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Illegal immigrants in the U.S. seeing more raids
 DALLAS, TX
- Unannounced immigration raids throughout the United States continue and it is making many
illegal immigrants paranoid. Before illegal immigrants felt that once they were in the U.S. they were safe but nowadays that seems to be changing. Raids are occurring at work facilities, jails, on the streets and even at homes. Some
illegal immigrants have started fleeing communities where raids have taken place recently because they do not want to be the next ones. Many businesses that have been catering to
illegal immigrants in these communities have seen their sales drop significantly. Some parents have even avoided sending their children to school. Federal officials have stepped up their efforts to detain illegal immigrants who have avoided deportation orders and/or have a criminal history. In the pursuit of these individuals federal officials have also ended up detaining others in the process since they often find immigration violators. One of the raids launched last year called “Operation Return to Sender” has resulted in the detainment of nearly 15,000
illegal immigrants. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is going after illegal immigrants on two different fronts. First, they are trying to improve border security so that fewer are successful in getting across the border. Second, ICE is targeting immigrants who are in the country illegally. However, immigrant advocates see the raids as being detrimental to immigrant families and communities. Families are being separated, some businesses are losing sales and sometimes employers cannot easily replace workers. |
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Abuse of deportation system prompts new ruling
 SAN BERNARDINO, CA
- Many illegal immigrants in the United States have received
deportation orders but not all comply with them. Immigration authorities estimate the number of immigrants ignoring
deportation orders at greater than 600,000 with the number growing. An illegal immigrant who skips their
deportation hearing becomes a fugitive. Many illegal immigrants have willingly taken on that risk because once in front of an immigration judge they are likely to lose their case and be deported. Others have complied with the deportation order but later returned to the United States. According to a 2005 appeals court ruling, illegal immigrants who reentered the U.S. after being deported and were caught could ask for a new deportation hearing. At the hearing, the immigration judge would have the final say as to whether the old deportation order would be reinstated. The problem was that many
illegal immigrants failed to show up at their hearings. In February 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit on a 5-4 vote ruled that non-U.S. citizens do not have the right to be granted a new hearing. If the immigration judge chooses they can also reinstate the old deportation orders. The 9th Circuit includes the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Washington. Before an illegal immigrant may have been allowed to go home or held in custody while waiting for the
deportation hearing, now they can be deported instantly. The ruling was seen as a victory for immigration officials as too many illegal immigrants were taking advantage of the old deportation hearing process and failing to show up to court. |
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Medical Examinations for Green Card Applicants
 CHICAGO, IL
- Immigrants recently surveyed by an independent poll stated that it was "a lot of confusion and misinformation" regarding the medical examination required by the USCIS. Every year thousands of applicants submit
Form I-693 (Medical Examination of Aliens Seeking Adjustment of Status) incorrectly and have their applications delayed or denied.
