Daily news updates from CIS

March 19, 2010

Domestic News

Support the Center for Immigration Studies by donating on line here: http://cis.org/donate

[For CISNEWS subscribers --

1. Obama gives nod to Schumer/Graham amnesty plan (2 stories, 5 links)
2. Obama extends deferment of Liberian expulsions
3. Amnesty activists to descend upon Washington DC (story, 4 links)
4. Hispanic Caucus throws support behind health care (story, link)
5. TX GOP Rep. demands improved border security
6. Study warns population growth unsustainable
7. NE governor reiterates opposition to prenatal care for illegals
8. TX governor under fire for border security efforts
9. CNMI passes immigration bill
10. CA GOP gubernatorial hopeful woos Latino voters
11. Sheriff Arpaio begins crime, immigration operation (story, link)
12. Probe into Arpaio enforcement operations is extended
13. IL county sheriff continues lobbying for amnesty
14. CO town resolution favors 'reform'
15. Boston teachers strive to help Haitian transplants
16. Amnesty activists reach out to African Americans
17. Postcard campaign opposes AZ enforcement
18. TX seminar covers structure of immigration system
19. ACLU protests access to info on CA raids
20. AZ business leaders protest long border lines
21. Immigrants recount life under now-lifted HIV ban
22. Abandoned foreign wives find aid from U.S. Army (story, link)
23. Mount Vernon ceremony naturalizes dozens of children
24. Southern business to face ICE audits
25. Convicted CA arsonist paroled, immediately deported
26. Three charged in NY with scamming foreigners (link)

Subscribe to CIS e-mail services here: http://cis.org/immigrationnews.html

-- Mark Krikorian]


1.
Obama backs plan to legalize illegals
By Stephen Dinan
The Washington Times, March 18, 2010
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/18/obama-endorses-immigration-blueprint/

President Obama gave a thumbs up Thursday to the outline of a plan to legalize illegal immigrants and create a flow of low-skilled foreign workers for the future, saying the immigration bill being worked on by a Republican and a Democrat is 'promising.'

In their broad blueprint, Sens. Charles E. Schumer, New York Democrat, and Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, call for illegal immigrants to be put on a path to citizenship, offer green cards to keep high-skilled foreign university graduates and would create a temporary program for low-skilled workers, with some also getting the chance to become citizens.

The senators also proposed to turn all Social Security cards into tamper-proof IDs to be checked by employers when they are about to hire a worker. The cards would include biometric information designed to prevent counterfeiting -- but the senators said the information would not be stored in a government database.

'I congratulate Senators Schumer and Graham for their leadership, and pledge to do everything in my power to forge a bipartisan consensus this year on this important issue so we can continue to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform,' Mr. Obama said in a statement soon after the two senators published their blueprint in a column submitted to The Washington Post.

The carefully orchestrated rollout came just three days before immigrant-rights advocates expect at least 50,000 supporters to rally and march in Washington, D.C., calling for Congress to act. The organizers of the rally had met with Mr. Obama last week and told him he needed to embrace a bill or else the thousands of marchers would be told that he had failed to live up to his promises on this issue.

But the outline is just a first step in what's still a very rocky legislative path.

Rep. Lamar Smith of Texas, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, said flatly that it can't pass.

'The bill doesn't have a prayer, because the American people oppose rewarding lawbreakers, which then encourages illegal immigration,' he said. 'Allowing millions of illegal immigrants to stay and take jobs away from citizens is like giving a burglar a key to the house. Illegal immigrants should return home and play by the rules like millions of legal immigrants.'

And adding to the bill's troubles, Mr. Graham has warned Democrats and Mr. Obama that if they use the budget process to push health care through Congress -- known as reconciliation -- that could poison any chance for bipartisan cooperation on immigration.

Also, the blueprint is broad, and doesn't delve into many key details that could still split the coalition of labor, business, religious and ethnic groups that have joined together to try to pass a bill.

Still, Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, said backers have now checked off the first several steps on their to-do list: The senators have published their outline, Mr. Obama endorsed it, and earlier this week Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, Vermont Democrat, said he was looking forward to moving a bill through his committee.

Mr. Noorani said the next challenges are to see if more Republicans will jump onboard the effort, and to get commitments from House Democrats to move legislation through their chamber.

'We have a bipartisan framework that is going to define a piece of legislation. From here onward, it's a political and legislative battle to get the 60 votes we need [to pass the Senate] and the 218 in the House,' Mr. Noorani said.

Congress last took up immigration in 2007, when President George W. Bush joined with Democratic leaders to write a bill. But a bipartisan majority of senators joined a filibuster to block the bill.

The supporters of the 2007 effort concluded that Americans didn't trust the government to secure the borders and enforce the laws, even as they were offering legalization, particularly since illegal immigration has only grown since a 1986 amnesty.

To combat that impression, Mr. Graham and Mr. Schumer said they'll include new enforcement at both the border and in the country's interior.

'Once it is clear that in 20 years our nation will not again confront the specter of another 11 million people coming here illegally, Americans will embrace more welcoming immigration policies,' they wrote.

They have been working on the proposal for months, sorting out competing interests from business groups, labor unions and immigration advocates. They said their plan has four key components: a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, a program to let in future workers, the improvements in enforcement and the biometric Social Security cards to help employers weed out illegal workers.

The senators said their legalization would be a 'tough but fair' program that would require illegal immigrants to admit they broke the law and make them perform community service and pay a fine.

Illegal immigrants would also have to demonstrate they are proficient at English and pass background checks to gain citizenship.

The plan would offer permanent legal status to foreign students who earn a post-graduate degree from an American university, and creates a future program for low-skilled workers. Businesses could only hire them if no American worker is available, and the number allowed would fluctuate depending on the U.S. economy's needs. Workers who have kept jobs for a long time and have proved valuable members of their community could earn permanent legal status.

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Senators announce framework for bipartisan immigration bill
Charles Schumer, a Democrat, and Lindsey Graham, a Republican, propose increasing resources for border enforcement and legalizing millions of illegal immigrants. President Obama praises the proposal.
By Anna Gorman
The Los Angeles Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immig19-2010mar19,0,7184697.story

Days before a planned march in Washington, D.C., two U.S. senators announced their framework Thursday for a bipartisan immigration bill that would increase resources for border enforcement, create a biometric Social Security card to prevent forgeries and legalize millions of undocumented immigrants.

Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) laid out their proposal in an opinion piece in the Washington Post, saying that 'the American people deserve more than empty rhetoric and impractical calls for mass deportation.' The plan also calls for creation of a program to admit temporary workers.

The announcement was immediately praised by President Obama, who pledged Thursday to help translate the framework into a legislative proposal and to continue working 'to forge a bipartisan consensus this year.'

The senators' plan 'thoughtfully addresses the need to shore up our borders,' Obama said in a statement, 'and demands accountability from both workers who are here illegally and employers who game the system.'

As many as 50,000 faith, labor and immigrant rights advocates are expected at a rally in the nation's capitol Sunday to pressure the White House and legislators to take action on immigration reform. In a conference call Thursday, they called upon the senators to introduce a bill in coming weeks and begin deliberations in April. They warned that politicians could see the consequences in the midterm elections if progress isn't made.

'Immigration reform cannot wait another year, another term,' said Angelica Salas, executive director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. 'The time is now and they are marching in D.C. to make that clear.'

Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, said Thursday that Schumer and Graham understand that the system is broken and needs to be fixed.

'The framework is an important step forward,' Noorani said. 'The likelihood of immigration reform is very, very strong given this strong start.'

Previous efforts to pass immigration reform legislation failed in 2007. Now, with the economic downturn and millions of Americans out of work, opponents said it was even less likely that the public would support the legalization of an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants.

'Allowing millions of illegal immigrants to stay and take jobs away from citizens is like giving a burglar a key to the house,' Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) said in a statement.

Mark Krikorian, from the Center for Immigration Studies, who favors stricter controls on immigration, said he believed that there was 'zero chance' of legislation being signed by the president. 'This is just a way of pretending to show there is progress when there is nothing whatsoever new in what they have written,' he said.

The framework covers familiar territory: border security, interior enforcement, temporary workers and legalization. The legalization plan would require undocumented immigrants to admit they broke the law, perform community service, pay fines and back taxes and learn English. According to the plan, a bill would also give green cards to immigrants who earn a master's or doctorate in science, technology, engineering or math from a U.S. university.

The unveiling of the plan follows a gathering last week of the president, both senators and advocates of reform. Since taking office, Obama and the administration have been reaching out to legislators and advocates to garner support for reforming the immigration system. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has held dozens of meetings with Senate and House members and has held round table sessions with state and local politicians and labor, business and faith groups throughout the nation, including in Seattle, San Francisco and Las Vegas.

Tamar Jacoby, who runs ImmigrationWorks USA, a federation of employers pushing for reform, said she was encouraged by the framework and that it included a plan for more workers to come legally when they were needed. Jacoby said that publishing a framework now shows the public and stakeholders there's momentum for the process.

'Part of passing any bill is about garnering public support,' she said. 'Voters will be paying attention to the issue this weekend.'

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Promises Promises: Obama in Immigration Dance
By Darlene Superville
The Associated Press, March 19, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031900381.html

Obama backs amnesty plan; O.C. reps say no
By Dena Bunis
The Orange County Register (Santa Ana, CA), March 18, 2010
http://www.ocregister.com/news/immigration-240007-graham-obama.html

Obama backs 'framework' to revamp U.S. immigration
By Thomas Ferraro
Reuters, March 19, 2010
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-47039920100318

Obama gives thumbs-up to immigration bill outline, says legislation is next step
By Suzanne Gamboa
The Associated Press, March 18, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-immigration,0,420251.story

2 Senators Offer Immigration Overhaul
By Julia Preston
The New York Times, March 18, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/us/politics/19immig.html

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2.
White House extends status of Liberians in US
The Associated Press, March 19, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031902270.html

Washington, DC (AP) -- President Barack Obama is allowing thousands of Liberians living in the United States to remain in the country for an additional year and a half.

A presidential memorandum issued Friday applies to Liberians who fled the country amid years of civil war and who are living in the United States under 'deferred enforced departure status.'

Their stay was to have expired on March 31, but Obama is directing the Department of Homeland Security to extend it by 18 months.

Large enclaves of Liberians live in states including Rhode Island, New York, Minnesota and the Carolinas.

U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, a Rhode Island Democrat, is praising the extension and says Liberians have become part of the 'fabric of communities across the United States.'

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3.
Immigration reform: Stuck on back burner?
By Julie Shaw
The Philadelphia Daily News, March 19, 2010
http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/88526342.html

Rigoberto Lopez will be one of an expected tens of thousands of people who will descend on Washington on Sunday to press Congress to pass a bill on comprehensive immigration reform.

Lopez, 41, of the Eastwick section of Philadelphia, said he came into this country illegally from Mexico when he was a child after his father was murdered and his mother crossed the border to support him and his siblings.

He is now a U.S. citizen, following a 1986 amnesty that granted legal status to 2.6 million illegal immigrants in the country.

'There are thousands of people going through what my mom went through,' Lopez said.

'They're separated from their families. They're being exploited at work because of legal status.'

He said some people don't realize 'there's so much poverty' and 'really no future' for some immigrants in their home countries.

Ali Kronley, Pennsylvania director for the Reform Immigration for America coalition, one of the main organizers of the rally, said she expects about 1,500 people to go to D.C. from this state. Shuya Ohno, a spokesman in the coalition's national office, said more than 50,000 pro-immigration advocates are expected.

Kronley said advocates are seeking a 'fair and humane path to citizenship for undocumented workers and families who are here now' and reforms in the visa system so that spouses of legal immigrants can come here.

Last week, President Obama met with Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who are drafting a bipartisan immigration bill. In a statement, the president said his 'commitment to comprehensive immigration reform is unwavering.'

The reality, however, is that Obama has placed immigration on the back burner to deal with health care and jobs.

People like Gloria De La Luz, 30, of Norristown, want him to follow up on his campaign promise to fix the 'broken' immigration system. One of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in this country, De La Luz, from Mexico, said she contributes to the economy as a cashier and housekeeper, and by paying taxes.

The bipartisan Senate bill is expected to provide a pathway to legalization for illegal immigrants, as does a House bill introduced last year by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. Analysts say it's important the Senate bill is bipartisan, but they don't believe Congress will tackle the issue this year.

A 'perfect storm' of reasons will push the immigration debate into the future, including the high unemployment rate, the 'bruising' experienced by Democrats on health care and the possibility that Republicans could win more seats in the midterm elections in November, said Steven Camarota, of the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies.

Audrey Singer, of the Brookings Institution, also doesn't expect immigration to be tackled this year, but says this Sunday's march 'will bring even more attention to the issue.'

'The pressure is on,' she said.

While pro-immigrant groups rally their troops, with many buses leaving from the Philadelphia area to D.C., two groups against any path to citizenship for illegal immigrants said they won't stage counterrallies, but will be calling on their members to contact their representatives.

Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA, which seeks to lower immigration levels, said his group's 'members want to know what puts illegal aliens ahead of unemployed Americans?'

Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said 'our view is amnesty is unacceptable' because it rewards people who broke the laws.

Ray Spencer, 52, of Northeast Philadelphia, is one resident who is against any kind of amnesty. He said he is a member of the local paperhangers union, but has been unemployed. Giving illegal immigrants a pathway to legalization is 'like you're a criminal and now we're going to let you start over again,' he said. 'They're taking jobs from us. There are too many people out of work.'

Groups going to D.C. from this area include the Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, Juntos and Democracia Ahora.

Ohno said Sunday's event will start with an interfaith vigil at the National Mall at 1 p.m., followed by speakers at 2 p.m. At 5 p.m., advocates will march to the Capitol, then to RFK stadium, he said.

