State Dept. Defends SB 1070 Mention in Human Rights Report

"[State Dept.] Spokesman P.J. Crowley said the Arizona immigration law included in an Aug. 20 report to the U.N. high commissioner on rights came up during the preparation period, when teams went around the country gathering ideas for the report. Crowley said Secretary of State Hillary Clinton included the dispute in the report because she thought the U.S. could serve as "a model" to other nations," Fox News reports.

Center for American Progress Keeps Beating A Straw-man

Marshall Fitz with the Center for American Progress can't resist beating on a strawman when discussing birthright citizenship. In a US News opinion piece, Fitz refers to efforts to end birthright citizenship as "repealing the 14th Amendment" - a statement Fitz clearly knows is wrong since the legislative action favored by FAIR and other immigration reformers would only clarify the citizenship clause of the 14th amendment. But, eager to demagogue, Fitz says, "Repeal of the citizenship clause would return us to the dark days of Dred Scott by denying citizenship to a new class of children and stigmatizing them at birth." Perhaps the most interesting position Fitz takes is the condescension he has for the very rational belief of illegal aliens that if they have a citizen child they will hit the lottery, and be entitled to social programs and welfare. Just as in the debate over welfare reform, opponents of changing the status quo refuse to examine the incentives driving people's behavior because it is more important to score ideological points than to be right.

A Tale of Two States

by Ira Mehlman

Arizona and New Mexico have a lot in common: They occupy a vast stretches of desert in the American southwest; they are almost identical in area; they both were admitted to the union 98 years ago, just 39 days apart and; they share a long border with Mexico, which puts them on the front lines of the illegal immigration crisis.

But, when it comes to dealing with illegal immigration, they could not be more dissimilar. Arizona has led the way in efforts to discourage illegal aliens from remaining in the state, while New Mexico is perhaps the most welcoming state for illegal aliens. According to NPR, many illegal aliens are acting rationally and leaving Arizona for New Mexico. New Mexico, which issues driver's licenses to people presenting Mexican matricula consular cards, has experienced surge in new licenses without proof of legal U.S. residence. So far this year, about 11,000 new licenses have been issued to matricula card holders. Utah and Washington, the other two states that do not require proof of legal residence, have seen similar surges.

The impact is being felt not just at the Motor Vehicle Department. New Mexico school districts have experienced "unexpected" influx of new students, many arriving from Arizona. According to new data released by FAIR, New Mexico taxpayers already spend about $415 million to educate the children of illegal aliens ($608 million on all services for illegal aliens) and that figure is likely to grow, even as the state faces a $230 million projected budget shortfall next year.

New Mexicans' patience with policies that invite illegal immigration may be coming to an end. Both candidates in this year's gubernatorial race have vowed to end the practice of granting licenses to illegal aliens.

Without Federal Support, AZ Faces Costs for Immigrant Detention

The Christian Science Monitor says that detaining illegal immigrants until they can be deported carries a high cost. "In Arizona, police could arrest them under the new state law, but keeping them in already crowded jails costs roughly $100 a day per person. For 5,000 people, imprisonment costs could add up to $182.5 million a year. That's a hefty charge for a state struggling with a budget deficit of at least $368 million," the paper notes. "Presumably Arizona could save money by handing illegal immigrants over to the federal government for deportation . . . Whether Washington will pay for more deportations is problematic."

[FAIR Comment: The CSM analysis is based on the unrealistic assumption that the state would hold illegal aliens that the federal government would not accept for deportation in detention for a full year. If Arizona just held those 5,000 deportable aliens for a month, the cost would be $15 million a year.]

Legislator: Florida Needs an Arizona-Style Law

"By most accounts, more than 800,000 aliens currently residing inFlorida initially entered the United States illegally. The undocumented and illegal status of these individuals creates a multitude of complex socio-economic and public safety challenges for the citizens of our state. This untenable scenario results in a shadowy subculture for the immigrants, where they are easily taken advantage of by various segments of our society. It is patently un-American and unfair to allow this unstable situation to continue," says Bill Snyder, a state legislator from Florida who wants to pass an Arizona-style immigration law.

In a related story, Michigan voters strongly support an Arizona-style law there. "Two-thirds of Michigan voters support an Arizona-style immigration law for the Great Lakes State, while the "tea party" movement enjoys more support than opposition, a poll shows," according to the Livingston Daily.

First National Guard Troops Arrive at Border, 500 Expected by October

"The Obama Administration's push to strengthen border security begins this week with the arrival of 30 Army National Guard soldiers at the Arizona - Mexico border," ABC News reported. "The deployment of the National Guardsmen has been criticized by the president's political opponents as sluggish."

Brewer Calls for State Dept. to Remove SB 1070 from Human Rights Report

"Arizona GOP Gov. Jan Brewer is calling on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to remove a reference to her state's immigration law from a report on human rights," Politico reports. "In a required report to the United Nations Human Rights Council, the State Department said the federal government's challenge to the Arizona law that requires police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop or detain was an example of how the United States is protecting human rights."

Democrat Senator Says Amnesty Bill Unlikely

"Comprehensive immigration reform isn't going to happen this year, a Democratic senator said over the weekend. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) said he didn't expect a comprehensive bill to make its way through Congress, which returns in September for several weeks of work before breaking again for midterm elections," The Hill newspaper reported on its blog.

Brewer Files First Response to Ruling on SB 1070

"Gov. Jan Brewer's lawyers have filed the first brief in their appeal of a ruling that put the most controversial elements of Arizona's new immigration law on hold. Brewer on Thursday asked the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to reverse the ruling U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton made last month," the AP reported.

"The governor's lawyers say the federal government hasn't effectively enforced immigration law at the border and in the state's interior and that the state's intent in passing the law was to assist federal authorities, as Congress has encouraged."

