The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association and the Major City Police Chiefs Association sent a letter to state legislators asking them to support Gov. Charlie Baker’s “commonsense” bill that would allow the police to honor ICE detainer requests. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled last month that holding people beyond their jail sentence, even for an ICE detainer, violated state law.
The Denver City Council and Mayor Michael Hancock have proposed a new ordinance which would further limit cooperation between Denver local law enforcement and ICE. The sanctuary city currently does not honor ICE detainer requests and this new policy would limit ICE’s ability to work within Denver’s local jails to interview and apprehend criminal illegal aliens.
Ken Blackwell, the former Treasurer and Secretary of the State of Ohio, is a strong advocate for the rights of states and limitations of federal power. But in a Huffington Post column, he explains why the federal government has full rights to withhold money from states and localities that act as "sanctuary" jurisdictions to undermine federal immigration enforcement.
The Justice Department has cleared two counties that were suspected of having sanctuary city polices so they can receive federal funding. The two counties, Clark County in Nevada and Miami-Dade County in Florida, were among the 10 jurisdictions that were asked to explain their polices after the Obama administration flagged them for potentially violating federal immigration laws.
At an event in Grapevine, Texas ICE formally announced that 18 new 287(g) agreements had been signed throughout the state of Texas. This brings the total number of agreements to 60, almost double from the number of active agreements in 2016.
Writing in the online magazine For Construction Pros, construction industry advisor Remmie Butchko recommends that contractors use E-Verify to avoid the “costly fines, potential lawsuits and possible reputational damage” associated with hiring illegal aliens. He says the construction industry employs many foreign workers so contractors that use a relaxed hiring process open themselves up to increased risk and scrutiny.
Today ICE said they are contemplating charging sanctuary city leaders with violating federal anti-smuggling laws for protecting illegal aliens and refusing to cooperate with federal immigration laws.
The Department of Justice announced that any jurisdiction who refuses to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts will no longer be eligible to receive money from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Programs (“Byrne JAG”). Congress can allocate up to $1.095 billion a year on the Byrne JAG program making it one of the DOJ’s largest federal grant programs for state and local jurisdictions.
Three state legislators are leading the effort to repeal Oregon’s sanctuary law that prohibits local and state police from enforcing federal immigration laws. The legislators have started an initiative petition in order to gain enough voter signatures to force a referendum vote in the 2018 general election.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement will dedicate more agents and resources to arrest illegal criminal aliens in sanctuary jurisdictions the agency's acting director Thomas Homan said. ICE has received approval to hire 10,000 new agents and most will be sent to the 300 sanctuary jurisdictions who refuse to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement efforts.
The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved a 2018 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security that includes funding to increase border security and strengthen interior enforcement. The spending bill would fund many of the top priorities listed in Pres. Trump’s Jan. 25 immigration executive orders.
Human Resources (HR) consultant David Creelman suggests that it will be easier and cheaper for companies to implement E-Verify at their own pace rather than wait for a federal or state mandate. Creelman said that E-Verify is “a sensible system that is neither difficult nor expensive…[and] will help ensure you hire eligible and documented workers.”
The largest percentage of visa overstays in FY2016 were foreign nationals on student or exchange visas, according to analysis of a recent DHS report by the Pew Research Center. Around 629,000 foreign visitors overstayed their visas in fiscal year 2016.
In his January 25th executive order Pres. Trump reinstated the Secure Communities program allowing ICE to broaden their enforcement priorities. Since then ICE’s interior arrests of illegal aliens have reached 2014 levels before the Obama administration initiated the Priority Enforcement Program (PEP), which limited ICE to only apprehending illegal aliens who committed felonies or multiple misdemeanors.
Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan answered press questions yesterday. Reading the transcript against the media reports reveals a stark contrast between what Homan said, and what reporters claim he said.
President Trump called on Congress to pass the Davis-Oliver Act on Wednesday while meeting with families of victims of illegal-alien crimes. The President also urged Congress to pass the two immigration enforcement bills that will be on the House floor later today.
The Dept. of Justice has filed a “Statement of Interest” supporting Texas’ new law that bans sanctuary city policies throughout the state. The State of Texas is currently being sued by several Texas cities and others who oppose the SB4 law.
