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Midstate Democrats were bitterly disappointed in 2018 and 2020 after throwing moderates from election central casting up against incumbent U.S. Rep. Scott Perry in a Pennsylvania House district that had been redrawn to be much more politically competitive, only to see the lightning rod incumbent send them to costly defeats.

Democratic Party voters opted for a new approach Tuesday, granting their 10th District nomination to Harrisburg attorney and city council member Shamaine Daniels, a woman and a person of color who is less concerned about reaching the voters that are already committed to Perry or committed to his defeat than she is about reaching pools of voters who havent shown up before.

On the day after her primary win over retired Army officer Rick Coplen, Daniels was realistic about the task ahead.

Its not an unwinnable race. It is a difficult race to win, the 43-year-old Venezuelan immigrant and mother of one told PennLive Wednesday.

Daniels said she hopes to build a winning game plan by attracting support from a broad coalition of supporters - including out-of-district donors motivated by a desire to defeat Perry, the chairman of the arch-conservative House Freedom Caucus - and, most importantly, making sure the voters who dont often think about politics as something for them understand theres someone who wants to work on their issues who needs their support.

If you only rely on those people who are already voting, its a losing race, Daniels explained of the Democrats position in this race. If you can bring out the people who have never voted before, its a winning race.

Daniels, much like progressive Democratic primary candidate Tom Brier two years ago, believes she is has the street credentials to get that done, especially in the districts urban centers like Harrisburg and York where low voter turnout has become a condition.

After arriving in the U.S. with her family 30 years ago, Daniels graduated from high school in Philadelphia, and then earned her bachelors degree from West Chester University. She went on to gain her law degree from the University of Cincinnati.

She made her mark as a young lawyer as part of the team that litigated against the so-called illegal immigration relief act passed in Hazleton with the full-throated support of then-Mayor Lou Barletta. The ordinance was ruled unconstitutional by a U.S. District Court judge in 2007.

Daniels by then had relocated to Harrisburg. where she specialized in immigration and employment law and became active in Democratic politics. After an unsuccessful bid for Dauphin County Clerk of Courts in 2011, she won election to Harrisburgs City Council in 2013, and is now just starting her third term in that office.

On council, she said she takes satisfaction in the completion of zoning changes that Daniels says have lowered barriers for small businesses to open and operate in the city, helping to stimulate the local economy and build an entrepreneur class within its residents, as well as steps to promote development of affordable housing, and the reduction of penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana.

Perry is seeking a 6th term in Congress from what - just based on past voter performance alone - shapes up as one of Pennsylvanias more competitive districts.

His campaign released a statement after his primary win Tuesday night that suggests hes ready for the fight, in which he sees himself as a key player in the fight to flip majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives back to the Republican Party..

Im honored once again to have earned the overwhelming support of Republicans throughout the District, Perry said.

For voters of the 10th District, theres never been a clearer choice: continue to surrender your hard-earned freedom and dollars to the party led by a failing and feckless President and his enablers like Speaker Pelosi, or reclaim your independence and reject bigger government, record inflation, skyrocketing costs of living, and our National security.

Our neighbors know what I believe. My opponent, Shamaine Daniels, has been an apologist for failure and a promoter of the Biden-Pelosi failed, dangerous, and radical agenda thats destroying our nation day by day. I look forward to a vigorous debate, and Im confident that the voters of the 10th Congressional District will once again choose a brighter, stronger America that encourages the re-growth of strength and prosperity we once knew.

One thing that will be different for Perry is that this is the first time he will have faced voters since being identified as one of the key Congressional allies in former President Donald J. Trumps attempts to cling to power after his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election.

Perry is currently facing subpoenas from the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021 breach of the U.S. Capitol by angry Trump supporters for his role in the proposed installation of a new Attorney General who was sympathetic to Trumps unfounded claims of voter fraud.

Daniels knows that is a potential moment of reckoning for Perry, and she hopes to build a bridge that Perry supporters who are uncomfortable with his work on the election will cross over this year. She also hopes that Perrys notoriety will draw outside donors to her quest to raise somewhere between $2 and $3 million for the fall campaign.

Daniels has said she is driven by the goal of providing residents what she believes is better representation than they are getting from Perry, whom she feels has tended in recent years to pit his supporters against his opponents.

Hes made his career getting support by scaring people, said Daniels, I think this is an opportunity to show the district what it is that Perry has been telling them they need to be afraid of.

But citing the experiences of 2018 and 2020, she also believes that many of Perrys supporters are dug in for their guy, she said she believes the race ahead cant be solely a referendum on the incumbent. Daniels said the onus will be on her to prove herself as a good alternative.

