A publication of the Center for Migration Studies (CMS)
CMS Migration Update is a weekly digest of news and other information related to national and international migration.  It is designed to educate faith leaders regarding vulnerable immigrant populations, developments in the immigration field, pastoral resources and the religious touchstones of diverse faith traditions on migrants and newcomers. It should not be relied upon to provide advice or counsel in immigration cases. The publication is provided by the Center for Migration Studies of New York (CMS), an educational institute/think-tank devoted to the study of international migration, to the promotion of understanding between immigrants and receiving communities, and to public policies that safeguard the dignity and rights of migrants, refugees and newcomers. CMS is a member of the Scalabrini International Migration Network, an international network of shelters, welcoming centers, and other ministries for migrants.
Thomas J. Shea
Editor
Rachel Reyes
Communications Coordinator
February 11, 2014

Poll: Two-thirds support pathway to citizenship

The Hill (January 23, 2014)

According to a recent Fox News poll, nearly 70 percent of voters support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.  75 percent of Democrats, 70 percent of Independents, and 60 percent of Republicans support a pathway to citizenship.  The poll results were released in January. There were 1,010 respondents with a 3 percent margin of error.  It appears to be yet another example of how the American public is ready for Congress to take action and pass comprehensive immigration reform.

To read more, visit http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/196183-poll-68-percent-support-pathway-to-citizenship.

The Broader Lesson From Garcia's Fight To Practice

The National Law Journal (January 27, 2014)

Sergio Garcia, an undocumented immigrant in California, won his fight to become a licensed attorney in California.  The California Supreme court decided that he was not automatically disqualified from obtaining an attorney license because he was undocumented. Although he is now a licensed attorney, he is still undocumented and therefore faces many bars to employment and otherwise integrating into our society.  The hurdles he faces to live a full life in the United States are the same that most undocumented people, who are American in every way except on paper, must overcome. His story speaks to the need for Congress to open up a pathway to citizenship for undocumented people.

To read more, visit http://www.nationallawjournal.com/id=1202639795365/The-Broader-Lesson-From-Garcia%27s-Fight-To-Practice#ixzz2srM8TaR8.

Second-Class Noncitizens

The New York Times (The Opinion Pages) (January 30, 2014)

The Republican principles on immigration that were released at the end of January rules out a “special path to citizenship” for most of the undocumented people currently residing in the United States but it does not rule out a pathway to legalize their status.  This could ultimately lead to the creation of a permanent underclass of people who could live and work in the United States but who could never become U.S. citizens. Such a policy ignores the reality that undocumented immigrants have become a part of our society, and it also prevents their full social, economic, and political integration.

To read more, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/31/opinion/second-class-noncitizens.html?_r=0.

In a Crowded Immigration Court, Seven Minutes to Decide a Family’s Future

The Washington Post (February 2, 2014)

With limited resources, immigration judges in the United States often must hear and render decisions in complicated cases within minutes.  One immigration judge described it as “[l]ike doing death-penalty cases in a traffic-court setting.”  Decisions can result in permanent exile for some people and the corresponding long-term -- if not permanent --separation from U.S. family members. This article gives good insight into what undocumented people can expect to face if they are arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) and placed in removal proceedings.

To read more, visit http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/in-a-crowded-immigration-court-seven-minutes-to-decide-a-familys-future/2014/02/02/518c3e3e-8798-11e3-a5bd-844629433ba3_story.html.

Chuck Schumer, Paul Ryan Talking on Immigration

Politico (February 4, 2014)

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has met at least four times in the past year with Republican Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin for informal discussions about immigration reform.  Schumer has pressed Ryan to lead on immigration reform.  Although there are no formal agreements resolving the stalemate in the House of Representatives, this is just one example of how senior leaders from both parties continue to have serious conversations to try to move immigration reform forward.

To read more, visit http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/immigration-chuck-schumer-paul-ryan-103057.html.

