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In the last 12 months there has been a massive decrease in illegal migration flows into Greece, with Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis saying it is as much as 96%.

The government has now regained control of the immigration crisis. We set two goals, the reduction of flows and the drastic reduction of the effects of the crisis on the local communities of the whole country, stressed Mitarakis.

According to the data presented by Mitarakis, flows in the islands in the last twelve months have decreased by 96%. Of the 121 structures we had, 36 are operating today.

Our islands have been decongested, without putting pressure on mainland Greece, without increasing the presence of refugees and immigrants in large urban centers.

Our goal on the islands is to maintain the low flows, to close the old structures and to create a structure at each point of entry, which will offer decent living conditions and a sense of security that our staff and the local communities demand.

Regarding the island of Chios, the Minister of Immigration and Asylum stated that the goal is to close the Reception and Identification Centre and to return it to the municipality as soon as the closed controlled reception structure opens at the point of entry.

Mitarakis underlined that we have fulfilled all our obligations. We were asked to police the border. We were asked to reduce the flows. And they were. They asked us to decongest.

He explained that on the day of the 2019 elections in Chios, there were 1,978 people in the migrant centre, but today it has reduced to 378.

READ MORE: Migration law changes in Greece Pakistanis, Somalis & others not able to apply for asylum.

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Migration flows into Greece decreased by 96% in the last 12 months - Greek City Times - GreekCityTimes.com

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Gov. Jay Inslee delivered remarks today in Seattle congratulating 60 new U.S. citizens following the 36th Independence Day Naturalization Ceremony, recognizing that they are welcome in Washington and challenging them to be active participants in our democracy. The governor celebrated the occasion with a number of other elected officials, including Sen. Maria Cantwell, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan, as well as Chief Judge Ricardo Martinez and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services District Director Anne Corsano.

The United States has been and will always be the greatest hope in the world as long as we continue to embrace this infusion of hope and spirit and vision and energy that these new citizens now represent, Inslee said.

Separately, the governor delivered aletterto Congressional leadership today calling for comprehensive immigration reform. He urged Congress to use any legislative means necessary, including budget reconciliation. In his letter, Gov. Inslee underscored the troubled history for many immigrants in the United States, who are categorically excluded from nearly all social programs, and unable to safely assert their civil rights all while providing indispensable benefits to our nation. He further stressed that even though Congress and past presidents have undertaken efforts to shape our nations immigration policies, a far broader effort is needed.

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Inslee speaks at naturalization ceremony, calls on Congress to pass immigration reform | Governor Jay Inslee - Governor Jay Inslee

No matter how much some nativists might wish it were so, the United States does not have the authority to force other countries to take back their citizens. Also, for illustrative purposes, let us say it would cost an average of $1,000 per person (transportation to the departure site, housing and food until departure, and the return flight). This basic estimate suggests that the cost could approximately be $10,500,000,000 to remove all undocumented immigrants. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement estimate of the average cost per deportation was $10,854 including all costs necessary to identify, apprehend, detain, process through immigration court, and remove an alien. This estimate accounts for the costs of law enforcement efforts of apprehension and physical removal from the country, and the efforts of the legal system and courts required to remove someone out of the country. Removing all undocumented immigrants would reduce the nations GDP by nearly 6% and substantially decrease the workforce by the number of people removed.

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Yoku Shaw-Taylor: The undocumented and the need for comprehensive immigration reform | COMMENTARY - Capital Gazette

The universal labor crisis in the U.S. could open the door to immigration reform, Alex DiNovo believes.

That was one takeaway during a United Fresh Produce Association Reimagine Conversations virtual event on June 29 that focused on planning for uncertainty and reacting to unexpected changes.The session was moderated by Danny Dumas, president of USA for Montreal-based Courchesne Larose Lte.

Panelists included Mayda Sotomayor-Kirk, CEO of Seald Sweet LLC, Vero Beach, Fla.; and DiNovo, president and chief operating officer of DNO Inc., Columbus, Ohio.

Im really hoping this (tight) labor situation is going to be the vehicle that opens up immigration reform, DiNovo said during the session, noting that employers in many sectors are having difficulty finding workers. It is going to break eventually and (Congress) is going to do something with it, and they will pick it up a lot sooner rather than later.

DiNovo said there is ample justification for immigration reform that would increase the supply of workers.

Why wouldnt you loosen the strings up there on immigration and make it easier to get a labor force into this country? Clearly whats happening right now is not working, he said.

