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WASHINGTON The Homeland Security Department appears to be preparing for an increase in the number of immigrants applying for work permits after President Barack Obama announces his long-promised plans for executive actions on immigration reform later this year.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed to the Associated Press that it has published a draft contract proposal to buy the card stock needed to make work permits and Permanent Resident Cards, more commonly known as green cards. The proposal calls for providing material for at least 5 million cards a year, with as many as 9 million during the initial period to support possible future immigration reform initiative requirements. The contract calls for as many as 34 million cards over five years.

USCIS, the Homeland Security agency that oversees immigration benefits, produces about 3 million work permits and green cards annually, so the new contract would at least provide the Obama administration with the flexibility to issue far more work permits or green cards even if it chose not to exercise that option.

USCIS spokesman Christopher Bentley described the proposal posted earlier this month as a routine contract solicitation.

Solicitations of this nature are frequent practice, Bentley said. He said the number of immigration applications can rise for any number of any reasons.

The contract proposal was first reported by the online news site Breitbart.com.

Obama said earlier this year that he would act on his own if Congress failed to pass immigration legislation. He has twice delayed making any changes, saying as recently as last month that he would hold off on executive actions until after Novembers midterm elections.

The administration has repeatedly declined to say what options Obama was considering, but it is widely believed that he will expand protections from deportation already extended to more than 500,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children. Under that program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, many young immigrants who are in school or who have graduated and dont have a criminal record can win protection from deportation for up to two years. They are also eligible for work permits.

The president does not have the legal authority to unilaterally offer immigrants in the country illegally green cards or any other permanent immigration status. But administration officials have said the president can authorize protection from deportation for immigrants on a case-by-case basis, such as with the DACA program, and issue work permits.

USCIS Director Leon Rodriguez told an audience at a Georgetown University Law Center conference Tuesday that his agency was ready for whatever immigration changes Obama may announce. He declined to provide details.

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Homeland Security braces for flood of immigrants seeking work permits

First Amendment restrictions at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter
TAKE ACTION: http://bit.ly/1sd0Vej No cute animal pics? Sarah Hardy took pictures of dogs and cats at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter to help them find h...

By: ACLU Maryland

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First Amendment restrictions at the Baltimore County Animal Shelter - Video

Kevin Sabet Tour - Ready for the First Amendment
Waiting outside the La Grande Armory for the threat of being removed from a political event for displaying a political banner on my car.

By: Russ Belville

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Kevin Sabet Tour - Ready for the First Amendment - Video

Pro-life protestors had planned to put a JumboTron outside the Alamo with abortion images on it, but the City of San Antonio shut down the protest Wednesday morning. Demonstrators said it's a violation of their First Amendment rights.

Protestors have put up a JumboTron with abortion images in other cities already and Love of Truth ministries said they cleared a permit with the City of San Antonio to do so a month ago. It wasn't until Tuesday night that the City said the demonstration violates a sign ordinance.

"Part of the permit, which would have enabled them to put a JumboTron on the plaza, was revoked this morning," said San Antonio Police Chief William McManus.

"If we were going to preform abortion today the city would allow that, cause that's legal, but showing it, somehow they're finding a way to find that against the law," said Mark Harrington, national director of Created Equal that was co-hosting the protest.

Harrington said now his organization has two causes to fight for; the end of abortion and first amendment rights.

"Unpopular speech is the reason the First Amendment was written to begin with. It protects disturbing, unpopular, offensive speech," said Harrington.

Several people visiting the Alamo Wednesday said they had differing opinions on whether the JumboTron should be allowed.

"When people don't have the choice whether to see those images or not, I don't think that's right," said Shannon Thomas who was at the Alamo Wednesday.

"I think they should be allowed to do what they were permitted for, and I think it's just the government trying to squelch anything that has to do with religion, or anything faith based," said Ava Tanner who was also visiting the Alamo.

"I don't necessarily agree with their tactics, but I do believe that to a certain extent it's protected by the First Amendment," said Lyndon Lee, another Alamo visitor.

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San Antonio tells pro-life protestors they can't use JumboTron at Alamo

San Francisco, CA - infoZine - The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), along with reddit and the Internet Archive, filed formal comments with the New York State Department of Financial Services opposing the state's proposed regulations for digital currencies such as Bitcoin. In the letter, EFF argues that on top of damaging privacy and harming innovation, New York's "BitLicense" regulatory scheme also risks infringing on First Amendment rights to freedom of expression and association.

The State of New York is currently considering BitLicense, a sprawling regulatory framework that would mandate licenses for a wide range of companies in the digital currency space. The regulations would force applicants to submit significant personal information to the state, including fingerprints and head-shot photographs. The policy would also require these companies to maintain detailed records about all transactions for 10 years, including identity data of users.

EFF notes that digital currency protocols are used for more than just paymentsthey have expressive and associational uses, too. Bitcoin-like systems are used for organizing and engaging with groups or communities. In addition, Bitcoin block chains frequently contain political speech, such as famous quotes and portraits of prominent historical figures. As currently written, EFF argues, the BitLicense regulations place an unacceptable burden on free speech and association.

"The courts have long recognized that code is speech protected by the First Amendment," EFF Special Counsel Marcia Hofmann said. "At their core, digital currency protocols are code. Attempts to regulate code must include robust protections to ensure constitutionally protected speech is not stifled, and the BitLicense proposal would undermine those First Amendment principles."

On Oct. 15, EFF launched an online activism campaign encouraging Internet users to oppose the BitLicense proposal by submitting comments to the New York State Department of Financial Services.

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EFF, Internet Archive, and Reddit Oppose New Yorks BitLicense Proposal