A new Washington Post-ABC Poll reveals that 74% of Americans think the United States is not doing enough to prevent illegal crossings at the borders. The poll was conducted in connection with Pres. Barack Obama's 100th day in office and asked respondents questions on social issues ranging from immigration to gay marriage to the legalization of marijuana.
Did you think Senators might be too smart this year -- or too moral or at least too embarrassed -- to push for more foreign workers while millions of Americans are losing their jobs?
Such modest faith in U.S. Senators was dashed yesterday by the Senate Judiciary Committee in a first hearing of its immigration panel.
Senators made it clear that they are hopeful that the American people will let them pass the amnesty this year that was blocked in 2007.
The Department of Homeland Security announced on Wednesday that it is shifting the department's immigration enforcement efforts to the employers that hire undocumented workers. The announcement is a move away from the Bush Administration's policy of workplace raids.
In his press conference recognizing his 100th day in office Pres. Barack Obama reaffirmed plans to push amnesty this year. Obama said, "I see the process moving this first year. And I’m going to be moving it as quickly as I can."
The American Legion has launched a nationwide education initiative to alert the nation to the dangers posed by unhampered illegal immigration and the government's unwillingness to address the issue.
The Legion is launching a coast-to-coast media campaign to explain the dangers of of illegal immigration. It will also offer a booklet, free to the public, which outlines the dangers and offers logical policy initiatives.
"With momentum building for Congress to address comprehensive immigration reform later this year, two members of the House have introduced a bill to put employment verification at the center of the debate.
Written by Reps. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Arizona, and Sam Johnson, R-Texas, the measure would establish a mandatory electronic verification system that replaces an existing government-run system that has been roundly criticized by employer groups...."
"Forced to slash their budgets, some California counties are eliminating nonemergency health services for illegal immigrants -- a move that officials acknowledge could backfire by shifting the financial burden to emergency rooms.
Sacramento County voted in February to bar illegal immigrants from county clinics at an estimated savings of $2.4 million. Contra Costa County followed last month by cutting off undocumented adults, to save approximately $6 million. And Yolo County is voting on a similar change next month, which would reduce costs by $1.2 million."
"Voters in Fremont may get a target date for a special election this week.
Members of the Fremont City Council are expected to vote on a resolution calling for a special election on an initiative petition for a proposed ordinance that would ban “the harboring of illegal aliens and the hiring of unauthorized aliens” within the city."
"U.S. President Barack Obama on Sunday displayed great receptivity to the proposals of his Central American counterparts on the question of immigration reform, several of the leaders said after their meeting....
“There was commitment to support comprehensive immigration reform. Details were not discussed, but supporting the process was. The atmosphere was very good, cordial, sincere,” Colom said.
