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Before the COVID-19 pandemic, police reform and civil unrest captured voters attention, the nation was in a longstanding debate about how to reform our immigration system. On one extreme, we have some who want to open up our borders to everyone, and on the other, we have those who want to stop all foreigners from coming here.

Neither position makes any sense to us. The U.S. birth rate is barely at replacement levels. In order to grow the economy, this nation needs more people than we have been willing to raise on our own.

For at least the past 40 years, immigration laws that are on the books have been poorly enforced. Some people come here on visas and dont go home when their visas expire. Our southern border with Mexico has been a sieve, allowing not only millions of people to cross illegally, not to mention the issue of illegal drugs passing through ports of entry every day. In just the last few years, the southern border has been so overwhelmed that detention facilities overflowed. Thats totally unacceptable, and yet the Congress has been unable to come up with solutions.

In addition, many small children were separated from their parents as a deterrent, causing lasting trauma to the little ones. We need to listen to our better angels, make family unification a priority in any reform effort and protect family reunification laws already on the books.

Because of congressional inaction as well as neglect by multiple presidential administrations, over time, this has created an underclass of people, non-citizens, who live under the threat of deportation and thereby are subject to blackmail, extortion, and most horrifically, sex slavery.

This, in turn, has led to local units of government becoming so-called sanctuary cities, whereby they refuse to work with the federal government to enforce immigration law.

Since the problem has gone unaddressed for so long, we now have another group of people, called Dreamers under the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program, who came here as children of undocumented immigrants and have never experienced life anywhere but in the United States. It would be immoral to send them to a foreign country, when America is the only society they have known.

It is estimated that at least 10 million people are in the United States illegally. The United States needs to secure its borders, but in a way that recognizes the immigration problem was caused by 40 years of neglect. While non-citizens involved in criminal activities should be deported, we need to recognize that the vast majority of people who want to come to the United States simply want a better life.

We need to set an annual immigration level based not only on the level of unemployment in our economy, but also on the skill sets most in need, and to recognize the deep cultural benefit we all enjoy by embracing those who want to start a new life here. Then we need to give those people already here who have been otherwise law-abiding a path to legal status and ultimately to citizenship.

In discussions with Minnesota congressional candidates for the upcoming election, we urge voters to ask candidates where they stand on the various aspects of immigration policy. We think clear differences will emerge that will help voters in their decisions.

We believe the lax enforcement of immigration laws and the failure by Congress to find any kind of remedy is undermining respect for the rule of law. When voters go to the polls in November, they need to consider immigration issues as much as ever. Just because other events have pushed the issue off the front pages, federal inaction means the problem remains as serious as ever.

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Immigration reform needed more than ever | ECM Editorials - ECM Publishers

US President Donald Trump looks on before signing a plaque as he participates in a ceremony ... [+] commemorating the 200th mile of border wall at the international border with Mexico in San Luis, Arizona, June 23, 2020. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP) (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

Five years ago, President Trump declared that if he was elected president he would build a wall along the U.S. Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it. That idea was first developed in the summer of 2014 as a memorable talking point for Trump to tie his real estate developer experience to his anti-immigration policy theme. That theme was part of his isolationist, America First orientation. The wall became the kingpin of his election campaign in June 2015. Since then, according to US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), just under $10 billion have been secured to construct approximately 500 miles of new border wall. But less than 70 miles of new wall have actually been built according to one news article. Whatever the actual number of miles built, as we approach the November 2020 presidential election, no doubt the question of the wall will be raised once again. While Trump has not really succeeded with it, he will definitely have much to point to in claiming success in other areas with regard to his anti-immigrant policies.

Past Immigration Efforts

To start with, Trump focused on border security calling for an end to catch and release practices, in which certain unauthorized immigrants who were captured at the border would be allowed into the United States while they awaited court hearings.

Then came his executive order that expanded enforcement measures and personnel and tried to restrict federal funding to so-called sanctuary jurisdictions, that is: those that limited their cooperation with federal immigration officials.In early 2018, Trump implemented what was called a zero-tolerance policy, under which enabled authorities to arrest and criminally prosecute everyone caught crossing the southern border without authorization. Also he instituted a policy where parents facing such criminal prosecution, were separated from their children.

