MIGRATION UPDATE

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
August 12, 2015

In Message to Iraqi Refugees, Pope Condemns World’s Silence

National Catholic Reporter (August 6, 2015)

At a prayer service in Amman, Jordan to mark the one-year anniversary of the flight of thousands of persecuted Christians from Iraq, Bishop Nunzio Galantino, secretary-general of the Italian bishops' conference delivered a message from Pope Francis to Iraqi refugees. His Holiness offered “a word of hope to those, oppressed by violence, who were forced to abandon their homes and their land.” Pope Francis praised those assisting refugees and prayed for the world community to respond to religious persecution. The pope further stated that he hoped his words would be “the sign of a church that does not forget and does not abandon its children who were exiled because of their faith.”

To read more, visit http://ncronline.org/news/vatican/message-iraqi-refugees-pope-condemns-world-s-silence.

Paid $1 to $3 a Day, Unauthorized Immigrants Keep Family Detention Centers Running

Los Angeles Times (August 3, 2015)

Immigrants detained at federal immigration detention facilities and contract facilities can earn $1 to $3 per day to perform work such as cooking, cleaning, laundering or landscaping. Immigrant advocates allege that detainees are being barred from participating as a form of punishment or punished for not willingly participating in these voluntary programs. The wages offered (which are substantially less than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour) have prompted advocates to argue that detainees are essentially serving as slave labor for the federal government and its private contractors. Ironically, detainees who are not authorized to work in the United States are being permitted to work for the detention facilities.

To read more, visit http://www.latimes.com/nation/immigration/la-na-detention-immigration-workers-20150803-story.html#page=1

‘They Treat You Like an Inmate’

Why does the United States spend so much money and time detaining asylum seekers who can’t stay here? 
Politico Magazine:  Letter from El Paso (August 3, 2015)
 
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spends almost $2 billion a year running detention facilities. People arriving in the United States without authorization and seeking asylum are subject to mandatory detention until they can demonstrate a “credible fear” of persecution and the US government has verified their identity, that they are not a flight risk or a threat to the community, and they are likely to show up for future immigration hearings. Before their “credible fear” interviews, asylum seekers are often detained for indefinite periods with no information from the government on how long they must remain in custody.
 
To read more, visit http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/08/border-detention-immigration-texas-120947.html#.Vco-M_lVhBc.

Six Take-aways from the First Presidential Debate on Immigration Issues

Immigration Impact (August 7, 2015)

On August 6th, ten candidates for the Republican nomination for US President appeared in Cleveland, Ohio for the first debate of the primary season. The author of this blog lists six immigration-related points that came out of the debate. For the most part, the candidates focused on increased immigration enforcement and border security. In addition, the author notes, Donald Trump repeated his previous comments that immigrants are criminals.

To read more, visit http://immigrationimpact.com/2015/08/07/first-gop-debate-immigration/.

5 Things to Know About the US Human Trafficking Report

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention (July 29, 2015)

On July 27, the US Department of State issued its annual “Trafficking in Persons Report” outlining the status of 188 countries in fighting human trafficking and slavery. The report places countries – based on how well they are fighting human trafficking – into three tiers: Tier 1 (the highest rating reflects that the country is doing very well in fighting human trafficking) to Tier 3 (the lowest ranking reflects that the country is doing a poor job at fighting trafficking and is not making significant strides in improving). The article points out that being designated as a Tier 3 country has negative financial impact on the country by barring the country from: (1) receiving non-humanitarian aid from the United States; (2) participating in educational and cultural exchange programs; and (3) benefiting from a fast-track trade status with the United States. The article also reports that some countries (e.g., Malaysia and Saudi Arabia) were upgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2 despite complaints from human rights advocates that the countries have not adequately addressed their human trafficking problems.

To read more, visit https://erlc.com/article/5-things-to-know-about-the-u.s.-human-trafficking-report.

To download the “Trafficking in Persons Report 2015,” visit http://www.state.gov/j/tip/rls/tiprpt/2015/index.htm

California Effort to Issue Driver’s Licenses to Immigrants Receives Surge of Applicants

The New York Times (August 8, 2015)

In 2015, California started issuing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. More than fifty percent of the 883,000 licenses issued between January and the end of July were granted to undocumented immigrants. State officials predict that they will issue 1.5 million licenses to undocumented people within three years. Many applaud this policy because it supports the integration of undocumented immigrants into the economy. Critics claim that it interferes with federal immigration policy and creates a magnet effect, attracting more undocumented immigrants to the state.

To read more, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/us/california-effort-to-issue-drivers-licenses-to-immigrants-receives-surge-of-applicants.html?emc=edit_tnt_20150808&nlid=47251438&tntemail0=y&_r=0.

NEW FROM CMS

Migration Experts Series | Father Bruno Ciceri (Video)

(Posted August 7, 2015)

CMS interviews Father Bruno Ciceri, Director of the Apostleship of the Sea for the Pontifical Council for the Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples, on his new book and on the pastoral care of seafarers, fishers, and their families.

To read more, visit http://cmsny.org/mes-bruno-ciceri/

 

ARTICLE | Immigration Reform and Administrative Relief for 2014 and Beyond: A Report on Behalf of the Committee for Immigration Reform Implementation (CIRI), Human Resources Working Group

(Posted August 10, 2015)

CMS published a new Journal on Migration and Human Security article describing the human and financial resources that will be needed to build community capacity in order to coordinate the successful implementation of a large-scale legalization program.

To download the report, visit http://jmhs.cmsny.org/index.php/jmhs/article/view/53


EVENT | Immigration Reform and Administrative Relief: 2014 and Beyond

On Tuesday, September 15, 2015 from 2pm-5pm at CMS offices (307 East 60th Street, 6th Floor, New York), Charles Kamasaki (National Council of La Raza), Susan Timmons (American Immigration Lawyers Association), and Courtney Tudy (World Relief) will discuss the new report, “Immigration Reform and Administrative Relief for 2014 and Beyond: A Report on Behalf of the Committee for Immigration Reform Implementation (CIRI), Human Resources Working Group.”  To register, visit http://goo.gl/forms/8CKlQHS4JN

To read more, visit http://cmsny.org/event-immigration-reform-and-administrative-relief-2014-and-beyond/

If you are a migrant or pastoral worker and wish to submit an article or reflection to the CMS Migration Update, please email Tom Shea at tshea@cmsny.org

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