladeshi immigrants in the Bronx about police precincts and community boards. In recent weeks, officials have held similar meetings with Albanians, Mexicans and West Africans.
The forums are part of a new program, run by the mayor’s office, that is intended to improve the relationship between city government and immigrants who are often wary of local authorities or unaware of city services available to them.
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By SAM DOLNICK
At a Haitian church in Canarsie, Brooklyn, officials from the mayor’s office spent a recent Saturday morning discussing food stamps and discrimination in the workplace, their words translated into Creole for an audience of some 50 people.
The next night, another delegation spoke to a group of Bangladeshi immigrants in the Bronx about police precincts and community boards. In recent weeks, officials have held similar meetings with Albanians, Mexicans and West Africans.
The forums are part of a new program, run by the mayor’s office, that is intended to improve the relationship between city government and immigrants who are often wary of local authorities or unaware of city services available to them.
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Framingham State professor gives talk on Irish immigration
The talk this professor gave about Irish immigration shows how the present immigration problems are not new. People already here were as hateful and angry then as many residents are now. - - Donna Poisl
By Kendall Hatch/Daily News staff, MetroWest Daily News
ASHLAND — A Framingham State University professor on Sunday offered a glimpse back into the world of Irish immigrants in Newton around the turn of the century, touching on many themes that are still relevant today.
Susan Dargan, chairwoman of the Sociology Department at Framingham State, gave a presentation of the research she conducted for her doctoral thesis, using articles posted in the Newton Journal between 1870 and 1920 as resource material.
Dargan's presentation at the Ashland Historical Society yesterday focused on the process of assimilation for Irish immigrants and their ability to thrive in society.
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By Kendall Hatch/Daily News staff, MetroWest Daily News
ASHLAND — A Framingham State University professor on Sunday offered a glimpse back into the world of Irish immigrants in Newton around the turn of the century, touching on many themes that are still relevant today.
Susan Dargan, chairwoman of the Sociology Department at Framingham State, gave a presentation of the research she conducted for her doctoral thesis, using articles posted in the Newton Journal between 1870 and 1920 as resource material.
Dargan's presentation at the Ashland Historical Society yesterday focused on the process of assimilation for Irish immigrants and their ability to thrive in society.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Not targeted but not safe, young illegal immigrants push for a new policy
These kids are so brave, they are trying to force the authorities to do something. Even risking deportation to prove their point. - - Donna Poisl
Young activists had pinned their hopes on the Dream Act. When it was put to bed, they started a new strategy: 'Coming out' as illegal immigrants and protesting their uncertain fates in this country.
By Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Atlanta— Seven college-age Latinos gathered in downtown Atlanta and passed around a microphone, announcing to the world that they were coming out of the shadows as illegal immigrants.
Then, in an act of civil disobedience, they sat down in the middle of a busy street and announced it again to a large and chanting crowd. When they were hauled off to jail, they even declared their status to a pair of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers — who proceeded to do nothing.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Young activists had pinned their hopes on the Dream Act. When it was put to bed, they started a new strategy: 'Coming out' as illegal immigrants and protesting their uncertain fates in this country.
By Richard Fausset, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Atlanta— Seven college-age Latinos gathered in downtown Atlanta and passed around a microphone, announcing to the world that they were coming out of the shadows as illegal immigrants.
Then, in an act of civil disobedience, they sat down in the middle of a busy street and announced it again to a large and chanting crowd. When they were hauled off to jail, they even declared their status to a pair of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers — who proceeded to do nothing.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Born to illegal immigrants, couple builds future in Wyoming
This family worked hard, became naturalized citizens and now they and their extended family are living the American Dream. This country was built by people like them. - - Donna Poisl
By MARTIN KIDSTON Gazette Wyoming Bureau
LOVELL, Wyo. — In the evenings, the shadow of the sugar factory slips across the street, inching its way into their front yard before washing their home in shade.
For Milton and Inez Ontiveroz, it might be a comforting feeling, living in the shadow of the factory, its silos and old brick facade surrounded by beet fields and Wyoming’s windswept hills.
The beets brought them here as migrant workers more than 60 years ago. They’ve felt the aches and pains of swinging a hoe and topping beets until the sun went down.
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By MARTIN KIDSTON Gazette Wyoming Bureau
LOVELL, Wyo. — In the evenings, the shadow of the sugar factory slips across the street, inching its way into their front yard before washing their home in shade.
For Milton and Inez Ontiveroz, it might be a comforting feeling, living in the shadow of the factory, its silos and old brick facade surrounded by beet fields and Wyoming’s windswept hills.
The beets brought them here as migrant workers more than 60 years ago. They’ve felt the aches and pains of swinging a hoe and topping beets until the sun went down.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Female immigrants suffer abuse in food industry, group contends
Immigrant women are suffering sexual abuse and often do not seek help or even know if it is available. - - Donna Poisl
Southern Poverty Law Center says protection is needed
By Antonio Olivo, Tribune reporter
In between serving gourmet Mexican sandwiches or running the cash register at a Lower West Side bakery, Mercedes, 26, endured an unwelcome aspect of her job that recently drove her to quit in disgust.
In a cramped restaurant kitchen, male co-workers greeted Mercedes with leers and sexually suggestive comments, grabbed her hand to kiss and lick while a male bakery owner watched and laughed, she said Friday at a conference to highlight such issues at the Chicago Cultural Center.
"When I would start cleaning, they would start grunting and making faces and say: `That's how I like my women,'" said Mercedes, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico who spoke on the condition that her last name not be used.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Southern Poverty Law Center says protection is needed
By Antonio Olivo, Tribune reporter
In between serving gourmet Mexican sandwiches or running the cash register at a Lower West Side bakery, Mercedes, 26, endured an unwelcome aspect of her job that recently drove her to quit in disgust.
