Borders/Immig

GOP proposes ending child tax credits to undocumented immigrants
A new proposal by Republican lawmakers could end child tax credits to undocumented immigrants
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Minnesota becomes twenty-seventh state to fully join Secure Communities
Last week Minnesota joined the controversial federal immigration program known as Secure Communities, while critics continue to blast the program; Minnesota is the twenty-seventh state fully to join the now mandatory program designed to share fingerprint information with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
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New Mexico considers ending immigrant licenses
Lawmakers in New Mexico are considering a bill that would repeal a state law that permits undocumented immigrants to receive state driver’s licenses
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Proposed law to expand Visa Waiver Program
Late last month lawmakers introduced a bill that would amend the U.S. Visa Waiver Program making it easier for citizens of certain countries to enter the United States for short-periods of time without a visa
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U.S. constructing $4.3M maritime fence to stop smugglers
To prevent drug traffickers and human smugglers from entering the United States via boat, border authorities are constructing a steel and concrete barrier 300 feet out into the Pacific Ocean just south of San Diego
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Border Patrol begins construction on outpost in remote corner of N.M.
In New Mexico’s remote Bootheel region, drug smugglers and illegal border crossers will no longer be able to slip through undetected by Border Patrol agents; U.S. Border Patrol recently announced that it was building a new outpost in one of the last unguarded regions along the southwestern border
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ICE appoints first immigration advocate
Earlier this week the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency announced that it had appointed Andrew Lorenzen-Straight as its new public advocate to handle all questions and complaints about immigration policy
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Major shipping companies inadvertently aid smugglers
A new study on sea trafficking reveals that the large majority of ships involved in the illegal transfer of weapons, drugs, and banned missile or WMD equipment are owned by major shipping companies in the United States, Germany, and Greece
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CBP overtime costs soar, agency seeks solutions
Over the past six years U.S. Border Patrol agents have accrued more and more overtime pay at the same time that the number of arrests for illegal crossers has fallen to record lows; the cost of overtime has rocketed from roughly $156 million in 2006 to more than $331 million in 2011, with DHS spending more than $1.4 billion total during that time period
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CBP considers relocating agents to stop corruption
With the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) struggling to prevent corruption within its ranks, the Obama administration is considering rotating border agents to other locations to separate them from the powerful Mexican drug cartels and their bribes
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Invaders wreak havoc on U.S. ecosystems
In the decade since the 9/11 attacks, DHS’ focus on combatting terrorism has left some of its core agencies ill-equipped to perform its other missions, namely the Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) ability to prevent invasive plants and insects from entering the United States and wreaking havoc on crops
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Mexico , the next private contracting boom?
As military spending winds down in Iraq and Afghanistan, security contractors eying lucrative opportunities are looking towards Mexico, but strict gun laws and a turbulent environment greatly complicate things
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Clearing trash along borders becomes increasingly dangerous
Cleaning up the trash left behind by illegal border crossers is becoming increasingly more difficult and dangerous as immigrants move towards more remote areas
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Battling smugglers along Canadian border
To help stem the flow of drugs across the porous northern border, federal authorities are working closely with tribal law enforcement agencies on Native American lands near Canada, providing equipment and training
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U.S. Chamber of Commerce: ease immigration laws to stimulate economy
According to a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, easing immigration policies will stimulate economic growth by encouraging more entrepreneurs from abroad to work in the United States
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