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Hawaii Sen. Inouye co-sponsors bill to aid children of World War II vets

Published on Tue, Nov 10, 2009

Sen. Daniel Inouye is co-sponsoring legislation that would allow the children of Filipino World War II veterans living in the United States to become permanent U.S. residents.

Published in the The Hawaii Advisor

LAC Issues New Practice Advisory on Motions to Suppress Evidence Unlawfully Obtained by CBP

Released on Wed, Nov 13, 2013

The American Immigration Council’s Legal Action Center (LAC) has just released a new practice advisory, Motions to Suppress in Removal Proceedings: Fighting Back Against Unlawful Conduct by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Since 9/11, Congressional appropriations for border security have skyrocketed.  This influx of resources to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has corresponded with increased reports of pretextual arrests, racial profiling, excessive use of force, and coercive tactics to aid immigration enforcement along both borders.  Although these enforcement practices often violate the constitutional, statutory or regulatory framework governing the conduct of CBP officers, they are rarely challenged in immigration court. 

The LAC’s new practice advisory discusses some of the factual scenarios that may give rise to successful motions to suppress evidence obtained unlawfully by CBP officers, including CBP inspectors stationed at ports of entry and Border Patrol agents, who operate between ports of entry.  It also addresses some of the legal issues specific to motions to suppress evidence obtained at and near the border.  If successful, a motion to suppress can prevent the government from using unlawfully obtained evidence to prove alienage, which may result in the termination of removal proceedings. Read more...

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Immigration reform needs addressing

Published on Sun, Jan 10, 2010

Here's yet another argument supporting the need for comprehensive immigration reform, an issue that the Obama administration has thankfully targeted as a priority in 2010.

A study released last week concluded that legalizing the status of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in our country would create jobs, increase consumption, boost wages, add to tax revenues and, in sum, "yield at least $1.5 trillion in added U.S. gross domestic product over 10 years."

Published in the Arizona Star

Ben Johnson on Fox and Friends

Published on Mon, May 24, 2010

Ben Johnson Discusses the Economics of Immigration

Published in the Fox News

How immigration crackdowns backfire

Published on Thu, Apr 22, 2010

Arizona legislators are fed up with being terrorized by illegal immigrants, and they have passed a law to get tough. Under the measure, passed this week and sent to the governor, police would have to stop and question anyone they suspect of being in this country without legal authorization.

Published in the Chicago Tribune

Leader of Latin American group blasts immigration proposal

Published on Tue, May 11, 2010

While officials, state and national lawmakers and citizens line up on either side the immigration reform debate, the leader League of United Latin American Citizens of Ohio has sent a strong message to Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones who is vowing to take a Arizona-like immigration law to the ballot.

A week after Jones gathered national media attention stating he and state Rep. Courtney Combs, R-Hamilton, called for legislation that “mirrors” the controversial Arizona law that makes being in the country illegally a state violation, Jason Riveiro, state director of the LULAC, sent a letter to the sheriff stating his support of the Arizona law “can only be described as a cynical and self-serving political ploy. Such actions are inappropriate. You take advantage of not merely immigrant populations, but also of the trust granted you by the very people who elected you into office.

Published in the Oxford Press

Local Catholics Push for Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Published on Mon, Jun 14, 2010

Delaware Rep. Michael Castle speculated that the economy would eclipse immigration on the national congressional agenda. Citing an extensive and well documented report titled “Raising the Floor for American Workers” published jointly by the Center for American progress and the Immigration Policy Center, I stated that comprehensive immigration reform would raise wages, increase consumption, create jobs and generate additional tax revenue, resulting in $1.5 trillion in cumulative U.S. gross domestic product over the next 10 years. On the other hand, mass deportations would lead to a loss of $2.6 trillion in gross domestic product over the next 10 years. Therefore, comprehensive immigration reform can be a part of the solution to the national economic crisis.

Published in the Delaware Tomorrow

Report: Population Growth Depends On Immigration

Published on Wed, Jul 28, 2010

Of course, that’s not counting illegal immigrants — DHS estimated 10.8 people were living in the U.S. illegally in 2009. But advocates of higher quotas argue that increasing the number of people who could legally enter the U.S. would also decrease illegal immigration. “We have a fundamental problem as a country accepting the idea that we need immigration numbers,” Mary Giovagnoli, director of Immigration Policy Center told TWI. “If we had a legal immigration system that worked, it would reduce the incentive for illegal immigration.”

Published in the Washington Independent

The § 237(a)(1)(H) Fraud Waiver

This Practice Advisory discusses the § 237(a)(1)(H) waiver for fraud or misrepresentation at admission that would otherwise render deportable certain LPRs and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petitioners. The advisory addresses contexts in which the waiver is available, the statutory eligibility requirements, and the relief that results from a grant of the waiver.

Published On: Monday, June 1, 2009 | Download File

The Senate Unanimously Passes Border Security Bill

Published on Thu, Aug 12, 2010

“You can make the argument that it can reinforce the Obama administration efforts to disentangle the border issues from the immigration issues,” Mary Giovagnoli, director of the pro-reform Immigration Policy Center, told TWI. “But that’s probably not how it’s going to play out.”

Published in the The Washington Independent