Muslim Ban or Terrorist Threat Measure

Protestors in New York gather to demonstrate against the Supreme Court's 5-4 decision to uphold ... [+] President Trump's travel ban against five Muslim nations on June 26, 2018 in Foley Square, New York City. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

His third presidential order banned nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen from entering the United States for at least ninety days. It blocked nationals from Syria indefinitely and also suspended the U.S. refugee program for 120 days - all ostensibly to fight terrorism. While this ban was altered because of litigation over whether it was a really a racist Muslim ban, eventually the Supreme Court allowed its third iteration to stand. Then later, the White House expanded the ban to include Eritrea, Kyrgyzstan, Myanmar, and Nigeria and blocked citizens from Sudan and Tanzania from obtaining permanent residence through the diversity green card lottery. Trump also implemented a provision to keep out immigrants who would require taxpayer-funded services such as Medicaid and SNAP food benefits.

Humanitarian Policy

In the area of humanitarian policy, the Trump Administration has effectively halted all asylum claims on the pretext of being concerned about the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Previously, to stem the flow of refugees coming northbound, Trump tried to enforce safe third country agreements with El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. The agreements require asylum seekers transiting through these countries to apply for protection there first, thus blocking them from applying in the U.S. and enabling American officials to deport the migrants on arrival. The agreements are facing court challenges.

In 2017 Trump tried to end the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for tens of thousands of Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Sudanese who were previously allowed to remain in the United States after environmental disasters and conflict in their home countries. In 2018, Trump ended the same relief program for Hondurans, Nepalis, and Salvadorans. These beneficiaries of the terminated TPS programs remain in the U.S. however, while these cancellations are being litigated.

Nonimmigrant Visa Bans and Family Separations

President Trump blocked access to certain nonimmigrant workers until at least the end of the year, including H-1B, H-2B, J-1 and L-1 visa applicants and their family members. He also extended his previous order banning the admission of legal permanent residents which had the effect of separating families.

More recently, after the Supreme Court ruledthat the administrations previous actions to terminateDACAwere unlawful, the Trump Administration issued a newmemoblocking Dreamers from filing newDACAapplications and restricting protections for existingDACArecipients.

At a recent news conference Trump hinted he would once again return to his proposal for a merit-based immigration program using a points-based selection system. That idea has been discussed in the U.S. since the 1970s and was a part of comprehensive immigration reform efforts in 2007, 2013 and 2017, all of which failed. However, taking Trump at his word, some law professors have proposed a more modest approach as a standalone single-issue bill, that would take the form of a 10-year pilot program. Under that proposal, each year 50,000 permanent residence visas, or green cards would be awarded to highly skilled immigrants. Borrowing from the Canadian and Australian programs for skilled workers the proposal would award points for high levels of education, age, fluency in English, work experience, family support, and demographic considerations. Probably Trumps plan will reflect this kind of approach.

There are certain states that could swing the election in favor of President Trump. They include ... [+] Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa and Arizona among others.

In short, the foregoing summary is likely to summarize President Trumps immigration platform during the upcoming election. He recognizes he is in a tough battle and could even lose the popular vote again. But it is early in the game. While it seems unlikely at the moment, if he could win key swing states in the election, states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Iowa and Arizona among others, he could once again, pull a rabbit out of the hat and walk away with the prize. Short of trying to postpone the election due to the pandemic as a last resort, one of the key areas that will decide Trumps fate will be immigration and whether enough voters can be swayed to support him because of what he has done.

Read more:
Trumps Immigration Legacy To Be Presented In Re-Election Bid - Forbes

American and foreign students are blasting new federal guidelines that say international students will be forced to leave the U.S. or transfer to another college if their schools offer classes entirely online this fall. (July 7) AP Domestic

Luis Chirino hasspent long hours designing, drawingand building projects to earn adegree in architecture from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, sometimes spending all night in a studio on the Newark campus.