About the Medical Examination: Most Green Card applicants are required to go through a
medical exam. Only civil surgeons approved by the USCIS can conduct the examination. Applicants using non-approved doctors will have their applications delayed or rejected. For more information regarding the
medical exam and to locate USCIS approved doctors, visit:
www.usimmigrationdoctors.org. |
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Major banks trying to lure immigrants
 LOS ANGELES, CA
- In an effort to attract more Spanish speaking clientele, especially Hispanic immigrants, Bank of America is testing a new credit card in the Los Angeles region. No
social security number is needed but the immigrants must present an individual taxpayer identification number also known as an
ITIN. The credit limit is set at $500 so that immigrants can start building
credit, but the interest rate is higher than other Bank of America credit cards. If the test-marketing shows favorable results for the new card, the largest retail bank in the U.S. will expand the program nationwide. Bank of America also offers a free money transfer service to Mexico, SafeSend, for its clients with checking accounts. They can send up to $3000 every month without a fee with just a click of the mouse. Major banks like Citibank and Wells Fargo Bank have introduced similar money transfer services since the billion dollar industry continues to grow. Some banks have started offering
mortgages to qualified immigrants and all that is needed is an
ITIN or acceptable identification from the Mexican consulate. A company that has already had huge success by issuing credit cards to illegal immigrants is a Los Angeles department store called La Curacao. The department store only requires the Mexican consulate identification and has issued about one million credit cards to date. |
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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary discusses immigration
 WASHINGTON, DC - Mr. Chertoff, the U.S. Homeland Security Secretary, recently discussed how
immigration reform would allow law enforcement officials to concentrate their efforts on going after criminals instead of illegal immigrants at the
border. He also added that immigration reform would only take place when Americans felt that added security had made the U.S.-Mexico border safer. Chertoff praised the National Guard for playing a part in discouraging illegal immigrants from
crossing. Arrests along the U.S.-Mexico border have decreased and fewer immigrants are gathering near the border. However, Chertoff also recognized that improved
border security alone would not put an end to illegal crossings because smugglers are resorting to other ways. The Mexican government has favored a guest-worker program as well as President Bush, but there has not been sufficient support in Congress. Last year President Bush signed a bill that would erect an additional 700 miles of fence along the border. However, border enforcement was now looking at using a combination of fence, ground sensors and other technology depending on what was best suited for the area. During Chertoff’s first official visit to Mexico he spoke with top security officials about improving coordination efforts, exchanging drug-related and smuggler information, and strategies on dealing with immigrants from other parts of Latin America who were coming into Mexico to reach the United States. |
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NFL rejects Border Patrol recruiting ad
 NEW YORK, NY
- The U.S. Border Patrol has started running job advertisements to attract more candidates. Some of the sports leagues the U.S. Border Patrol has reached agreements with are the NBA (National Basketball Association), the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the Pro Bull Rider. The NBA allowed a Border Patrol recruitment ad in its All-Star program and the NCAA Final Four and Pro Bull Rider will have similar ads in their publications. The only sports league to turn down the ads has been the NFL (National Football League). Border Patrol had wanted to include its recruitment ad in the 2007 NFL Super Bowl program which is sold through the Internet and at the game. The 242 page program is packed with team and player articles along with various ads ranging from beer to
credit cards. The NFL spokesperson, Brian McCarthy, said the Border Patrol ad was rejected because of its controversial wording. Some of the wording included, “You’ll help detect and prevent the unlawful entry of undocumented aliens into the U.S. and apprehend violators of our immigration laws . . . you’ll play a primary role in stopping drug smuggling along our borders.” In addition, the NFL did not want anyone to get the impression that they were taking a stance on
illegal immigration. McCarthy mentioned that the agency was given a second chance to submit a different ad. The National Border Patrol Council, a union for border patrol agents, was disappointed in the NFL’s reaction. The council president did not think the ad was controversial as it truly stated the agent’s duties and their purpose. |
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Concerns voiced regarding proposed USCIS fee increases
 WASHINGTON, DC -The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has proposed increasing the naturalization fee this spring because according to Emilio Gonzales (the agency’s top official) it is desperately needed. Both House of Representatives Democrats and Republicans commented about the proposed increase during an immigration subcommittee hearing. The Democrats see the increase as making the naturalization process even less affordable for the poor especially. On the other hand, Republicans feel that the benefits of U.S. Citizenship are priceless. The USCIS wants to increase naturalization fees from $330 to $595. During the spring, the fee for immigration applications on average will rise by 66%. Democrats continue to urge Gonzales to think twice about increasing fees and instead consider alternatives. Alternatives suggested include charging applicants for work permits and
Green Cards based on their income and lowering naturalization fees by having Congress make up the difference. Republicans support the idea of higher fees since they do not believe that taxpayers should be burdened with the higher costs. They believe that the ones benefiting should be the ones paying for the service. Gonzales has met with community groups and immigration lawyers who have voiced that they would support a fee increase if that helped USCIS improve their services. The USCIS has become notorious for its backlogs and poor service. Gonzales sees the fee increases as the solution that would allow USCIS to meet President Bush’s requirement to process applications within six months. |
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