+++

Latinos press Obama to deliver immigration reform
By Tim Gaynor
Reuters, March 19, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031901566.html

Immigration advocates to gather in Orlando to prepare for D.C. ‘March for America’
Local pep rally Saturday expected to draw hundreds to Citrus Bowl
By Victor Manuel Ramos
The Orlando Sentinel, March 19, 2010
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/os-immigration-march-for-america-20100318,0,6788141.story

Immigrants heading to Washington from across the country to rally for immigration reform
By Deepti Hajela
The Associated Press, March 18, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-immigrant-march,0,1050266.story

Local advocates press Obama for immigration fix
As if President Obama didn't have enough on his plate with health care and a lagging economy, immigrant advocates are turning up the heat, demanding he deliver on promises to fix immigration this year — not next — and that his plan include a legal path for millions of immigrants in the country illegally.
By Lornet Turnbull
The Seattle Times, March 18, 2010
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011382737_immigration19m.html

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4.
Hispanic Dems will vote yes on healthcare
By Jared Allen
The Hill (Washington, DC), March 18, 2010
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/87711-hispanic-dems-will-vote-yes-on-healthcare

President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) secured a critical bloc of healthcare votes on Thursday when the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) announced its support.

Half a dozen members of the CHC held a news conference to announce their support. They were unhappy with language that barred illegal immigrants from accessing the public health insurance exchanges. More than a dozen had threatened to vote against the Senate bill and its companion reconciliation package. The House healthcare bill, which passed by two votes, won the support of every member of the Hispanic Caucus.

Ultimately, the lawmakers determined the fight for the immigration language was not worth killing the broader package. And at least one said his vote came after President Barack Obama this week assured him that he would push for a broad immigration overhaul.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who previously stated he would vote against the bill, said at the news conference that he changed his mind after having a series of conversations with Obama during which the president renewed his commitment to immigration reform.

Gutierrez was joined by Democratic Reps. Charles Gonzalez (Texas), Nydia Velazquez (N.Y.), Xavier Becerra (Calif.), Joe Baca (Calif.) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (Calif.) at the news conference.

Hispanic Democrats said they decided to strengthen their own cause and the president’s hand by helping him attain a major victory. They also said they have set the stage for addressing the public-exchange issue after the healthcare bill becomes law.

'I’ve been a legislator for 35 years,' said Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.). 'Once you have a law on the books, you can amend it as time goes on.'

Gutierrez said he would let Obama announce the details of his immigration reform commitment.

In private conversations, members of the CHC said the decision was reached Thursday morning, and came soon after the unavoidable realization that the bill couldn’t survive without their votes.

'The whole yolk of defeat would be on the 20 people in that room,' a member of the CHC said. 'And that was a fact.'

The National Council of La Raza is standing firm against the bill because of the immigration language.

'The argument that everyone should support healthcare reform because it's for the 'greater good' has given national leaders an excuse to brush off the concerns of the most disenfranchised and vulnerable communities that desperately need results,' Jennifer Ng'andu, deputy director of La Raza's Health Policy Project, wrote in an op-ed on the Huffington Post Thursday.

'More often than not, appeals to the 'greater good' come at the expense of the most vulnerable communities.'

The group supported the original House healthcare reform bill.

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Congressional Hispanics announce support for health-care bill
By Paul Kane
The Washington Times, March 18, 2010
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/congressional-hispanics-announ.html?wprss=44

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5.
McCaul Demands Immediate Action on Border
The Cypress Times (TX), March 19, 2010
http://www.thecypresstimes.com/article/News/Your_News/MCCAUL_DEMANDS_IMMEDIATE_ACTION_ON_BORDER/28601

Washington, DC -- With the war involving drug cartels once again escalating along the U.S.-Mexico border, Congressman Michael McCaul (R-TX 10) urged the Department of Homeland Security to reprioritize the installation of long-delayed security measures, some of which are part of SBInet, a program that has been plagued with cost overruns and delays.

'She said ‘I want to take a timeout and review this situation, assess SBInet’, Rep. McCaul said during today’s subcommittee hearing, of his conversation with Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. 'We can’t afford any more timeouts. 2008, then 2013, then we were told the earliest this could be completed is 2016. Meanwhile, there’s a war going on. There are people being killed and it’s going to spill over into this country. It’s a security threat not only to Mexico but a national security threat to the United States.'

Congressman McCaul’s latest appeal for increased border security comes after increased violence from drug cartels against U.S. Consulate workers and their families in Juarez.

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6.
Report: Uncontrolled Immigration May Ruin the Environment
The Personal Liberty Digest, March 19, 2010
http://www.personalliberty.com/news/report-uncontrolled-immigration-may-ruin-the-environment-19672750/

A newly released policy brief from Progressives for Immigration Reform (PFIR) contains a warning about the ecological impact of United States population growth.

The report, entitled From Big to Bigger, How Mass Immigration and Population Growth Have Exacerbated America’s Ecological Footprint, examines the impact that uncontrolled growth and high immigration levels are having on the country’s natural environment, and provides scientific evidence for why America is exhausting its natural resources.

Among its major findings, the article reveals that even as the U.S. ecological footprint continues to increase, the Earth’s biocapacity is decreasing. Moreover, if current growth trends continue, the American population will increase 43 percent by 2050, and 82 percent of that growth will result from immigration.

'[We are] living well beyond [our] ecological means and rapid population growth driven primarily by high immigration levels is aggravating the country’s ecological deficit,' says Leon Kolankiewicz, the publication’s author who is a wildlife biologist and consulting environmental planner.

'If environmentalists are serious about facing the challenge of sustainability, they must begin to address the threat of unsustainable U.S. population growth,' he adds.

The report also found that the U.S. has the third-highest ecological footprint in the world, exceeded only by two small Middle Eastern oil-producing countries.

PFIR is a nonprofit organization that seeks to educate the public about the unintended consequences of mass migration and promotes the principles of protecting workers’ rights and ensuring fair wages for America’s workforce.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The PFIR report is available online at: http://www.progressivesforimmigrationreform.org/?s=big+to+bigger

The CIS backgrounder “Immigration to the United States and World-Wide Greenhouse Gas Emissions” is also available online at: http://cis.org/GreenhouseGasEmissions

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7.
Gov. won't budge on prenatal bill
By Paul Hammel
The Omaha World Herald (NE), March 19, 2010
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100319/NEWS01/100319522

Lincoln -- Gov. Dave Heineman on Friday repeated his opposition to taxpayer-funded prenatal services for low-income women who are in the country illegally.

But the pro-life governor declined to say if he would change his mind if women begin choosing abortion because they can't get state-funded preventative health services.

The World-Herald, over the past two days, has reported that at least seven women have told clinicians in Omaha and Schuyler that they plan to seek abortions because they cannot afford the prenatal services themselves.

A Schuyler, Neb., doctor said one of his patients had chosen an abortion, though he declined to name the women due to privacy laws.

During a telephone news conference, Heineman said he hopes the women considering abortion will reconsider. He questioned whether the Schuyler abortion was a confirmed case.

Asked if confirmation would change his mind, the governor said, 'I'm not going to speculate. I think that question would be better directed to the Legislature.'

Offering taxpayer-funded prenatal services to low-income women, regardless of immigration status, was a more than 20-year tradition in Nebraska that ended March 1 under a federal directive. A controversy pitting pro-life and anti-immigration forces has erupted over restoring such aid.

A bill to restore the coverage was killed earlier this week, but on Thursday a trio of state senators said they plan to revive the issue during the final four weeks of the 2010 Legislative session.

'My position is crystal clear,' Heineman said during the press conference. 'It seems to me, each one of you ought to be asking the 48 senators: Where does Sen. White stand? Where does Sen. Fulton stand. Where does Sen. Lathrop stand? Where does Sen. Price stand?'

'I look forward to the reporting on that,' the governor said.

The governor also called out Omaha Sen. Jeremy Nordquist, one of the senators seeking to revive the issue, for opposing the motion to kill the prenatal bill earlier this week.

Nordquist said that it's the custom for lawmakers to provide unanimous consent when a senator asks to kill their own bill, which is what Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell did.

Nordquist said the governor, who is up for re-election this year, could restore prenatal care administratively, but 'he's more interested in pointing fingers.'

'It's obvious that the governor is trying to make this an election issue while women are choosing to terminate the pregnancies of Nebraska babies,' he said.

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8.
White, Perry camps spar over border security
By Christy Hoppe
The Dallas Morning News, March 19, 2010
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/031910dntexgovborder.4474854.html

Austin -- Democrat Bill White pressed for help with federal border security in a call to U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, and he said Thursday that Republican Rick Perry, the governor he is challenging, also should have picked up the phone.

In a critical statement issued by his campaign, White said that solving problems and protecting against spillover violence from Mexico is better accomplished by talking and coordinating with local and federal counterparts.

White said he asked Napolitano for more resources and airborne surveillance along the border – requests similar to those that have been made by Perry.

'Secretary Napolitano told me this request would receive serious consideration,' White said. 'She also told me she would give a similar response to the Texas governor if he talked to her about it, which he has not.'

Allison Castle, the governor's press secretary, said Perry has spoken to Napolitano on numerous occasions. Scheduling records show he talked to her soon after she assumed office in January 2009 and called her again last March 26 to personally ask for 1,000 National Guard troops for the border.

She asked for more information, and he sent a follow-up letter on April 2. He also sent letter regarding troops to President Barack Obama and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Last Friday, he sent another letter to Napolitano, this time to ask for drone aircraft.

'We have tried to schedule a call with Secretary Napolitano within the last several months, and they have refused to schedule it,' Castle said.

Napolitano spokesman Matt Chandler said that she had 'previously received Gov. Perry's correspondence regarding airborne surveillance, is giving it consideration, and looks forward to communicating with the governor directly.'

Chandler said Napolitano talked to White, the former Houston mayor and Democratic nominee for governor, and told him aerial surveillance is 'one of the many issues being considered.'

The secretary has stepped up border patrol inspections to intercept drugs, money and weapons and is keenly aware of the drug cartel violence.

'We are not, however, seeing any indications of similar violence here in the U.S.,' Chandler said.

On Thursday, the governor announced that he was deploying Texas Military Forces helicopters to the border as part of a contingency plan to battle spillover violence from Mexican drug cartels.

Perry has released only broad outlines of the contingency plan because of security concerns.

Some of the plan includes increased surveillance by state and local law enforcement; heightened ground, air and maritime patrols; and the readying of rapid deployment forces, including reconnaissance and state troopers' SWAT teams.

Perry has asked Washington for unmanned military drones for surveillance, as well as the troops, and has criticized the lack of federal response.

On Thursday, White said Perry should do more to work with local officials in border cities instead of launching secret plans.

'An uncoordinated, secret plan is not an effective plan,' White said. 'Our approach to the tragic violence in Mexico should be firm, alert and targeted to the precise threat.'

White quoted Del Rio Mayor Efrain Valdez, chairman of the Texas Border Coalition, and Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas as saying they had not been told that the spillover plan was being implemented and had not been consulted about it.

'Mayors along the border deserve the courtesy of being consulted for input regarding border security,' Salinas said.

'Enough with the rhetoric; the time for action is now.'

Castle said the mayors should be knowledgeable about the contingency plan.

'The plan was created in consultation with local law enforcement and federal partners,' she said. 'And that plan was created in January of last year.'

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9.
Legislature OKs omnibus immigration bill
By Haidee V. Eugenio
The Saipan Tribune (Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands), March 20, 2010
http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=98094&cat=1

The House and Senate passed a Fitial administration-sponsored omnibus immigration bill that asserts CNMI control over nonresident workers, and converts the mandatory 20- to 30-percent local hiring preference into a floating benchmark, during back-to-back sessions yesterday afternoon.

Gov. Benigno R. Fitial is expected to immediately sign the bill when it is transmitted to his office on Monday.

'Governor Fitial is very pleased with the swift action of both houses of the Legislature. He will sign it into law when it reaches his desk on Monday,' said press secretary Angel Demapan, who attended the House and Senate sessions with Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham and Deputy Labor Secretary Cinta M. Kaipat.

Republicans in the House, however, questioned the legality, true purpose, and urgency of House Bill 17-25, HS1, which also reorganizes the CNMI Department of Labor.

HB 17-25, HS1, introduced by Rep. Rafael S. Demapan (Cov-Saipan), amends sections of the Commonwealth Code dealing with immigration functions, to reflect the assumption of immigration responsibilities by the federal government pursuant to Public Law 110-229, Title VII, which became effective on Nov. 28, 2009.

House Minority Leader Diego T. Benavente (R-Saipan) said the 'questionable' piece of legislation contradicts federal position, which was also highlighted in separate questions-and-answers documents released by the CNMI and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

'Is this bill legal, in a way that it does not conflict with or violate federal law?' Benavente asked House legal counsel John Cool. The counsel said in his opinion, the bill is legal and also cited the attorney general's opinion on the matter.

House Speaker Froilan C. Tenorio (Cov-Saipan) said the legality of the bill is not for the Legislature to decide.

'It seems to me that the bill pushes the agenda of the governor that the federal government is wrong; that we control labor, not the federal government,' said Benavente.

Buckingham said the bill clarifies the role of the CNMI Department of Labor and gives direction to employers and nonresident workers.

Kaipat said the bill 'brings clarity' on what's pre-empted and what's not, adding that coming up with the umbrella permit is an ingenuous way to stabilize the workforce and allowed the CNMI to continue to implement the local law.

'I urge all of you to pass this bill today,' Kaipat told House members.

As Buckingham earlier said, the CNMI Labor has the authority to revoke umbrella permits, contrary to statements made by Federal Labor Ombudsman Pamela Brown that seem to suggest that an umbrella permit cannot be revoked.

Buckingham also earlier said that CNMI Labor has both the authority and the duty to monitor compliance with umbrella permit holders, and should one or more conditions of the umbrella permit are not met, the umbrella permit may be revoked.

He said the federal government assumed control over entry and exit into the CNMI, but did not replace the CNMI Department of Labor for its activities.

The House unanimously adopted the 27-page standing committee report by Demapan's Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee, recommending passage of Demapan's HB 17-25, HS1.

After over an hour of discussion and debate on the measure, HB 17-25, HS1 passed the House on a 16-2 vote, with one abstention and one absence.

Only Reps. Ramon A. Tebuteb (R-Saipan) and Ray N. Yumul (R-Saipan) voted 'no' on the bill, while Rep. Trenton Conner (R-Tinian) abstained from voting. Rep. Frederick P. Deleon Guerrero (Ind-Saipan) was excused.

Benavente voted 'yes with major reservation,' while Rep. Francisco Dela Cruz (R-Saipan) voted 'yes with reservation.' Benavente said he still thinks that the bill is questionable.

Immediately after the House passage, Demapan's bill was transmitted to the Senate.

