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While no specific policy is yet under development, a loose coalition of like-minded Republicans on the Hill is having discussions, and feeling each other out on what types of deals they might be willing to lead, according to conversations with more than half a dozen sources close to the process.

The group is a mix of veterans of attempts to reform America's immigration laws in the previous administration and a handful of new faces who may choose to make immigration one of their signature issues.

The idea is simple: Be ready for a moment when both sides are willing to come to the table, likely after Trump feels he can already claim some victories on border security.

Trump swept into office on a hardline message on immigration. His campaign was largely based on strictly enforcing immigration laws and cracking down on undocumented immigrants -- policies he has made efforts to put in place since his first week.

Some believe that aggressiveness up front could be the key to a breakthrough down the road. They point to the fact that most conservatives cited concern that border security wouldn't get done and that President Barack Obama wouldn't enforce laws Congress passed as their primary obstacles in the past -- obstacles that Trump seemingly removes.

"I've been saying for several months that the President is going to be the person who's going to bring us together to fix the immigration problem," Idaho Republican Rep. Raul Labrador, a former immigration lawyer, told reporters in the Capitol earlier this month. Labrador stopped participating in previous bipartisan reform talks over a disagreement and heavily criticized executive actions on immigration by President Barack Obama.

"He's going to be like the 'Nixon going to China' moment," Labrador added, "where the person who was the loudest and the strongest on the problems that we face on immigration is also the person who can bring people together to solve all the other issues that we have on immigration."

Trump has also issued an olive branch of sorts to would-be reformers, saying in his joint address to Congress "real and positive immigration reform is possible," provided the goal is to help American jobs and wages, protect national security and engender respect for US laws. Earlier that day, a senior administration official had said Trump may be open to legalization for current undocumented immigrants, but Trump did not say that before Congress.

Either way, Trump will be an essential component of any progress.

If Trump were to throw his weight behind a compromise deal, it would likely pick up momentum. At the same time, were he to strongly oppose a deal, it could be a death knell. As one Republican lawmaker said privately, most lawmakers are fearful of a vicious Trump tweet directed their way to "blow them up."

In the past, immigration reform attempts have included a combination of efforts to secure the border, update and improve the laws for legal immigration visas, and an effort to resolve what to do about an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants already living in the US.

The early conversations are largely happening on the House side -- where lawmakers expect immigration reform will need to begin after the failure of a Senate-led reform effort in 2013 to advance in the lower chamber.

But immigration-reform minded lawmakers are also increasingly looking at Sen. Thom Tillis to be a possible leader in the space. The North Carolina Republican was elected in 2014, missing the last fight over immigration, but has become recently outspoken about using his management consulting experience to try to get immigration reform done in Washington.

"We know most of the solutions, we need to figure out how to stage them, how to put them together in a package, how to silence the voices at either end of the political spectrum that are the reasons we haven't been successful in the past and solve the problem," Tillis said at a Bipartisan Policy Center event earlier this month.

Tillis suggested putting together pairs of compromises that satisfy both sides to gain momentum. He said he'd start with border security -- a key issue to conservatives -- and pair that with legislation codifying protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the US as children, covered under the Obama administration DACA program. From there, he said, deals could be made on visa reform and E-Verify, as well as enforcement against employers who abuse illegal immigration.

"So that to me is a classic example of a starting place," Tillis said. "(Steps) need to be paired with good common sense law and order and compassionate, rational policies for the people who are here illegally present, and I think that if we do that, then we start building the momentum to solve the problem."

Some think an early opportunity may arise this month, when the White House presents its budget request to Congress. Trump is expected to ask for money for his long-promised border wall, as well as implementing his executive orders calling for increased border security and enforcement capacity. That could be a window for DACA, some hope. Other optimistic estimates range from a possible opportunity late this year into next year, the second of Trump's term.

Convincing Democrats will be essential to any effort, and while Democratic lawmakers have long been eager to find a pathway to citizenship for and protect noncriminal undocumented immigrants already here, driving reform efforts int he past, Democrats also feel the need to stand up to Trump's policies and rhetoric.