To beat Scott Perry, we have to have high voter turnout, and for voters to turn out they need to know why they should vote for me, Daniels said.

To that end, she said she is motivated by a desire to advocate for issues like comprehensive immigration reform, which she notes will help not only Americas newest residents, but also the employers that badly need their contributions, and preserving womens reproductive rights.

Continued here:
With one battle won, Shamaine Daniels is getting ready for the campaign ahead - PennLive

A bipartisan group of senators will formally launch immigration talks on Thursday, marking the latest entry by Congress to try to capture the long-sought policy priority in recent years.

The group will include Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) as well as Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), according to Durbin. All of the senators are members of the Judiciary panel.

A bipartisan immigration deal is a heavy lift, particularly in an election year. But the talks likely represent Democrats best shot at passing a bill after hopes of including immigration reform in a sweeping Democratic-only tax and spending bill, known as Build Back Better, ran aground last year.

Instead of trying to craft an agreement from scratch, the group is going to use smaller, already introduced, bipartisan immigration-related bills to try to put together a package that could get the 60 votes needed to advance through the Senate.

Weve got a list. Weve got a starting list. There could be some more. But its a starting point. Ive talked to four or five Republican senators today. Theres a genuine interest in doing something, Durbin said while warning against the talks becoming top-heavy.

The meeting will be the first formal sit-down that the group has had and comes after Durbin and Tillis told The Hill earlier this month that they intended to convene an immigration gang after the two-week April break.

Tillis said on Wednesday that the group was looking at different proposals where we look like weve got bipartisan support.

What you have to do obviously is you take a look at the proposals in isolation then you have to reconcile them against how you would put them together for something that would work as a package, Tillis told The Hill.

The nascent immigration talks come as lawmakers are entrenched in a fight over the administrations decision to lift Title 42,a Trump-era pandemic public health policy that the Biden administration kept in place but now plans to lift on May 23.

Crafted in the early days of the pandemic, the border policy allows rapid expulsion of migrants in the name of public health and prevents them from seeking asylum.

The administrations decision has sparked fierce pushback from Republicans as well as some Democratic senators. But the administration is also facing pressure from a swath of Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates to stick by the decision, arguing that the Trump-era program is inhumane.

A GOP demand for a vote to effectively block the administration from lifting Title 42, which has also gotten snagged by a court fight, has stalemated a deal for $10 billion in coronavirus aid. Republicans view the two issues as related because the administrations decision to lift Title 42 comes as there is a broader coronavirus public health emergency still in effect.

Asked if he would try to keep the Title 42 fight separate from the immigration group talks, Durbin replied, As far as we can.

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Senate group to start immigration talks Thursday - The Hill

From social media to cable news, all the American public sees from our leaders are partisan attacks and hyperbolic rhetoric, but that's not the way it has to be. To prove it, Former Members of Congress (FMC) and the Fulcrum have joined forces to bring you Congress at a Crossroads.

The monthly video series brings together Former Members of both parties to discuss the structural issues in today's Congress, as well as the hottest political issues. They won't always agree, but they will always treat each other with respect and civility.

This month, our host, FMC CEO Pete Weichlein sat down with Former Members Henry Bonilla (R-TX) and Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) to discuss the current situation at the U.S.-Mexico border, why Congress has not been able to pass any meaningful immigration reform, and how this issue will affect the upcoming midterm elections, particularly amongst Hispanic voters.

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Video: The Politics of Immigration - The Fulcrum

WASHINGTON, D.C. Today, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) hosted a press conference with community leaders and advocacy organizations including the National Catholic Council for Hispanic Ministrys (NCCHM) Races y Alas Congress, Americans for Prosperity, AmericanHort, National Immigration Forum, Races, The LIBRE Initiative, and several other members of the Alliance for a New Immigration Consensus to urge action on his legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act. This legislation is a strong workforce solution which will provide certainty to both farm owners and workers through an accessible, employment-based program, and is a key component to his efforts to address border security, Dreamers, and the agricultural workforce.

Click here to hear Rep. Newhouses remarks.

Rep. Newhouses remarks as prepared can be found in full below:

Thank you, Bishop, for that introduction.

Hello everyone, Im Congressman Dan Newhouse from Washington State, and Im here today to urge my colleagues to come together so we can finally fix our broken immigration system.

We need a system that stops rewarding illegal behavior and reforming our broken system has been one of my top priorities in Congressfrom ensuring we have a workable guestworker program for our agriculture industry to providing certainty and legal status for Dreamers who were brought here as children at no fault of their own.

The best way to stop illegal immigration is to streamline our legal immigration processes, eliminate opportunities to work without legal status, and simply enforce our laws. Thats why I continue to push my legislation, the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

Agriculture producers across the country are facing a labor shortage crisis, and I dont use the word crisis lightly.

