Aggregated Immigration Stories

"Homeland Security officials have said their focus is increasingly on removing immigrants who are convicted criminals. That, in fact, is what an ICE official told Ms. Zanella in explaining the new decision in her case.

The agent said ICE “was supposed to be concentrating on criminals, not on Dream students,” said Ralph Isenberg, a Dallas businessman who advocates for immigrants and made it his cause to prevent Ms. Zanella from being deported. Mr. Isenberg’s challenges to ICE had kept Ms. Zanella in the country even after the final date for her deportation in February.

“As long as I do well in school and stay out of trouble, I will be out of trouble with ICE,” Ms. Zanella said she was told. She has to report to ICE every month."

JULIA PRESTON in the New York Times on Apr. 27, 2011.

Posted by Dan Kowalski at 06:13 AM | Permalink

"Huge surges among Hispanic populations in the Deep South could mean a political sea change over the next two decades, as immigrants become naturalized and they and their American-born children register to vote."

HALIMAH ABDULLAH for McClatchy News Service on Apr. 22, 2011.

Posted by Dan Kowalski at 07:18 AM | Permalink

"A California congresswoman Friday called for an investigation into the actions of federal immigration officials, saying they lied about whether counties and states had the right to opt out of a controversial nationwide enforcement program that screens for illegal immigrants in local jails. "It is inescapable that the [Department of Homeland Security] was not honest with the local governments or with me" about whether local jurisdictions must participate, said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose). "You can’t have a government department essentially lying to local government and to members of Congress. This is not OK.""

LEE ROMNEY in the L.A. Times on Apr. 22, 2011.

Posted by Dan Kowalski at 07:29 PM | Permalink

"Elvira Sosa left Mexico for the United States more than 30 years ago, but last year was the first time she'd been counted as part of the U.S. Census.  Sosa was among thousands of illegal immigrants in Los Angeles who filled out a census form last year, and city officials said the response, especially among Latinos, might have saved the area money and congressional representation.  The increased count was purposeful: A Census Bureau outreach program urged undocumented workers to fill out the census and assured them that nothing on the form could be used against them."

JIM ROOPE for CNN Radio on Apr.. 21, 2011.

Posted by Dan Kowalski at 02:00 PM | Permalink