Counting On Illegal Aliens
The next U.S. census chief wants to count people who aren't there. The acting director wants to count people who shouldn't be here. And Acorn will help do the counting.
News
Iowa: Personnel Manager at Meat Plant Pleads Guilty
A former personnel manager arrested after a large immigration raid at a slaughterhouse pleaded guilty to federal immigration charges. The ex-manager, Elizabeth Billmeyer, 48, of Postville, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants for profit and one count of knowingly accepting counterfeit resident alien cards. She faces up to 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine. Ms. Billmeyer was working at the Agriprocessors plant in Postville, once the nation’s largest kosher slaughterhouse, when federal agents arrested 389 people in an immigration raid in May.
Judge Halts Investigation Into ID Theft in Colorado
A state judge here ordered a halt Monday to a controversial identity theft investigation that has implicated more than 1,000 suspected illegal immigrants, ruling that the search at the start of the investigation was unlawful and violated privacy rights.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/us/14greeley.html
By Dan Frosch -- New York Times
Immigration Reform and Hard Times
The Obama administration said last week that it would begin a major push for immigration reform this year. The country’s two big labor federations just announced that they are joining forces to support that effort, which includes a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. That’s double good news.http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/14/opinion/14tue1.html
New York Times Editorial
Tech Visa Treachery
In between establishing new national policies on healthcare, education, financial regulation and energy, the Obama Administration said last week that it is getting ready to tackle immigration, too.
Arrest Data Add Fuel to Debate on Illegal Residents
About 2 percent of the people charged with major violent crimes in Prince William County last year were illegal immigrants, but they were arrested for a larger portion of secondary offenses, according to newly released statistics and a Washington Post analysis that offer the first comprehensive look at criminal activity since the county implemented its controversial anti-illegal immigration measures.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/11/AR2009041102122.html
Obama’s immigration plan a ‘poison pill’ for Congress
President Obama’s plan to start work on immigration reform – reaffirmed by White House staff this week – launched two sharply different views on how it will impact his domestic agenda.
State seeks more federal aid for cost of keeping illegal immigrant inmates
Fifteen years after Congress promised that Washington would help states pick up the tab for imprisoning illegal immigrants convicted of crimes, California is receiving but a fraction -- less than 12 cents on the dollar -- of its nearly $1-billion annual cost.http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-illegal-felons11-2009apr11,0,5676455.story
By Richard Simon -- Los Angeles Times
Montana continues opposition to Real ID Act
In April 2007, Montana took a stand against the Real ID Act and became the first state to pass legislation that rejects implementation of the federal law that establishes national standards for securing the issuance of driver's licenses. With the deadline for complying with the law set for the end of the year, Montana's opposition remains firm. http://americancityandcounty.com/news/montana-opposition-real-id-act-20090410/
By Annie Gentile -- American City and County
Richardson backs off on voting rights for illegal immigrants
Widespread opposition to giving illegal immigrants the chance to vote in local elections has led the town's state representative to back down a day after she said she'd support adding the issue to the state Democratic Party's official platform.http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x430403182/Richardson-backs-off-on-voting-rights-for-illegal-immigrants?view=print