In a cramped restaurant kitchen, male co-workers greeted Mercedes with leers and sexually suggestive comments, grabbed her hand to kiss and lick while a male bakery owner watched and laughed, she said Friday at a conference to highlight such issues at the Chicago Cultural Center.
"When I would start cleaning, they would start grunting and making faces and say: `That's how I like my women,'" said Mercedes, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Mexico who spoke on the condition that her last name not be used.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Web-based ImmigrationExpress Enables Quick and Easy Filing of Common Forms
PRESS RELEASE
BETHESDA, Md., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- ClearPath, Inc., the leading provider of simplified immigration filing solutions, today announced it has released ImmigrationExpress™, an intuitive, Web-based solution that empowers individuals to file common immigration forms quickly, easily and cost-effectively.
"ClearPath's mission is to serve as a virtual immigration expert, guiding individuals through a complex process so they can take control of their own filing experience and achieve success," said Michael J. Petrucelli, CEO, ClearPath. "We believe filing should be simple and affordable."
ClearPath's software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution leverages the unmatched domain expertise of former senior immigration officials to streamline the process – from preparation to review to filing. The result is greater transparency, accuracy, efficiency and security, as well as lower costs.
ImmigrationExpress will offer the most common individual immigration forms necessary, including biographic information, change of address, employment authorization, green card (permanent residence), and individual tax ID number. Forms are currently in English, with Spanish-language forms to be added in the coming weeks.
Utilizing a question-and-answer format, ImmigrationExpress walks a user step-by-step through the decision-making process in a native language. It not only aligns the proper forms based on a user's criteria, but also checks data in real time against the expectations of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In addition, ClearPath's proprietary methodology can accelerate processing by retaining and applying required data across form types.
Designed with customer behavior and preferences in mind, ImmigrationExpress is accessible via the Internet and in the near future, self-service kiosks in retail locations and mobile devices. To learn more, visit http://immigrationexpress.iclearpath.com/
About ClearPath, Inc.
ClearPath, Inc. is revolutionizing the complex, costly and confusing immigration filing process. Founded by U.S. immigration agency insiders, ClearPath serves as a virtual immigration expert, helping individuals and businesses navigate the system and take control of their own experience. ClearPath's intuitive, Web-based solution streamlines the entire process – from preparation to review to filing – enabling users to quickly and easily file common forms at lower costs and with greater success. Visit www.iClearPath.com and http://immigrationexpress.iclearpath.com/
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click link.
Michael Petrucelli
http://www.profnetconnect.com/clearpath.petrucelli
SOURCE ClearPath, Inc.
CONTACT: Suzanne Cragon Lauer, CRAGON Communications, +1-703-862-3137, scragon@dishmail.net
BETHESDA, Md., April 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- ClearPath, Inc., the leading provider of simplified immigration filing solutions, today announced it has released ImmigrationExpress™, an intuitive, Web-based solution that empowers individuals to file common immigration forms quickly, easily and cost-effectively.
"ClearPath's mission is to serve as a virtual immigration expert, guiding individuals through a complex process so they can take control of their own filing experience and achieve success," said Michael J. Petrucelli, CEO, ClearPath. "We believe filing should be simple and affordable."
ClearPath's software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution leverages the unmatched domain expertise of former senior immigration officials to streamline the process – from preparation to review to filing. The result is greater transparency, accuracy, efficiency and security, as well as lower costs.
ImmigrationExpress will offer the most common individual immigration forms necessary, including biographic information, change of address, employment authorization, green card (permanent residence), and individual tax ID number. Forms are currently in English, with Spanish-language forms to be added in the coming weeks.
Utilizing a question-and-answer format, ImmigrationExpress walks a user step-by-step through the decision-making process in a native language. It not only aligns the proper forms based on a user's criteria, but also checks data in real time against the expectations of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In addition, ClearPath's proprietary methodology can accelerate processing by retaining and applying required data across form types.
Designed with customer behavior and preferences in mind, ImmigrationExpress is accessible via the Internet and in the near future, self-service kiosks in retail locations and mobile devices. To learn more, visit http://immigrationexpress.iclearpath.com/
About ClearPath, Inc.
ClearPath, Inc. is revolutionizing the complex, costly and confusing immigration filing process. Founded by U.S. immigration agency insiders, ClearPath serves as a virtual immigration expert, helping individuals and businesses navigate the system and take control of their own experience. ClearPath's intuitive, Web-based solution streamlines the entire process – from preparation to review to filing – enabling users to quickly and easily file common forms at lower costs and with greater success. Visit www.iClearPath.com and http://immigrationexpress.iclearpath.com/
Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click link.
Michael Petrucelli
http://www.profnetconnect.com/clearpath.petrucelli
SOURCE ClearPath, Inc.
CONTACT: Suzanne Cragon Lauer, CRAGON Communications, +1-703-862-3137, scragon@dishmail.net
Thursday, April 14, 2011
American Immigration Council Hails Decision Enjoining Enforcement of Arizona’s SB 1070
from American Immigration Council
April 12, 2011
Washington, D.C - The American Immigration Council applauds yesterday’s decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholding a preliminary injunction against the key provisions of Arizona’s SB 1070. As the court correctly recognized, Arizona’s misguided attempt to drive immigrants from the state interferes with the federal government’s exclusive authority to enforce immigration law, has negatively impacted U.S. foreign relations, and reflects the dangers of allowing states to enact a patchwork of conflicting regulations. The Ninth Circuit also rightly rejected Arizona’s claim that state police have “inherent authority” to enforce federal immigration laws and held that Congress intended state officers to “aid in immigration enforcement only under the close supervision of the Attorney General.”
“The Ninth Circuit’s decision does not discount the serious problems created by our broken immigration system,” said Ben Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council. “However, it confirms what members of the public have long known—that Congress, and Congress alone, has the power to regulate immigration in the United States.”