Senators unanimously passed the bill. Only seven of nine senators were present yesterday. Sens. Henry San Nicolas (Cov-Tinian) and Sen. Ralph Torres (R-Saipan) were absent.

Kaipat earlier said the omnibus immigration bill will change the mandatory 20 percent to 30 percent local hiring preference to a floating benchmark based on the population of U.S. citizens and permanent residents on the islands in a bid to reduce unemployment among them.

The Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the largest business organization in the CNMI, is opposed to a floating benchmark in local hiring.

If enacted, the omnibus bill amends parts of Public Law 15-108, or the Commonwealth Employment Act of 2007. It will delete all regulations of the defunct CNMI Division of Immigration and 'move any necessary language over to the labor regulations.'

Kaipat said another key provision of the bill is the reorganization of CNMI Labor.

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10.
Meg Whitman 'wows away' Latino crowd at San Jose campaign talk
By Julia Prodis Sulek
The Contra Costa Times (Santa Ana, CA), March 18, 2010
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_14704364

Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman reached out to Latino business leaders at a San Jose luncheon Thursday, promising to create jobs, improve education and cut spending.

She didn't mention a touchier topic: immigration. But after her question-and-answer session with the Greater San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at a Santana Row restaurant, Whitman told the Mercury News she is '100 percent against amnesty,' wants to crack down on employers who hire illegal immigrants and will eliminate 'sanctuary cities' such as San Francisco that don't enforce federal immigration laws.

Still, Whitman said, she hopes her plans to improve education and the economy will appeal to a Latino population that is struggling with low graduation rates and higher joblessness and juvenile incarceration numbers.

With Latinos making up 1 in 5 California voters, the former eBay chief and Atherton resident considers the Latino vote 'extraordinarily important.'

'We cannot have an economic recovery in California without the Latino community involved,' Whitman said.

It appears she made headway among those who listened to her Thursday.

'I've never, ever voted Republican, but I might,' Marisa Escalera, a 30-year-old account executive at Spanish language Univision radio, said after Whitman's speech. 'I was wowed away.'

Katherinne ?Garzon, a Campbell real estate agent, was so moved by Whitman's talk that she signed up afterward to help build the 'MEGaMujeres' division of the Whitman campaign's 'MEGaWomen' coalition. And Garzon is a registered Democrat.

She said she appreciates Whitman's stand on education, which also affects real estate values, and she has friends who worked under Whitman at eBay and who speak highly of her.

'She's a strong leader, and I can't help but admire that,' said Garzon, 39.

Whitman, who has already spent millions of her own to launch her campaign, has a wide lead over state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for the Republican nomination in June. Poizner has worked to position himself as tougher on illegal immigration than Whitman, though on Thursday, Hispanic Chamber CEO Carlos Figueroa said his group was more interested in the state's economy.

'Immigration is very dear to us, but it's not a focus,' Figueroa said.

Whitman, a New York native, arrived at the luncheon Thursday with her husband, Stanford neurosurgeon Griff Harsh IV, who listened to her speech, then joined her with friends afterward at an outdoor table.

In her speech to the business group, she touted her success at San Jose-based eBay, which she joined as a startup, and said she understands the dynamics of the small businesses that have sprung up because of the online auction house.

If she wins in November, she said, she will work to streamline regulations, pointing by way of example to the 21/2 year bureaucratic process it took to break ground on a new building for eBay subsidiary PayPal.

She said she also would work to eliminate certain business taxes, including the factory tax on manufacturing equipment that she said played a part in driving 600,000 manufacturing jobs out of California.

'I will be the chief sales officer,' she said. 'We will keep jobs.'

On the other hand, she reiterated a pledge to eliminate 40,000 state jobs through attrition, returning California's public payroll to its size of five years ago.

Whitman said she favors giving local school districts block grants they can spend at their discretion and grading schools — A to F — on their performance. And she wants to increase the number of charter schools to give parents options if their school is failing, while paying 'great teachers' more money.

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11.
Arpaio's new sweep targets human smuggling, drugs
By JJ Hensley and Jolie McCullough
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), March 19, 2010
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2010/03/19/20100319crimesweeps0319.html

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that his latest 'crime-suppression operation' will focus on human smuggling and drug trafficking.

Arpaio said that the operation, which is the 14th since the controversial measures to root out illegal immigrants began two years ago, will differ from past sweeps by focusing more on human smuggling.

He discussed the details of the new crime sweep at a Thursday press conference at the Sheriff's Training Center in southwest Phoenix.

'I'm concerned about violence from Mexico coming across the border,' Arpaio said. 'If (criminals) are stupid enough to come into this county, they're going to be dealt with.'

Four hundred deputies will patrol the roads countywide for human- and drug smugglers during the two-day period, Arpaio said. Deputies typically look for violations on cars and trucks to pull the vehicles over and check for the criminal history and immigration status of the driver and passengers.

By 7:30 p.m. Thursday, deputies involved in the operation had already arrested 38 people collectively.

Arpaio said one vehicle contained 4.5 pounds of methamphetamines and a large quantity of marijuana. Twenty-five of the people arrested were suspected to be in the country illegally.

The sheriff said he hopes the publicity of the event will keep people in their homes and prevent them from breaking the law.

Since the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in October stripped Arpaio of an agreement that authorized deputies to perform street-level immigration screenings, the crime-suppression operations have relied on a pair of state laws that target illegal immigrants.

Deputies have targeted human smugglers on highways in Maricopa County with the help of a state law that allows immigrants to be charged as co-conspirators in their own smuggling. Businesses have also been targeted, using Arizona's employer-sanctions law to conduct worksite raids and arrest employees suspected of committing fraud and identity theft.

The effort marks the first time Arpaio has deployed his deputies in a crime-suppression operation since the Sheriff's Office entered an agreement to have Kris Kobach train all deputies on their authority to enforce federal immigration law.

Not all deputies in the sweep have been fully trained, however. Arpaio said only 200 in the program have completed their training.

Kobach has previously worked in Arizona on the state's employer-sanctions law and has gained a national reputation as a virulent opponent of illegal immigration.

The Sheriff's Office has not responded to a Feb. 9 request for details on Kobach's contract, but Chief Deputy David Hendershott in a deposition taken last month said he heard Kobach was being paid 'either $250 an hour or $300 an hour.'

The sweeps, which began in March 2008, have resulted in 530 arrests; 72 percent were later found to be in the country illegally, Arpaio said.

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In Arizona, Maricopa County Sheriff Arpaio begins crime and immigration sweep, 14th since 2008
By Jacques Billeaud
The Associated Press, March 18, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-immigration-patrols,0,4062587.story

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12.
Joe Arpaio's office gets new deadlines in racial-profiling case
By JJ Hensley
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), March 19, 2010
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/03/19/20100319joe-arpaio-office-racial-profiling-lawsuit19-ON.html

A racial-profiling lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office was extended with new deadlines Friday.

A federal judge laid out an updated timeline following the revelation of thousands of additional records could exist for the Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office to turn over.

U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow has previously agreed to sanctions against Arpaio's office for records the agency failed to preserve or destroyed that could be related to the lawsuit, and he said additional sanctions could be warranted, but county technology officials must first turn over thousands of e-mails to the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office and attorneys for the plaintiffs must review them.

Snow set a new hearing date for July 16, and also encouraged the two sides to consider talking about some sort of settlement in the meantime.

'It does seem to me that at least there is a possible grounds for settlement here that could avoid huge expense,' Snow told the attorneys.

The plaintiffs in the case have accused Sheriff's deputies of targeting Hispanic residents for selective enforcement.

David Bodney, an attorney representing the plaintiffs who also represents The Arizona Republic in unrelated matters, said his side isn't asking for any money and only wants the Sheriff's Office to ensure no racial profiling takes place during the course of law-enforcement duties, some of which include Arpaio's controversial crime-suppression operations.

'It's the kind of case that should be settled,' Bodney said. 'Some variation on the 'best practices' theme would go a long way toward reducing the risk of racial profiling.'

Arpaio's office has always contended that deputies do not target suspects based on ethnicity.

Tim Casey, an attorney for the Sheriff's Office, declined to comment after the hearing.

The other lingering issue in Snow's courtroom on Friday involved thousands of e-mails Maricopa County's technology office was archiving without the knowledge of the Sheriff's Office.

In past hearings and depositions about the records sheriff's officials deleted or destroyed- including 'stat sheets' from the crime suppression operations- the Sheriff's Office has contended that only select e-mails and documents were preserved after the case was filed in December 2007, with most coming after the plaintiff's attorneys made an issue of missing documents last summer.

But earlier this month, county administrators revealed they had been archiving all emails sent from Sheriff's Office since 2008 following an order from another county attorney related to a separate lawsuit County Treasurer Charles 'Hos' Hoskins filed against Maricopa County.

That news caught the Sheriff's Office by surprise.

Snow on Friday declined a request to bar anyone but the Sheriff's Office from looking at the recently discovered trove of records. A Pima County judge last week ruled that the records were the property of Maricopa County and not the Sheriff's Office. The federal government has also issued a subpoena for those records in an unrelated case.

Snow said he will allow Casey to file a motion asking county officials to show why the existence of those e-mails wasn't made clear to the Sheriff's Officials before this month.

Casey has said that confusion among deputies over which stat sheets to retain and a lack of communication about keeping e-mails led to the lost and destroyed documents. Attorneys for the plaintiffs claim the material would show the Sheriff's Office engaged in selective enforcement during the crime-suppression operations.

In February, Snow sanctioned the Sheriff's Office for destroying evidence in the case.

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13.
Sheriff urges immigration reform
Says deportation of criminals will continue
By Frank Abderholden
Suburban Chicago News, March 19, 2010
http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/somethingtotalkabout/2110953,5_1_WA19_IMMIGRNT_S1-100319.article

Libertyville -- Two Republicans, Lake County Sheriff Mark Curran and secretary of state candidate Robert Enriquez, held a press conference Thursday to urge national leaders to address immigration reform.

'Nobody says deport all these people,' said Curran. 'That's not going to happen. If you think that's going to happen, you're not living in the real world.

'We have a serious problem,' he said, stressing that the sheriff's office will continue to arrest and deport immigrants who commit crimes. But he doesn't think families should be broken up after being in the United States for two decades.

Enriquez, who lives in Aurora and whose first language was Spanish, said all local elected officials need to push Congress toward immigration reform. 'We need to be more pro-active,' he said.

Enriquez said he is proud to be a citizen and remembers the first time he ate rhubarb pie, which he liked. The former Marine said he travels a lot, and whenever he returns to the United States he falls in love with it again.

'We're free to say what you want, think what you want and build the dream you want,' he said.

Neither candidate believes blanket amnesty is the answer to immigration problems, but securing the borders is important.

'The president needs to lead on this issue. We need a bipartisan approach to this problem,' said Enriquez, who is running against incumbent Democrat Jesse White.

Enriquez and Curran support a bill being pushed by U.S. Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. Under that plan, all legal U.S. workers, including citizens and immigrants, would be issued ID cards with embedded information, such as fingerprints, to tie the card to the worker.

Enriquez said immigration is an important issue, including securing the nation's borders.

'I travel a lot, so maybe something like the TSA (Transportation Safety Administration), a formal process like that (for immigration),' he said.

On a non-immigration issue, Mike Sheridan, 48, of Lake Villa walked by during the conference and complained to Enriquez about not being able to use a Visa debit card to renew his license plate registration sticker.

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14.
Small Colorado Town Calls For Immigration Reform
By Kirk Siegler
The NPR News, March 18, 2010
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124819966

Immigration reform has been put on the back burner for the past year or so. It has been eclipsed by debates over health care reform and job creation. But for many rural farming communities, at least in the West, it's an issue that continues to burn.

Out in Eastern Colorado, the tiny town of Yuma has recently weighed in on the immigration debate. The town council passed a unanimous resolution calling on the U.S. Congress and the president to 'solve our ineffective immigration system.'

'On The Edge'

Like much of the Eastern Colorado plains, Yuma — population 3,200 — is heavily conservative. The county has voted Republican in the last two presidential elections.

For generations the town has relied on immigrant labor, which used to be seasonal. But in the past decade those jobs have become permanent, thanks to the area's expanding hog farms and feedlots. Today at least a quarter of Yuma's population is Hispanic, more if you factor in illegal immigrants.

Steering his pickup onto Yuma's Main Street, which is sprinkled with Hispanic-owned businesses and restaurants, Ralph Ebert says the immigrants have created a shadow economy here.

'They're afraid to open bank accounts,' Ebert says. 'They're afraid to get involved because they don't want to get deported.'

If we had to rely on ... those that have legal papers only, we’d have to close down. We couldn’t find enough help.

- Tom Holdorf, co-owner of a feedlot in Yuma, Colo.

Ebert's a local town councilman who sponsored the immigration resolution because he says illegal workers need a path to citizenship to be fully part of this community. 'They're on the edge, a lot of these people,' he says.

Businesses here are also on edge. Even during one of the worst recessions in history, unemployment hovers around 4 percent. Many businesses struggle to fill positions, and they worry about immigration raids and losing their workforce.

Tom Holdorf, who co-owns a feedlot east of town, says most of the people who apply for work are from Mexico. 'If we had to rely on ... those that have legal papers only, we'd have to close down,' Holdorf says. 'We couldn't find enough help.'

Family Values

He says the immigrants he hires work hard, and if he could find enough help from Americans he would hire them.

But that argument doesn't wash with others in Colorado, especially immigration reform opponents like former Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo.

'Hogwash — no pun intended,' Tancredo says. 'They most certainly can. They just have to pay more.'

At the Main Event Bar in Yuma, a group of longtime locals jokingly refer to themselves as the 'Knights of the Roundtable.' They're meeting for an after-work drink. Dan Corf has a different set of reasons behind opposing immigration reform.

'We have too many people coming in,' Corf says. 'And we give them free health, and we give them everything. And then they expect more of it, and we can't afford more of it.'

Still, most folks, including Corf, seemed to accept that Hispanics are here to stay. There was no organized opposition to the local resolution. In fact, the entire town council, police, the school superintendent, all support some sort of immigration reforms. They say that support is in part all about family values.

Six months ago, 17-year-old Edith's brother was pulled over by police. He was here illegally and was deported. Edith's full name is not used because she, too, is here illegally and lives with the same fear even though she has gone to school in Yuma since the second grade.