Mexico is Far More Dangerous and Deadly for Illegal Aliens

"This week's massacre of 72 Central and South American migrants in Mexico highlights a paradox the government here doesn't like to talk about: While it complains about the treatment of its own undocumented workers in the U.S., Mexico can be a far worse place to be an illegal migrant," the Wall Street Journal reports. "The killings have shocked the Mexican public, which has witnessed a string of atrocities by drug gangs, and sparked a national discussion about the country's failure to protect foreign migrants, despite its quickness to criticize ill treatment of Mexican illegal immigrants in the U.S."

Md. Legislators Seek Arizona-Style Law

"Three Republican elected officials from Frederick County are seeking an Arizona-style immigration law for Maryland. The measure proposed Thursday by County Commissioner John Thompson, state Delegate Charles Jenkins and Sheriff Chuck Jenkins would make it a state offense to be in the country illegally," the AP reports.

Machete Ready for Sept. 3 Release, Film Generates Heat Over Immigration

"Machete's" convoluted story explicitly takes place amid the current powder keg of an immigration debate and on the heels of Arizona's controversial anti-illegal immigration legislation. Crooked politicians, powerful drug kingpins, malicious border vigilantes, antsy day laborers, conflicted customs agents and angry revolutionaries seethe along the U.S.-Mexico border in Rodriguez's film. In real life, confusion and violence have peppered both sides of the line," notes Hollywood Reporter in a story about the film's premiere in Los Angeles this week.

Map of Cartel Control Shows Extent of Mexico's Problems

Stratfor, a private intelligence firm, has released a map showing its estimate of the regions of Mexico claimed by various drug cartels. The Pundita blog notes that the report was picked up by the BBC and says, "Mexico is in the same boat as Pakistan and several other countries: their elite doesn't have to live with the mess it's created. The country's wealthy can afford to live elsewhere much of the year while their faithful retainers stay behind and deal with business. They can jet or helicopter away at a moments' notice. They have armies of guards to protect them."

SB 1070 Boosts Brewer in Gov. Election

"As the campaign kicks off, [Gov. Jan Brewer] holds a double-digit lead over Mr. Goddard, thanks largely to the anti-illegal immigration law she signed in April and her subsequent defense of it despite a lawsuit by the Obama administration. Goddard is perhaps the state's highest profile opponent of the law, and he removed himself from the legal team defending the law from legal challenges because of his opposition to it," the Christian Science Monitor reports.

Latina Activist Tries to Spin Florida GOP Primary Vote, but Gets Dizzy

"Republican party stalwart Bill McCollum lost Tuesday's GOP gubernatorial primary in Florida because Hispanic Republicans stayed home after he pandered to the party's right wing on immigration, a state GOP strategist just said," according to a USA Today report.

Ana Navarro, a former Jeb Bush and John McCain consultant, said, "McCollum alienated many of his key Hispanic supporters when he hustled out proposed legislation that would crack down on illegal immigration two weeks before the election." At the same time she acknowledged that Rick Scott, who defeated, McCollum in the primary, was out front of him in his strong support of Arizona's SB. 1070 law.

New ICE Document in Obama's Stealth Amnesty

ICE Director Morton issued on August 20 a new policy memo implementing one of the stealth amnesty proposals previously disclosed as being under consideration. Under this new policy, illegal aliens under removal orders are to be expeditiously transferred from ICE to USCIS for suspension of deportation rulings. This will leave them free to stay in the United States indefinitely or until at some point in the future legal status may become available from a formal amnesty. Those who will benefit from this new policy are an estimated 17,000 illegal aliens who would be able to obtain an immigrant visa preference based on relationship to a U.S. citizen or legal resident if they were not illegally in the country.

[FAIR Comment: There has been no reaction yet from the immigration lawyers who may lose clients when illegal aliens learn they can benefit from the new policy without the need for a lawyer.]

Will McCain Stick to New Border Commitments?

Sen. John McCain defeated former Rep. J.D. Hayworth in Arizona's Republican primary for Senate yesterday. McCain tacked heavily toward border security and immigration positions that he had once disagreed with.

"Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that supports enforcement of existing laws and opposes "amnesty" -- shorthand for giving legal status to undocumented immigrants -- said it is a real possibility that McCain, assuming he prevails, could eventually return to being an ally of Democrats pushing comprehensive overhaul legislation. But he said that would be more likely to happen after the general election in November," Congressional Quarterly writes.

"He has obviously read the polls in Arizona and recognizes that taking a strong stance on illegal immigration is popular not just with the Republican core, but it is broadly popular with the electorate in Arizona. What happens after November is anybody's guess," Mehlman said.

Narco Violence Not Revolutionary, Just Extreme Says Scholar

"They could have been videos from the Middle East or Central Asia. But the images flashed to the crowd at Texas Congressman Silvestre Reyes' annual border security conference at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) showed graphic scenes from the so-called narco war in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas," the Mexidata news site writes. "'They are not idealists, they are not revolutionaries and they aren't directly attacking the state,' said Dr. Benitez-Manuat, a professor at UNAM (Mexico's National University and an expert in the drug trade. "They don't want the state to collapse." In related news, another 72 bodies were found at a Mexican ranch used as a dumping ground by drug cartels.

More Dismissals of Deportation "Stun" Defense Attorneys

"The Department of Homeland Security is systematically reviewing thousands of pending immigration cases and moving to dismiss those filed against suspected illegal immigrants who have no serious criminal records, according to several sources familiar with the efforts," the Houston Chronicle reported. "Raed Gonzalez, an immigration attorney who was briefed on the effort by Homeland Security's deputy chief counsel in Houston, said DHS confirmed that it's reviewing cases nationwide, though not yet to the pace of the local office. He said the others are expected to follow suit soon."

Mexican Actress Begins Marriage Fraud Trial in L.A.

"A Mexican-born actress and her musician husband lied about their marriage to immigration officials so she could stay in the U.S., a federal prosecutor told prospective jurors Tuesday," the AP reported. Fernanda Romero allegedly lied on immigration forms and federal prosecutors said the clear-cut nature of the fraud made criminal charges easier.