For more resources on SB 1070, see:
Legal Challenges to Arizona's SB 1070 (Legal Action Center, Litigation Issue Page)
Go to: http://www.legalactioncenter.org/clearinghouse/litigation-issue-pages/arizona-legal-challenges
Economic Realities of Arizona's SB 1070 (Immigration Police Center, Resource Page)
Go to: http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/legal-challenges-and-economic-realities-arizonas-sb-1070
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524
Visit our website at www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org.
April 12, 2011
Washington, D.C - The American Immigration Council applauds yesterday’s decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholding a preliminary injunction against the key provisions of Arizona’s SB 1070. As the court correctly recognized, Arizona’s misguided attempt to drive immigrants from the state interferes with the federal government’s exclusive authority to enforce immigration law, has negatively impacted U.S. foreign relations, and reflects the dangers of allowing states to enact a patchwork of conflicting regulations. The Ninth Circuit also rightly rejected Arizona’s claim that state police have “inherent authority” to enforce federal immigration laws and held that Congress intended state officers to “aid in immigration enforcement only under the close supervision of the Attorney General.”
“The Ninth Circuit’s decision does not discount the serious problems created by our broken immigration system,” said Ben Johnson, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council. “However, it confirms what members of the public have long known—that Congress, and Congress alone, has the power to regulate immigration in the United States.”
For more resources on SB 1070, see:
Legal Challenges to Arizona's SB 1070 (Legal Action Center, Litigation Issue Page)
Go to: http://www.legalactioncenter.org/clearinghouse/litigation-issue-pages/arizona-legal-challenges
Economic Realities of Arizona's SB 1070 (Immigration Police Center, Resource Page)
Go to: http://www.immigrationpolicy.org/just-facts/legal-challenges-and-economic-realities-arizonas-sb-1070
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org or 202-507-7524
Visit our website at www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org.
Group: Illegal Immigrants Should Have Health Care Access
These doctors are saying the people should have health care as a public health issue, including people here illegally. - - Donna Poisl
American College Of Physicians Say Policy On Immigration, Health Care Should Be Adjusted
from 10NEWS.com
SAN DIEGO -- A medical organization meeting in San Diego has stepped into the immigration reform debate, asserting that illegal immigrants should have access to health care so they don't spread dangerous diseases to others.
"Access to care for immigrants is a public health issue that should be of concern to all of us," said Dr. J. Fred Ralston, the president of the American College of Physicians, holding its Internal Medicine 2011 meeting at the San Diego Convention Center.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
American College Of Physicians Say Policy On Immigration, Health Care Should Be Adjusted
from 10NEWS.com
SAN DIEGO -- A medical organization meeting in San Diego has stepped into the immigration reform debate, asserting that illegal immigrants should have access to health care so they don't spread dangerous diseases to others.
"Access to care for immigrants is a public health issue that should be of concern to all of us," said Dr. J. Fred Ralston, the president of the American College of Physicians, holding its Internal Medicine 2011 meeting at the San Diego Convention Center.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Through an Immigrant’s eyes: Between two worlds
This story shows how immigrants struggle with life here. They have to deal with two worlds, the American life and the culture and customs they bring with them. - - Donna Poisl
By Ryan Neal, Daily Review Atlas
MONMOUTH — Like many people in Monmouth, Elena Gillen has a love of agriculture. As a college student in Mexico she wanted to specialize in soil improvement, but all the books in the bibliography were in English. She decided she wanted to come to America to learn the language.
That was back in the 1980s when acquiring a VISA was easier. Her family had some money and her brother was in Galesburg. Had she come now, getting a visa would have been much tougher.
Gillen said simply applying for a visa costs $100 — more than a week's pay for many in Mexico — and even with a letter of recommendation there is no guarantee. Gillen said corruption is part of the visa process.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Ryan Neal, Daily Review Atlas
MONMOUTH — Like many people in Monmouth, Elena Gillen has a love of agriculture. As a college student in Mexico she wanted to specialize in soil improvement, but all the books in the bibliography were in English. She decided she wanted to come to America to learn the language.
That was back in the 1980s when acquiring a VISA was easier. Her family had some money and her brother was in Galesburg. Had she come now, getting a visa would have been much tougher.
Gillen said simply applying for a visa costs $100 — more than a week's pay for many in Mexico — and even with a letter of recommendation there is no guarantee. Gillen said corruption is part of the visa process.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Court Protects Immigrants' Right To Reopen Cases From Outside the U.S.
For Immediate Release
April 14, 2011
Washington D.C. – A federal appellate court recently reversed a Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision that would have prevented noncitizens from presenting new evidence in their removal cases – evidence that potentially could change the outcome – because they are outside the United States. As the Legal Action Center of the American Immigration Council and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild argued in an amicus brief, Congress enacted laws that allow noncitizens to pursue their cases from outside the U.S. The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is the latest in a series of decisions rejecting the government's position that immigration judges and the BIA lack jurisdiction over such cases.
Federal law gives noncitizens 90 days to file a “motion to reopen,” a procedural mechanism for submitting new evidence after a removal order becomes final. But the BIA has long maintained that it cannot consider a motion to reopen if a foreign national is outside the United States. The court rejected the government’s position, emphasizing that allowing the immigration courts to refuse to hear motions in these cases enables the Department of Homeland Security to unilaterally restrict the opportunity to seek reopening by deporting a person before the deadline for filing a motion to reopen. As the court concluded, the government’s position “completely eviscerate[s] the statutory right to reopen provided by Congress.”
“Five appellate courts have found that the bar to motions to reopen from outside the U.S. is unlawful. It is past time for the government to withdraw this outdated regulation rather than proceed with costly litigation,” said Beth Werlin of the American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center.
