Blog: Think Immigration
We believe that immigration law is an integral part of America’s past, present and future. We also know that immigration law is complicated. Here you’ll find experts writing in an accessible way about immigration issues, from big, broad ideas down to specific cases. Our members bring knowledge they’ve gleaned from the daily practice of immigration law to this space and offer their expertise to readers.
Browse the Blog: Think Immigration collection
It’s The Economy Stupid
Today's New York Times editorial offers a cogent explanation for why the major unions have come together in support of a comprehensive overhaul of our immigration system. http://tinyurl.com/dfew2h Stated simply, it makes economic sense for workers and organized labor. An undocumented work force that
Immigration and the Pulitzer Prize
Today, Ryan Gabrielson and Paul Giblin of the East Valley Tribune in Mesa, Arizona were awarded the Pulitzer Prize for their series of articles of the infamous “Sheriff Joe“ of Maricopa County. The Tribune won the most prestigious award in journalism for revealing how a popular sheriff's focus
Searching for the Truth in the Immigration Spin Cycle
Sifting through immigration rhetoric for the truth is a herculean task for even the most dedicated on the complex issue of immigration policy in the U.S. For example:1. The Human Rights Watch Report entitled “Forced Apart by the Numbers“ (April 15, 2009) notes that although federal authorities
AILA MAP Volunteer Meets with Success
In the midst of all the bad news constantly coming out of the USCIS, it is nice to hear some good news. Kudos to AILA Member Frances O'Connell Taylor for efforts as part of AILA's Military Assistance Program in securing the naturalization of Sargent Juan Luis Alcivar this week. Alcivar, 25, was swor
Is The Third Time Really A Charm? Let’s Hope So!
Maybe there is some truth to the saying. But it also helps to have an administration committed to change. And President Obama has put fixing our broken immigration system on his “to do list“ for this year. The New York Times is reporting this morning that the major labor federations, the AFL-C
The Search For Truth Reveals Justice
I had a fabulous but all too rare experience with an ICE trial attorney in immigration court last week. The case was a hard fought asylum claim by a Middle Eastern woman who is afraid to go home. I called a country conditions expert as our first witness. After I qualified her the TA asked […]
Ending Gulags in the United States
On April 3, Nina Bernstein published another excellent article in the New York Times entitled, Immigrant Detainee Dies, and a Life is Buried, Too. According to her article, the latest list of deaths published by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) dated February 7, 2009 notes 90 deaths of immi
The “New” Form I-9–What Hell Hath USCIS Wrought?
Today is the first day that the “new“ Form I-9 must be used by all U.S. employers. The problem? The new Form I-9 is virtually the same as the “old“ Form I-9, but the new Form I-9 disallows an entire segment of the authorized legal work population from using documents they previously used
Game Over: Accused Nazi Death Camp Gaurd John Demjanjuk to Be Deported to Germany Sunday
It's ironic. In the end it's the Germans who will make the deportation of accused Nazi death camp guard John Demjanjuk a reality. Demjanjuk's case has been in and out of the headlines for the past 30 years, ever since the US Department of Justice began its efforts to strip him of his US citizenship
What a Difference a Year Makes
Nearly a year ago, on May 12, 2008, we witnessed the largest worksite raid in US history when ICE stormed the Agriprocessor's meat packing plaint in Postville, Iowa. The massive raid lead to the arrest and criminal prosecution of nearly 400 undocumented workers, mostly uneducated Guatemalan farmers.
Two Excellent Editorials in Today’s New York Times
Check out “Border Control“ The Times' editorial arguing that a realistic border policy can only be implemented in conjunction with comprehensive immigration reform http://tinyurl.com/crt8x2. And don't miss Lawrence Downes' thoughtful piece “Don't Deport Benita Veliz“, calling for passage
MSNBC Does Immigrant Detention
Its about time that the National Media started paying attention to America's new Gulag system of immigrant detention. Building remote detention centers with private contractors in places without lawyers, monitoring or relation to the location of the detained immigrant's family is just not right. Dep
H-1Bs, April 1, The “Lottery”, and a New Harvard Study
Last week the Center for Global Development announced a research project to be conducted by Michael Clemens, PhD, a Harvard-trained economist. The study is desiged to shed light on HOW the H-1B lottery affects highly-skilled workers from abroad. The study team is looking for foreign nationals intere
U.S. Mexico Actions Against Cartel Violence – A Local View
This is my twenty-third year of living along the border here in El Paso, Texas next to Cd. Juarez. From my window, I can see two of our ports of entry. I also spent four years as President of the El Paso Foreign Trade Association years ago working on the the funding, staffing, and creation […]
The Fight for the Immigration Soul of the Republican Party
There is a debate raging on the website of the National Review-the bastion of Conservative Republican thought. This debate is between the inward thinking, anti-immigrationists lead by the false conservative and now outed xenophobe Mark Krikorian, along with his political ally Rep. Lamar Smith verus
AILA Members Bring Message of Immigration Reform to Washington
Hats off to the AILA advocacy staff for organizing a successful National Day of Action on Capitol Hill. AILA members from all over the U.S. were in Washington, DC yesterday to lobby members of Congress on the need for a workable, user friendly, safe, and orderly immigration system. The day started w
It’s Time to Engage the Hate Mongers!
Just a couple days following my election to AILA National Secretary, I received a phone call from a good friend directing me to a website for an organization describing itself as a champion of American values. After a cursory review, it was obvious the entity was composed of immigrant bashers blamin
Treating Immigrants Worse than Criminals
We all know that, if you get caught breaking the law, you risk getting arrested and a trip to jail.But we've got a pretty fair system, right?You can make a free phone call, talk to a lawyer, and get a hearing in front of a judge, pretty much right away, don't you?The bad guys go […]
“Say Please” or Bullies at the Border
Last week a member of the CBP committee forwarded an article about a Canadian national, Desiderio Fortunato, who refused to turn his car engine off at a border crossing point east of Vancouver, until and unless the CBP officer said “Please.“ http://a123.g.akamai.net/f/123/12465/1d/www.national
Unfairness, Damn Unfairness, and the Immigration and Nationality Act
It would take pages and pages—far more words than would fit into this blog—for me to describe all the unjust provisions in the immigration statute, but the one that is bothering me at the moment is INA § 241(a)(5), reinstatement of removal. On its face, reinstatement of a removal order against a for
The Border, The Economy, and CBP
The LA Times Reports that apprehensions of undocumented migrants are down significantly this year, and appear to have dropped to levels not seen since the 1970s. In fact, the Yuma Sector of the Border Patrol reported not a single arrest for 2 days in December 2008. This from a Sector that was featur
Border Security
From the West Texas town of El Paso —- Out here we are clear that every day we continue to spend fighting on what constitutes immigration reform is further eroding our ability to achieve a better semblance of border security.
Where O Where Have The High Skilled Workers Gone?
The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation released a Study yesterday that indicates placing limits on foreign workers in the U.S. is not the answer to the country's rising unemployment rate and may undermine efforts to spur technological innovation. You have to ask yourself, “Is anyone surprised by this?