immigration reform news stories on Newser

Bloomberg: Feds Should Make Cities Take Immigrants

Rob Quinn — Wed, 23 May 2012 02:55:00 CDT

America's immigration system is turning away the very workers it needs for economic growth, Michael Bloomberg warned at a panel discussion yesterday. The New York City mayor, pointing to a report showing that other countries are snapping up skilled migrants, argued that states should be allowed to set immigration standards...

For Illegals, No More Mr. Nice Border Patrol

Kevin Spak — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 07:27:03 CST

Up until recently, if you were caught crossing the border illegally into Douglas, Ariz., Border Patrol would give you a sandwich and some orange juice—and drive you right back to Mexico. Not anymore. The US Border Patrol is changing its policy, instituting a new "Consequence Delivery System" that will...

California May Consider Amnesty Program

John Johnson — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 12:20:42 CST

The debate over offering amnesty to illegal immigrants might soon be a ballot issue in California. Democratic lawmaker Felipe Fuentes formally introduced a measure yesterday that would allow about 1 million undocumented immigrants in California to live and work there without worrying about getting deported, reports McClatchy Newspapers . Fuentes filed...

Hire Local? Farmers Who Seek US Workers Hit Hard

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 10:04:22 CDT

John Harold is trying to do the right thing when it comes to harvesting his 1,000-acre Colorado farm, by hiring only legal foreign workers and, this summer, offering more positions to unemployed locals. But “it didn’t take me six hours to realize I’d made a heck of a mistake,...

Hispanics Now the Majority Sent to Federal Prison

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 06:39:37 CDT

With immigration offenses on the rise, more than half of those sent to federal prison for felonies this year are Hispanic. Though Hispanics already outnumbered other ethnic groups in that category, this is the first year they have been the majority of such offenders, the AP reports. A new government...

Jan Brewer: White House 'Snubbed' Me

Evann Gastaldo — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 10:40:50 CDT

The White House must've, er, forgotten to invite Jan Brewer—champion of Arizona's controversial immigration law—to its roundtable on immigration reform yesterday, and she considers that "truly a snub." Said Brewer last night on Fox News: "You would have thought one of the governors would have been invited, since...

US Court Upholds Block on Ariz. Immigration Law

Polly Davis Doig — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 19:26:40 CDT

A US appeals court today ruled that key parts of Arizona's controversial immigration law will remain blocked, reports the Washington Post, “Arizona has attempted to hijack a discretionary role that Congress delegated to the Executive,’’ read the majority opinion in the 2-1 decision, which ordered only that the lower...

Colbert to Testify Before Congress

Evann Gastaldo — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 08:05:53 CDT

Stephen Colbert is getting serious tomorrow. Or not. The Comedy Central host will testify before Congress during a hearing on immigration , alongside United Farm Workers president Arturo Rodriguez, who appeared on his show in July. Rodriguez talked to Colbert about the UFW’s “Take Our Jobs” campaign, which invited Americans to...

Gay Marriage Meets Immigration Reform

Evann Gastaldo — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 10:07:11 CDT

Gay couples can marry in five states and Washington DC, but if one spouse is a foreigner, he or she still still can't apply for US citizenship—at least not through his or her spouse. Because the federal government doesn't recognize gay marriage, only foreign-born spouses of heterosexual citizens need...