"This is a victory for those who care about a fair process to ensure that immigrants are not unlawfully separated from their families,” said Trina Realmuto of the National Immigration Project, who argued this case on behalf of amici curiae.
The American Immigration Council's Legal Action Center and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, which filed a joint amicus brief in the case, applaud the Ninth Circuit's ruling. The Legal Action Center and National Immigration Project have coordinated litigation on this issue nationwide and call on the BIA to abandon its misguided regulation barring review of motions filed by noncitizens outside the United States.
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at (202) 507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
April 14, 2011
Washington D.C. – A federal appellate court recently reversed a Board of Immigration Appeals’ (BIA) decision that would have prevented noncitizens from presenting new evidence in their removal cases – evidence that potentially could change the outcome – because they are outside the United States. As the Legal Action Center of the American Immigration Council and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild argued in an amicus brief, Congress enacted laws that allow noncitizens to pursue their cases from outside the U.S. The decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit is the latest in a series of decisions rejecting the government's position that immigration judges and the BIA lack jurisdiction over such cases.
Federal law gives noncitizens 90 days to file a “motion to reopen,” a procedural mechanism for submitting new evidence after a removal order becomes final. But the BIA has long maintained that it cannot consider a motion to reopen if a foreign national is outside the United States. The court rejected the government’s position, emphasizing that allowing the immigration courts to refuse to hear motions in these cases enables the Department of Homeland Security to unilaterally restrict the opportunity to seek reopening by deporting a person before the deadline for filing a motion to reopen. As the court concluded, the government’s position “completely eviscerate[s] the statutory right to reopen provided by Congress.”
“Five appellate courts have found that the bar to motions to reopen from outside the U.S. is unlawful. It is past time for the government to withdraw this outdated regulation rather than proceed with costly litigation,” said Beth Werlin of the American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center.
"This is a victory for those who care about a fair process to ensure that immigrants are not unlawfully separated from their families,” said Trina Realmuto of the National Immigration Project, who argued this case on behalf of amici curiae.
The American Immigration Council's Legal Action Center and the National Immigration Project of the National Lawyers Guild, which filed a joint amicus brief in the case, applaud the Ninth Circuit's ruling. The Legal Action Center and National Immigration Project have coordinated litigation on this issue nationwide and call on the BIA to abandon its misguided regulation barring review of motions filed by noncitizens outside the United States.
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at (202) 507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
Federal Court Decision Protects H-1B Employees from Wrongful Arrest
For Immediate Release
AIC Amicus Argues Employees Have Right to Remain While Extension Applications Pending
April 13, 2011
Washington, DC - A recent ruling from a federal judge in Connecticut confirmed that—as the American Immigration Council (AIC) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) argued in an amicus brief—the government may not arrest H-1B employees for whom timely-filed extension applications remain pending. The decision in El Badrawi v. United States, by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall, correctly recognized that a federal regulation allows H-1B employees to continue working for 240 days pending the adjudication of their extension applications, and that “work authorization is part and parcel of their authorization to be in the country, not a separate matter.” Permitting the initiation of removal proceedings during this period would thus be unfair to employees and employers alike, according to the decision.
The plaintiff, a Lebanese national, was gainfully employed as a medical researcher when his employer requested an H-1B extension in early 2004, more than a month before his H-1B status expired. Though his employer paid a $1,000 fee for premium processing of the application, the government never adjudicated it and refused to respond to requests for information. Nearly seven months after the request was filed, immigration agents arrested the plaintiff for allegedly “overstaying” his initial period of admission. He was placed in removal proceedings and detained for nearly two months.
In their amicus brief, AIC and AILA argued that 8 C.F.R. § 274a.12(b)(20), which provides for work authorization while a timely-filed extension application is pending, necessarily authorizes H-1B employees to remain in the United States. Accordingly, they cannot be arrested solely for staying in the country while extension applications are being adjudicated. With supporting declarations from three companies that rely on H-1B workers, the brief argued that arresting noncitizens with pending extension applications would threaten to disrupt key sectors of the U.S. economy and undermine the goals of the H-1B program.
In her decision, Judge Hall said the AIC-AILA brief “highlights the substantial interest that employers have in the administration of the H-1B visa program, the lack of notice provided by the regulation at issue, and the hardship that the government’s proposed interpretation would impose upon them.”
“Judge Hall’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law and for common sense,” said Melissa Crow, Director of the American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center. “If H-1B employees can continue working while extension applications on their behalf are pending, it defies logic to argue that they can be arrested, detained and removed without notice.”
The plaintiff was represented by the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at (202) 507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
AIC Amicus Argues Employees Have Right to Remain While Extension Applications Pending
April 13, 2011
Washington, DC - A recent ruling from a federal judge in Connecticut confirmed that—as the American Immigration Council (AIC) and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) argued in an amicus brief—the government may not arrest H-1B employees for whom timely-filed extension applications remain pending. The decision in El Badrawi v. United States, by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall, correctly recognized that a federal regulation allows H-1B employees to continue working for 240 days pending the adjudication of their extension applications, and that “work authorization is part and parcel of their authorization to be in the country, not a separate matter.” Permitting the initiation of removal proceedings during this period would thus be unfair to employees and employers alike, according to the decision.
The plaintiff, a Lebanese national, was gainfully employed as a medical researcher when his employer requested an H-1B extension in early 2004, more than a month before his H-1B status expired. Though his employer paid a $1,000 fee for premium processing of the application, the government never adjudicated it and refused to respond to requests for information. Nearly seven months after the request was filed, immigration agents arrested the plaintiff for allegedly “overstaying” his initial period of admission. He was placed in removal proceedings and detained for nearly two months.