Firm Facing Egg Recall Has Immigration Violation History As Well

"The egg mogul linked to the widespread salmonella outbreak is considered by government officials a repeat offender, and the allegations and violations at his farms go far beyond sanitation to illegal immigration, unsafe workplace conditions and sexual abuse of female employees," Fox News says. "Fifty-one workers were arrested in a 2007 raid on six of DeCoster's farms in Wright County, Iowa. The employees reportedly included juveniles. That followed a string of other raids over the past decade in which dozens of workers were arrested."

Jan Ting: Time to Rethink Birthright Citizenship

"There are, in fact, many examples of people born in the United States who are not automatically citizens under the 14th Amendment. In every such case, the denial of birthright citizenship is based on the parents' status," notes former INS commissioner Jan Ting in an op-ed. He says, "[W]e cannot expect illegal immigration to diminish if we lower the costs through nonenforcement and increase the benefits through amnesty or a liberal interpretation of the 14th Amendment."

California GOP Declines to Endorse SB 1070

"As more states consider copying Arizona's harsh anti-immigration law, at least one state's GOP leaders decided against taking a stance on the measure. The California Republican party did not endorse Arizona's SB 1070 during its semiannual convention this weekend, despite a push for a vote of support by conservative activists in the state," says the Washington Independent. The report notes that "[G]ubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman has stated opposition to both SB 1070 and Proposition 187, and there was some concern last week that her stance would cause tension for the party."

Arrests of Illegal Workers Drop 80 Percent Under Obama

"The Obama administration said it would focus its enforcement of illegal immigration laws by targeting workplace activities, but a recent report shows that while audits of employers are slightly up over the Bush administration, worker arrests are down drastically since the end of 2008," notes Fox News. "[Fomer ICE Director Julie] Myers said while she agrees with the Obama administration's approach of targeting employers, 'when I was at ICE, we didn't think we could ignore the aliens we encountered. It is tough when you have law enforcement turning a blind eye to entire categories of aliens -- and that is what is happening here -- it is a de facto amnesty,' she said."

AZ Democrats Face Ground Zero Of Illegal Immigration

"The Mexican border is about two hours away from here by car -- more like two days by foot -- but illegal immigration has been hotter than the desert sun here in Arizona's mammoth 1st District since Republican Gov. Jan Brewer signed a new crackdown into effect earlier this year," says Politico in a report from Phoenix, AZ. "'[W]e are ground zero for the immigration debate nationally,' Michael Frias, freshman Democratic Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick's top aide wrote earlier this month in a strategy memo obtained by POLITICO."

DHS Continues to Free Illegal Aliens Because of Unfunded Detention Space

"Even as Congress increased overall federal spending from a then-record $2.6 trillion in fiscal 2006 to $3.6 trillion in fiscal 2010, it only appropriated enough funds for the Department of Homeland Security to provide a fraction of the additional 40,000 detention spaces for illegal aliens that had been authorized by an immigration law approved in 2004," CNS news reported.

Hit-And-Run Killer Still in the U.S. Years Later

"An illegal immigrant who has been arrested five times for driving offenses, including a hit-and-run that ultimately left an elderly Dacula man dead, was back in court in Gwinnett County last week," the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. The suspect, Celso Campo-Duartes, ultimately pled guilty to a lesser crime that let him stay in the U.S. He was arrested several other times, but those "arrests came before the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department began participating in the 287(g) program -- a partnership with the federal government that trains deputies to identify illegal immigrants in the county jail, then hand them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for possible deportation."

Arizona Primary This Week, Voters Opinions Hinge On Immigration

"Arizona voters go to the polls Tuesday to choose candidates for November's general election. The vote could be key to Republican efforts to regain control of Congress, but some of the party's luminaries have struggled," says a story on NPR. "The former self-described maverick [McCain], who has disavowed the label, brought in his 2008 vice presidential running mate Sarah Palin. McCain has attacked Hayworth over his congressional record, his ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his hosting an infomercial for a company promising free money from the government . . . McCain has spent nearly $20 million on the primary -- 10 times what Hayworth has raised. The latest polls show McCain with a 20-point lead."

Former Atty. General Gonzales Fans Flames of Birthright Citizenship Debate

"As the nation's former chief law enforcement officer and a citizen who believes in the rule of law, I cannot condone anyone coming into this country illegally. However, as a father who wants the best for my own children, I understand why these parents risk coming to America -- especially when there is little fear of prosecution. If we want to stop this practice [anchor babies], we should pass and enforce comprehensive immigration legislation rather than amend our Constitution," says Bush Administration Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Mexico Leads The World in Crime, Says New Report

A new study by Grupo Multisistemas de Seguridad Industrial found that Mexico has the highest number assaults and kidnappings in the world.

"Upon conducting a study of the subject, he is sure that Mexico has the highest number in the world of assaults and kidnappings. He established that of all the methods of robbery, 50% of them are by violence. [The study author recorded] some 8,000 kidnappings this year committed by armed groups under the command of drug cartels," said a summary by a Mexican news site.

Crime Victim Visas Program More Visible With Cap Reached

"The Federation for American Immigration Reform sees the visas as unnecessary. Spokesman Ira Mehlman said crime victims are not typically in danger of being reported for immigration violations when they assist law enforcement. Mehlman sees the rise in the number of U-Visa applications as the result of lax immigration-enforcement policy under President Barack Obama," notes the Arizona Republic.

"'There has been an effort on the part of the administration and others to encourage the use of U-Visas, which seems like part of a political strategy to maximize the number of people here illegally who get to remain,' he said."

Ruben Navarrette Jr.: DREAM Act Amnesty Could Still Pass

Columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr. says that the DREAM Act amnesty could still pass this year. "Immigration-reform liberals are split. In one camp are those who think Congress should pass the DREAM Act to solve a small part of the immigration problem. In the other are those who want to stay focused on the larger and more elusive cause of comprehensive immigration reform," says Navarrette.

Another California City Passes E-Verify Mandate

"The Murrieta City Council unanimously voted late Tuesday to have the city attorney draft an ordinance mandating the use of E-Verify by all city businesses," the Press-Enterprise reports. "A few dozen anti-illegal immigration activists, still present for the 10 p.m. vote, clapped and cheered after the decision. The group had urged the council to mandate the use of the federal program that determines a potential employee's work status."