'I feel like I'm a Colorado girl,' Edith says. 'I've lived here all my life. This is what I know. This is what I've been raised in. This is the country that I love, that I cherish.'

For town councilman Ebert, it's all about the dollars.

'I want to get the tax revenue,' Ebert says. 'I want to see them part of the economic community. Right now all they do is — they spend some money here. But they don't invest here.'

Ebert says the town's resolution on immigration reform is intentionally vague. It's a national problem, he says, one that the president and Congress have to solve. Even so, Ebert's not optimistic that anything is going to change soon.

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15.
From Haiti’s ruins to Mass. schools
Teachers strive to help hundreds of arrivals adjust
By David Abel
The Boston Globe, March 19, 2010
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2010/03/19/from_haitis_ruins_to_mass_schools/

Some watched relatives die. Others escaped homes or schools as they crumbled into rubble. Nearly all are still recovering from physical or psychological trauma from the quaking earth.

But they are in some ways fortunate, children of families with enough connections and means to find a place for them to recover far from the devastation they witnessed in Haiti, starting with the jolting Jan. 12 earthquake.

Now living in the Boston area, they have access to something that has all but vanished in postquake Haiti: an education.

In the past month or so, hundreds of children from the Caribbean’s poorest nation have enrolled in local schools, challenging teachers to provide support for children struggling to learn English, to adapt to winter, and to make sense of what has become of their lives.

Boston public schools have enrolled at least 99 students from Haiti since the massive earthquake left more than 200,000 dead, some 300,000 injured, and 1 million homeless, according to government estimates. By last week, at least 98 students from Haiti had registered in Brockton, 36 students began classes in Randolph, and 11 were studying in Somerville.

All the districts, though already overcrowded, expect to receive more students in the coming months.

'These are wonderful children who are remarkably resilient, but they need special attention,’’ said Elie Jean-Louis, principal of the Charles H. Taylor Elementary School in Mattapan, where at least 25 Haitian students have enrolled since the earthquake. 'They may not understand what they have been through and don’t know what emotions they are carrying inside.’’

Despite the additional financial burdens, state officials have said no money is available to help schools, some of which have had to hire Haitian Creole-speaking staff, offer additional counseling, and open new classes.

School officials said they do not check the immigration status of students and are required to enroll any child whose guardian or relative shows a driver’s license or another document that proves they live in the district. They said some of the students were born in the United States and are US citizens, while others are here on a tourist visa.

In a memo sent to schools last month, Mitchell D. Chester, commissioner of the state Elementary and Secondary Education Department, advised superintendents that 'a school-aged child or youth displaced by the earthquake in Haiti and who is now residing in the USA as a doubled-up or homeless unaccompanied youth has the right to enroll immediately in the district of residence.’’

A district would follow the same procedures it would with a child displaced by a domestic natural disaster, Chester said.

Asked whether state officials would offer financial help to districts getting the most students from Haiti, JC Considine, a spokesman for Chester, said he is 'not aware of any additional state financial assistance for schools that are enrolling Haitian refugees.’’

Many of those schools already have large populations of Haitian-born students, and they say they are doing their best, despite their limited resources.

In Randolph, Superintendent Richard H. Silverman said the additional students have come as the district faces a budget shortfall of more than $2 million, has cut every school program by at least 10 percent, and plans to eliminate as many as 15 teaching positions. He said each new student costs the district about $10,000.

'We don’t have sufficient funds to operate appropriately as it is, and we’re already in real danger of making significant and damaging cuts to the system,’’ Silverman said. 'But we have the obligation to meet the needs of any student who lives in Randolph and comes to our doors, and we’ll do that.’’

Like other districts that have received new Haitian students, Randolph has hired additional Creole-speaking staff and has sought to assess each student’s education level and needs. They have also required the students to meet with guidance counselors, entered most of them into language and cultural immersion programs, and tried to help them make friends by providing Creole-speaking 'buddies,’’ or Haitian-born students with more time in town.

'We’re trying to help these students acclimate and be successful,’’ Silverman said. 'We know they have experienced real trauma. We want to help them heal.’’

At Ashfield Middle School in Brockton, principal Barbara Lovell has received at least 29 new Haitian students since the earthquake, doubling the size of some of the English immersion classes.

Lovell has had to open new classrooms in a modular building, bring special education teachers into classes, and ask teachers to work extra hours as they try to serve students with different needs.

'This is very difficult,’’ she said. 'The entire school has seen an impact. It’s taxing, tiring, and exhausting for a lot of teachers. The teachers are terrific, but when you’re translating and helping students who don’t speak English, it’s hard. They’re not trained for that.’’

Among the students in her school is Oschild Alexis, 11, a sixth-grader who arrived last month after many of his friends died when the roof of their school collapsed. He was at home studying history when the roof on his house collapsed. He survived under a table. Afterward, he spent two weeks living outside as aftershocks rocked the country.

Oschild said he was adjusting to life in Brockton, where he and his older brother live with an aunt.

'It feels OK, but not really OK,’’ he said in Creole. 'I lost a lot of friends.’’

Oschild said he would like to go home, but it no longer exists.

'I used to have my own bedroom,’’ he said. 'Now I live in a room with three people. Also, it’s cold here.’’

Alfred Septembre, a math teacher who is Haitian, has been looking out for the new arrivals.

'Some are OK; some are not,’’ he said. 'You see them put their heads down, and some you see with tears in their eyes. It’s hard. They really need help.’’

Some new students have entered parochial schools such as Trinity Catholic Academy in Brockton, which has enrolled at least five Haitian children, including Angela Osiris, 12, a seventh-grader who arrived last month and lives with an aunt.

She is coping with the loss of her grandfather, whom her mother buried in their backyard after their house collapsed; an injury to her shoulder after a cement block fell on her during the earthquake; and the sight of many people who were severely injured or died.

'I thought I was alone and that everyone was dead,’’ she said in Creole of the moments after the earthquake. 'I lost every material thing.’’

She has no interest in going back, but she misses having two recesses — there’s just one at the school in Brockton — and wearing a skirt rather than pants for her school uniform.

'I don’t have a school; I don’t have a house,’’ she said. 'I never want to go back. As long as there are earthquakes, then I will stay here.’’

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16.
Immigrant rights advocates reach out to African Americans
By Krissah Thompson
The Washington Post, March 19, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/19/AR2010031902266.html♦

Organizers of a march for immigrants rights in Washington this Sunday are reaching out to African Americans, hoping to bring the two communities together around an issue that has been a wedge between them.

The campaign includes ads for the march on urban radio stations along the East Coast, asking for listeners to lend their support. 'Everyone has been hurt by the economy, especially African Americans and immigrants. The truth is, together you can demand real change,' the ads state.

The effort is part of a broader strategy among Hispanic, black and Asian civil rights groups to unite on areas of common interest and to get Congress and the Obama administration to enact major legislation on jobs and immigration -- even while the nation's political leaders are focused on health care.

'It is a reflection of a much deeper connection between African American constituencies and immigrant constituencies,' said Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, which is helping to plan the march. 'In the last year, there's been a ton of work done on the ground where immigrants and African Americans have worked together on a range of issues -- from the jobs crisis to the foreclosure crisis.'

The coalition-building approach is a shift for immigrant rights groups, who held similar marches in 2006 and 2007. Then, disparate Hispanic groups spurred a large protest movement to push for citizenship for the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants, relying little on organizations outside the community.

The idea of a racial coalition aims to push an overhaul of immigration law as an 'American issue, not just an immigrant issue,' said Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a spokesman for the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles. 'Up until at least two years ago, the discussion was really being had amongst ourselves.'

Immigration activists took flack -- even from supporters -- after thousands marched on the Mall to demand U.S. citizenship while carrying flags from their countries of origin. This time, organizers want to send a different signal, tying their pursuit of a wholesale overhaul of immigration law to the civil rights movement of the 1960s.

'The immigrant community really holds a great deal of respect and admiration for the work that the African American community has done in the civil rights movement, and that movement is an inspiration for the immigrant rights movement,' said Clarissa Martinez De Castro, director of the National Council of La Raza's immigration campaign.

Cabrera said his group spent October and November going to Sunday services at black churches across Los Angeles, sharing the stories of illegal immigrants, and they've begun sending their press releases to African American newspapers and radio shows in California.

'We don't get a lot of media requests from them, but we know that they are listening, and we know that they are getting our information,' Cabrera said. 'We are pushing against the conversation that we are taking their jobs.'

But the issue of job competition remains, said Vernon Briggs, a professor emeritus of industrial and labor relations at Cornell University, who favors low immigration rates.

'What we have got here is people using immigration as a political issue to unite certain segments of the population, regardless of the economic and labor market impact,' Briggs said. 'In my view, African American workers are the most adversely affected of all groups, but many legal immigrants in the Hispanic community are also severely impacted because they are disproportionately in the low-skilled labor market where the illegal immigrants compete.'

Leaders of black civil rights groups push back at that idea. NAACP President Benjamin Jealous and National Urban League President Marc Morial will speak at the rally Sunday in support of providing illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship.

'This new generation of leaders recognize the need to build stronger coalitions,' Morial said. 'It is very important that the nation's communities of color do not simply see themselves as groups competing for crumbs.'

Jealous said he plans to talk Sunday about ways that overhauling immigration law will help all workers. 'There is a need for a floor for how all workers are treated,' he said. 'There is a need to ensure that nobody in this country can be forced to work in near-slavery-like conditions. So much of the black experience has been about us fighting over centuries to be part of this country, and for Latinos it's a similar story.'

Last year, La Raza and the NAACP launched their first joint ad campaign in support of overhauling the health-care system. The Urban League joined with La Raza and the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development in a program to stem home foreclosures in minority communities.

A similar level of cooperation is happening in North Carolina, where the state NAACP and the immigration rights group El Pueblo have formed an alliance in Raleigh. 'We found that the same forces that fight changing the laws to help immigrants, also fight civil rights, they also fight health-care reform, they also fight educational reform,' said the Rev. William Barber, president of the North Carolina NAACP.

Tony Asion, executive director at El Pueblo, put it this way: 'If we don't stick together, then we both lose.'

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17.
Activists Deliver Deluge of Postcards
By Donna Rossi
The KPHO News (Phoenix), March 18, 2010
http://www.kpho.com/politics/22883381/detail.html

Phoenix -- Representatives of several immigration rights groups showed up at the state capital Thursday morning wanting to hand-deliver nearly 9,000 postcards to Gov. Jan Brewer.

The cards were signed by people who oppose pending legislation that would create sweeping changes to state enforcement related to illegal immigration issues.

A bill working its way through the House of Representatives would make it a state crime to be in Arizona illegally, would allow police to ask about immigration status during any lawful contact, and make it illegal to transport or harbor an illegal immigrant. A similar bill has already passed the Senate.

Opponents of the bill believe if passed, illegal immigrants would be afraid to report crime or call police for help, giving criminals more freedom to do whatever they want. Sponsors of the bill believe illegal immigration contributes to the violence in the valley and want to give local law enforcement agencies more power to crack down on issues related to illegal immigration.

The immigration rights activists were not allowed to speak to Brewer in person, but her legislative director met with the group to hear their concerns.

The postcards delivered Thursday are in addition to 6,000 similar postcards delivered to the capital last week by the same activists.

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18.
Citizens hear both sides with 'Immigration 101'
By Jason Schoonover
The Austin Daily Herald, March 19, 2010
http://www.austindailyherald.com/news/2010/mar/19/citizens-hear-both-sides-immigration-101/

Citizens on both sides of the immigration debate attended a workshop on the topic last night, but the purpose of the meeting was to set opinions aside and learn about the current immigration system.

'In order for people to have good discussion and really dig into reform, we need to understand what it is that we’re looking to reform,' said Kirsten Lindbloom, one of the events organizers and a Canadian immigrant to the U.S.

About 35 people attended 'Immigration 101' at Riverland Community College Thursday night. The session was designed to be an educational session to provide basic background about the hotly debated issue of immigration.

Madeline Lohman, a program associate with the Advocates for Human Rights, presented on the current U.S. immigration process.

Many people hold deeply seeded values to one side of the immigration debate, and Lohman said it’s important for people to have all the facts and be educated about the current process.

'People have very different ideas of how they want the country to look, and we think part of the public process is to work that out as long as it respects certain basic human rights, Lohman said.

After the health care debate and the issues with Toyota, Lindbloom said immigration reform may be the next issue on the horizon.

The meeting, which was sponsored by the Austin Human Rights Commission, the Advocates for Human Rights and APEX Austin, was meant to be neutral of stances on immigration reform. Instead, the meeting focused on informing people about the current system.

Austin attorney Dan Donnelly attended the meeting and answered questions on immigration law, which he described as a complex area.

While Donnelly said he is 'immersed in the battle,' he said he tries to stay out of the politics of the immigration debate. Instead, he said he tries to follow the law, and educate citizens about immigration laws.

'I think it’s important for me to explain to people what the law is and how it affects the people who do live here in Austin,' he said.

Paths of immigration

In order to immigrate to the U.S., people need to have a close relative living in the U.S., or they need to be skilled in a certain field.

'Immigration is not easy,' Lohman said. 'It’s an extremely complicated process.'

Not only is immigration complex, it’s often expensive.

According to Lohman, the complexities of the immigration process and few visas for low-skilled workers may be reasons for illegal immigration.

Before the recession, an estimate 12 million illegal immigrants lived in the U.S., but that’s dropped to 10.8 million Lohman said.

However, Lohman said most illegal immigrants would prefer to be here legally, but would have to wait for a long time to immigrate.

'For many people, there’s no way in,' she said. 'If you don’t have a family member here, if you’re not skilled, if you don’t have a lot of money, you have very few opportunities for coming to this country.'

While immigration is rarely easy, people with close family members who are citizens or permanent residents in the U.S. have a pathway to immigrate.

People with a parent, spouse or a minor child have one of the easiest methods to immigrate and become a legal citizen. However, the process still likely takes six or more years.

People who are the sibling or the adult child of a citizen can apply to come to the U.S., but the wait time depends on the person’s home country and can be anywhere from 12 to almost 30 years.

If a potential immigrant is the spouse or child of a lawful permanent resident, he or she has a good chance of becoming a citizen, but again, there is a long wait.

Another way to immigrate is for on a work visa, but this can be a difficult process that is often dependent on an employer, Lohman said.

