Archive for the ‘Immigration Reform’ Category

House Dems urge vote on immigration overhaul

WASHINGTON, March 25 (UPI) -- House Democrats called on Speaker John Boehner to pass an immigration overhaul that has been languishing in the House since October, because they've run out of patience.

"Two hundred seventy two days," said Democratic Caucus Chair Xavier Becerra of California. "That's how long it's been since the Senate passed on a bipartisan basis its immigration reform bill."

"Throughout that entire time, House Republican leadership has not permitted one single vote on a common-sense solution to immigration reform," he said. "Not one vote."

Becerra, who also appeared with Reps. Steven Horsford of Nevada, Joseph Crowley of New York and Judy Chu of California, said they would be circulating a discharge petition, in order to circumvent Boehner and force consideration of the measure.

"This is big, because we constantly hear those detractors of immigration reform say it's not good for our economy, it's not good for American workers, it's not a good deal for this country," Becerra said. "Their cheap talk is not good for this country, because they're keeping us from having $200 billion in deficit reduction, which we could use."

Becerra pointed to a letter from the Congressional Budget Office, sent Tuesday to Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, that found the bill -- the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act -- would loosen the bottleneck on legal immigration and provide a pathway to legal status for immigrants already in the country. It also would reduce federal budget deficits by $200 billion by 2024, and $900 billion in the decade after that.

"We have the votes," said Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev. "Now we just need a vote."

HR 15

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House Dems urge vote on immigration overhaul

Immigration reform group rallies at Rep. Walorski's district office

Alice Hernandez, an Elkhart resident, has been waiting 10 years for her husband to have the opportunity to come back to the United States. She's been taking on raising her 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and being the sole breadwinner of her family alone, while her husband waits in Mexico. "Financially, it would be a lot different. I wouldn't be worried about losing my home, putting food on the table, not worried about retirement," she says.

The immigration reform group, "Fast for Families" visited the office of Representative Jackie Walorski Monday, in hopes for her to bring about a vote on immigration reform. The group has usually met in Washington D.C. where they protest and fast outside the offices of congresspersons.

"Fast for Families" has decided to take it one step further, in hopes to raise awareness and bring about a vote sooner. The group departed from Los Angeles on February 24. They have two routes a northern and southern route. South Bend is one of the stops on the northern route.

Group member Susana Sandoval says she's been working with mothers and children who have been separated from their families because of immigration laws. The Hernandez family is one of those she is helping. "It's a form of violence. There are over 1,000 people that are being deported on a daily basis. We're asking for that first step forward. We're asking congressmen to take that one step forward in order to help keep America one family. Regardless of their party affiliation, people should be able to raise their family."

The group marched outside Walorski's office and had a news conference in front of their tour bus. Several immigrants shared their story of how proud they were to be a U.S. citizen, and how other immigrants are looking to be granted that same luxury. Rep. Walorski was not at her office, in fact her press secretary Brendon DelToro tells FOX28 she was on a flight to Washington D.C. as the event was taking place. The group delivered 500 petitions from across the country, and the local area, to her office.

South Bend Deputy Mayor Mark Neal was there to meet the protestors, and told them, "South Bend is the sister city to Mishawaka. We are in Mishawaka. South Bend stands behind all that you stand for, and myself and Mayor Pete Buttigieg believe this is an important issue everyone needs to be aware of." Sandoval spoke for "Fast for Families" and asked Mayor Neal to participate in the group's weekly fast. Each Wednesday, participants give up one or more meals in honor of families going through the troubles of immigration laws.

Rep. Walorski was not available for a phone interview, but DelToro released a statement saying, "When the House considers legislation related to immigration, Congresswoman Walorski will take a careful look at each bill that is offered. As always, she encourages Second District Hoosiers to contact our office to convey their opinions on this issue."

Tune into FOX28 News at 10PM to hear more from the spokespeople of "Fast for Families" and a full statement from Rep. Jackie Walorski.