Extorted, Detained and Deported

Colorlines (February 3, 2014)

This article relates the story of one man, Hugo Barreno Rodriguez, an undocumented immigrant from Guatemala who worked at Waste Pro waste management company in Ft. Pierce, Florida.  It is a cautionary tale of how employers take advantage of and mistreat undocumented people, who are often desperate to earn enough to support themselves and their families.  According to the Labor Department, Waste Pro illegally required workers to pay “work initiation” fees in order to get work and regularly forced them to work 55-to-60-hour weeks without paying them overtime. Waste Pro reportedly threatened to fire employees who took a sick day and then forced them to pay another “work initiation” fee if they took a sick day.  If employees complained, the company also threatened to have employees deported.  When Mr. Barreno received a serious injury at work, his employer did not take him to the hospital and only allowed him one sick day.   The company filed fraudulent workers comp claims, which ultimately led to an ICE raid on the company during which Mr. Barreno was arrested and deported from the United States.  The silver lining in the story is that Mr. Barreno might be able to return to the United States on a U nonimmigrant visa as a victim of a serious crime.  If Congress would pass comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship, many workers in Mr. Barreno’s position would no longer have to fear threats of deportation from their employers because they could come forward and legalize and receive the labor protections that our laws provide. 

To read more, visit http://colorlines.com/archives/2014/02/extorted_detained_and_deported.html.

Save the Date: 2014 National Migration Conference

Washington, DC (Monday, July 7 through Thursday, July 10th)

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops/Migration and Refugee Services

The National Migration Conference seeks to build the capacity of the Catholic Church to “advance the life and dignity of the human person”  through work with marginalized groups who are on the move (e.g., immigrants, victims of human trafficking, refugees, etc.). Register by February 28th to receive the “early bird” rate.  There will be an “advocacy day” during the conference when participants can visit Congress to advocate to their elected representatives on immigration reform.

To learn more and to register, visit http://www.nationalmigrationconference.org/?utm_source=Migration+%26+Child+Welfare+National+Network+E-News&utm_campaign=6fbf48863a-MCWNN_E_News_061013&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_4a8508bf17-6fbf48863a-66938593.

Immigration Reform’s Other Hurdle

Politico (February 5, 2014)

Discussion about immigration reform often revolves around whether there should be a pathway to citizenship for the more than 11 million undocumented people living in the United States.  Yet, there is another even trickier issue that poses a potential roadblock to addressing immigration reform:  a guest worker program.  After long and difficult negotiations, the AFL-CIO (labor) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (business) came to an agreement in March 2013 about how many low-skilled workers could temporarily come to the United States each year.  Their agreement was one of the final hurdles for the Senate to overcome in order to pass their immigration reform proposal last June.  If legislators start tinkering with this agreement, it might lead to the collapse of reform efforts.

To read more, visit http://www.politico.com/story/2014/02/immigration-reform-house-republicans-103182.html.

The Promise and Pitfalls of the House Republican Standards for Immigration Reform

The Huffington Post (February 5, 2014)

When the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives released their “Standards for Immigration Reform” in late January, they indicated that they would not pursue the Senate’s bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform proposal which passed in June of 2013.  Instead, the Republicans indicated that they would pursue a step-by-step approach to immigration reform.  Nevertheless, their immigration reform standards addressed three major areas of comprehensive immigration reform:  (1) immigration enforcement (including border security), (2) reform of the process for immigrants to legally immigrate to the United States, and (3) legalization of undocumented immigrants.  These reform standards offer an opportunity for the Dems and Republicans to still come to an agreement on immigration reform.

To read more, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donald-kerwin/the-promise-and-pitfalls-_b_4730115.html.

Boehner Doubts Immigration Bill Will Pass in 2014

The New York Times (February 6, 2014)

Under growing and fierce opposition to immigration reform among conservative Republicans, House Speaker John Boehner announced last week that it was unlikely that the House could pass an immigration reform bill in 2014.  The Speaker blamed the impasse on the Obama Administration claiming that Obama’s executive actions in delaying the implementation of or not enforcing parts of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) have led House members to not trust him to impartially enforce an immigration reform law passed by Congress.

To read more, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/07/us/politics/boehner-doubts-immigration-overhaul-will-pass-this-year.html?emc=edit_tnt_20140206&tntemail0=y.

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