Dumas asked the panel about what the industry should focus onduring what seems to be a never-ending pandemic.

Panelists discussed a variety of issues, including infrastructure, inflation, labor, climate change and political changes in exporting countries.

Fresh produce has always been dynamic and ever-changing, but Sotomayor-Kirk said she thinks changes in weather are more extreme now.

This year, more than any other year, Ive seen so much climate change, she said. Climate change has really changed not only the quality of the fruit and the timing of the fruit theres no predicting anymore.

Other factors that the industry must remain focused on, she said, include labor, food safety and rising input costs.

We want to grow consumption, but we have to do it with a cost-effective product, she said.

DiNovo said the focus should not be on the problems the industry faces, but who the industry will use to solve those problems.

From my perspective, its attracting and retaining the best people that I can get in my company, because I know no matter what the problem is, I need to have really good people in place, he said. And it is not just my company for us as an industry, how do we attract the best talent?

Dumas agreed that the next generation of leaders is critical for the industry.

There is a lot of up-and-coming talent thats in our industry, he said. Its important to have the generation following up, ready to take on these roles in their own way.

DiNovo said COVID-19 disrupted everything and required hustle and adaptation to change something bad into something good.

It was more of a change in terms of our thought processes and how we approach an issue, he said. We dont see it as an issue, we see it as an opportunity.

Despite the use of video meetings since March of last year, Sotomayor-Kirk said the pandemic didnt diminish the importance of face-to-face interactions.

I think that part of what makes us unique in this produce business is the fact that the people are so just salt of the earth, she said. When you really want to talk to someone and look in somebodys eyes, negotiate a deal, or talk about a problem, its much better in person.Dumas said operating with agility has been a big lesson during the pandemic.

It was supposed to be two weeks to stop the spread, here we are a year and a half later, he said. I think the successful companies have that agility and the ability to change the mindset and the way they operate or the way they serve their customers really made a difference.

Dumas asked the panel what tactics and strategies are needed to manage the labor shortages, knowing the issue cant be resolved in the short term.

Sotomayor-Kirk said labor challenges are present not only in the U.S., but also in exporting countries such as Chile, Argentina and Peru.

Incentive programs that raise wages and lead to better productivity are being explored, she said.

Longer term, she said the company will look to automate, when possible, in an effort to keep costs lower.

DiNovo said produce companies need to offer competitive wage benefits and flexibility but also create a sense of mission.

We try to do a good job of focusing on the purpose, the mission, he said.

Focusing on the greater good and purpose behind produce is important, but having a competitive wage package also is required.Truck driver positions are the hardest to fill, followed by warehouse and production line jobs, he said.

Dumas said one tactic some companies use to retain workers is to pay them daily.

Since implementing some of those incentives, weve actually seen an increase in productivity, he said.

Sotomayor-Kirk expressed concern that rising costs of labor and other inputs could hurt consumer demand for fresh produce, although she noted that other foods have experienced inflation as well.

Dumas asked about the infrastructure needs of the industry.People are the biggest factor in getting the job done, Sotomayor-Kirk said.

It is based on getting the right people on board; infrastructure, for us, still revolves around trying to automate and train and give people (the) ability to do better.

DiNovo said it is important for industry operators to lobby with United Fresh Produce Association and others for the infrastructure needs of the industry, including roads, cold storage facilities and other needs.I feel like as an industry, we should get involved to ring that bell a little bit, he said.

Looking to the future, DiNovo predicted more distribution facilities, so freight into each region can be right-sized.

I think thatll be huge into the future, in really smoothing out the supply chain, he said.

Changing political leadership in a variety of Latin American countries is something to watch, Sotomayor-Kirk said, noting difficult elections in Chile and Peru and other disruptions in Honduras and Mexico.

All of these dynamics really play into where we whats going to happen in the future, she said.

Any government change that isnt friendly to exporters could quickly disrupt the North American year-round produce supply, she said.

Dumas said diversification is a wise move, considering so many uncertainties in politics and climate.

We want to make sure that were totally diversified, not relying on one area for what were producing or sourcing, he said.

DiNovo said that the recent uptick in inflation is likely transitory.I think that as a country, I believe that were on top of it, he said, noting the expected inflationary whiplash pressure from not having any demand for a period of time.

With a backdrop of rising prices, Dumas said it will be important that consumers still see value in fresh produce .