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Immigration reform group rallies at Rep. Walorski's district office

Texas Farm Bureau pushes immigration reform in Washington

Area members of the Texas Farmers' Bureau were in Washington last week to speak on behalf of immigration reform.

Bureau State Director Russell Boening, who runs a dairy farm just south of San Antonio, said recent shortages in labor have forced his hand.

I need Congress to act to fix the broken immigration system the sooner, the better, Boening said at the nation's capital. After years of avoiding the issue, some (politicians) in Congress now say they support reform just not this year. That might make sense politically, but it's disastrous for my business."

While proposed legislation such as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act has been on the national radar the last few years, no major national or Texas policy changes have since been made been made on an issue that has dominated political debate for much of the last decade, according to farm bureau officials.

In a phone interview later that day, Boening explained that increased deportations, the draw of oil jobs from Eagle Ford and the fluctuations of the farming industry have all contributed to a labor shortage of immigrant workers living in south San Antonio and surrounding counties such as Atascosa and Wilson.

Farmers employ many people, legal immigrants and those with work visas, who do jobs (other) Americans can't or don't want to do, the Floresville dairy farmer said. So for us, immigration reform has to fix things like border security, but it also has to (ensure) programs like the work visa remain protected.

Boening said he's talked with politicians at all levels of government about immigration reform, and while the talks have been mostly positive, no one has committed to anything substantial.

Everybody tells me, 'we need to do something', Boening noted. But what does that mean? When are we going to do it? How far are we going to go?

U.S. Rep Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, who represents part of San Antonio, said in a statement that he also supports the work visa program.

I have had many conversations with agriculture groups in Texas, including the Farm Bureau, about reforming our broken immigration system to include a guest worker plan for farm workers, Cuellar wrote. As a state that relies heavily on agriculture, Texas would benefit greatly from legislative reform that creates a stable visa system for farm workers.

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Texas Farm Bureau pushes immigration reform in Washington

Immigration protester back at Chicago church that sheltered her

Elvira Arellano, a Mexican woman whose yearlong stay inside a Chicago church made her a lightning rod in the nation's immigration debate, on Sunday returned to the sanctuary, saying she plans to live there until a hearing later this year when she will ask again to be allowed to stay.

For me, this is my house, Arellano said in Spanish after the service at Adalberto United Methodist Church. I consider it my home.

Her journey back to the city after being deported to Mexico in 2007 began last week, when she crossed into the U.S. with her sons, 5-month-old Emiliano and 15-year-old Saul, along with dozens of mostly young deportees near San Diego to protest U.S. immigration laws and deportation practices.

A two-day detention led to the scheduling of an immigration hearing for September, when she can again plead her case to stay in the U.S., said her attorney, Chris Bergin. In the meantime,

Arellano was allowed to travel and arrived in Chicago on Sunday.

Not even I imagined that I'd be able to return, she said in Spanish on Sunday after getting off a plane at Midway Airport. But thank God I'm here.

Arellano said she wants to continue to speak out about immigration reform and hopes to remain in the country with her children. Her son Saul, who is a U.S. citizen, continued to live in the U.S. after Arellano was deported but soon returned to Mexico to reunite with her. He now travels between the two countries, spending summers in the U.S., Bergin said. Emiliano is not an American citizen.

Arellano wants her two sons to grow up in the U.S., not only for a better education but also because it's safer, Bergin added.

The fight doesn't stop when a mother is separated from her son, Arellano said. The fight stops when we don't want to be part of it. As long as the immigration politics of President (Barack) Obama don't change, we'll continue to see this type of activism in favor of families so they can return home.

At the airport and at two church services Sunday, Arellano was greeted by many supporters. Some displayed signs welcoming her and her sons, while others gave gifts and balloons.

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Immigration protester back at Chicago church that sheltered her

Dozens rally for immigration reform – Video


Dozens rally for immigration reform
Dozens rally at the Florida Capitol for immigration reform.

By: ABC27HD

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Dozens rally for immigration reform - Video