ICYMI: Immigration Reform News This Week

This week has been tough for immigration advocates as House Republicans have repeatedly announced reasons to stall and turn down the opportunity to take up immigration reform in the U.S. House of Representatives before the end of the year.  President Obama has come forward stating that he is open to the idea of piecemeal reform—i.e. take the Senate Bill and “chop that thing up into five pieces.”  Despite the lack of progress on immigration reform, this week has been full of great immigration news stories, Op Eds, and articles.  So, in case you missed it, here is a wrap-up of some of this week’s media:

Deportation for Minor Crimes.  The Atlantic published an article about immigrants who have been deported for minor crimes but do not pose an active public safety threat, stating, “[D]eportation is no longer a mere administrative matter; it is being used as a punitive measure for the sorts of crimes that are usually accompanied by due process.” http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/11/why-are-immigrants-being-deported-for-minor-crimes/281622/

Detention Bed Mandate.  NPR investigated immigration detention facilities and brings light to a “detention bed mandate” that “calls for filling 34,000 beds in some 250 facilities across the country, per day, with immigrant detainees” and explains the financial and social costs of such mandates. http://www.npr.org/2013/11/19/245968601/little-known-immigration-mandate-keeps-detention-beds-full

Immigration Hackathon.  Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg and a group of 20 immigrant software programmers who came to the U.S. without documentation took part in a “hackathon” to come up with new applications that support immigration reform and activism.  http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-facebook-immigration-20131121,0,5953575.story#axzz2lFThzSJD

Immigration and Women:  Several media outlets have featured Op Eds and articles on women’s role in immigration reform and the need for woman leadership in the movement.

The Seattle Times:  http://seattletimes.com/html/opinion/2022269137_pramilajayapalleeannhallopedwomenimmigration17xml.html?cmpid=2628
The Washington Post:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/11/20/can-women-give-immigration-reform-the-boost-it-needs/?utm_source=buffer&utm_campaign=Buffer&utm_content=bufferec92d&utm_medium=twitter

David Leopold’s Op Ed.  Immigration Activist David Leopold concisely sums up the House Republicans position on moving on immigration reform and sums up his piece with:  “In other words, the GOP is refusing to perform its Constitutional duty to legislate in good faith.”  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-leopold/the-house-gops-refusal-to_b_4283546.html?utm_hp_ref=tw

Compromising on a Path to Citizenship.  The New York Times highlights the path to citizenship debate.  Should immigration advocates compromise on a path to citizenship for overall immigration reform?  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/21/us/illegal-immigrants-divided-over-the-importance-of-citizenship.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

By Kelli Stout
Attorney, McCrummen Immigration Law Group, LLC