On Monday, the top Senate Democrats led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sent a letter to Republican leadership saying that including any border wall funding in a must-pass continuation of government funding that expires in April could result in a government shutdown.

Privately, many Democrats feel that they would ultimately be willing to compromise with Republicans out of fear of Trump's policies and for the opportunity to get something done for a population they've long sought to protect. But publicly, the party insists it stands ready to come to the table only when Trump abandons his aggressive efforts to deport and detain undocumented immigrants.

"This is not Nixon goes to China," volunteered Arizona Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego after Trump's joint address. "One, he's not that bright, and two not that committed. He's going to fumble it in one manner or another, and at the end of the day, as soon as he feels pressure from the right, he'll fold."

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Moderates await, prep for window on immigration reform - CNN

College senior Ana Tobar has advocated for immigration reform since her freshman year at George Mason University in Washington, DC. Tobar, 21,a double major in global affairs and communication and an immigrant, herself, has often focused on finding allies to help empower undocumented students to achieve a university degree.

One way she has done so is by organizing training sessions to raise campus awareness about the financial and emotional struggles of students without immigration documents,hoping to stir empathy that might translate into action.

Since President Donald Trumps inauguration, though, the conversationhas shifted. It's become more pressing.

Now, people ask what it would look like if students dont have DACA anymore, said Tobar, referring to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. The program, introduced by President Barack Obama in 2012, provides temporary relief from deportation for immigrants who entered the country illegally as minors.

There are more than 300 DACA beneficiaries at George Mason, said Tobar, president of the student group called the Mason Dreamers. It takes its name from the Dream Act, a separate piece of legislation to give students a pathway to citizenship. And Trumps promises to ramp up deportations have them worried, she said.

Related:President Trump, how will your administration deal with US-citizen children whose parents are deported?

Trump told a joint session of Congress last month that immigration reform must focus on the following goals: To improve jobs and wages for Americans, to strengthen our nation's security, and to restore respect for our laws.

Still, Tobar, who immigrated to the United States from El Salvador at age 5 and was naturalized two years ago, is not optimistic.

In the past two years, we felt as if weve been pushing and getting somewhere, she said. Lately, its like weve been pushing, and weve been pushed back 20 times. Its been hard on our community.

Related:A 19-year-old undocumented student authorized to be in the US was detained and then let go by federal agents

She is not the only one with questions about what immigration reform would look like under Trump.

This is the Trump administrations pattern, right stating theyre going to do something, but not stating how, said Martha Zavala Perez, a 25-year-old DACA recipient from California who attended Trumps speech to Congress as the guest of Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Calif.).

Perez, who teaches public speaking at California State University Channel Islands, said she would support legislation that takes into consideration the human impact of immigration enforcementbut Republicans have shown little interest in hearing from those who might be hurt.

It's as iftheidea that the undocumented community can even negotiate is preposterous, she said.Basic discourse tells us that in order for a law to be just, everyone must be at the table. But those of us impacted dont get a say.

Related:Weighing the risks of a 'sanctuary' campus

While Perez, who holds a masters degree in communication, would not have gotten through college and found a job in the US without DACA, immigration advocates recognize it is not a perfect solution for children brought to the United States without immigration documents; as an executive order, it can be rescinded easily.

What we keep pressing for is a permanent legislative solution, said Jacinta Ma, director of policy and advocacy at the National Immigration Forum.

Ma said it is possible to find bipartisan support for an immigration reform bill that supports immigrant rights to remain in the US. One example is a measure introduced by Florida Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo on Friday, she added.

The bill proposes three paths to legal status for children brought to the United States unlawfully: enrolling in college, serving in the in the armed forces or obtaining valid work authorization.

But Curbelo's bill, like DACA before it, falls short, said Rodrigo Velasquez, a Mason Dreamers advisory board member.

Limiting legal status to those who attend college or complete military service, Velasquez said, ignores the barriers faced by immigrants without proper documents to complete high school, including a lack of access to resources, and, in general, poverty.

Velasquez said he was able to attend college only because of scholarships. But he doesn't think that legal status should be exclusive to those who've had the same opportunities he's had.

We believe that everyone should have a pathway to a status so they dont live in fear of deportation, detention and other abuses, he said.

