In Our Community: Immigration News

From Monday, October 19th to Monday, October 26th, here is your one-stop-shop for summaries of immigration stories in the news. Happy reading!

First of all, let's celebrate, because the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations bill just passed with even more money allocated for alternatives to detention than originally requested. The alternatives to detention program received $70 million, $6 million above the initial request. This money will permit Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to take vulnerable people - asylum-seekers, torture survivors, families, and others - out of immigration detention centers. Alternatives to detention are an effective, cost-efficient, and humane way to treat people going through immigration proceedings.

However, ICE is getting shaken up a bit - this week, a second high-ranking official left the agency. Cree Zischke has just left her job at the ICE Office of Detention Policy and Planning, only a few weeks after her boss, Dora Schriro, also left the agency. Schriro's report on U.S. immigration detention facilities, which was released on October 6, called for significant and immediate reforms to the detention system. It is concerning that Schriro and Zischke have left ICE at this critical moment when these reforms need to be implemented.

Another reason to celebrate: The DHS appropriations bill also included a provision that ends the "widow penalty." Before this bill passed, immigrants married to U.S. citizens faced an awful legal problem: If their U.S. citizen spouse died before they received their green card, they and their children would automatically be deported. Now, the DHS appropriations bill fixes that problem and permits grieving immigrant families to stay in the United States as they continue to petition for a green card.

Faith communities around the country continue to speak out in support of comprehensive immigration reform. In preparation for the introduction of Rep. Luis Gutierrez's (IL) upcoming bill on immigration reform, people of all faiths are speaking out about the need to fix the broken immigration system in order to welcome immigrants into U.S. communities. Police leaders from across the country have also called for fair and humane immigration reform, saying that these reforms would restore public trust in police enforcement and promote public safety.

Recognizing that undocumented children need to be supported in the public education system, the National Education Association and National School Boards Association jointly produced a report offering advice to schools with undocumented students. Undocumented children grew up in the United States and often don't even remember their countries of origin. This important guide will help schools meet the needs of undocumented students who are trying to integrate into U.S. education systems and communities.

The 2010 Census is around the corner, and Senator David Vitter (LA) has introduced an amendment in the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill that would seriously disrupt the Census process. He's trying to cut off financing to the Census unless it includes a question on whether the respondent is a U.S. citizen or not. Now, questions for the 2010 Census had to be finalized in March 2008, so Sen. Vitter is a little late on this one. However, if the Vitter amendment passes, it would cost U.S. taxpayers billions of dollars. New studies on the questionnaire would have to be run, all the Census forms would have to be reprinted, trainings would have to be redone, and all the technology set up to process the Census would have to be altered. Not only would this cost the United States billions of dollars that could be better used elsewhere, but it would significantly delay the 2010 Census process and discourage immigrants from participating in the Census. Rep. Joe Baca (CA) introduced a bill to counter the Vitter amendment, and the New York Times put out an editorial called "How to Waste Money and Ruin the Census." Latino pastors in California have also come out against the amendment. Please join FCNL and others to encourage your Senators to oppose the Vitter amendment.

Senate Approves More Fencing Along Southern Border

Today, the Senate voted to require 700 miles of actual fencing be built along the southern border, rather than permit stretches of "virtual fencing" made up of vehicle barriers and high-tech equipment.

The border fence is extremely problematic and violates dozens of environmental and religious rights laws, as well as can cost as much as $5 million per mile.

Let's hope that this provision is stripped out in conference. But as the Associated Press noted, this provision demonstrates "the extent to which spending bills can serve as vehicles for policy debates."

Obama Officially Commits to Reform Defense Contracting

Okay, so this is not exactly related to immigration, but I do work for the Quakers so I can't help but celebrate just a wee-bit here too (and I do plan to bring it full circle by the end of the post...I promise).

Today, President Obama joined a bi-partisan group of Congresspersons dedicated to reforming defense contracting. He has officially committed to this cause and rejected the false choice between "securing this nation and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars."

According to a GAO report last year, cost overruns in major defense projects totaled $295 billion. That's a lot of wasted money. But we over here at FCNL have been saying that for a long time, and we've been saying a lot more about military spending too.

But now--to bring this full circle after all and perhaps prove my obsession with immigration issues--I can't help but wonder: Will Obama's commitment to reform defense contracting also include no-bid contracts and contracting abuse by defense companies on projects regarding immigration like the southern border wall or immigrant detention centers?

President Obama Releases Top Line Budget Numbers for FY2010

Yesterday, President Obama released his top line budget numbers for fiscal year 2010.

While it's too early to offer a full analysis of how these figures will be allocated to individual programs/agencies that affect immigration, this is what we know as of now:

• The overall budget request by the president for the Department of Homeland Security's discretionary spending is $42.7 billion. This is a 6.4% increase over last year's $40.1 billion appropriation.
  
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will receive $1.4 billion for programs that focus on apprehending and deporting criminal aliens. It is not clear yet how this figure plays into ICE's overall discretionary spending. I will be watching these numbers, in particular, closely over the next couple of weeks to see how ICE funds are being allocated.
  
• Customs and Border Patrol will receive $368 million within their existing funds to support 20,000 Border Patrol agents
• The budget also includes $110 million to continue the expansion of the (problematic) E-Verify program.

The Department of Homeland Security's Funding Highlights report also states that "the Budget... supports strengthening the delivery of immigration services by streamlining and modernizing immigration application processes." However, the budget does not include a number of how much money will be dedicated to this process.

So, as I said, it's too early to make many judgments, comparisons, or analyzes with these numbers. But as I get more information, I will let you know.