Illegal immigration

Fearful immigrants trickle back into Alabama
After Alabama enacted its tough new immigration laws last September, the state saw a large exodus of fearful immigrants who packed up their entire families and fled the state; since the law went into effect, some illegal immigrants have begun returning to the state
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DHS suspends expansion of Secure Communities in Alabama
Due to ongoing federal litigation against Alabama’s tough new immigration laws, DHS has halted the expansion of the Secure Communities immigration program in the state; the law has been tied up in legal battles, and a federal appeals court has already blocked portions of it
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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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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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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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Texas pushes undocumented college students to become legal
Texas lawmakers recently amended a law to encourage undocumented immigrants, who have been allowed to attend college and pay in-state tuition rates, to seek legal immigration status
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Was/is border National Guard really worth it?
Since 2006, National Guard troops have been deployed to the U.S.-Mexico border under the assumption that they would help bolster security; with little training, Congressional oversight, or analysis, it is difficult to say how effective the National Guard Troops were; $1.35 billion later, was it really worth it?; as Congress authorizes another $60 million to keep troops stationed along the border, we must ask once more, was it really worth it?
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Administration loosens visa requirements, expands VWP
President Obama, during a visit to Disneyland, announced that the administration was working on expanding the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), and waiving the consular interview requirement for people renewing U.S. visas; critics of the administration’s immigration policy are upset.
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DHS: more than 1,600 deportation cases should be closed
As part of the Obama administration’s ongoing efforts to shift its immigration policy to deporting dangerous illegal immigrants, last week DHS officials recommended canceling deportation proceedings against more than 1,600 illegal immigrants in Denver and Baltimore who were not deemed a threat
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ICE union slows Obama’s deportation policy shift
An internal disagreement within DHS is hampering the implementation of President Obama’s new immigration strategy which focuses primarily on deporting immigrants convicted of violent crimes
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Missouri proposes tough Alabama-like immigration law
Following in the footsteps of Alabama, lawmakers in Missouri are considering a bill that would require public schools to check the immigration status of children and for law enforcement officers to determine if an individual is legally in the United States
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DHS IG critical of ICE deportation review process
DHS Inspector General’s report on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (ICE) handling of the review process of 300,000 pending deportation cases offers ammunition to critics of the administration’s immigration policies
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Texas unveils armed patrol boat
The Texas Highway Patrol recently added a fully-armed patrol boat to help officers secure the Texas-Mexico border
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