While Trump has not explained what type of immigration reform he would support, Velasquez, 22, imagines the legislation would include increased border security, a Trump administration priority.

Velasquez, who graduated from George Mason University last spring with a degree in communication, said he could not personally support a measure that intensifies the military presenceat the southern border.

But given the divisiveness of the immigration debate, he recognizes its a concession his community may have to make, at least in the short term, to move forward.

Im willing to fight for my community, he said. If my community tells me this is something they genuinely want Ill listen to them, and Ill navigate the clash of my values and that legislation. But I will not end my advocacy, and Mason Dreamers wont end its advocacy until there is comprehensive reform.

Maryam Salehis a student journalist with Northwestern Universitys Washington, DC, reporting program.

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College 'dreamers' are unrelenting in fight for immigration reform - PRI

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Dozens of community members gathered in support of keeping undocumented immigrant families together on March 14th 2017.

Quad Cities Interfaith held a prayervigiloutsidethe Rock Island County Jail.

The group hopes to bring the community together and tostop deportation.

Local immigration leaders are calling to stop deportations and to work on immigration reform.

"We want to remind our elected officials that we are still waiting for immigration reform, immigration laws that are gonna be just and humane really is real important," says QCIImmigrationChair Margie Mejia-Carabello.

Faith leaders say they chose to hold the vigil at 4 p.m because that's the hour most children come home from school.

They say it's also a time where families with undocumented members fear the most.

"Believe it or not a lot of children come to an empty home. Either a parent or both parents have been deported and taken away," says Mejia-Carabello.

Speakers at the event included a testimonial from a DACA student, RI County NAACP President Berlinda Tyler-Jamison, and Sheriff Gerry Bustos.

Originally posted here:
Faith leaders hold prayer vigil for immigration reform - WQAD.com

A long-time area resident asked a question about immigrants who fear deportation. He wondered, when some people have been living and working here for many years, why they havent become citizens.

I am glad he asked that question. Because it has been on the minds of many Americans, its a good question. It has a good answer: Many cant.

There are very few routes to legal immigration. In some cases U.S. citizens can sponsor members of their immediate family to become legal permanent residents and then citizens. (This is not absolute -- the citizen must show a certain level of income and the citizens spouse, parent, son or daughter has to pass a background check to be admitted.) Under a few limited circumstances, an employer may sponsor an immigrant employee. (Again, the immigrants background is scrutinized.) Some victims of horrendous persecution from dangerous parts of the world -- a fraction of the total number of these victims -- have been able, after long waits and intensive investigation -- to enter as refugees.

If someone doesnt fit the short list of immigration categories, there is no way for them to come in as legal immigrants. Many of us are descended from people who left difficult situations, endured hardship to get here, got in line to come in, worked hard and eventually became citizens. Many people today are in equally (or more) difficult places, are willing to endure hardship and to work steadily and contribute to the community, but today there is no line. Most people who want to come to the U.S. to live, even if their familys lives are at risk (from war, crime, or famine) have no legitimate route to do so.

If someone is already here, no matter how long, if they have worked and paid taxes and followed the law, for almost everyone there isnt a line they can get into to legalize their status.

Some ask, didnt they come illegally? True, some did (some risking their lives to seek a better future for their families). Most of the so-called illegal immigrants in the U.S. today entered legally, with appropriate documents, but stayed, for one reason or another, after the documents lapsed. As we know, some were brought here as children; some know no other home.

Throughout its history our country has reaped enormous benefits from people who have come here from all parts of the world. Todays immigrants are an important part of our community.

Most people think there should be a line to get legal status, with criteria that allow law-abiding immigrants to stay. Thats what a path to citizenship is, like the path that was there for my great-grandparents.

As Rep. Walz said, a fair and effective policy could be passed and implemented very quickly if the political will were there. Its in all of our interests to allow our newest neighbors to come out of the shadows, to use his phrase, and become fully-recognized Americans.

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Letter: Immigration reform could, and should, be passed quickly - Daily Globe

Fred Funderburgh lost his son Billy and daughter-in-law Natalee in June when a Kia Optima slammed into the back of the couples motorcycle just outside of Elgin one Sunday morning, killing both of them.