DHS Secretary John Kelly partially fulfilled one of President Trump's key campaign promises on Thursday night when he rescinded the DAPA amnesty. The illegal and unconstitutional executive amnesty issued by former President Barack Obama would have granted an estimated 5 million work permits to illegal aliens who were the parents of U.S. citizens or Legal Permanent Residents.
Analysis from the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) of a new Government Accountability Office report found that a massive backlog of pending immigration cases is due more to the amount of time immigration courts are taking to hear cases than the actual number of aliens in proceedings. The GAO report found that immigration courts are facing a massive backlog with 437,000 pending cases.
Yesterday, the Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 2431) was approved by the House Judiciary Committee by a 19-13 vote. The Davis-Oliver Act was introduced by Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) and would strengthen interior enforcement.
Visa overstaying remains a serious problem in the United States. 739,450 people overstayed their visas in 2016, and almost 630,000 remained in the U.S. by year’s end, according to a new DHS report. The actual number may be higher because the report does not cover foreign visitors who entered through a vehicular or land port of entry.
Today’s House Judiciary Committee markup of the Davis-Oliver Act (legislation aimed at strengthening interior immigration enforcement) has the pro-amnesty folks in a tizzy. They’re attempting to discredit the bill, but instead, they’re simply making and spreading false claims.
House Judiciary Immigration and Border Security Subcommittee Vice-Chairman Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) introduced the Michael Davis, Jr. and Danny Oliver in Honor of State and Local Law Enforcement Act (H.R. 2431) yesterday that would strengthen interior enforcement. The bill would protect and encourage jurisdictions to cooperate with ICE detainer requests and would target sanctuary jurisdictions by withholding federal grants. The House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a markup of the bill on Thursday.
ICE has completed its mid-year assessment of foreign countries that cooperate with ICE in accepting back their foreign nationals that have been ordered deported from the United States. Countries that refuse to accept, or that delay the acceptance of, their nationals are considered to be uncooperative or recalcitrant.
A Maryland County is close to finalizing a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that will allow corrections officers to use federal databases to screen new inmates for immigration violations, warrants and prior crimes. Anne Arundel County also wants to house illegal aliens for ICE at its correctional center.
During a Facebook Live event on Sunday night Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) signed a bill banning sanctuary jurisdictions in the state of Texas. Texas is the first state to ban sanctuary cities.
A new report from the Inspector General shows that DHS is catching less than 1% of people who stay in the U.S. after their visas have expired. In 2015 ICE arrested only 3,402 visa overstayers out of the estimated 527,127, or 1 out of every 150 cases.
The number of Cubans trying to cross into the U.S. has dropped 99% since Pres. Obama ended the “wet foot, dry foot” policy on January 12. This policy allowed any Cuban who touched U.S. soil to become a legal permanent resident and citizen.
The Dept. of Justice released their first report showing the number of foreign-born inmates incarcerated in federal U.S. prisons and their immigration status. This quarterly report was mandated by Pres. Trump in his Jan. 25 interior enforcement executive order.
Northern District of California Judge William Orrick enjoined the Trump Administration from withholding most federal funds from sanctuary cities that restrict cooperation with ICE. The judge sided with the plaintiffs' argument that billions in federal grants were at stake despite the Administration's statement that sanctions were limited in scope. The ruling may be appealed to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.
A new report from the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General found that ICE deportation officers are so overloaded that they lose track of aliens that have been released pending their deportation, including some posing national security risks. Under the Obama Administration, deportation officers based in Washington, D.C., handled more than 10,000 released deportable aliens per person on average, while those in Atlanta averaged more than 5,000 released to the streets. Due to caseload and lack of direction, “ICE is almost certainly not deporting all the aliens who could be deported and will likely not be able to keep up with growing numbers of deportable aliens,” the report said.
More than 200 ICE detainer requests were declined during the week of Jan. 28 – Feb. 3, according to the first Weekly Declined Detainer Outcome Report from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This weekly report was mandated by Pres. Trump in his Jan. 25 interior enforcement executive order.
In an interview with Sharyl Attkisson, Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) said that he wants to see the State Department and DHS enforce current law that allows the U.S. to suspend visas from countries who refuse to take back their criminal illegal aliens. As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations he wants to affect the funding of these agencies until they enforce the law.
Pres. Trump released a supplemental spending package to fund the government for the remainder of FY2017 that includes a large increase for the Department of Homeland Security. The proposal includes $2.6 billion to begin construction of barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border and $15 million to implement a mandatory nationwide E-Verify Program.