Texas Officials Confirm High Cost of Illegal Immigration

"Undocumented immigrants cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars each year, executives of state agencies said Wednesday. They delivered that message to state legislators during a meeting of the House Committee on State Affairs," the El Paso Times says. State Rep. Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, said he was happy that talks centered on facts and figures, but he said no one provided any information about how much undocumented immigrants contribute to the state's economy. That, he said, will have to be considered before lawmakers start making decisions that affect millions of people."

Poll Shows Strong Florida Support for Arizona Style Law

"Balking at Arizona's tough immigration-enforcement law, Florida Democrats appear out of step with national sentiment while Republicans wholeheartedly support the measure, a new Sunshine State News Poll reports. The survey showed 90 percent of Florida Republicans support the law compared with 43 percent of Florida Democrats," Sunshinestatenews.com reported. "'It's clear Republicans are much more supportive of a crackdown, and share the public's sentiments on this issue since these results mirror national polling which shows a majority of Americans favor an Arizona-style law,' said Jim Lee, president of Voter Survey Service, which conducted the poll for Sunshine State News."

Religious Leaders Make a Flawed Case for Mass Immigration

by Ira Mehlman

The disconnect between the clergy and the people who fill the pews suggests that the moral questions surrounding immigration policy are not as clear as they might seem.

It is easy to understand the position taken by religious leaders when immigration is viewed solely from the perspective of immigrants. We all understand and empathize with the human aspirations that drive people to leave one country and come to another. It is undeniable that immigration always benefits immigrants - they wouldn't come otherwise.

What is missing from this narrow perspective on immigration is a thoughtful assessment of how immigration affects people in the receiving society (or even how large-scale emigration might impede morally desirable social and economic reforms in the sending nations). (Read the rest at Townhall.com)

Harry Reid: No Illegal Aliens Working Construction in Nevada

by Ira Mehlman

Explaining to CBS News 8 in Las Vegas why, in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader, he blocked a vote on requiring the use of E-Verify for all contractors benefiting from federal stimulus money while his Nevada constituents suffer from one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, Sen. Harry Reid flatly denied that illegal aliens work construction jobs in his home state.

Responding to a reporter's question about concerns expressed by unemployed construction workers in Nevada that illegal aliens are filling many of their jobs, Reid replied, "Any information you have [about illegal aliens working construction in Nevada] is absolutely without foundation." Pressed further by the reporter who cited a Pew Hispanic Center study that illegal aliens occupy 17 percent of construction jobs nationwide, and assertions by local labor leaders that illegal immigration is harming union members, Reid stuck to his guns. "That may be true someplace, but not here in Nevada," the senator insisted.

Unfortunately for Senator Reid, in the age of You Tube, what is said in Vegas doesn't necessarily remain in Vegas. It goes viral.

NPR Talk of the Nation Focuses on Anchor Babies

"The latest hot button issue in the immigration debate centers on the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which reads in part: All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States. Some Republicans suggest it's time to think about changing that. They argue too many illegal immigrants come into this country specifically to have a baby and hope to use that so-called anchor baby to get the whole family in," says NPR host Neil Conan in an introduction to a segment on the dispute over birthright citizenship.

Kenyan Gov't Says Asylum for Obama's Aunt an Insult

"The insinuation about Kenya's inability to protect Ms Obama is outrageous, misplaced and an insult to the Kenyan state. President Obama's grandmother is here and she is treated like a royalty. It is unfortunate because Kenya enjoys cordial relations with the United States," said Kenyan Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo.

DOJ Ready to Sue Arpaio Over Investigation

The Department of Justice is threatening to sue Sheriff Joe Arpaio over access to records in an investigation spurred by Apraio's political opponents. The investigation began after several members of Congress wrote the Obama Justice Department and demanded an investigation. "'We will not hesitate to commence litigation after August 17 if MCSO (Maricopa County Sheriff Office) continues to take the position that it need not cooperate with the Division's investigation,' the Justice Department warned Arpaio in an August 3 letter," the AP reported.

Colorado Lawmakers Visit Arizona for Assistance on Immigration Law

"A handful of Republican state lawmakers have traveled south to glean advice from Arizona lawmakers on how best to craft illegal-immigration restrictions for Colorado," the Denver Post says. "The seven-man voyage, paid for out of lawmakers' own pockets, makes Colorado one of as many as 22 states trying to find ways to mimic Arizona's controversial law, much of which has been temporarily suspended by a federal judge."

22 States Consider Arizona Style Immigration Measure

"Twenty-two states are now in the process of drafting or seeking to pass legislation similar to Arizona's law against illegal immigration. This is occurring despite the fact that the Obama administration has filed a lawsuit against the Arizona law and a federal judge has ruled against portions of that law - a ruling that is now being appealed," notes CNS News.

DHS Finally Releases Enforcement Data for 2009

The DHS has finally released the full enforcement report for Fiscal Year 2009. Although all other immigration data for 2009 has been out for a substantial amount of time, the Obama administration had selectively released data to support their claims about enforcement.

The High Cost of School for Illegal Immigrants

"No one can deny that increasing numbers of children of illegal immigrants attend public schools in the United States and that U.S. taxpayers pay the costs," says Lance T Izumi (director of education studies at the Pacific Research Institute) in the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "The public-education establishment can't have it both ways on this issue. The Los Angeles school board, for instance, harshly criticizes Arizona's immigration enforcement law, but also complains about its own budget shortfalls. The numbers, however, confirm that illegal immigration imposes large costs on the public school system. Policymakers should acknowledge and wrestle with this expensive reality instead of satisfying themselves with cheap rhetoric."

Arizona-style Measure Introduced in Utah

Rep. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, unveiled his proposed immigration legislation last week, modeled after Arizona legislation that requires local police to enforce federal immigration laws and detain people in the country illegally," the Salt Lake Tribune reports. It was attacked as subjecting Utah to costly litigation as has happened in Arizona. "Implementing proposed immigration legislation modeled after Arizona's controversial law could cost Utah millions of dollars, according to a state senator [Sen. Luz Robles, D-Salt Lake City], who is working on an alternate plan."