Rodolfo Campuzano, who was driving the Kia and is suspected of being in the country illegally, fled the scene of the crash, according to police. He was later arrested at his home, intoxicated twice the legal limit.

Last week, Fred Funderburghs second son, Jason Synatschk, committed suicide.

Now, the family is asking for help from the public to pay for Synatschks funeral expenses, as well as to shine national attention to the plight of families who have lost loved ones at the hands of unauthorized immigrants.

Funderburgh is actively involved with the Remembrance Project, a nonprofit that advocates for these families.

In January, President Donald Trump flew Funderburgh and his other son James to Washington D.C. for a private meeting. They spoke in the Secretary of War Office at the White House then watched the president sign two executive orders: one to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and the other to deny federal funds to sanctuary cities that shield unauthorized immigrants from deportation.

Fred Funderburgh and his son James, who lost Billy Billy was Freds son and Jamess brother. Billys wife Natalee was also killed by an illegal immigrant, somebody that should never, ever have been here, Trump said in a speech in January.

On June 26, 2016 at 1:45 a.m., Campuzano failed to control his speed and struck the back of Billy and Natalees blue motorcycle as they were headed southbound on Texas 95 outside of Elgin, police said.

The couple was pronounced dead at the scene.

Campuzano, who fled the crash, was later found at his girlfriends house, where he failed a field sobriety test, according to his arrest affidavit. He was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter.

In September, he was released on a personal recognizance bond since a grand jury failed to indict him within 90 days.

Campuzano was arrested again in October, that time on two counts of causing an accident resulting in death. He was indicted in December and is being held at the Bastrop County Jail on $500,000 bail and a U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement detainer. If found guilty, he faces two to 20 years in prison.

The Funderburgh family came out in full force to the Bastrop County Courthouse on March 1 for Campuzanos pretrial hearing, which was later rescheduled to the end of the month.

On Friday, Synatschk, one of Billys brothers, shot himself in the head.

Jason took it really, really hard, Funderburgh said. He couldnt even come to court down there because it was so emotional for him. It was so sad and hurtful and afraid this guy was going to get out again. He didnt believe in the judicial system.

Campuzano had been previously arrested for driving while intoxicated in Travis County in 2011, according to court records. He served 14 days in jail and was released.

This guy shouldnt have been here, Funderburgh said. He should have been deported after the first DWI.

Maria Espinoza, cofounder and national director of the Remembrance Project, said the Funderburghs went to the Bastrop Countys Sheriffs Office for help through victim services, which covers funeral expenses, emotional support services and crime-related travel for families of victims that have died in a crime.

Synatschks funeral services would not be covered since his death was not the result of a crime, the office said.

The family is now asking the public for help. Anyone wishing to donate can do so through a GoFundMe page set up for Synatschk.

Fred has lost two of his sons, Espinoza said. He is just trying to keep his family and whats left of it together.

The Remembrance Project was founded in 2009 and advocates against the creation of sanctuary cities, where officials do not devote resources to enforcing federal immigration policies. Sanctuary cities have been a hot-button issue this legislative session.

In February, the Texas Senate approved a bill that would criminalize police and sheriffs departments who fail to participate in federal immigration enforcement. A Class A misdemeanor could be assessed against police chiefs, sheriffs, city and county officials and anyone in a position of authority who blocks law officers from asking detainees about their immigration status or fail to honor detention requests from federal immigration authorities.

Senate Bill 4, as it is known, would also require county jails to honor federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement requests to extend the detention of inmates suspected of being in the United States illegally.

Sen. Kirk Watson, whose district includes Bastrop County, has opposed the measure. He said SB 4 is not about public safety.

If it were, wed listen to the professional public safety leaders who tell us this wont make Texas safer. Instead, they tell us it makes us less safe, he said.

The bill was sent to the House in February.

Campuzano is scheduled to appear again in court for his pretrial hearing on March 29.

Statesman reporter Chuck Lindell contributed to this report.

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Father who lost son in Elgin crash advocates for immigration reform - Austin American-Statesman