Im a farmer myself, and I can tell you that it is truly a struggle to find workers. Without an adequate workforce, our crops will go unharvested, and our already-delicate food supply chain is placed further at risk.

So, to keep our families fed and our country running, many of our producers rely on the H-2A program for labor, but the program is burdensome and the application process doesnt work for farmers or farmworkers.

This puts our farmers in a tough spot.

While I see firsthand the struggle our Central Washington producers face, this isnt just an issue affecting Central Washington, this is a nationwide issue.

That is why at the federal level, I introduced the Farm Workforce Modernization Actto address these labor shortages and ensure we have a legal and reliable workforce for all of agriculture.

The legislation streamlines the existing H-2A program and establishes a new employment- and merit-based program to ensure that not only are agriculture workers in the United States legally, but that they remain law-abiding and continue to contribute to our farms, ranches, local communities, and economies.

By ensuring a legal and reliable agricultural workforce, we can secure our food supply, strengthening our national security and averting disaster.

It is imperative we reform our broken immigration laws and ensure that those who wish to pursue a legal pathway or come to our country to contribute to our agriculture industry are able to do so.

We also must deliver certainty for Dreamers in Central Washington and across the country by enacting a solution that strengthens our national security and allows DACA recipients to continue contributing to our communities.

The United States is a country built by immigrants, and we welcome them into our communities. In my home district of Central Washington, immigrants are small business owners, scientists, teachers, veterans, neighbors, friends, andin many casesfamily.

Congress cannot keep kicking this can down the road, and until we have a comprehensive solution signed into law, these young peoplewho were brought to this country at no fault of their ownwill continue to suffer.

Responsible immigration reform means legislation that protects our communities, strengthens our national security, and secures our southern border, but also recognizes the contributions of immigrants and bolsters our local economies, producers, and small businesses.

It is past time we deliver solutionsnot just empty promisesto our farmers and ranchers, to our farmworkers, and to all Americans who deserve a strong food supply chain.

And we already have that solution in the Farm Workforce Modernization Act.

If I can leave today with a message, I would impress upon you to reach out to your Senators and tell them you want to see the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, as well as legislation that gives certainty to Dreamers and improves border security, move forward in the Senate.

Because together, we can finally secure our border, provide certainty for our Dreamers, and provide a lasting solution for our farmers and ranchers.

Thank you.

###

Originally posted here:
Newhouse Urges Senate to Take Immediate Action on the Farm Workforce Modernization Act - Dan Newhouse

PHOENIX Along the border near Yuma, as many as 10,000 immigrants cross into the U.S. every week. Nearly all of them are sent back. Across the length of the southwest border, the U.S. Border Patrol reports it encountered more than 221,000 migrants in the month of March alone.

"We inherited a broken and dismantled system that is already under strain. It is not built to manage the current levels and types of migratory flows. Only Congress can fix this," U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said. Mayorkas was testifying before a House Appropriations Subcommittee.

On Tuesday Mayorkas released a 20-page memo outlining the government's preparations ahead of the scheduled May 23 termination of Title 42. It's a six-point plan to deal with the expected rush of migrants once Title 42 is lifted.

It includes a surge of personnel and resources to the border and Mayorkas says a commitment by the Biden administration to strictly enforce U.S. Immigration law.

"Individuals who cross the border without legal authorization are processed for removal and if unable to establish a legal basis to remain in the United States, be promptly removed from the country," Mayorkas said.

Arizona Congressman Tom O'Halleran says he needs to know more about what the administration will do along the border. On a recent appearance on Fox News, O'Halleran said, "I disagree with the president. The president has to have a plan. We don't want chaos at the border."

Arizona Director of Homeland Security Tim Roemer, who worked in the Obama Administration's Department of Homeland Security, said the plan is "short on detail and lacks any sense of urgency," Roemer said. "Arizona was never consulted by the administration."

Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who along with Texas Senator John Cornyn introduced Immigration Reform legislation last year, called the plan to end Title 42 unrealistic.

"While the administration's adoption of our bipartisan border processing center proposal represents an important first step to reduce the strain on Arizona and treat migrants fairly and humanely, I remain concerned the plan does not ensure local communities, law enforcement, and non-profits receive adequate support to prevent a humanitarian and security crisis in Arizona border communities," Sinema said.

On Monday, a federal judge in Louisiana announced he will issue a temporary restraining order delaying the end of Title 42. A May 13 hearing is scheduled to determine how long that order will be enforced.

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Biden administration lays out plan to deal with migrants after Title 42 - ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix