March for America – Change Takes Courage
People should go to the Hull House located 800 South Halsted Street, Chicago, IL on Monday February 22nd at 10:30 AM for the Press Conference on “March for America – Change Takes Courage” – and should volunteer to ride and donate to support immigration reform through the 100,000 person march planned for March 21, 2010 [...]
Don’t Give Up
There are a lot of people who want change to come to the broken immigration system who are out there, and who are disheartened by recent events and are prepared to pack it in and head home. To you I say – Don’t Give Up. The more I talk to people the key is to [...]
State of the Union
I wonder when immigration will be addressed. Lots of references to commissions and agenda items. Jobs, taxes, schools, college, healthcare reform, even a shout out for child obesity. Recovery program. Housing. Government spending. Campaign Funding. Supreme Court. Confirmations. Iraq. Military withdrawal. Military families. Haiti. Civil rights. Hate crimes. Gays in the military. Equal pay.
Finally – [...]
Early Thoughts on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
I am an optimist and a realist. These two ideologies don’t always work together. In the case of CIR (Comprehensive Immigration Reform) this might be a problem. The optimist in me hopes that getting a proposal out there will spawn debate and maybe we will finally have the change we need to help the millions [...]
Its been too long…
Sorry for the hiatus. There is so much going on. Its time for me to get back to chatting about what’s going on out there. Comprehensive Immigration Reform, will it come to fruition? Immigration has come up in the health care debate, the disaster in Haiti, whether it stimulates job creation. It was an issue [...]
Congratulations to Mike Quigley
Today, Cook County Commissioner Mike Quigley won the Democrat Primary for the seat vacated by Rahm Emanuel, the Illinois 5th District. This seat has been a democrat stronghold for a long time, making his likely victory in the actual election a foregone conclusion. None the less when reviewing the candidates I was surprised to see how [...]
Could this be the end of 287(g)?
I can hope can’t I? “New Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has ordered a broad review of immigration enforcement policies, including 287(g). A report released last week by Justice Strategies offers arguments for eliminating the program.” NAM (March 3, 2009). 287(g) is the program that allows local law enforcement organizations to partner with federal agencies. [...]
Let’s Get Immigration Right II
I am begining to think I could work for the NY Times Editorial Board. They did it again. On Sunday they issued the following:
The country needs to control its borders. It needs to rebuild an effective immigration system and thwart employers who cheat it. It needs to bring the undocumented forward and make citizen taxpayers [...]
Go Rep. Gutierrez
Rep. Gutierrez will be leading a campaign across the country to get Immigration Reform back on the table. I hope people come out in support everywhere. We need people to remember that the time is now. I know the economy has trumped all, but cant people see that immigration helps the economy. It helps with [...]
Here we go again….
Its the confirmation hearings, which means its time for immigration to come up in relation to the nominees. So we are discussing CIR, enforcement, right to counsel – right? Wrong…. Instead we are discussing whether your housekeeper or nanny was in status, whether you paid taxes, they had employment authorization..etc. Can you believe that these [...]
Finding a Sense of Who We Are…
The editorial board of the NY Times has gotten it right again. I find myself saying this over and over again. In this mornings edition they talk about how we can figure out who we are if we bring rationality back to the immigration discussion. It is time to stand up and admit that the policies [...]
Why do you hate me?
That is a question someone asked me today as I visited Mexico. They want to know why the US will not let them visit, will not let them live. All they want a better life for their family. As bad as we think it is for us in the economic turmoil of the US, we [...]
Let’s Get Immigration Right
As we look ahead to the new year, we have a lot of hope. There are pragmatists being appointed to immigration related positions in the new government. Gov. Napolitano and Gov. Richardson along with Rep. Hilda Solis bring a lot of years of straight talk and recognition that the same old things do not work. [...]
Help me please…
Someone, anyone, talk about the increasing attitude in this country. When things get tough immigrants are the scape goats. We suffer beatings, and are even killed. We need to be careful, and so do the leaders. Talk about us…we can even help resolve the dire economic situation. Retirement visas, penalties for comprehensive reform, etc.
Cool Heads Should Prevail
Let’s hope that cooler heads prevail and some of the bad policies go out, and new ideas come in. The Editorial Board of the NY Times has summed it up correctly again.
Please Applaud U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez
In an article this past week in the Chicago Sun Times its reported that US Rep. Luis Gutierrez told the Illinois Governor that he was taking himself out of the running for President-Elect Obama’s Senate seat in order to continue to focus on Comprehensive Immigration Reform inthe House and considers it a possibility that it [...]
Napolitano – What will she do?
There has been a lot of speculation about what Gov. Napolitano will do. The NY Times points out she was opposed to the Real ID rules on licenses, and now she is in charge of the program. The Dallas Morning News highlights that she was trying to get the federal; government to take more steps [...]
Obama Picks Immigration Policy Group
Obama has selected two scholars to help form his immigration policy. Lets hope these people help make the right choices. From the Obama change website:
T. Alexander Aleinikoff has been Dean of the Georgetown University Law Center and Executive Vice President of Georgetown University since July 2004. He has been a member of the Georgetown faculty [...]
Agree with Karl Rove?
I can not believe I am about to say this – I think I agree with Karl Rove. In Newsweek he stated:
Republicans must find a way to support secure borders, a guest-worker program and comprehensive immigration reform that strengthens citizenship, grows our economy and keeps America a welcoming nation. An anti-Hispanic attitude is suicidal.
Now I [...]
What does the Future Hold?
People continue to debate what immigration policy will look like in the next administration. There are those that point out that Obama previously promised change and others who think that if it happens it will trickle slowly. Some have even suggested that Obama will tap McCain on this issue.
No matter what very few are admitting [...]