Shareholder Lawsuit Against American Apparel Mentions Illegal Hiring

A shareholder lawsuit targeting American Apparel says that "[CEO] Charney and his board of directors misled investors, mismanaged the company and "irreparably damaged" its image," according to CourtHouseNews. The complaint adds: "American Apparel has been beset by other problems, including having to lay off 1,800 experienced manufacturing employees who could not provide legal documentation in response to a federal immigration investigation."

Illegal Aliens Leaving Florida Ahead of Arizona-style Law

"Known for a large Mexican population that includes many undocumented immigrants, Fellsmere could become a focus for law enforcement if Florida legislators make good on promises to introduce immigration measures similar to the controversial crackdown attempted in Arizona," Florida Today reports. "Helping drive the potential Florida legislation is a report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, or FAIR, saying the cost of incarcerating and providing health care -- among other services -- for illegal immigrants is between $2 billion and $4 billion a year." [FAIR Comment: Our recent study "The Fiscal Burden on U.S. Taxpayers from Illegal Immigration" estimated Florida's fiscal burden at $5.5 billion per year, with educating the children of illegal aliens the largest cost category.]

Georgia Contractor Won't Say if Dead Worker Was Illegal Alien

"A Georgia Department of Transportation contractor who is earning hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars refused to reveal whether a deceased worker was a legal immigrant," CBS-TV Atlanta reports. The worker was hit and killed by a motorist along a busy road. "Georgia's Security and Immigration Compliance Act, passed in 2007, requires each government contractor verify on a federal database that each employee is allowed by law to work in this country."

Obama's Aunt Asylum Decision Based on Media Coverage

An immigration judge granted the asylum petition of Zeituni Onyango, President Obama's aunt, because her case had received media coverage prior to the 2008 election. "Shapiro's ruling ignited national debate over whether Onyango had received special treatment because she is the president's aunt. She is the half-sister of his late father, who was a distant figure in the president's life before he died in a car crash in 1982," the Boston Globe, which obtained the opinion, writes.

AZ Sheriff Says BP Management Has Pulled Agents from Border Over Security

"Sheriff Larry Dever of Cochise County, Ariz., one of four Arizona counties contiguous with the U.S-Mexico border, said Friday that the U.S. Border Patrol has pulled back from parts of the border in his and neighboring counties because manning those areas has become too dangerous," CNS News says. Dever said that Border Patrol management did not want cross-border firefights between the Border Patrol and smugglers.

Candidates Face Questions on Immigration

"[Sen. Claire] McCaskill is defending her vote for health care reform at a town hall meeting in Concordia, but she's answering more than one question about immigration from a sometimes skeptical audience," the Kansas City Star writes. "Anyone running for election -- left, right, independent, up or down -- has a whole lot of explaining to do about what they intend to do to fix it," said Bob Dane of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

Farmers Want Cheap Labor

"Of the roughly one million farm workers in the United States, most are immigrants, and an estimated one-quarter to one-half of them are illegal," Voice of America News says. "I think it's true that parents have higher aspirations for their kids than agricultural labor," he says. "Nevertheless, there are a lot of unemployed people who, if they could make a living wage working in agriculture, I think, would do so," said FAIR special projects director Jack Martin.

Will This Story Make The SPLC's Newsletter?

Hispanic residents of Port Richmond on Staten Island, New York, say there is a wave of anti-Hispanic hate crimes. The AP explains that despite arrests, only one person has been charged with a hate crime . . .

"[A]lthough most of the suspects were described as young black men and investigated for bias crimes, a grand jury has indicted only one of seven people arrested on a hate-crime charge."

"David Johnson, an amateur boxer who has lived in the neighborhood for seven years, blamed the incidents on drug addicts looking to rob people for cash to feed their habits. '"They would do that to anybody,' he said. 'To jump toward bias issues is out of whack.'"

Democratic Pollster Says Clinton Years Were Better, People Really Want Amnesty, Etc.

"It's not news in this poll that Congress receives poor marks for its overall performance, given the state of the national economy, but what is a surprise is that solid majorities of the public and overwhelming majorities of DC elites want some kind of comprehensive immigration legislation passed now," says Democratic pollster Mark Penn. "When President Bill Clinton passed a balanced budget and welfare reform, he also passed limited immigration reform that allowed the building of the border fence and opened the doors to citizenship for some." [Penn is probably referring to the NACARA mini-amnesty. Poll results on amnesty vary widely depending whether the issue is asked clearly - in which a majority of the public opposes amnesty - or is disguised by references to "getting right with the law" and "going to the end of the line."]

More Illegal Aliens Moving to Sanctuary States

"The immigration debate has thrown a spotlight on the license programs, which supporters say make financial sense because unlicensed drivers typically do not carry car insurance. Opponents insist the laws attract illegal immigrants and criminals," says the AP. "The AP analysis of data in the three states revealed some striking numbers: The rate of licenses issued to immigrants during the 10 weeks that followed approval of the Arizona law reflected a 60 percent increase over the annual average for last year."

"'Washington state and New Mexico have been magnet states for the fraudulent document brokers, human traffickers and alien smugglers for years,' said Brian Zimmer, president of the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, an advocacy group in Washington, D.C."

Will the Real Harry Reid Please Stand Up?

"In the exercise of its powers under section of the Fourteenth Article of Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Congress has determined and hereby declares that any person born after the date of enactment of this title to a mother who is neither a citizen of the United States nor admitted to the United States as a lawful permanent resident, and which person is a national or citizen of another country of which either of his or her natural parents is a national or citizen, or is entitled upon application to become a national or citizen of such country, shall be considered as born subject to the jurisdiction of that foreign country and not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States within the meaning of section 1 of such Article and shall therefore not be a citizen of the United States or of any State solely by reason of physical presence within the United States at the moment of birth."

The above proposed law is not currently pending in Congress. It was submitted in 1993 by none other than current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). As the Washington Times points out, Reid has recently attacked Republicans for raising the same proposal, saying "they've either taken leave of their senses or their principles."