In their amicus brief, AIC and AILA argued that 8 C.F.R. § 274a.12(b)(20), which provides for work authorization while a timely-filed extension application is pending, necessarily authorizes H-1B employees to remain in the United States. Accordingly, they cannot be arrested solely for staying in the country while extension applications are being adjudicated. With supporting declarations from three companies that rely on H-1B workers, the brief argued that arresting noncitizens with pending extension applications would threaten to disrupt key sectors of the U.S. economy and undermine the goals of the H-1B program.
In her decision, Judge Hall said the AIC-AILA brief “highlights the substantial interest that employers have in the administration of the H-1B visa program, the lack of notice provided by the regulation at issue, and the hardship that the government’s proposed interpretation would impose upon them.”
“Judge Hall’s ruling is a victory for the rule of law and for common sense,” said Melissa Crow, Director of the American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center. “If H-1B employees can continue working while extension applications on their behalf are pending, it defies logic to argue that they can be arrested, detained and removed without notice.”
The plaintiff was represented by the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School and the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.
###
For press inquiries contact Wendy Sefsaf at (202) 507-7524 or wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
Stop deporting DREAMers
from Adam Luna, America’s Voice
Yesterday, Harry Reid, Dick Durbin and 20 other Senate Democrats asked President Obama to halt the deportations of talented and innocent young people.[1 below]
As you know, we've been frantically working to stop the deportation of individual DREAMers, like Marlen in Texas[2 below] and Pedro in Arizona[3 below]. While we’ve saved each one of these young people, it’s become very frustrating to us, and these Senators, that it takes a national campaign to get the Obama Administration to provide relief to just one person.
These Senators know that President Obama has the authority to tell his agents to stop rounding up these young people, and they have taken a strong stand to urge him to end this nonsense once and for all.
Will you join with us in asking President Obama to stop deporting DREAMers?
Click on the headline above or go to http://www.AmericasVoiceOnline.org/DREAMerDeportations
Citations:
[1] Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jack Reed (D-RI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Kerry (D-MA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Nelson (D-FL), Harry Reid (D-NV, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT).
[2] Marlen and her 2-year-old son were awakened late one night. Before she knew what was happening, she was being detained by ten heavily armed deputies. She spent the next four and a half months in jail, without bail, until advocates sent over 7,000 faxes to ICE demanding that she be released. She was granted deferred action for one year.
[3] Pedro’s strength and a passion for serving others exemplify what it means to be an American. He was brought to America by his loving grandmother, who died when Pedro was young--leaving him homeless and with no family either in Arizona or in Mexico. Pedro could have been deported if thousands of advocates hadn’t requested a stay of his deportation.
Yesterday, Harry Reid, Dick Durbin and 20 other Senate Democrats asked President Obama to halt the deportations of talented and innocent young people.[1 below]
As you know, we've been frantically working to stop the deportation of individual DREAMers, like Marlen in Texas[2 below] and Pedro in Arizona[3 below]. While we’ve saved each one of these young people, it’s become very frustrating to us, and these Senators, that it takes a national campaign to get the Obama Administration to provide relief to just one person.
These Senators know that President Obama has the authority to tell his agents to stop rounding up these young people, and they have taken a strong stand to urge him to end this nonsense once and for all.
Will you join with us in asking President Obama to stop deporting DREAMers?
Click on the headline above or go to http://www.AmericasVoiceOnline.org/DREAMerDeportations
Citations:
[1] Senators Carl Levin (D-MI), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mark Begich (D-AK), Jack Reed (D-RI), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Chris Coons (D-DE), Michael Bennet (D-CO), John Kerry (D-MA), Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Bill Nelson (D-FL), Harry Reid (D-NV, Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kristen Gillibrand (D-NY), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT).
[2] Marlen and her 2-year-old son were awakened late one night. Before she knew what was happening, she was being detained by ten heavily armed deputies. She spent the next four and a half months in jail, without bail, until advocates sent over 7,000 faxes to ICE demanding that she be released. She was granted deferred action for one year.
[3] Pedro’s strength and a passion for serving others exemplify what it means to be an American. He was brought to America by his loving grandmother, who died when Pedro was young--leaving him homeless and with no family either in Arizona or in Mexico. Pedro could have been deported if thousands of advocates hadn’t requested a stay of his deportation.
Friday, April 08, 2011
Mexican immigrants face increased mental health risks, study finds
Mental health problems are very high in Mexican immigrants, dealing with moving to a new country is very stressful. Depression and anxiety and alcoholism are high. - - Donna Poisl
BY HELEN ADAMOPOULOS
Javier Theurel knows how difficult it can be to move to a new country.
The 30-year-old Cicero resident, who works as a salesman in Chicago, hasn’t had problems since emigrating legally from Mexico in 2008. However, he knows others who have had trouble making the adjustment. They turn to alcohol to cope with not seeing their wives and children. Those who crossed the border illegally, unlike Theurel, don’t want to risk visiting home.
“They know if they go back to Mexico, it will be hard for them to come back,” Theurel said. “They are alone here in this country.”
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
BY HELEN ADAMOPOULOS
Javier Theurel knows how difficult it can be to move to a new country.
The 30-year-old Cicero resident, who works as a salesman in Chicago, hasn’t had problems since emigrating legally from Mexico in 2008. However, he knows others who have had trouble making the adjustment. They turn to alcohol to cope with not seeing their wives and children. Those who crossed the border illegally, unlike Theurel, don’t want to risk visiting home.
“They know if they go back to Mexico, it will be hard for them to come back,” Theurel said. “They are alone here in this country.”
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION
Click the headline to read stories from this week from the Immigration Policy Center.
Tea Party Senators Target Birthright Citizenship for Immigrant Children
This far right group is trying to change the country in many ways. More people voting against them in the next election might slow them down. - - Donna Poisl
BY DEVIN DWYER
A posse of Tea Party Republicans in the U.S. Senate this week opened a new front in the crusade against birthright citizenship with draft legislation that would bar children of illegal immigrants from becoming citizens.