Sotomayor-Kirk said it is important that inflation not move into double digits as some Latin American countries have seen over the years.

We could stay within this level, but we could be a hop and skip away from being a country with 19% inflation, and thats a concern.

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Labor crisis could open the door for Congress to act on immigration reform - The Packer

Its been nine years since former President Barack Obama signed an executive order to create the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program or DACA. It protects nearly 700,000 immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children from deportation.

The program withstood a three-year legal challenge from the Trump administration but now has renewed support in the White House from President Biden. However, DACA remains somewhat fragile. DACA recipients often called DREAMers have to apply for a renewal every two years.

During Bidens inauguration week, Greisa Martnez Rosas, DACA recipient and executive director of United We Dream, the largest youth-led immigrant network in the country, told Here & Now that she hopes the new administration prioritizes the safety and healing of immigrant communities.

The optimism and hopefulness she expressed at that time stemmed from the power of UWDs movement, Martnez Rosas says.

Six months later, we are seeing record deportations and expulsions under Biden, she says. I am [still] feeling determined to ensure that millions of undocumented people in this country win citizenship this year and [make] really clear that Democrats have, not only the prerogative but the political pressure to deliver this year.

Hours after his inauguration, Biden ordered the Department of Homeland Security to preserve and fortify the DACA program. Martnez Rosas says the administrations underlying support of the program has been essential for many DACA recipients, including herself.

The programs preservation allowed her to visit and hug her father for the first time in 15 years after being separated by deportation.

It was a moment I never thought would happen, Martnez Rosas says. To be in his arms, to see the age in his eyes, but to be able to share with him in the excitement and the joy of what this new administration could mean for millions of people.

Nevertheless, DACA is not enough, she says.

Millions of people deserve the same ability that I had to visit their family members, to live lives without deportation, Martnez Rosas says. And we need that protection to be permanent.

Vice President Harris called for permanent legal status on the program's anniversary last month.

Even with DACA in place, we know that DREAMers live in a constant state of fear about their status and about their future, Harris says. And it is critically important that we provide a pathway to citizenship to give people a sense of certainty and a sense of security."

The DREAM Act, legislation meant to permanently protect young immigrants, has still not passed through Congress. The act was first introduced in 2001, and the partisan divide over immigration has widened immensely since then.

Earlier this year, the House passed The American Dream and Promise Act and the Farm Modernization Act, two pieces of legislation that could pave a pathway to citizenship for more than 4.4 million qualified DREAMers. But its something the Senate has not made a priority since.

UWD activists are pushing legislators to use their power to enact this change, Martnez Rosas says.

We're calling on Democratic leadership to include immigration in the reconciliation package, Martnez Rosas says. To ensure that citizenship is one of the ways in which this country can recover from the attacks of Donald Trump and his presidency, as well as what we have experienced together during COVID.

Among the challenges immigrant communities have had to face is the disproportionate impact of the coronavirus pandemic on their health and personal lives. A lack of access to health care resources and working essential jobs that often require in-person contact lead to an increased risk of exposure. COVID-19 has also impacted immigration processing across the country.

Many of us are still facing the aftershocks of having lost family members, of having undocumented family members excluded from relief efforts, of being able to see delays in applications, being able to be processed and have protection from deportation, Martnez Rosas says.

"Our lives are on the line."

But theres competition for Bidens attention. Since preserving and fortifying the DACA program, hes been focused on managing the pandemic and fighting to pass an infrastructure deal. Martnez Rosas says DREAMers will gain Bidens attention the same way they did with Obama by holding the president accountable to deliver on his promises.

Our lives are on the line, she says. Were asking him to deliver citizenship for millions not only because its good for undocumented people, but its good for the country.

For at least a decade, Martnez Rosas has been fighting for this immigration reform package many DREAMers similarly envision. When it happens, she imagines herself celebrating with millions who have worked together to ensure a pathway to citizenship.

For me, it would mean that I'd be able to care for my father as he ages, she says. That I'd be able to take a sigh of relief when it comes to deportations.

But even after then, her work and efforts will not let up.

I would just recommit myself to the fight, Martnez Rosas says. So I'll enjoy the victory because it will come. I know that we will win and be preparing for the fights to come.

Xcaret Nunezproduced and edited this interview for broadcast with James Perkins MastromarinoandTinku Ray. Nunez also adapted it for the web.

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9 Years Since DACA: Immigrants And Advocates Are Still Pushing For Pathway To Citizenship - Here And Now