Anchor Baby Issue Continues to Resonate

The Christian Science Monitor on August 11 reported on the debate over birthright citizenship and noted, "Many legal scholars believe that changing the policy would require changing the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, on which birthright citizenship is based. But 'many' legal scholars is not the same thing as 'all, or even most." The article cites defenders of the status quo as arguing that "...a century of legal precedents supports their view that it is defined by the Constitution itself..." On the other hand, the CSM notes that a Congressional Research Service report says, "The courts apparently have never ruled on the specific [issue] of whether the native-born child of illegal aliens as opposed to the child of lawfully present aliens may be a US citizen."

$600 million Border Bill Passed

Yesterday the Senate took the unusual step of coming back into session during its recess to adopt by unanimous consent a $600 million appropriation for strengthening border enforcement. The bill was signed into law by President Obama today. Amid intense criticism for its failure to enforce immigration laws, the additional funding for border enforcement is designed to convince the public that the administration is doing something to address the crisis. The legislation is billed as providing 1,000 new U.S. Border Patrol agents, another 250 Customs and Border Protection officers, and materiel assistance. The additional border security funding is necessary and welcome, but will likely do little to offset the administration's dismantlement of worksite and other interior enforcement programs.

Wall Street Journal Poll Finding on Immigration Politics

The WSJ blog yesterday noted results from a poll it recently conducted with NBC that it had not previously reported. On immigration, it found that "...more people now think Republicans would do a better job dealing with immigration, by a 32-27 margin."

Earlier this week, a Zogby Interactive poll asked some 2,000 likely voters to rate President Obama's performance on 13 key policy issues. The president's handling of immigration policy ranked dead last. A mere 23 percent of respondents approved of the administration's record on immigration, compared with 74 percent who said the president is doing a poor job on immigration.

One in 13 Births in US a Child of Illegal Aliens

The Pew Hispanic Center has issued a new study that estimates the number of births to the illegal alien population. Based on the federal government's national survey data, they estimate that about 340,000 children born in the United States in 2008 were children of illegal aliens. The coverage in the Deseret News notes that amounts to 1-in-13 of all births. The Pew study also estimates that average number of births to native-born women is two, while births to foreign-born women average 2.7. For those foreign-born women who are Hispanic, the average number of births is an even higher 3.1.

[FAIR Comment: Based on a higher estimate of the illegal alien population than that estimated by Pew, the number of births to illegal aliens in our recent study of The Fiscal Burden of Illegal Immigration on United States Taxpayers was 363,000.]

House Ping Pongs Border Security Bill Back to Senate

by Maggie Harrell, FAIR

The House and Senate have been volleying competing border security funding measures back and forth between the two chambers for the past three weeks. It seems they have finally agreed on a $600 million supplemental spending bill that first passed the Senate last week and was approved by the House yesterday. Due to a procedural glitch, the legislation must go back to the Senate for final approval. Seemingly desperate to pass something popular before the November elections, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has announced the Senate will convene briefly this morning to clear the bill.

Senate Democrats were caught off guard last week when Republicans agreed to pass the bill by unanimous consent, in spite of concerns that the additional spending is not offset. The ball is now back in Harry Reid's court to decide whether the Senate acts on legislation already approved by the House. "There is no reason $600 million dollars for border security should be sidelined through the month of August simply because of political games," stated Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl, "Arizonans and others living on the border deserve better - for some it's a matter of life and death."

Shocking News: Illegal Aliens Get Deported for Being Illegal Aliens

by Ira Mehlman, FAIR

In spite of the best efforts of the Obama administration to appease amnesty advocates by allowing persons who might benefit from an amnesty avoid deportation, some nonviolent illegal aliens are still being removed by ICE. This fact seems to have shocked the mainstream media.

A coalition of illegal alien advocacy groups released a report and held a news conference on Tuesday to complain about the fact that some 47,000 illegal aliens who were not convicted of breaking any other laws in this country have been deported.

Complaints from the illegal alien lobby are to be expected. What is jaw-dropping, however, is that the mainstream media consider the complaints to be a newsworthy.

Of course ICE should give priority to removing dangerous criminals and terrorists, just as local police departments place a higher priority on apprehending murders and rapists over petty criminals. But nobody would advocate that police abandon other law enforcement responsibilities just because there are still dangerous criminals walking the streets.

In fact, if any police department declared publicly that they were going to cease enforcing some laws that would be major news. Yet that is effectively what the Obama administration is doing in the area of immigration law enforcement.

McCollum Proposes Tougher State Laws Against Illegal Immigration

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum, running for the governorship, announced on August 11 a proposal to toughen the state's laws against illegal immigration. Like Arizona's S.B. 1070, the proposal would require law enforcement officials to check a suspected illegal immigrant's status in the course of a stop, or a violation of another law. The McCollum proposal purportedly would go beyond the Arizona law in giving judges and law enforcement officers more tools in dealing with illegal immigrants, from bond rulings through to sentencing.

[FAIR Comment: We have not had an opportunity to study the proposal, but on first glance it does not appear to go beyond laws already on the book in Arizona.]

Arizona Makes Progress in Denying Work to Illegal Aliens

The Arizona Republic published August 11 a report based on interviews with illegal aliens that document the increased pressure to leave the state because of the inability to find work. "When they passed the law [S.B. 1070], a lot of people left," Mejia [an illegal alien] said. "A lot went to different states. Some went to Mexico." Another illegal alien is quoted as saying, "Things were already terrible. With the law, it's only gotten worse."

Secure Communities on Unsecure Border

DHS Secretary Napolitano announced yesterday that the last of the counties on the US-Mexican border are now enrolled in the Secure Communities program. ICE is reported in the August 11 Washington Post as boasting, "...the program has identified more than 262,900 illegal immigrants in jails and prisons who have been charged with or convicted of criminal offenses, including more than 39,000 charged with or convicted of violent offenses or major drug crimes." Coverage also includes charges from Sunita Patel of the Center for Constitutional Rights, that the program "essentially co-opts police into doing the job of the federal government." The program is also attacked for deporting illegal aliens who have not been convicted of a crime.