Sens. David Vitter of Louisiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas say their bill requires the federal government to limit automatic citizenship to children born to at least one parent who is a citizen, legal resident, or member of the military.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
BY DEVIN DWYER
A posse of Tea Party Republicans in the U.S. Senate this week opened a new front in the crusade against birthright citizenship with draft legislation that would bar children of illegal immigrants from becoming citizens.
Sens. David Vitter of Louisiana, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Jerry Moran of Kansas say their bill requires the federal government to limit automatic citizenship to children born to at least one parent who is a citizen, legal resident, or member of the military.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Studies of immigrant success skewed?
Reports that Mexican immigrants may not be doing well in this country could be incorrect. New studies show that they are quite successful. - - Donna Poisl
from upi.com
CHICAGO, April 5 (UPI) -- Descendants of Mexican immigrants in the United States may be making better socioeconomic progress than many studies indicate, researchers say.
Some recent studies have raised red flags about the economic progress of Mexican-Americans, saying third- and fourth-generation Mexican-Americans are no more likely to graduate high school than second-generation Mexican-Americans, with wages stagnating after the second generation as well.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
from upi.com
CHICAGO, April 5 (UPI) -- Descendants of Mexican immigrants in the United States may be making better socioeconomic progress than many studies indicate, researchers say.
Some recent studies have raised red flags about the economic progress of Mexican-Americans, saying third- and fourth-generation Mexican-Americans are no more likely to graduate high school than second-generation Mexican-Americans, with wages stagnating after the second generation as well.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Assembly panel rejects bills on illegal immigrants
Bills that resemble the Arizona anti-immigrant bills were killed in California. - - Donna Poisl
By Dan Smith
A state Assembly committee dominated by Democrats on Tuesday killed bills to require public officials to report suspected illegal immigrants and to prohibit employers from knowingly hiring the immigrants.
Freshman Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, an activist with the Minuteman movement, proposed an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigrants because he said the federal government is doing an inadequate job protecting the borders.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Dan Smith
A state Assembly committee dominated by Democrats on Tuesday killed bills to require public officials to report suspected illegal immigrants and to prohibit employers from knowingly hiring the immigrants.
Freshman Assemblyman Tim Donnelly, R-Twin Peaks, an activist with the Minuteman movement, proposed an Arizona-style crackdown on illegal immigrants because he said the federal government is doing an inadequate job protecting the borders.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Fitting in: Muslim teens find peers are curious but accepting
The attitude of most of these teens is encouraging. They are curious and want to know more about their fellow students who are Muslim. - - Donna Poisl
BY ROSE RUSSELL, BLADE STAFF WRITER
As Muslims across the nation battle the perception that they intend to destroy America, the peers of Muslim students in Toledo area schools have a more accepting attitude about their religious and cultural differences.
The result is an assimilation process into what’s still very much a Christian society that’s made much easier for young people who are Muslim. And when they’re asked about those differences, a good dose of self confidence in young Muslims helps.
"When I’m asked about my clothes, I say it’s a part of my religion and that as I get older I have to wear the scarf. It protects you and keeps you beautiful," said 11-year-old Tisata Ashar Muhammad, a sixth grader at Toledo Islamic Academy.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
BY ROSE RUSSELL, BLADE STAFF WRITER
As Muslims across the nation battle the perception that they intend to destroy America, the peers of Muslim students in Toledo area schools have a more accepting attitude about their religious and cultural differences.
The result is an assimilation process into what’s still very much a Christian society that’s made much easier for young people who are Muslim. And when they’re asked about those differences, a good dose of self confidence in young Muslims helps.
"When I’m asked about my clothes, I say it’s a part of my religion and that as I get older I have to wear the scarf. It protects you and keeps you beautiful," said 11-year-old Tisata Ashar Muhammad, a sixth grader at Toledo Islamic Academy.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Kodiak College instructors teach English to cannery workers through unique partnership
This program helps the employees, obviously, but it definitely helps the employer and the community too. EVERYONE benefits. - - Donna Poisl
by LOUIS GARCIA Kodiak Daily Mirror
Kodiak, Alaska — Pacific Seafoods Kodiak is bringing English as a second language (ESL) classes into the workplace by partnering with Kodiak College.
"John Whiddon (general manager of Pacific Seafoods Kodiak) contacted me to ask if we could provide classes for his employees," said Adelia Myrick, adult basic education coordinator for Kodiak College. "It's something we had been interested in for years, so we were glad to jump on it."
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
by LOUIS GARCIA Kodiak Daily Mirror
Kodiak, Alaska — Pacific Seafoods Kodiak is bringing English as a second language (ESL) classes into the workplace by partnering with Kodiak College.
"John Whiddon (general manager of Pacific Seafoods Kodiak) contacted me to ask if we could provide classes for his employees," said Adelia Myrick, adult basic education coordinator for Kodiak College. "It's something we had been interested in for years, so we were glad to jump on it."
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Lawmakers should support programs that teach English, advocate says
This article says that when bills are passed that say English is needed for certain things, that immigrants could use more programs to help them learn English. Sounds like a good idea. - - Donna Poisl
by Roseann Moring, News-Leader
Jefferson City, MO -- Grupo Latinoamericano President Yolanda Lorge wants Rep. Charlie Denison and others to know that immigrants do want to learn English -- and that a little bit of support would be appreciated.
Her comments came in a letter to Denison and the News-Leader after the Missouri House passed a bill earlier this month that would require driver's license tests be administered in English only.
Denison helped the bill move through the process, and now Lorge is asking him to also support programs that teach English.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
by Roseann Moring, News-Leader
Jefferson City, MO -- Grupo Latinoamericano President Yolanda Lorge wants Rep. Charlie Denison and others to know that immigrants do want to learn English -- and that a little bit of support would be appreciated.