People considered experts or have rare skills have potentially the quickest route to a green card and potential citizenship.

However, low-skilled workers have the fewest opportunities to immigrate. Lohman presented data from studies that say there’s a very low number — about 5,000 — of visas for low-skilled workers, and such visas have to translate to permanent residency. The demand for those visas was about 500,000 people before the recession, Lohman said.

Refugees and asylum seekers can come to the U.S., but such immigrants need to provide proof of the imminent harm or persecution that forced them to leave.

Effects of immigration

Some studies show immigrants have a positive impact on the community. Lohman said immigrants are said to increase the national gross domestic product by $37 million each year. And, immigrants tend to put in $20,000 to $80,000 more to taxes and benefits than they use. Other studies show today’s immigrants learn English at the same rate as immigrants in the past, Lohman said.

However, some in the audience criticized the statistics, saying they’ve seen contradictory statistics, though they didn’t offer any alternate numbers during the meeting.

While it’s difficult to know how many immigrants and illegal aliens are living in Mower County, representatives with Austin Public Schools said the percentage of non-white students in the schools has doubled in the last decade to about 30 percent. One school building even broke the 50 percent mark.

Lindbloom, who first came to the U.S. on a student visa and then stayed in the country on a work visa, said it took nearly eight years to get a green card. By the time she’s a citizen, she expects total fees — lawyer fees, travel costs and waved fees — will total about $30,000.

Lindbloom expressed her personal beliefs, as she said she supports legal immigration, but she sympathizes with people going through the process with little hope and long waits.

'I’m educated, white and I speak English, and the system was challenging,' she said. 'It was unfriendly. And it’s just agonizing as far as time and the unknowns.'

At the same time, she said it’s difficult for people to gain citizenship if they don’t meet the criteria, and she hopes there could someday be more avenues for such people to take to become legal citizens.

'I think the barriers are just so great,' she said.

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19.
ACLU Says Government Is Withholding Information About Immigration Raids
By Susan Murphy
The KPBS News (San Diego), March 18, 2010
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/mar/18/aclu-says-government-withholding-information-about/

San Diego -- Civil libertarians say the government isn’t revealing all it knows about a three-day immigration raid in San Diego and Imperial Counties that began on December 11, 2009. The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a complaint in federal court alleging a violation of the Freedom of Information Act.

Immigration Sweep Nets 280 Arrests In Calif.

Authorities arrested 71 undocumented immigrants in San Diego and Imperial Counties. The raids were part of a nationwide sweep to deport immigrants with criminal records. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say all of the arrests involved crimes, including robbery, rape, assault and drugs. ACLU attorney Sean Riordan said he’s not sure that’s the case.

'Because of the history of ICE saying one thing and doing another, there’s a really good reason why the public should be able to verify that in this most recent enforcement operation, which ICE touted as its largest criminal alien enforcement ever, that verification is necessary,' said Riordan.

Nearly 300 undocumented immigrants were arrested around California during the three-day operation. Critics say the raids created fear in immigrant communities from armed federal agents targeting their neighborhoods.

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20.
Bogged down at the border
By Jonathan Clark
The Nogales International (AZ), March 19, 2010
http://www.nogalesinternational.com/articles/2010/03/19/news/doc4ba3986c6c284580617516.txt

The line, more than 200 people deep, stretched back from the Dennis DeConcini pedestrian border crossing, winding through an open-air corridor and out into the narrow lanes of pharmacies, dental offices and curio shops of downtown Nogales, Sonora.

As the sun set on the barely moving queue, a pre-teen girl waiting with her family shifted back and forth on flip-flop-clad feet in an effort to keep warm. A few steps away, a well-groomed, 30-something man took out a cell phone and dialed his girlfriend on the Arizona side of the border, assuring her that he’d be across soon for their Saturday night date.

“What’s the holdup?” someone asked a security guard monitoring the line.

“There’s only one agent working up there,” the guard answered, eliciting groans and utterances from those within earshot. But there were few options other than to wait; the pedestrian-only crossing at Morley Avenue, two blocks east, had already closed for the day, and Nogales’ third crossing point, Mariposa, was a mile-and-a-half walk away.

In all, it would take more than an hour for this section of the line to pass through U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) turnstiles into the United States.

Lines like this one on March 6 have become a familiar annoyance for residents of Ambos Nogales who regularly walk back and forth between Arizona and Sonora for legitimate purposes like shopping, dining, and visiting family and friends. Business leaders on both sides of the border say the pedestrian queues are interfering with shopping flows and discouraging tourists, who are already frightened by news reports of violence along the border.

The long lines are not a result of greater demand: CBP statistics show that pedestrian crossings at Nogales’ three ports of entry held relatively steady throughout 2009 before spiking predictably during the Christmas season and falling in January and February. Instead, customs and immigration officials say that increased security concerns and responsibilities at the ports are stretching resources thin. Over the past year, for example, agents have had to step up inspections of Mexico-bound foot and vehicle traffic while also maintaining their vigilance over U.S.-bound travel.

Local officials and civic leaders say the solution is simple: CBP needs to add more agents to the Nogales ports.

More agents

People crossing by car at Nogales’ DeConcini and Mariposa ports can also face long lines. But drivers have an alternative: they can apply for the SENTRI program, which allows pre-approved, low-risk travelers to enter the United States through a fast-moving, dedicated lane. There’s currently no such option for pedestrians in Nogales, and according to CBP spokesman Brian Levin, there won’t be one anytime soon.

“It’s not something we have in the works for the Nogales port of entry right now,” Levin said. “It’s something that we’ve talked about with some of the community members down there and we are aware of their concerns. But there are no plans right now to have (a pedestrian SENTRI lane) in Nogales.”

CBP has been testing a SENTRI system for pedestrians at its port of entry in San Luis, Levin said, but the effort is still in the development stage.

Andres Ibarra Salgado, president of CANACO, the chamber of commerce in Nogales, Sonora, says that his city’s economy depends not only on visitors from Nogales, Ariz., but also on tourists from places like Green Valley, Tucson and Phoenix who park on the Arizona side and walk over to Mexico. He worries that the long lines will discourage these visitors, and he says there’s a better alternative than waiting for new technology.

“The first solution would be for (CBP) to take advantage of the physical infrastructure that already exists, which would mean having all the lanes open during the hours of maximum flow,” Ibarra Salgado said.

“That would mean adding more customs and immigration personnel,” he said, “and employing the infrastructure that was put there for the very purpose of creating more pedestrian flow, but which is not being used now.”

Reports of long lines at Nogales’ pedestrian crossings weighed on the minds of Canadian snowbirds Floyd Walden, 67, and Cate MacNeil, 63, as they considered a trip to Nogales, Sonora from their winter residence in Tucson. In fact, concerns about a potentially long wait had caused them to cancel a previously planned excursion before they finally visited the border city on March 14.

“We heard that the wait was really long, so we didn’t come the first time,” Walden said. “But then friends said the lines were short yesterday, so we decided to come.”

Walden and MacNeil said it took them between 15 and 20 minutes to get through the DeConcini pedestrian line that Sunday afternoon, and that CBP had two turnstiles open.

The decision to have one or two agents on duty at the pedestrian crossings is not an arbitrary one, Levin said.

For example, when an on-duty agent encounters a suspicious person at their turnstile, they have to be pulled off their post to attend to the problem, and that shuts down a lane. CBP calls in extra agents if the lines are getting too long, Levin said, but it can take time for a backup to arrive.

Nogales, Ariz. Mayor Octavio Garcia-Von Borstel notes that nearly two-thirds of his city’s sales tax revenue is generated by Mexican shoppers. He says he’s been lobbying federal authorities to add more agents to Nogales’ ports to keep more pedestrian and vehicle lines open.

“You have people there working long hours and working overtime because there’s nobody there to back them up,” he said, “so it’s obviously a problem.”

But adding more agents is easier said than done, Levin says.

“We have people in the pipeline who have been hired, but it still takes a while to get them through the hiring process, the background investigations, and the training and get them out to the ports of entry,” he said.

New port

CBP reinforcements will definitely be on board in Nogales when renovations on the Mariposa Port of Entry are completed in early 2014, Levin said. The new port will not only have additional lanes for cars, trucks and buses, but will also feature a dedicated pedestrian facility.

Even so, the Mariposa port is less inviting for pedestrians than the DeConcini and Morley crossing points, due to its distance from Ambos Nogales’ downtowns and lack of access to public transportation. John Kissinger, acting city manager for Nogales, Ariz., said the city has received a state grant to study pedestrian mobility at the three ports, and that the study will address the feasibility of public transportation services and park-and-ride-type facilities at the new Mariposa facility.

But an improved Mariposa pedestrian crossing is not a complete solution to the problem, Kissinger said, and city officials have been asking their congressional representatives, port authorities and local CBP officials to take additional, more urgent action.

“Mariposa is three-and-a-half or four years down the road,” Kissenger said. “We need attention right now.”

Squeaky wheels

Community activists say federal officials have often overlooked the unique business, cultural and social dynamics of border towns as they pursue larger national security and commerce agendas.

As a result, they say, border residents have suffered disproportionate disruptions to their lives compared to residents of other communities.

“I think that (the Department of Homeland Security) has been slower to recognize and value our communities and recognize that people need to go back and forth across the border with fluidity,” said Jennifer Allen, director of the Tucson-based Border Action Network, a group that advocates for the rights of border communities. “It’s been a question of priorities, and I think that border communities have been much lower on the priority list.”

The socio-political makeup of border communities makes them easy for Washington to overlook, Allen said.

“It’s about who makes the most noise,” she said. “The reality of border communities is that they are largely low income and 80-odd-percent Spanish-speaking in the home. They’re not as politically engaged, and they’re not financial contributors to campaigns. They don’t tend to grease the wheels that make things move in this country.”

Levin said that CBP considers itself part of the Nogales community and that the agency is sensitive to local concerns. He pointed to new technologies like passport and license readers, and programs like SENTRI, which have directly benefitted frequent border-crossers. And he said the agency works with community leaders to add extra staffing during busy vacation periods and local celebrations.

“There’s a fine balance between enforcement and facilitation, and we’ve got to be able to do both at the same time,” Levin said.

“Facilitation is important,” he added, “but we can’t facilitate at the expense of our enforcement rules.”

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21.
With Ban on H.I.V. Immigrants Now History, Relief and Revision
By Scott James
The New York Times, March 18, 2010
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/us/19sfmetro.html

John Newman fondly recalled the eight years he taught first and second grades in Vallejo public schools — he felt appreciated, and was once named 'Teacher of the Year.' It was the 1990s, before he got sick and was told to leave the United States.

'I was accepted by co-workers, neighbors and employers,' Mr. Newman said. 'But I was not welcome by the government.'

Mr. Newman, a Canadian, contracted H.I.V., which causes AIDS and nearly killed him. Breakthrough drugs brought back his health. Then he discovered that a law many considered cruel required him to leave his home. Sadly, he returned to Canada.

Now the stories of people like Mr. Newman are becoming public. Experts say tens of thousands shared similarly interrupted lives thanks to a 22-year United States ban on allowing foreigners with H.I.V. to live in this country.

President Obama described the ban as 'rooted in fear rather than fact.' It became a dead letter in January.

'The people affected by this have lived in the shadows,' said Steve Ralls, a spokesman for Immigration Equality, a nonprofit organization working to end immigration restraints based on H.I.V. status and sexual orientation.

Mr. Ralls said the phones at his group’s legal aid headquarters in New York 'started ringing off the hook and they have not stopped' since the ban was lifted. He said people were being reunited with lives — and in some cases spouses and families — they had been forced to leave behind.

The ban was imposed in 1987 when H.I.V.-positive foreigners were added to a list of inadmissible undesirables that included prostitutes and felons, said Christian Schmidt, a San Francisco immigration lawyer.

'They didn’t let you in,' Mr. Schmidt said. Those already here were tested. If results were positive, they had to leave.

The ban grouped H.I.V. — which is infectious and transmitted in blood and through sexual contact — with tuberculosis, a contagious airborne disease.

Critics said that by incorrectly inferring that H.I.V. was spread by casual contact, and equating the sick with criminals, the ban demonized those infected. 'It’s really impossible to underestimate the stigma caused by this law,' Mr. Ralls said.

The ban 'set a very bad precedent,' he said. 'It undermined H.I.V. awareness and testing.'

Foreigners avoided testing, which Mr. Ralls said might have worsened the spread of AIDS.

The United States was the only industrialized country with such a policy; the handful of others included Iran, Iraq and Syria.

The policy took effect in the Reagan administration. Former Secretary of State George P. Shultz declined to comment when contacted recently.

Efforts to lift the ban were blocked by a 1993 Congressional amendment introduced by Senator Jesse Helms, Republican of North Carolina. Those who fought the law say Mr. Helms, who died in 2008, perpetuated decades of discrimination.

But just as the ban has disappeared, the curators of Mr. Helms’s legacy are trying to touch up the relevant history. Some want him seen as a savior to those with AIDS and a defender of gay rights.

Despite Mr. Helms’s storied opposition to 'a homosexual lifestyle,' the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate, N.C., is challenging the idea that he was a 'homophobe' or obstructive in the AIDS fight.

According to the center’s Web site, 'It was Senator Helms who worked most tirelessly to protect the very principles of freedom that homosexuals are denied in many other nations.'

John Dodd, president of the Jesse Helms Center Foundation, recently disputed an editorial in the British newspaper The Guardian that vilified Mr. Helms for his role in the ban. Mr. Dodd argued that 'two million Africans were alive' because of the senator’s work fighting H.I.V.

Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco, whose partner Tim Curbo died from AIDS, said the Helms Center sought to sanitize the record. 'It’s spitting on the graves of all the people who suffered,' Mr. Ammiano said, adding, 'He was truly evil and very cavalier about it. He should be in the hall of shame.'

Meanwhile, Mr. Newman is making plans to return to the United States. He e-mailed this week that he was in Kino Bay, Mexico, where 'the sky is blue and the sun is hot.' Next week he plans to get behind the wheel of an R.V. and head north, feeling welcome for the first time in years.

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22.
USFK Assists Abandoned Spouses of GIs
By Jung Sung-ki
The Korea Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/03/116_62675.html

The U.S. Army in South Korea has started a program to help women left stranded by their soldier-husbands, according to a U.S. military newspaper Friday.