But Chirino, 22, who lives in Jersey City,also has wonderedwhether the long nights of studying will pay off and if he will be able to practice his chosen profession in New Jersey once he graduates. As an immigrant without legal status, he can't obtain a professional license to work as an architect in New Jersey even if he graduatesand passes the required exams.

"It's an intensive program and thatcan be discouraging,'' said Chirino, who grew up in Elizabeth and is protected from deportation through the federal program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals."It's hard not to get emotional about it."

But that may soon change after the New Jersey Assembly on Thursday approved a bill toallow immigrants, regardless of their status, to apply for professional and occupational licenses in the state if they meet all other requirements. The legislation was approved by the state Senate last week and is expected to be signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.

Governor Murphy believes that immigrants are a critical part of the fabric of life in New Jersey, and that they should not face unnecessary barriers as they seek to participate in our society and economy,'' Alyana Alfaro, a Murphyspokeswoman, said prior to the Assembly vote.

It was not clear when the bill would reach Murphy's desk, but itwill take effect immediately once it becomes law.

Assemblyman Gary Schaer, (D-Passaic)one of the measure's sponsors, said the current COVID-19 pandemic placed demands on healthcare and essential workers, and that the legislation would address labor shortages in those areas.

Our immigrant community has been indispensable throughout this crisis,: he said. "By lifting this obstacle we can utilize the abilities of every single resident."

NJ program: Advocates push for $12M boost in legal aid for NJ immigrants fighting deportation

Coronavirus relief: Passaic man camps outside NJ Statehouse, joins demand for immigrant aid during COVID-19

The legislationwould be among the most sweeping in the country and the first on the east coast that would remove all immigration barriers to obtaining professional licenses, advocates said.California, Nevadaand New Mexico are among other states with similar legislation.

In New Jersey, dozens of professions and occupations require licenses, including accountants, architects, acupuncturists, audiologist, beauticians, court reporters, cosmetologists, doctors, dentists, engineers, home inspectors, morticians, nurses, occupational therapists, optometrists, pharmacists, plumbers, psychiatrists, real estate appraisers, social workersand veterinarians.

Although federal law prohibits employers from hiring someone living in the country illegally,immigrants of anylegal status are able to work as independent contractorsor to start a business using a Social Security orIndividual Tax Identification Number. DACA recipients like Chirino gain work authorizationas part of the federal program.

Thebill though has its opponents. Some whosay the legislationwillallowimmigrants, without legal status, to compete for professional jobs thatcould go to legal residents and U.S. citizens.

"It'sadditional competition for jobs, especially at a time like this,'' said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which supports limits on immigration. "The law of supply and demand dictates that more workers you have to do a certain job the lower the price is going to be so it hurts them that way also."

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Assemblyman Harold Wirths (R-Sussex) voted no on the measure.

"We have rules and laws in this country and, if you come into the country illegally and you are in violation of the law, I don't think we should be granting you licenses,'' he said, noting it was a way of circumventing federal laws.

The bill though is not opposed by all Republicans in the state. Four Republican Senators voted in favor of the bill. They included Senators Chris Brown (R-Atlantic), Declan O'Scanlon (R-Monmouth),Kip Bateman (R-Somerset)and Gerry Cardinale (R-Bergen).

Ana Calderon, of Newark, is a student at Rutgers University in Newark who wants to be a doctor and would benefit from a bill being considered by New Jersey lawmakers that would eliminate legal immigration status as a requirement to obtain a professional or occupational licenses in the state.(Photo: Courtesy photo from Ana Calderon)

In high school, Estrella Rivas appliedfor volunteer opportunities at hospitals, but because she did not have legal status or a Social Security number she often received rejection notices. Rivas, who was born in El Salvador and moved to the United States when she was 4 years old, said she would call hospitals and state her case to volunteer until she was given an opportunity at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth, her hometown.At the hospital,she said shefirst was assigned to work in the emergency room and labor and delivery. Eventually, shewas given the opportunity to observe surgical procedures which she saidsolidified her resolve to become a doctor.

