In all, the pilot program, which was launched in New York in February, seeks to enlist 1,000 military recruits with special language and medical skills, most of whom will join the Army. Response to the program has exceeded expectations, drawing applications from more than 7,000 people around the country, many of them highly educated, defense officials said.http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-immigrant-recruits4-2009may04,0,5003914.story
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a favorite tool of prosecutors in immigration cases, ruling unanimously that a federal identity-theft law may not be used against many illegal workers who used false Social Security numbers to get jobs.
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) has been selected by Senate Republicans to serve as Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Immigration Subcommittee. Sen. Sessions is a key advocate for reducing immigration levels and recently sponsored the E-Verify extension amendment to the economic stimulus bill.
Over the past 20 years, the United States has granted legal permanent residence (green cards) to an average of more than 1 million persons per year. And compared to other nations, the United States is above average in terms of immigrants per thousand population.
Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) is putting the final touches on this year's SAVE Act, which he plans to introduce in Congress within the next few weeks. Shuler first sponsored the legislation during the last Congressional session, but House Speaker Nancy Pelosi kept it off the floor, and the attempt at a discharge petition fell 28 signatures short.