Under the program called an 'Abandoned Spouses Hotline,' about 30 women have gotten help, the Stars & Stripes said. U.S. officials here hope the program will become a model for U.S. military communities around the world, it said.

The program has mostly come to the aid of women whose husbands have left South Korea with no apparent intention of taking their wives or children with them, said the newspaper.

'It is against Army regulations. You cannot abandon your family,' Elizabeth Samarripa, the Army Community Services outreach program coordinator for Area I, north of Seoul, was quoted as saying.

Samarripa said she tries to contact the husbands, and if her e-mails to the soldiers go unanswered, she refers those situations to the soldiers' chain of command. They are usually forced to take responsibility for their wives and families under the threat of court-martial.

The key to the success of the program is getting the word out to the women who might need help. Public service announcements air on the American Forces Network inviting spouses left behind by their military husbands to call the hot line (0505-730-3635), where they are directed to leave a message and their contact information in one of five languages (English, Korean, Spanish, Russian or Tagalog), according to the newspaper.

The spouses often need help with visas, green cards and Social Security numbers, Samarripa said, as well as assistance getting access to base services, including medical care and legal advice.

+++

USFK hotline assists abandoned wives
The Korea Herald, March 19, 2010
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/NEWKHSITE/data/html_dir/2010/03/20/201003200031.asp

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23.
At Mount Vernon, dozens of children become U.S. citizens
By Tara Bahrampour
The Washington Post, March 19, 2010
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/18/AR2010031805271.html

In the 2008 presidential elections, Kamran Atri, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Iran who lives in Stafford, brought his daughter Selina, now 9, into the voting booth with him. She helped him mark his selection, and he made a deal with her: Clean your room and you can become a citizen.

Yesterday, she and 31 other children stepped onto a stage at George Washington's Mount Vernon estate and received papers that certify them as citizens of the United States.

Some held tiny American flags; one boy wore a Scout uniform. There were toddlers in frilly dresses who barely understood what was happening and adolescents with jackets and ties and wide grins.

Some had been adopted by American families; others became citizens after their parents went through the process. Children do not need to take history and language tests, meet residency and moral character requirements or undergo background checks. If they are younger than 18 and have at least one parent who is a citizen, they are eligible to become citizens. 'The citizenship you celebrate today is a gift from your parents,' said Sarah Taylor, director of the Washington District of the U.S. Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, who presented the certificates. She instructed the children to raise their right hands and take a children's oath, promising to 'love this country' and 'defend her against her enemies.'

The children represented 20 countries, including Eritrea, Mongolia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. A similar ceremony will be held Friday at the District's Verizon Center.

The oath and ceremony are not required for citizenship, but Mussadiq Khan, 12, of Fairfax County said he was proud to step onto the stage and receive his certificate. 'I feel good,' he said. 'And free.'

Mussadiq, who moved to the United States from Pakistan nine months ago, was following in the steps of his father, a cabdriver, who already had become a citizen. Mussadiq hopes to lead the way for three more siblings.

'I want them to be better than me,' said his beaming father, Muhammed Khan.

Dylan Ramirez, 7, who was born in Guatemala, clutched his certificate and said it felt 'fun' to be a U.S. citizen four years after arriving here and a year after his mother became naturalized. Dylan's father is a longtime citizen. His sister was born here and received citizenship automatically.

'It's nice because the whole family's American citizens now,' said his mother, Ana Ramirez.

Ali Maisam Amirkhani, 13, who moved to the United States from Afghanistan nine years ago, said that having the papers made him feel 'lightweighted.

'I feel more mature and grown up,' he said.

In the lobby, Selina, who wore a polka-dot dress with a red flower, posed with actors who played Martha Washington and other 18th-century figures, as her father snapped photos. She said she had known she wanted to be a U.S. citizen since she was 6 or 7 and first heard about the possibility.

Did she, like Ali, feel different now?

'The difference,' she said solemnly, 'is I wasn't a citizen before, and now I am.'

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24.
Immigration agency plans to inspect hiring records
By Markeshia Ricks
The Montgomery Advertiser, March 19, 2010
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/article/20100319/NEWS02/3190334/Immigration-agency-plans-to-inspect-hiring-records

U.S. Immigration and Cus­toms Enforcement has put 180 businesses in five Southern states on notice that their hiring records are going to be inspect­ed. The agency issued notices of inspection to businesses in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee at the beginning of this month that it will be inspecting records to determine whether they are complying with 'employment eligibility verification laws and regulations,' according to a news release from the agency.

Rosemary Elebash, state di­rector of the National Federa­tion of Independent Businesses, said she believes it's the first time such announced inspec­tions have occurred.

'I don't think this is rou­tine,' she said. 'I have not seen anything like this.'

The inspections are part of a new effort by the agency to en­force employment and immigra­tion laws, the release states. In­spectors will be looking to see if employers are following hiring practices and hiring legal work­ers.

'ICE is committed to estab­lishing a meaningful I-9 inspec­tion program to promote compli­ance with the law,' said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., acting special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in New Orleans, in a news release. 'This effort is a first step in ICE's long-term strategy to ad­dress and deter illegal employ­ment.'

Elebash said the inspectors would be looking at employers' I-9 forms, which they are re­quired to complete and keep for each person they hire in the United States. The form re­quires businesses to review and record each employee's identify­ing documents, such as driver's licenses, Social Security cards and passports and determine whether they are reasonably au­thentic.

Elebash said the NFIB has been working with the state De­partment of Industrial Relations since August 2009 to train and educate business owners on the unemployment tax and to re­mind them about paperwork they must do.

'It's been great partnering with DIR,' she said. 'It's been a real opportunity for business owners to ask questions directly of an agency.'

She said several hundred of NFIB's nearly 10,000 members have participated in the train­ing since it began. The next training will be April 1.

NFIB is stressing that em­ployers should take the inspec­tions 'very seriously.' Fines for violations of Form I-9 range from $110 to $1,1000 for one mi­nor or technical violation of the form. Incorrect I-9 forms can be used as evidence of knowingly hiring an illegal worker that can result in a fine of up to $3,200 per violation.

ICE has not publicly an­nounced which businesses will be inspected, and Elebash said that she has not been contacted by any of her members who might have received a notice of inspection.

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25.
No happy homecoming: Woman paroled after 23 years in prison for arson deported to Mexico
By Raquel Maria Dillon
The Associated Press, March 18, 2010
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-garment-business-death,0,836291.story

Los Angeles (AP) -- A clothing store owner who spent 23 years behind bars for a deadly arson fire after proclaiming her innocence was paroled from state prison and deported to Mexico on Thursday.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said Maria Rosa 'Rosie' Sanchez was released from the state California Institution for Women in Chino and deported by immigration authorities at the San Ysidro border crossing.

ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Sanchez is a convicted felon with no lawful status in the U.S.

'She was made aware of her rights and the process was explained to her,' Kice said. She declined to describe Sanchez's response.

Sanchez, who owned a small clothing store, said she was at home when another store in the same building went up in flames in December 1985. A man died in the fire, and Sanchez was convicted of first-degree murder and arson. In 1987, she was sentenced to 25 years to life.

She always maintained her innocence. With the help of a law clinic for women at the University of Southern California Law School, she got the state parole board to recommend her release.

Sanchez met with Mexican consular officials after she was processed by immigration officials, Kice said.

The USC law students who helped Sanchez win parole are preparing to ask Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to pardon Sanchez so she can visit with her adult children, who waited for years to bring their mother home.

Last week, prison officials told Sanchez she would be released to her daughter, also named Rosie Sanchez, who lives in Anaheim, said her son, Gustavo Sanchez.

His sister bought furniture, fixed up a room for their mother to live in and prepared her young children to welcome their grandmother, he said.

'She's pretty upset because she keeps looking at that empty room. She's been sleeping in there since we found out,' that their mother would be deported instead of released, Gustavo said, as he prepared to leave for Tijuana to meet his mother.

Sanchez was picked up by her sister at the border, and she will live with her in Mexicali, her son said.

Jennifer Farrell, a second year law student at USC who represented Sanchez at her parole hearing, said the whole family got their hopes up when the prison said she could stay in the U.S. and live with her daughter, but Sanchez had told the parole board she would go to Mexicali.

'It was the best strategy before the parole board, but partly I think that after 23 years of wrongful incarceration, she was just fed up with the American dream,' Farrell said.

Sanchez said she had been approved for a green card and would have received it if she hadn't been arrested, said USC Law professor Michael Brennan said. She was deported primarily because as a convicted felon without U.S. citizenship she's not allowed to travel or live in the U.S.

Farrell said that Sanchez's public defender was ineffective during the 1987 trial and the sole witness who placed her at the scene was unreliable. Farrell also said Sanchez didn't have a financial motive as prosecutors had claimed.

The prosecution relied on an 18-year-old witness, Adan Ramos, who said he saw Sanchez and another woman while he was trapped in the burning building, she said. Ramos' father, Epiphanio, was sleeping in the store and died in the blaze.

Attempts by The Associated Press to find telephone numbers to reach the Ramos family were not successful Thursday. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office had no family contact information for the 25-year-old case and Sanchez's public defender during the trial has died.

'I'm glad I'll get to see her but it's temporary,' he said. 'I guess like everyone else we have to travel to see our mom and for her to see her grandkids.'

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26.
3 Charged With Stealing $1.75 Million From Immigrants
By Kirk Semple
The New York Times, March 18, 2010

Three members of a family in Richmond Hill, Queens, have been indicted on charges that they stole $1.75 million from 19 fellow West Indian immigrants by falsely promising to help them obtain green cards and bargain deals on federally seized property in New York City and Florida, the Queens district attorney announced on Thursday.
. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/19/nyregion/19fraud.html

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Overseas News

Support the Center for Immigration Studies by donating on line here: http://cis.org/donate

[For CISNEWS subscribers --

1. Canada: Alberta party alleges foreigners bilked of wages
2. Canada: Program helps foreign professionals attain jobs
3. U.K.: Home Office admits restrictions to cut only 3,000 foreigners per year
4. U.K.: Hearing to probe allegations of detainee abuse
5. Ireland: Fine Gael party promotes int’l student recruitment
6. Denmark: Legislation favors “well integrated” foreigners
7. Denmark: Red Cross warns of sudden influx of child refugees
8. Denmark: Court rules against reunification claim (link)
9. Finland: Ministers defend immigration, multiculturalism (story, link)
10. Finland: Immigration helped drive 2009 population surge
11. Malta: Four new patrol boats commissioned by armed forces
12. Israel: Bill establishes holiday celebrating immigration
13. Malaysia: Gov't announces increased scrutiny of employers
14. Australia: Cancellation of visas urged for false testimony in boat fire inquest
15. N.Z.: Immigration rate slows for first time in 15 months (story, link)

Subscribe to CIS e-mail services here: http://cis.org/immigrationnews.html

-- Mark Krikorian]


1.
Alberta NDP releases government records that show foreign workers bilked of pay
The Canadian Press, March 18, 2010
http://www.metronews.ca/edmonton/local/article/264209--alberta-ndp-releases-government-records-that-show-foreign-workers-bilked-of-pay

Edmonton, Canada (CP) -- Alberta New Democrats say a growing number of temporary foreign workers in the province are being ripped off by their employers.

The NDP released government records Wednesday that show up to 74 per cent of inspected businesses that employ workers from overseas have been violating labour laws. The infractions include not paying for overtime, statutory holidays and vacation time earned.

'These are not minor paperwork problems. These violations are substantial and they hurt workers and their families,' said NDP member of the legislature Rachel Notley.

'This is exploitation pure and simple, and that's not what Alberta is about.'

A few years ago, the government increased the number of temporary foreign workers who could come to the province because employers were having difficulty filling jobs in the economic boom. And even with the recent downturn, some employers still find it difficult to hire people for lower-paying, service-sector jobs.

The federal government's foreign worker program entitles employees to stay in Canada for the duration of their work permit, which can be up to two years.

The New Democrats estimate the number of temporary foreign workers in Canada increased from just over 100,000 in 2004 to over 250,000 last year. The number in Alberta is estimated at about 72,000.

Notley said provincial reports show that three-quarters of work sites inspected in recent months had broken Alberta employment rules. About half the inspections were the result of complaints and the other half were random spot checks. Most of the problems were in the accommodation and food-service industries.

'Foreign workers come to Alberta with the hope of sending money home to their families,' Notley said. 'Employers are mistreating them. This government knows it.'

Alberta Employment Minister Thomas Lukaszuk called the number of reported infractions a 'good news story.' He said it shows that foreign workers know their rights and know where to complain.

Lukaszuk also said the amount of money the workers are out doesn't amount to very much and the government ensures there is full restitution.

'We go out there and we investigate and, on average, we find that an average complaint results in about a $50 variation, whether in holiday pay or in overtime pay. But we take this very seriously,' he said.

'Often the cases never repeat themselves. It is not a case of Alberta employers being unscrupulous and wanting to purposely rip off workers. In most cases this is not the case. When that is the case, and standards are violated, charges could be laid.'

Notley said the government should be taking action on two fronts. In the short term, it should hire more inspectors and conduct more spot inspections to ensure that employers are following Alberta labour laws.

But the best solution would be to abolish the temporary foreign worker program and allow more immigrants to move to the province permanently.

'It is designed to almost encourage this kind of exploitation,' she said. 'If these folks are good enough to work here, they are good enough to live here.'

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2.
Immigrant mentoring bridges work worlds
Program eases transition into jobs
By David Finlayson
The Edmonton Journal (Canada), March 19, 2010
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Immigrant+mentoring+bridges+work+worlds/2701166/story.html

Vivian Lee and Edgar Llanes were experienced engineers in their home countries, but language, culture, and different business practices have been barriers to getting work in Edmonton.

So they got help from the new Edmonton Regional Immigrant Employment Council, which mentors skilled newcomers and helps employers integrate them into the workforce.

And while Lee and Llanes are still looking for engineering jobs, they say they are more comfortable applying for positions and going through the interview process.

'I got a job right away with a construction company when I came here from the Philippines in 2008,' Llanes said at the official opening of ERIEC's downtown office on Thursday.

'But the recession hit, and they didn't have a job for me anymore.'

He took an engineering-technician course at NAIT, and ERIEC teamed him up with volunteer mentor Jay Riat, a chemical engineer with Co-Syn Technology, who advised him on such things as job search techniques and office culture.

'I have won a friend, a very good friend. Jay taught me patience and gave me hope. He has been very encouraging, and the time with him has flown.'

Llanes recently passed the Association of Professional Engineers and Technicians of Alberta exam and needs one year of work here before he can get full accreditation.

Lee, an electrical engineer who came from China in 2008, was mentored by Annette Bilawchuk, manager of planning and engineering at Telus.

First order of business was a good resume, followed by mock job interviews.

'In China, it was very easy to find a job. All I needed to do was post my resume on the work site and many agents would call me,' said Lee, who had 10 years managing large construction projects in China.

Here, resumes focus on what the individual can offer the employer, written as briefly as possible, she said.

Although Lee is not working as an engineer, she said her full-time job as an office co-ordinator with H & R Block is good experience.

'Now I know more what Canadian people are thinking and what they want in a professional.'

Llanes and Lee also said the Engineers and Technologists Integration Program at the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers was a big help in helping them adjust to the Canadian engineering culture.

Edmonton Economic Development Corp. chairman Randy Ferguson said it's important as the economy recovers that we don't go through the labour and housing shortages of a few years ago.

'This organization will play a very important role in Edmonton's future as we return to a strong economy.'

'Much of the skill and professionalism we look for is already here in Edmonton. It just hasn't connected back to our businesses.'

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3.
Tighter controls on skilled migrants will only cut numbers by 3,000
Tighter rules designed to limit the number of skilled migrants entering Britain will only reduce numbers by 3,000 a year, the Home Office admitted yesterday.
By Tom Whitehead
The Telegraph (U.K.), March 19, 2010
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/7474481/Tighter-controls-on-skilled-migrants-will-only-cut-numbers-by-3000.html

The changes include making it harder for international companies to bring in foreign workers to its UK offices and reducing the time highly skilled migrants can stay before having to reapply.

Around 50,000 migrants are currently allowed to work into Britain every year under the various visa routes but the changes will only cut that by some six per cent.

Under changes announced yesterday, foreign employees of international companies would need to have worked for the firm for at least a year before they can come to the UK under a intra-company transfer.

Currently the scheme only requires a six month tie to a company.

International firms are allowed to move employees between countries on a temporary basis which effectively bypasses normal work permit controls.

Other changes will see any migrant applying to work in the UK as a highly skilled migrant, such as doctors or engineers, will now be initially granted a two year visa rather than a three year one.

The Government also sidestepped calls for a review of the type and range of colleges that offer students a degree course, which in turn allow them to stay on after graduation to look for work.

In December, the Government's chief immigration adviser warned tens of thousands of foreign students are being allowed to stay in Britain and find jobs after graduating from colleges that are not 'proper' universities.

David Metcalf, chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee, called for a review of 'lower tier' colleges because of fears that too many foreign students were able to extend their stay in the UK for up to two years after getting their degrees.

Prof Metcalf said he was 'stunned' to discover that on top of the 154 major universities there were some 599 colleges and bodies that provided undergraduate courses, including degrees in circus skills, Chinese medicine, and homeopathic education.

In response, the Home Office yesterday said the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills is already looking at the experience of foreign postgraduate students and the jobs they take and any other review should await the outcome of that.

However, that review will not be examining the nature or extent of degree courses on offer.

Damian Green, shadow Immigration Minister, said: 'After thirteen years of an open-door immigration policy this Government is not going to convince anyone with talks of a crackdown.'

Phil Woolas, the immigration minister, said: 'We've always said that we would run our immigration system for the benefit of the UK and that is what we are doing.

'The changes that we are making today will build on an already robust system which in now the envy of the world. A strength of the points based system is the flexibility to predict and respond to events.

'By utilising the flexibility of the points based system we are now ensuring that only those that we need to come to the UK to work can do so.

'I will continue to ensure that immigration does not act as a disincentive for employers to employ and improve the skills of the British workforce.'

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4.
Hearing into Yarl's Wood claims
The BBC News (U.K.), March 18, 2010
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/beds/bucks/herts/8575315.stm

An urgent High Court hearing has been ordered into claims of inhumane conditions at Yarl's Wood detention centre, Bedfordshire.

Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) said the case concerned the treatment of women and children involved in asylum and immigration claims.

Mrs Justice Davies gave permission for the hearing after seeing documents supporting the application, said PIL.

The Home Office says all detainees 'are treated with dignity and respect'.

It said it would not comment on this particular legal action until the case had finished.

Serco, the private company that runs Yarl's Wood, has described the allegations of inhumane and degrading treatment as 'unfounded and untrue'.

Public Interest Lawyers is a public law firm specialising in domestic and international human rights issues.

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5.
International student sector could double to €1.8bn - FG
By Sean Flynn
The Irish Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0319/1224266597268.html

More than 6,000 jobs could be created if Ireland makes a concerted effort to bring international students her, according to a new policy document from Fine Gael.

The document says Ireland’s 'disappointing' share of the lucrative education market could be doubled by more 'joined up' thinking among Government agencies.

It is also proposing a fast-track visa system for potential students. At present, the long delay in processing applications is seen as a major barrier to the development of the international student market.

The Fine Gael move comes amid claims that Ireland is punching below its weight on international education. While various studies have pointed to the huge potential of the sector, Ireland still has only 1 per cent of the international student market.

Fine Gael says it could double revenue from international education to €1.8 billion within five years. At present, the sector generates about €900 million – €400 million from higher education and the rest from English language schools.

At a news conference in Dublin, Fine Gael’s education spokes- man, Brian Hayes, said the party, when in government, will provide the political leadership to develop Ireland’s reputation globally as a prime international education destination.

In order to raise quality and improve Ireland’s reputation, Fine Gael will also regulate the provision of education services to foreign students through a new licensing system.

The National Qualifications Authority of Ireland will become the licensing authority, taking a specific role in monitoring, inspecting and regulating international education.

Poor State co-ordination is stifling key sector

FG’s policy document exposes our miserable performance in winning foreign students, writes Seán Flynn

Ireland has many built-in advantages in the hunt for its share of the multibillion-euro foreign student market. As an English-speaking, neutral country with a strong literary tradition, 'Ireland of the Welcomes' should be well placed to compete.

But Fine Gael was being gracious yesterday when it described Ireland’s performance as 'disappointing'.

Within the education sector, many are less polite. Some complain that Ireland is not even on the radar for many potential students – especially in Asia. Others complain about the lack of a co-ordinated approach between Government agencies.

The potential is vast. It’s estimated that each foreign student will spend about €26,000 per year in their host country. And every 100 students will help to sustain 15 local jobs.

International students are worth some €12 billion to the British economy and account for 8 per cent of New Zealand’s foreign earnings.

But Ireland is playing catch-up. The total revenue generated by the higher education sector from foreign students is just €400 million annually. And numbers are in decline: between 2007 and 2008, student applications from India – a key growth market – were down by over 40 per cent.

The most pressing difficulty is the long delay in visa applications. A Chinese student can expect to wait a month for a visa; in Britain the process can be completed within 48 hours.

Fine Gael hopes its new fast-track visa system will address this issue.

But the key to a new approach is better co-ordination between the State agencies. At present, responsibility is dispersed between the departments of Education and Justice, Fáilte Ireland and Enterprise Ireland.

There is also little focused marketing of the higher education sector. The universities and the institutes of technology market their own areas. But there is no one State agency charged with spreading the very good news that Ireland has two universities (Trinity and UCD) ranked in the world’s top 100.

Fine Gael sees its new international education office as a 'one-stop shop' that will deliver a more co-ordinated approach.

This kind of strategy will be welcomed by many in the sector who have grown tired of the various 'turf wars' that have undermined Ireland’s potential in this sector.

Last summer, the Farmleigh economic summit also identified the strong potential of our international education sector.

The Government hopes to publish its own proposals shortly. Many of the proposals tabled yesterday by Fine Gael are likely to form part of the Government’s new approach.

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6.
Foreigners need points to get permit
The Copenhagen Post, March 16, 2010
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/politics/90-politics/48511-foreigners-need-points-to-get-permit.html

Government approves changes to ease residency system for integrated foreigners, but concerns raised about exclusion of refugees

The government, with the support of the Danish People’s Party (DF), has approved changes to immigration legislation which will make it easier for well-integrated foreigners to secure permanent residency permits.

In the past, most newcomers to Denmark have faced a wait of at least seven years to apply for the permit, but will now be able to get it after only four years if they prove they have actively integrated into Danish society.

A points-based system will be introduced and applicants will have to gain 100 points to qualify for permanent residency.

Full-time work, as well as proficiency in Danish language and culture will be required to achieve the necessary points. Applicants will also have to show active participation in society, for example through volunteer work or coaching a sports team, for a period of at least a year.

However, a criminal record can prevent an applicant from gaining permanent residency in the country.

The legislative changes have also increased requirements in other areas and make it easier for authorities to deny residency permits to those not integrating.

Foreigners will first get the right to vote in local municipal elections after having lived in Denmark for four years, compared to the current requirement of three years.

It will also be possible for authorities to suspend residency permits for a period of 10 years for refugees who have taken holidays to their homeland, even if they have a permanent permit.

Also, in response to the steady influx of unaccompanied minor refugees arriving from Afghanistan, the government will set up special facilities in Afghanistan and Northern Iraq to help safely return the children to their homelands.

Recent figures from the Danish Red Cross showed that 469 unaccompanied refugee children came to Denmark in 2009, of which 337 were from Afghanistan.

Integration minister Birthe Rønn Hornberch said today that the legislative changes are designed to make the process less bureaucratic as the responsibility will be on the applicants to meet the requirements.

‘We’re not going looking for the information. If those seeking a residency permit don’t come forward with the necessary information, then they won’t get the permit,’ she said.

But the Rehabilitation and Research Centre for Torture Victims (RCT) is worried that the tightened regulations will alienate torture victims and traumatised refugees.

‘Many torture victims, as a result of torture, have difficulty learning languages and often cannot work to the same extent as other foreigners,’ said RCT coordinator Tue Magnussen.

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7.
Sudden influx of child refugees
The Copenhagen Post, March 15, 2010
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/national/88-national/48506-sudden-influx-of-child-refugees.html

The number of unaccompanied refugee children arriving in Denmark is at an all-time high, according to the Danish Red Cross, which claims it is having problems handling the influx.

Since January 2009, Danish immigration authorities have opened six new children's refugee centres. But it still isn’t enough, says Gitte Nielsen, manager of the centres.

‘We just don’t have enough capacity to keep up with the flow and speed with which the children are coming in,’ she told Politiken newspaper. ‘I’d guess that we’re receiving about 20 children a week right now.

Nielsen said it was almost exclusively boys who made up the influx – primarily from Afghanistan.

A total of 469 unaccompanied refugee children came to Denmark in 2009, of which 337 were from Afghanistan. By contrast, since 1990, a total of 168 unaccompanied Afghan minors were registered in Denmark by Immigration Service as of 2008.

The trend is the same for much of Europe, according to new figures from UN refugee agency UNHCR, which stated that more than 6000 Afghan children sought asylum in Europe last year. The figure is an increase of 64 percent over that of 2008.

Many of the children seeking asylum are smuggled into the country, according to Kim Kjær of South Jutland Police.

Most commonly the children say they came to Denmark because they feared the Taliban. Other children claim they are fleeing war and poverty in the hope of a better life – the explanation most often heard by Kjær.

‘Parents are afraid of losing their children to war and so they send them off to Europe,’ he said. ‘I’d probably do the same for my children if I was in that situation.’

Integration Minister Birthe Ronn Hornbech has refused to comment on the trend. But Liberal Party integration spokesperson, Karsten Lauritzen, said Denmark has an obligation to accept the children no matter how many arrive in the future.

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8.
Court upholds reunification rejection for Turkish sisters
The Copenhagen Post, March 19, 2010

Two Turkish girls whose father emigrated to Denmark and remarried are not eligible to come to the country through the rules of family reunification, according to a Supreme Court ruling today.
. . .
http://www.cphpost.dk/news/international/89-international/48558-court-upholds-reunification-rejection-for-turkish-sisters.html

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9.
Foreign Minister Stubb defends immigration and multiculturalism
Minister laments tone of debate, says grandmothers should be allowed to stay
The Helsingin Sanomat (Finland), March 19, 2010
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Foreign+Minister+Stubb+defends+immigration+and+multiculturalism/1135254813307

'Finland needs to be international and multicultural', says Minister for Foreign Affairs Alexander Stubb (Nat. Coalition Party). In his view, Finland’s current debate on immigration has taken on a negative slant.

'The point of view that is critical to immigration, the extreme part of it, dominates debate. The debate is excessively one-sided. It reeks of racism, nationalism, populism, and xenophobia. It is very unpleasant', Stubb says.

Stubb gave his interview at his own initiative. 'The topic is close to my heart', Stubb says, explaining why he is commenting on a matter that does not directly pertain to his ministerial portfolio.

'I have seen few people lately who would have said that immigration would be a good thing for Finland', Stubb says.

He states unequivocally: 'Granting asylum is just and humane. Helping refugees is ethically right. Work-based immigration is a tremendous asset for Finland.'

According to Stubb, the problem with immigration debate in Finland is that the various nuances of immigration are not distinguished.

Stubb lists the variants; people come to Finland for work, as asylum seekers, as refugees, and as quota refugees.

He denounces as low-brow populism the linkage of asylum seekers with abuse of social welfare.

While emphasising the benefits of multiculturalism and internationalism, Stubb also feels that open debate is necessary on problems that are linked with immigration.

'There are two problems. Finnish society has attitude problems in accepting immigrants. On the other hand, the Finnish system has been poorly prepared to take asylum seekers in a situation in which their numbers have grown significantly. We need to take issue with these problems.'

Stubb admits that Finland is too attractive a destination for asylum seekers. 'We have tried to do something about this during this government term.'

In February the basic part of income supplements paid to asylum seekers was cut, and part of the support is being given in the form of food. Processing applications has also been speeded up.

Citizens are angered that so many asylum seekers come from Bulgaria and Romania, both of whom are members of the European Union, and considered safe countries. The government plans to abolish income supplements for asylum seekers from EU countries.