Her comments came in a letter to Denison and the News-Leader after the Missouri House passed a bill earlier this month that would require driver's license tests be administered in English only.
Denison helped the bill move through the process, and now Lorge is asking him to also support programs that teach English.
Click on the headline above to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
From Broken English to Spelling Bee Champ
from Katherine Vargas, Press Secretary, KeepersoftheAmericanDream.org
“I can’t lie—I really want that trophy,” said 12 year old Nicole Petry when she was asked about the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition.
Her statement would have surprised anyone who knew Nicole three years ago when she arrived from Brazil and was too embarrassed to speak up in class because of her broken English.
Going to school was a daily struggle. She recalled that one of the first times she spoke up in class she didn’t say anything but “meow” when her teacher asked her a question.
Over the next year she worked hard and made great progress to become more proficient in English.
As Nicole’s confidence grew, she decided to enter her school’s spelling bee and won the school competition. The following year, she championed the Fort Worth, TX school district spelling bee.
The secret to her success – practicing with her mother every night. By quizzing her on words, Nicole’s mother said, “She’s teaching me while I try to teach her.”
Have you ever struggled with something to get to your American Dream? What did you do to overcome it and succeed? Share it with us at KeepersoftheAmericanDream.org.
“I can’t lie—I really want that trophy,” said 12 year old Nicole Petry when she was asked about the Scripps National Spelling Bee competition.
Her statement would have surprised anyone who knew Nicole three years ago when she arrived from Brazil and was too embarrassed to speak up in class because of her broken English.
Going to school was a daily struggle. She recalled that one of the first times she spoke up in class she didn’t say anything but “meow” when her teacher asked her a question.
Over the next year she worked hard and made great progress to become more proficient in English.
As Nicole’s confidence grew, she decided to enter her school’s spelling bee and won the school competition. The following year, she championed the Fort Worth, TX school district spelling bee.
The secret to her success – practicing with her mother every night. By quizzing her on words, Nicole’s mother said, “She’s teaching me while I try to teach her.”
Have you ever struggled with something to get to your American Dream? What did you do to overcome it and succeed? Share it with us at KeepersoftheAmericanDream.org.
Still in Jail - Day 1
from Mohammad Abdollahi, co-founder of DreamActivist.org
Everyone,
We need your help! We need $2,000 to bail the DREAMers out of jail. Donate at least $25 if you can!
Just in case you missed it, yesterday, seven brave undocumented youth took part in a sit-in at Georgia State University. The seven, Georgina Perez, David Ramirez, Andrea Rosales, Dayanna Rebolledo, Viridiana Martinez, Jose Rico Benavides and Maria Marroquin, were arrested for simply asking the University not comply with the ban on undocumented youth. Clearly the University had chosen which side it will be on and that isn't the side of education, rather deportation.
All seven are still in jail. They have a bond of $2,000 each before we can pull them out. We need 80 people to donate $25 each so we can get the seven out of jail.
If you can, please donate $25 now. If you can't donate, then please find some friends who can.
Everyone,
We need your help! We need $2,000 to bail the DREAMers out of jail. Donate at least $25 if you can!
Just in case you missed it, yesterday, seven brave undocumented youth took part in a sit-in at Georgia State University. The seven, Georgina Perez, David Ramirez, Andrea Rosales, Dayanna Rebolledo, Viridiana Martinez, Jose Rico Benavides and Maria Marroquin, were arrested for simply asking the University not comply with the ban on undocumented youth. Clearly the University had chosen which side it will be on and that isn't the side of education, rather deportation.
All seven are still in jail. They have a bond of $2,000 each before we can pull them out. We need 80 people to donate $25 each so we can get the seven out of jail.
If you can, please donate $25 now. If you can't donate, then please find some friends who can.
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
Fifty Talk Radio Hosts Heading to Washington, D.C., on April 6 and 7 for Live National "Town Hall" Immigration Broadcast
PRESS RELEASE
Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011 will bring together 50 talk radio hosts, broadcasting to all 50 states, for a two-day "Electronic Town Hall" dedicated to discussing U.S. immigration policy. The annual event is organized by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and will take place on April 6 and 7 at Washington's Phoenix Park Hotel.
The 50 talk hosts, who will be joined by concerned citizen activists, will be delivering a clear message to Congress and the Obama administration: The American people want immigration reform. They want it this year. And they want the policy fixed so that it serves the interests of the American people, not the people who break our immigration laws.
During the two-day immigration town hall of the airwaves, the ballrooms of the Phoenix Park Hotel will be turned into dozens of makeshift radio studios. The fifty broadcasters have scheduled interviews with members of Congress, leading policy analysts, law enforcement personnel and activists who will be lobbying on Capitol Hill.
In past years, Hold Their Feet to the Fire has been credited with helping defeat legislation that would have granted illegal aliens amnesty. As the 112th Congress settles down to attending the people's business, Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011 will build on the momentum of past years and on the push for real immigration reform that is coming from the grassroots.
Hold Their Feet to the Fire is open to credentialed media who want to cover the largest immigration-media event of the year and the largest gathering ever of talk hosts. Radio hosts, FAIR spokespeople and others will be available to speak to the media.
WHAT: Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011
WHEN: April 6 and 7 (5A-11PM both days)
WHERE: The Phoenix Park Hotel, 520 North Capitol Street, Washington, D.C.
Contact: Kristen Williamson (202) 328-7004. Cell 847-651-8611. kwilliamson@fairus.org
SOURCE FAIR
/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE -- March 31, 2011/
Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011 will bring together 50 talk radio hosts, broadcasting to all 50 states, for a two-day "Electronic Town Hall" dedicated to discussing U.S. immigration policy. The annual event is organized by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and will take place on April 6 and 7 at Washington's Phoenix Park Hotel.