"So once I came to college I knew it was going to face barriers,'' said Rivas, a student at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. "So that's why we have to focus on the professional licensing bill."

Estrella Rivas, 22, of Elizabeth is studying biology at Rutgers University and wants to pursue a career as a pediatrician. She hopes to benefit from a bill being considered by New Jersey Assembly that would eliminate the requirement of legal immigration status to obtain a professional or occupational license in New Jersey.(Photo: Courtesy Photo from Estrella Rivas)

Rivas said many internships require a Social Security number, but proponents said the New Jersey bill could persuadecompanies and hospitals who offer internships to open their programs to immigrants without legal status.

Ana Calderon, 18, a student at Rutgers University in Newark,who also plans to pursue a medical career, said she too hopes that the bill will help her land internships. Calderon, who is majoring in neuroscience and minoring in social justice, was born in Spain and moved to the United States when she was 11years old.

"It would mean everything to me because if I'm able to get one, it means all the hard work and all of the things that I've done to get to that point is going to be worth it, and I'll be able to be a doctor in this country,'' she said, noting she too has been denied internship and hospital volunteer opportunities.

Chirino was born in El Salvador andsaid if the bill passes it will give him more reason to stay focused and achieve his dreams of becoming an architect.

"Itvalidates a lot of the sacrifices that I and my parents have made as immigrants,'' he said. "The fact that New Jersey is stepping up it makes me proud to have grown up here."

MonsyAlvaradois theimmigration reporter for NorthJersey.com. To get unlimited access to the latest news about one of the hottest issues in our state and country,please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email:alvarado@northjersey.comTwitter:@monsyalvarado

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NJ Assembly OKs bill allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain professional licenses - NorthJersey.com

Eric Connolly U.S. House Office of Photography

In September 2017, President Donald Trump made a reckless decision that devastated thousands of people throughout our country.

It was a decision to turn his back on thousands of doctors, nurses and first responders. It was a decision to abandon members of our military who served courageously. It was a decision to put the futures of teachers, researchers and students at risk. It was his decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

In 2017, the president arbitrarily ended DACA, throwing the futures of hundreds of thousands of young immigrants into jeopardy. This action, and the years-long legal battle that followed, made it nearly impossible for Dreamers to plan for their futures here, even though the United States is the only country theyve ever known as home.

But on June 18, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court granted temporary relief when they revoked the presidents order. This was a welcome decision, but it does not guarantee the futures of these young people who are American in every way but on paper. President Trump could decide any day to issue a new order to end the program again. Congress must act immediately to protect Dreamers from the whims of the Trump Administrations anti-immigrant agenda.

On July 15, the House Appropriations Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2021 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. The bill includes an amendment that I introduced with Rep. Will Hurd, a Republican from Texas, that will protect DACA recipients and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders in good standing from deportation, detention or denial of work authorization by Department of Homeland Security officials.

Our amendment passed the committee with broad bipartisan support, proving that both Democrats and Republicans understand the serious need for congressional action on this issue.

This bipartisan effort was encouraging, but we must do more. In order to ensure Dreamers and other young immigrants have the peace of mind they deserve, Congress must get serious about comprehensive immigration reform. This means a path to citizenship for the millions of immigrants who live, work and pay taxes in the United States already.

This type of legislation would help clear our immigration backlog, alleviate the humanitarian crisis at our border and allow the immigrants who are an essential part of the fabric of our communities to come out of the shadows and live life as American citizens.

While Congress is still a long way off from a comprehensive immigration reform package, we cannot sit by while the president continues to install and act on a blatantly anti-immigrant agenda. Our amendment was an important step in the right direction, but the Senate could provide Dreamers and TPS holders permanent relief today by passing the Dream and Promise Act.

This bill, which passed the House in 2019, establishes a permanent path to citizenship for DACA-eligible individuals and TPS holders. This bill passed the House with bipartisan support, and would end the uncertainty these young immigrants have had to live with since arriving in the United States.

We cannot continue kicking the can down the road. Its time to finally protect these young immigrants. We have the tools and we have the legislation. Its time for the Senate to step up and take decisive action.