'Immigration needs to feel fair. It needs to be fair toward the person who comes, but also toward those people who maintain this and pay for the system - us Finns.'

Foreign Minister Stubb supports the minister responsible for immigration matters, Astrid Thors (Swed. People’s Party), saying that Thors has one of the most difficult and most sensitive tasks in the government.

'We do not necessarily agree on everything, but Thors has dealt with her task quite well', Stubb says.

The immigration issue has divided the National Coalition Party to some degree. Wille Rydman, chairman of the party’s youth organisation, has come out against emphasising multiculturalism. He also feels that Finland should stop taking in 'quota refugees'.

Stubb rejectes Rydman’s ideas, noting that there are people like him in every party. 'Their thoughts have nothing to do with the immigration policy line of the National Coalition Party. Nothing at all', Stubb emphasises.

He will not say how much support the policy line promoted by Rudman has within the party. 'I believe and I hope that as little as possible.'

Foreign Minister Stubb said that it is his personal opinion that two foreign grandmothers, Egyptian citizen Eveline Fadayel, and Russian Irina Antonova should not be deported from Finland.

The Supreme Administrative Court ruled last week Both Fadayel, 65, and Antonova, 81, should not be allowed to stay in Finland with their families.

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Finnish immigration minister urges parties to denounce populism
The Helsinki Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/politics/10344-finnish-immigration-minister-urges-parties-to-denounce-populism-.html

Finland's Thors summons parties to talks on residence permits
The Helsinki Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.helsinkitimes.fi/htimes/domestic-news/politics/10346-finlands-thors-summons-parties-to-talks-on-residence-permits-.html

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10.
Finnish population surged in 2009
The Helsingin Times, March 19, 2010
http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Finnish+population+surged+in+2009/1135254813157

The Finnish population grew last year by about 25,000 people. At the end of the year the official population figure was slightly over 5,351,000, according to the Population Register Centre.

In the 21st century, the Finnish population has increased by more than 180,000.

At present, women outnumber men by more than 100,000.

Increased immigration is one of the factors involved, but the birthrate has also grown in many areas.

The country’s most populous cities are Helsinki (583,400 inhabitants), Espoo (244,300), Tampere (211,500), Vantaa (197,600) and Turku (176,100).

At the end of last year Finland had nearly 156,000 foreign citizens as residents. More than 74,000 of them were women and about 81,600 were men.

The greatest number of foreign citizens lived in Helsinki (41,700), Espoo (15,300), Vantaa (11,900), Turku (8.200) and Tampere (7.400).

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11.
Four new patrol boats commissioned
By Scott Grech
The Malta Independent, March 19, 2010
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=103252

Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi was yesterday present for the commissioning of four new patrol boats at the Maritime Squadron’s base in Haywarf, Floriana.

The four inshore patrol boats (P21-P24) are the fruit of a €9.5 million investment, co-financed by the European Union.

Dr Gonzi said that not only will the new boats strengthen the Maritime Squadron’s fleet, but they could also pave the way for the permanent stationing of one patrol boat, constantly on-call, in Gozo.

'Besides these four patrol boats, the government has also invested approximately €12 million to enhance the Armed Forces of Malta’s capacity. A new fixed wing aircraft will be delivered to the AFM next year and by the end of next month the modernisation in the communications infrastructure of the forces will be finalised, with construction works on a new quay and the building of new Maritime Squadron headquarters also underway,' said Dr Gonzi.

The Prime Minister added that a new recruitment programme is currently underway within the AFM. Last year, 95 gunners and eight officer cadets were recruited.

The Commander, Brigadier Martin Xuereb, said that the new boats will improve efficiency and reduce maintenance costs, and will contribute to ensure that the Maritime Squadron, which is made up of a total of 259 persons, will continue to carry out its responsibilities with efficiency.

Brigadier Xuereb said that the vessels will particularly come in use when safeguarding Maltese shores during law enforcement missions and when monitoring irregular migrant trafficking, Moreover, they will help in preventing drug trafficking, enhance fisheries protection, increase Search and Rescue (SAR) measures and also provide assistance to civilians finding themselves in difficulty.

Austal, an Australian company, designed and manufactured the four aluminium vessels.

Matt Klingberg, a representative of the company, stated that the new patrol boats 'will demonstrate the advantages of lightweight aluminium patrol vessels, particularly in terms of their high speeds and low operating costs.

'Austal is currently building its second large commercial ferry for Maltese operator Virtu Ferries, which is on schedule for launch later next month. However, this four-vessel patrol craft fleet is of particular importance to Austal as it represents our first European defence contract. Of greater pride is the fact that it was awarded following an extensive international process,' said Mr Klingberg.

AFM Chaplain Joseph Meli blessed the four patrol boats. The Prime Minister, members of the Maritime Squadron and media representatives were then taken on a short tour on one of the four boats in Grand Harbour.

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12.
MK Katz proposes Aliyah Day
By Raphael Ahren
Ha'aretz (Israel), March 19, 2010
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1157511.html

A new bill proposing the establishment of an annual Aliyah Day represents the latest initiative in what seems to be a growing effort by lawmakers to advance immigration to Israel. Some observers praised the proposal and pledged to support it, while others deemed it unnecessary.

Conceived and written by an American-Israeli aliyah activist and sponsored by National Union MK Yaakov Katz, the bill presented to the Knesset Monday was 'designed to strengthen public awareness, especially among the young, of the centrality of aliyah, which shall be done through educational activities, broadcasts and public ceremonies' on the official day.

The bill was written by Yishai Fleisher, a 33-year-old journalist, who was born in Israel but grew up in New Jersey. 'Everybody who made aliyah is proud of being here,' Fleisher told Anglo File. 'We put in our blood and sweat and tears to come here and so this is a day of pride.'

Aliyah Day would take place during the week in which the Torah portion 'Lekh Lekha' is read, as it tells of God's commanding Abraham to settle in Israel, usually in October or November. Katz presented the bill at the end of a half-day aliyah conference in the Knesset he had sponsored. The Algerian-born Shas MK Chaim Amsellem, who was the only parliamentarian in the room when Katz introduced the bill, signed it immediately.

'It's very important to me that this law will also be exported to the Diaspora, so that [Jewish] schools will celebrate this day like they celebrate Independence day,' explained Fleisher, who runs Kumah, an organization encouraging immigration by distributing pro-Israel CDs and movies and through its widely read blog.

Others were less enthusiastic.

'Whether this bill will have any relevance outside of Israel remains to be seen,' said American-Israeli sociologist Chaim Waxman, who specializes on immigration. 'If the schools' curricula were to include more discussions of aliyah, then perhaps this could raise the consciousness within Israel, but I don't expect a major impact abroad.'

Kadima MK and former Jewish Agency chairman Zeev Bielski told Anglo File he would support the bill. Yet he, too, remained skeptical about the hoped-for increase in aliyah. 'It won't cause any harm,' he joked.

Former minister Rabbi Michael Melchior praised Katz for the proposal but said it is ultimately futile. 'Initiatives like this are not worth anything if they're not followed up by a commitment on concrete issues that prove that we want aliyah,' he told Anglo File.

Over recent weeks, the government and at least one opposition parliamentarian turned their attention to Western aliyah. In February, the cabinet significantly raised the amount of money it gives to private aliyah group Nefesh B'Nefesh for every immigrant it helps bring to Israel. Earlier this month, two Israeli-born MKs - Yoel Hasson of Kadima and Likud's Carmel Shama - relaunched the Knesset's Lobby for the Encouragement for Aliyah from the West, which Hasson had co-founded during the Knesset's last term.

'I feel very close to this issue and I do everything I can to encourage the government to make more efforts to push aliyah from western countries,' Hasson told Anglo File, adding that as chairman of the Knesset's state control committee he specifically aims to combat the red tape many immigrants confront upon arrival.

Melchior, on the other hand, is convinced no real change is taking place. 'There are many lobbies that are created that have two meetings and that's it,' he said, adding that he knows how the system works because during his 10 years in the Knesset he founded many lobbies himself. 'We don't need an extra $500 per immigrant or a lobby or a day in the Knesset. If the government really wanted to do something it would sit down and think about how to create a society immigrants would want to come to, what to do practically to help the people who decide to come, and what they need to do to attract people.'

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13.
All Premises Hiring Foreign Workers Will Be Checked - Hishammuddin
Bernama Malaysian National News Agency), March 17, 2010
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=483267

Kuala Lumpur (Bernama) -- The government has decided to check all premises which hire foreign workers to ensure that their welfare is well looked after by employers.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein said the checks were to ensure that things like salary, lodging, health and working environment were conducive to the workers.

'We want employers to always adhere to labour standards and protection measures as stated under the policies and laws of the country,' he told a press conference after chairing a special ministers' meeting on foreigner management at parliament house here on Wednesday.

Hishammuddin said the checks aimed at tracing human trafficking activities will involve the Manpower Department, Police, Immigration Department and local authorities.

Ministry records showed that there were 1.8 million foreigners working in sectors like construction, manufacturing, plantation and restaurant.

The outflow of income from their activities totalled RM12.2 billion in 2008, matching the contribution made to the country's economy.

Malaysia had 26.1 million foreigners as of Dec last year.

Of the number, 23.7 million were tourists while the remainder were students, workers and diplomats.

Hishammuddin said the foreign worker management laboratory will operate from March 23 to April 23 at the Home Ministry.

It comprises 14 ministries and 11 departments and agencies.

He was confident that the laboratory could become a platform to discuss issues and find strategies to improve the systems in place.

'We will invite 33 organisations to join the laboratory as syndication partners. Parties with interest in foreign workers are invited to join the laboratory,' he added.

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14.
Cancel visas for all lying SIEV 36 witnesses, George Brandis says
By Joe Kelly
The Australian, March 18, 2010
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/politics/cancel-visas-for-all-lying-siev-36-witnesses-george-brandis-says/story-e6frgczf-1225842449158

All Afghan witnesses from the doomed SIEV 36 should have their visas cancelled after lying to an inquest about a plan to sabotage the asylum-seeker boat, a Liberal frontbencher says.

Shadow Attorney-General George Brandis told The Australian Online that, in addition to the three men found to have planned to set fire to the vessel, all other witnesses on board could be found to have failed the character test.

Northern Territory Coroner found yesterday that none of the Afghan witnesses were telling the truth in their accounts of the fire and explosion on board the Siev 36 last April that killed five Afghans.

``He also found that all of the Afghani witnesses, they have all to some extent colluded with each other and decided as a group and lie to this inquest, so that's not just the three named persons,'' he told The Australian Online.

``How can the minister possibly then conclude that these are people who pass the character test?''

He dismissed as ``nonsense'' the government's argument that any decision on cancelling visas would have to wait until after the outcome of any possible charges against the three alleged saboteurs.

``This is an ultimate finding by the coroner that these people have colluded to lie to the inquest so therefore this is the appropriate time for the government act,'' he said.

Coronor Greg Cavanagh was scathing in his report about the conduct of the Afghan witnesses and said all of them had lied.

``It is quite apparent when one compares the evidence of the Afghani witnesses to that which is depicted on the video, none of them are telling the truth. All of them are denying knowledge of events about which they must have some knowledge,'' he said.

Earlier today the Opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison accused Kevin Rudd of hiding behind a faulty reading of the Migration Act because he would not decide on the fate of the three men's visas.

``Clearly he over-egged his explanation of the advice. I think he misrepresented it because clearly the act enables the minister to make a decision without a need for any criminal conviction,'' Mr Morrison said.

``Do they believe if someone who is found by a coronial inquiry to be part of a plan to cripple a boat that resulted in the deaths of five people, injured dozens more and put the safety of Australian Defence Force personnel at risk, do they consider that to be of good character?''

He also urged the government to revoke the visas of the three men, saying the finding by the coroner was clear.

``That was not an ambiguous finding by the coroner, it was a clear finding.''

``What that says is that you can come by boat, you can even plan to blow up the boat and your visa remains unchallenged,'' he told The Australian Online.

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15.
N.Z Annual Immigration Weakens on February Slump
By Gavin Evans
Bloomberg News, March 19, 2010
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-18/new-zealand-annual-immigration-slows-first-time-in-15-months.html

New Zealand’s annual immigration growth slowed for the first time in 15 months in February, adding to signs economic growth will be moderate as the nation emerges from its worst recession in 30 years.

The number of permanent migrant arrivals exceeded departures by 21,618 in the 12 months ended Feb. 28, Statistics New Zealand said today in Wellington. That’s down from 22,588 in the 12 months through January and the first decline since the year ended November 2008. The gain last month was the lowest since January 2009.

Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard last week said strong migrant inflows the past year have left 'considerable spare resources' in the labor market, easing pressure on wages. He described the economy’s recovery as 'sluggish' and reiterated that he’s unlikely to increase interest rates until the middle of the year.

The surge in net immigration has been boosted by fewer New Zealanders heading abroad. About 39,119 citizens left in the year ended Feb. 28, down from 59,268 in the 12 months through February 2009, today’s report showed.

Overall permanent departures fell 23 percent in the year, the report showed. Arrivals declined 4.2 percent.

Immigrants, Tourists

Analysts monitor a monthly, seasonally adjusted series to determine the pace of immigration. In February, a net 1,050 migrants arrived compared with 1,860 in January. It was the lowest monthly gain since January 2009.

Short-term visitor arrivals fell 1.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, from January, the agency said.

Still, the underlying trend in arrivals is increasing from a year earlier. Unadjusted arrivals rose 4.4 percent, which may buoy a tourism industry that makes up 10 percent of the economy.

Promotion of New Zealand as a destination for Australian travelers has helped arrivals recover after the global recession cut international air travel last year, reducing tourist visits from Asia and Europe.

Total arrivals rose 2.4 percent in the year ended Feb. 28 from a year earlier as a 12 percent gain in Australian tourists countered slumps in visitors from the U.K., Japan and South Korea, today’s report showed. Excluding Australia, visitors fell 4.2 percent. Annual arrivals from Japan slumped 19 percent. Visitors from Korea dropped 24 percent and arrivals from the U.K. fell 6.2 percent.

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Immigration slows in Feb.
By Brett Phibbs
The New Zealand Herald, March 19, 2010
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10633032

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Center for Immigration Studies
1522 K St. NW, Suite 820
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 466-8185 fax: (202) 466-8076
center@cis.org www.cis.org
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