[FAIR Comment: Secure Communities is a useful program, but not as useful as 287(g) programs. The latter allow local deputized officers to identify illegal aliens for deportation who have not been previously apprehended and fingerprinted, whereas Secure Communities works only for illegal aliens previously fingerprinted.]

Chicago's Rep. Gutierrez Ups the Rhetoric

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) joined the debate over anchor babies on a CNN program last Friday. The nation's capital newspaper, The Hill, quoted Gutierrez as attacking those who advocate ending birthright citizenship as launching an effort to 'demonize children in the wombs of their mothers.' He commented that a change in the law would scare women from going to hospitals to deliver their children.

Deportation Statistics

The Justice Clinic at Cardozo Law School in Manhattan has released a study of deportations in which it attacks the administration for an aggressive program of deportations of "bus boys and gardeners" using the Secure Communities program in which local police submit fingerprints of arrestees to the federal authorities. The report analyzes nearly 47,000 deportations since 2008 and finds that 25 percent do not have criminal records. Those deportees along with those who had convictions for level two or three crimes constitute a majority of the records. The New York Daily News account also includes a defense of the program by ICE as a "beneficial partnership tool" that removes "convicted criminal aliens."

[FAIR Comment: ICE is already taking steps to decrease deportations of illegal aliens who do not have serious criminal convictions. This is undermining ICE's normal immigration enforcement responsibilities, as clearly signaled by the unanimous vote of no confidence in the ICE leadership by the union that represent ICE employees.]

Denver Requires Construction Contractors to Use E-Verify

Last night (Aug. 9) the Denver City Council adopted an ordinance requiring construction contractors bidding on contracts with the city to verify the work documents of employees with the E-Verify system. This is an expansion of the requirement previously adopted by the city for service contractors. "No citizen or legal resident should have to compete with workers who are here illegally," Councilman Charlie Brown told the Denver Post.

Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty Joins Anchor Baby Debate

Minnesota's Gov. Pawlenty this past weekend joined other Republicans speaking out on the issue of birthright citizenship. "We're the only, or one of the few, developed nations in the world that allows somebody to come here illegally, give birth to a child, and then have the child be a legal citizen of our country," is quoted as saying on a Bloomberg News program. He joined those advocating a Constitutional amendment to change the U.S. practice.

[FAIR Comment: While FAIR strongly supports ending the practice of birthright citizenship for the children of illegal aliens and foreign visitors, we believe that the current practice is clearly not what the framers of the 14th Amendment intended. It is FAIR's position, therefore, that the abuse of birthright citizenship could be changed by legislation.]

NPR Surveys Employers of Illegal Aliens

"If there's something available for them to do, then they will fill that position," says a former employer of an illegal alien performing gardening services. She says she stopped employing the illegal alien because she believes in discouraging their coming illegally. But NPR documents there are many others who have no qualms about hiring illegal workers. One explains she believes prices asked by Americans to do a job are inflated, so paying an illegal worker a lower amount is justified.

Rolling Amnesty by "Deferred Enforcement of Departure"

Evidence of the Obama Administration's implementation of its rolling amnesty by executive action outlined in a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) internal planning document may be seen in a story in the August 6 Arizona Daily Star. An illegal alien was arrested in a worksite raid and charged with being illegally in the country as well as identity theft. She pled guilty to "criminal impersonation" and was ordered deported. She was detained four 4 ½ months as her lawyer sought to prevent her deportation. Just as she was due to be deported, her lawyer received word that the government changed its mind and she would be given deferred enforcement for one year, renewable indefinitely. The explanation was, "ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that focuses first on criminal aliens who pose a threat to our communities while we continue to work with Congress to enact reform. ICE uses its discretion on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate, and has the authority to grant a deferral of a removal action based upon the merits of an individual's case and a review of specific facts."

Further evidence of the rolling amnesty now in practice is documented in an August 8 New York Times article. ICE says it is simply focusing its deportation resources on the highest priorities and reviewing others case by case, but one immigration attorney candidly notes, "Obviously, there is some sort of pattern there in the fact they are not deporting students."

Senate Amnesty Planning Continuing

A document that outlines features of a new amnesty (aka "Comprehensive Immigration Reform") proposal reportedly being circulated by Senators Reid (D-NV), Schumer (D-NY) and Menendez (D-NJ) is attributed to the Siskind immigration law firm. The proposal, like earlier proposals combines amnesty and increased immigration with enforcement measures. One of the new features is a "dual-intent" visa for non-agricultural, non-seasonal unskilled workers. It would remove the ban in the law against intending immigrants getting a nonimmigrant visa. The outline's amnesty provision would allow registering illegal aliens to become Legal Prospective Immigrants (LPI), entitling them to live and work legally in the U.S. They could adjust to Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status eight years after the immigrant backlog is cleared up, at which time they could petition for family members.

Records Demanded in Case of Illegal Alien Drunk Driver

"Prince William County's top elected official is asking Congress to subpoena federal immigration records in an effort to find out how many illegal immigrants were released onto county streets after arrest," the Washington Examiner reports. "Citing Sunday's death of a local nun, killed in a crash in which an illegal immigrant with a long arrest record was charged with drunken driving, county Board of Supervisors Chairman Corey Stewart wants to see the paperwork of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for illegal immigrants picked up by the federal agency in the county."

Ohio Legislator Pledges Action on Illegal Immigration

"Most Americans, including myself, support legal immigration but are concerned about the flood of illegal aliens entering the country on our southern border and its impact on the stability of taxpayer resources and our national security," says state Rep. John Carey from Ohio. "As the debate continues over Arizona's law, the Ohio General Assembly is considering several commonsense bills designed to strengthen enforcement of federal immigration laws in Ohio and reduce the financial strain that illegal aliens have put on our schools, health care system and other taxpayer-funded services."

Senate Passes $600 Million Border Funding Bill

"The Senate passed a $600 million border security bill last night by voice vote, just before leaving for August recess. The bill, introduced Thursday afternoon by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), funds 1,500 new enforcement agents and additional unmanned drones along the border," the Washington Independent reported.