A new study by The Center for American Progress has identified five major programs and grants totaling around $870 million that the federal government can withhold from jurisdictions who refuse to work with ICE. Pres. Trump’s Jan. 25 executive order instructed DHS to identify sanctuary jurisdictions and federal funding that could be cut off to these jurisdictions.
Santa Clara County, California filed a motion seeking a nationwide court injunction on the president’s sanctuary executive order (EO), which threatens to withhold federal funds from local governments that prohibit communications with ICE. The county sued the Trump Administration earlier in the month alleging the sanctuary sanctions are unconstitutional.
A three-judge panel of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals threw out a lower court injunction that blocked Texas from enforcing a 2015 law making it a third-degree felony to “harbor” illegal aliens. The panel ruled that two Texas landlords, who has sued seeking protection from the law, did not have standing because they could not prove a credible threat of prosecution.
A new poll conducted by the Harvard Center for American Political Studies and The Harris Poll of more than 2,000 registered voters found overwhelming opposition to sanctuary jurisdictions. 80% of respondents said they think cities that arrest illegal aliens for crimes should be required to turn them over to immigration authorities.
LifeZette -- Brendan Kirby
Chris Chmielenski, director of content and activism for NumbersUSA, said Kelly’s memos give more details to Trump’s executive order. ICE will focus its efforts on criminals and people under orders to leave the country, but officers now have freedom to arrest other people they encounter who are in the country illegally.
The Hill -- Jordan Ordan Fabian and Rafeel Bernal
The Department of Homeland Security guidelines do not change U.S. immigration law, which the president already has broad discretion to enforce.
Proponents of scaling back immigration celebrated the guidelines but cast them as an “interim solution” until Congress passes new laws.
DHS Secretary John Kelly has certainly been busy since the Senate confirmed his appointment last month, but two memos he signed yesterday are the most significant actions he's taken thus far. Kelly signed a memo titled "Enforcement of the Immigration Laws to Serve the National Interest" and another one titled "Implementing the President's Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements Policies" providing guidance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Border Patrol, and USCIS on how to execute Pres. Trump's Jan. 25 executive orders.
A new poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates for Secure America Now found that most Americans support strengthening interior enforcement, including ending sanctuary cities and catch-and-release. The online poll surveyed 1,000 likely voters during the first week of February.
Several sheriffs across the country have spoken out against the idea that sanctuary city policies give illegal aliens more confidence to work with local law enforcement. Sanctuary city advocates claim that many illegal aliens will not report crimes, even if they are the victims, because they are afraid their illegal status will be discovered and they will be deported.
Politico -- Seung Min Kim and Ted Hesson
Roy Beck of NumbersUSA says he prefers mandatory E-Verify — an internet-based system that allows businesses to check whether employees are in the U.S. legally — instead of wide-scale arrests. But until Congress passes a law requiring businesses to use the verification system, raids are the best tactic available, he said.
Last night Jeff Sessions was confirmed as the new Attorney General by a 52 to 47 vote. Sessions received support from all 51 Republicans and 1 Democrat, Sen. Joe Manchin. Sen. Sessions marked himself as present but abstained from casting a vote himself.
LifeZette -- Jim Stinson
Dane said Trump could not only enforce that law, but also begin freezing what federal funds he can legally hold up as president.
Lifezette -- Brendan Kirby
“This isn’t all on [former President Barack] Obama. It goes back to Bush, too,” said Chris Chmielenski, director of content and activism for advocacy group NumbersUSA. “If Trump follows through with his promise … countries will most likely respond swiftly.”
Chmielenski added that research by his organization indicates that 384,000 people from the 23 “recalcitrant”countries obtained green cards from the United States.
In response to Pres. Trump’s executive order cutting federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions Miami-Dade Mayor, Carlos Gimenez, has directed local authorities to honor all ICE detainer requests, ending their sanctuary policy.
As the Trump Administration rolled out the new orders on immigration enforcement yesterday, we at NumbersUSA noticed a lot of very familiar ideas. Take a look at our "10 Steps to Fix Our Broken Immigration-Enforcement System." See where we stand on each.
Today Pres. Trump signed two executive orders that authorize the immediate construction of a wall on the southern border, stops federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions and ends the catch and release policy.