U.S. Rep Pete Aguilar, a Democrat and former mayor of Redlands, has served in Congress since 2014. He is seeking his fourth term in the Nov. 3 election.

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It's time to protect the Dreamers | Government & Politics - Redlands News

1.3 million Indian American voters may be potential game changers in Nov. 3 presidential poll.

In just 100 days, 1.3 million Indian American voters have to choose between President Tweety Donald Trump and Sleepy Joe Biden, as they call each other, who they want to win the White House.

Time was when immigrants from India largely voted for Democrats in presidential elections since 1992 when Democrat Bill Clinton ousted incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush.

But things started changing in 2016 when a group of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modis supporters rooted for Abki bar Trump Sarkar (This time Trump government) copying Modis own 2014 slogan.

So much so that now both political parties are wooing them in right earnest hoping their demographic profile in eight battle ground states from Arizona to Wisconsin giving them a clout far larger than their numbers, would prove a game changer.

But who would be good for them, who would do better for the economy and who would stand by their former homeland. So lets take a look at issues close to their heart starting with immigration.

President Trump earlier this month promised to bring a great and very powerful merit-based immigration act that would be strong on borders and also take care of people from DACA in a very Republican way.

But he gave no details. Nor does his campaign site listing an immigration reform proposal which calls for the transition to a merit-based immigration plan among the promises kept.

The campaign also does not outline Trumps plans on the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), the Obama era program that protects undocumented immigrants, who were brought to the US as children, after it was upheld by the Supreme Court.

It simply says that the Trump administration also took action to wind down the DACA program in an orderly fashion giving Congress the opportunity to consider appropriate legislative solutions.

RELATED: Trump, Biden campaigns wooing Indian Americans (July 21, 2020)

President Trump, the campaign asserted has enforced immigration laws to protect American communities and American jobs and has made removals of illegal immigrants a priority.

Trump, it notes has called on Congress to fully fund a wall along the Southern border, to close legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration, to end chain migration, and to eliminate the visa lottery program.

The campaign also makes no mention of Trumps June 22 proclamation suspending H-1B and other work visas until the yearend, or his abortive attempt to send back foreign students taking only on-line classes this fall.

Trumps rival Biden, on the other hand, has vowed to immediately lift the curbs on these work visas extensively used by Indian professionals if he wins the race to White House in November.

That will not be in my administration, he said in a June 27 digital town hall adding, The people coming on these [H-1B] visas have built this country.

RELATED: Biden vows to end green card caps, increase H-1B visas (July 15, 2020)

The former Vice President also promised to make it easier for qualified green card holders to move through this backlog in which thousands of Indian professionals are stuck for decades due to seven percent country caps.

Accusing Trump of having waged an unrelenting assault on our values and our history as a nation of immigrants, his campaign says, Its wrong, and it stops when Joe Biden is elected president.

Biden, it promised, will support expanding the number of high-skilled visas and eliminating the limits on employment-based visas by country, which create unacceptably long backlogs.

Biden, will also work with Congress to reform the current system of temporary work visas to allow workers in select industries to switch jobs, while certifying the labor markets need for foreign workers.

In the first 100 days, a Biden Administration will streamline and improve the naturalization process to make it more accessible to qualified green card holders, it promised.

Promising to protect Dreamers and their families, his campaign vowed to make them eligible for federal student aid and provide access to community college without debt.

RELATED: Joe Biden vows to lift Trumps H-1B ban if elected (July 1, 2020)

Supporting family-based immigration by preserving family unification as a foundation of our immigration system, Biden would exempt the spouse and children of green card holders from caps and allow parents to bring their minor children with them.

He also vowed to create a road map to citizenship for the nearly 11 million unauthorized immigrants who register, are up-to-date on their taxes, and have passed a background check.

The Biden campaign also vowed to end what it called Trumps detrimental asylum policies, and rescind the un-American travel and refugee bans, also referred to as Muslim bans.'

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Road to the White House: Immigration: Trumps merit with wall vs Bidens welcome for... - The American Bazaar