The 50 talk hosts, who will be joined by concerned citizen activists, will be delivering a clear message to Congress and the Obama administration: The American people want immigration reform. They want it this year. And they want the policy fixed so that it serves the interests of the American people, not the people who break our immigration laws.
During the two-day immigration town hall of the airwaves, the ballrooms of the Phoenix Park Hotel will be turned into dozens of makeshift radio studios. The fifty broadcasters have scheduled interviews with members of Congress, leading policy analysts, law enforcement personnel and activists who will be lobbying on Capitol Hill.
In past years, Hold Their Feet to the Fire has been credited with helping defeat legislation that would have granted illegal aliens amnesty. As the 112th Congress settles down to attending the people's business, Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011 will build on the momentum of past years and on the push for real immigration reform that is coming from the grassroots.
Hold Their Feet to the Fire is open to credentialed media who want to cover the largest immigration-media event of the year and the largest gathering ever of talk hosts. Radio hosts, FAIR spokespeople and others will be available to speak to the media.
WHAT: Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2011
WHEN: April 6 and 7 (5A-11PM both days)
WHERE: The Phoenix Park Hotel, 520 North Capitol Street, Washington, D.C.
Contact: Kristen Williamson (202) 328-7004. Cell 847-651-8611. kwilliamson@fairus.org
SOURCE FAIR
/PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE -- March 31, 2011/
House Subcommittee Continues Assault on All Forms of Immigration
For Immediate Release
April 5, 2011
Washington D.C. - Opponents of immigration reform are often quick to differentiate their disdain for unauthorized immigration from their alleged support of legal immigration. However, finding any evidence of that support has always been elusive and, over the past several months, the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement has conducted hearings that question the value of all forms of immigration. They continue to perpetuate the myth that all immigrants - including legal immigrants - are stealing jobs from native-born workers.
Today, the committee continues these same attacks on legal channels of immigration with a hearing on diversity visas, a program which provides 55,000 green cards annually by lottery to persons from countries that do not currently send many immigrants to the United States. The diversity visa is a relatively small program designed to increase the diversity of our immigrant flows. One prime example of a diversity visa winner is famed soccer player Freddy Adu.
The Subcommittee's hearing last week on H-1B visas was another example of their political strategy that attempts to pit one category of immigrants against another, as well as to isolate issues rather than looking at them in context.The H-1B visa program is the main immigration category used by U.S. employers to bring foreign, professional-level talent to the U.S. for key positions. While it is used a great deal by the IT industry, it is also used for countless other highly specialized positions that require at least a baccalaureate degree in a specific field. H-1B petitions are sought for nanoscientists, applied mathematicians, risk analysts, pharmaceutical researchers, automotive designers, international legal experts, film editors, and micro-imaging engineers. We know that despite the high rate of unemployment in the U.S., we still have major shortages in highly technical fields. The H-1B is often used by employers to address those shortages. Furthermore, studies show that, overall, five jobs are created for every H-1B worker brought into the U.S. The sharing of knowledge in highly technical fields typically results in innovation and expansion of opportunities and employment for native-born workers.
While there are a range of appropriate questions that can be asked about immigration, proposing the elimination of a class of visas without looking at the broader issues inevitably pits groups of immigrants and other stakeholders against each other - rather than creating a real dialogue about how to create an immigration system that operates as a valuable resource to the American economy. The lack of genuine oversight and stewardship on the part of the Subcommittee's leadership makes one wonder what their real motives are.
###
For press inquiries, contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
or 202-507-7524.
April 5, 2011
Washington D.C. - Opponents of immigration reform are often quick to differentiate their disdain for unauthorized immigration from their alleged support of legal immigration. However, finding any evidence of that support has always been elusive and, over the past several months, the House Subcommittee on Immigration Policy and Enforcement has conducted hearings that question the value of all forms of immigration. They continue to perpetuate the myth that all immigrants - including legal immigrants - are stealing jobs from native-born workers.
Today, the committee continues these same attacks on legal channels of immigration with a hearing on diversity visas, a program which provides 55,000 green cards annually by lottery to persons from countries that do not currently send many immigrants to the United States. The diversity visa is a relatively small program designed to increase the diversity of our immigrant flows. One prime example of a diversity visa winner is famed soccer player Freddy Adu.
The Subcommittee's hearing last week on H-1B visas was another example of their political strategy that attempts to pit one category of immigrants against another, as well as to isolate issues rather than looking at them in context.The H-1B visa program is the main immigration category used by U.S. employers to bring foreign, professional-level talent to the U.S. for key positions. While it is used a great deal by the IT industry, it is also used for countless other highly specialized positions that require at least a baccalaureate degree in a specific field. H-1B petitions are sought for nanoscientists, applied mathematicians, risk analysts, pharmaceutical researchers, automotive designers, international legal experts, film editors, and micro-imaging engineers. We know that despite the high rate of unemployment in the U.S., we still have major shortages in highly technical fields. The H-1B is often used by employers to address those shortages. Furthermore, studies show that, overall, five jobs are created for every H-1B worker brought into the U.S. The sharing of knowledge in highly technical fields typically results in innovation and expansion of opportunities and employment for native-born workers.
While there are a range of appropriate questions that can be asked about immigration, proposing the elimination of a class of visas without looking at the broader issues inevitably pits groups of immigrants and other stakeholders against each other - rather than creating a real dialogue about how to create an immigration system that operates as a valuable resource to the American economy. The lack of genuine oversight and stewardship on the part of the Subcommittee's leadership makes one wonder what their real motives are.
###
For press inquiries, contact Wendy Sefsaf at wsefsaf@immcouncil.org
or 202-507-7524.
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