ICE Union Issues No-Confidence Vote in Leadership

"Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents believe overwhelmingly that their department leadership has become so politicized as to compromise the effectiveness of ICE and the safety of American people. Their union has released a letter announcing its recent unanimous "vote of no confidence" in ICE agency heads, accusing them of "misleading the American public" regarding illegal immigration in order to further a pro-amnesty agenda," notes the Washington Examiner.

Tea Party Group Wants To Highlight Crimes by Illegal Immigrants

"The Tea Party Nation sent an e-mail to about 35,000 members Tuesday morning asking them to post stories in a new forum about illegal immigrants victimizing Americans either by taking their jobs, committing crimes or undermining businesses by providing cheap labor to their competitors," notes Fox News. See FAIR's Serious Crimes by Illegal Aliens page for examples.

Feingold Won't Allow Anchor Baby Hearing in Senate

"Republicans may be calling for hearings into revising the 14th amendment, which guarantees citizenship to children of illegal immigrants, but it looks like they're not going to get 'em. Russ Feingold, who chairs the Constitution Subcommittee, which would conduct the hearings, has "no plans" to allow them to go forward, his spokesman confirms to me," says Greg Sargent of the Washington Post.

MADD Ignores Reality When It Comes to Illegal Alien Drunk Drivers

The Washington Post reports on the fallout from a fatal crash caused by yet another illegal alien drunk driver, this time in Virginia. "Immigrant advocates and groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving have said that this is a case about drunken driving, not illegal immigration." This is the exact same line taken by MADD throughout the country, where MADD chapters refused to support restrictions on drivers' licenses for illegal aliens, refused to support mandatory reporting of illegal alien drunk drivers to the (then) INS, and refused to acknowledge that repeat offending illegal alien drunk drivers needed to be deported immediately.

Napolitano Orders Investigation of Illegal Alien Drunk Driver Who Killed Nun

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano ordered an investigation into why an illegal alien in Virginia was still awaiting deportation at the time he crashed into a car carrying three nuns, killing one. "The suspect has twice been in custody -- the first time, almost two years ago in October 2008 -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said. But both times, Montano was released on his own recognizance pending deportation proceedings, because he was not convicted of a violent felony such as murder, rape, or robbery," CNN reports.

Froma Harop: Enforcement Under Obama is Strong

Columnist Froma Harop believes the Obama administration is enforcing the immigration law. "All this obscures a curious political reality. While backers of the Arizona law charge President Obama with pandering to Latino voters, his administration is doing what they say they want: It is enforcing the immigration laws already on the books -- and with considerable results," she says.

[FAIR Comment: DHS has not released enforcement statistics from 2009 that would substantiate the claim that immigration law enforcement has been aggressive under the Obama administration.]

Birthright Citizenship Debate Gains Traction

"Senate Democrats pushed back Tuesday against Republican demands to change a part of the 14th Amendment that grants U.S. citizenship by birthright to children of illegal immigrants," The Hill reported. "Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and GOP Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) have called for hearings on the amendment, while Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has called for elimination of the provision."

Illegal Aliens Continue to Leave Arizona

"While the most controversial elements of Arizona's immigration law have been placed on hold, some illegal immigrants in the state are deciding it's time to leave. In nearby Colorado, the American Friends Service Committee says more than a dozen families have arrived in just the past few weeks," says a report on NPR. A separate story from the Tucson Weekly says that illegal aliens are leaving to move to New Mexico as well.

Birthright Citizenship The Next Step in Immigration Reform

"Arizona's tough immigration law is just the beginning of the conservative battle to clamp down on illegal immigrants. A broader fight is coming-possibly even to change the U.S. Constitution. Sen. Lindsey Graham made headlines last week, telling Fox News he's considering a constitutional change to revise the right, enshrined in the 14th Amendment, that grants automatic citizenship to any child born in the United States," says Newsweek.

Peter Skerry: Court Decision Pushes Off Real Solutions

Peter Skerry tells Boston Globe readers that "[T]his decision [in Arizona] was engineered by the Obama administration to placate immigrant advocates angered by its unwillingness to invest political capital in any version of 'comprehensive immigration reform.'"

"Meanwhile, the judge's ruling, whatever the specific merits of the Arizona law, will undercut efforts at the kind of interior enforcement that Americans understandably expect to see more of. The Obama administration has been enforcing federal immigration law at workplaces so as to avoid the gut-wrenching mass roundups and deportations pursued by the Bush administration. Yet with 11 million illegal immigrants in our midst, Americans see myriad other opportunities in civic and public spaces where enforcement efforts could be more visible."

Palin Says Brewer Has "Cojones" on Enforcement and Obama Doesn't

"Former GOP vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said Sunday that President Obama doesn't have the "cojones" to secure the nation's borders and fix its immigration system. She defended Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's decision to fight the federal government in court over Arizona's new, controversial immigration law," CBS News reports.

Arpaio Threat Latest Effort by Mexican Cartels to Intimidate U.S.

Jim Kouri with the Examiner says the latest alleged threat against Sheriff Joe Arpaio by Mexican cartels is part of a larger problem at the border. He says that "a deadly Mexican gang is actively plotting to kill U.S. law enforcement officers and their families in Texas, according to a Department of Homeland Security alert that warns U.S. cops to wear body armor and vary routes to avoid being tracked. The U.S. government has spent billions of dollars to fight Mexican drug cartels yet they continue to be the nation's largest supplier of illicit narcotics and violent Mexican gangs have expanded into every region of the country, including idyllic rural areas."

Would the FairTax Reduce Illegal Immigration?

Richard F. Hill says that implementing the FairTax (a flat tax on consumption instead of income taxes) would remove some of the incentives for illegal immigration. "[T]he FairTax will, for the first time, tax undocumented workers who now evade U.S. income and payroll taxes. Under the FairTax, all persons living in the U.S. pay taxes, whether they are here legally or illegally. So, if Congress had the guts to approve the FairTax, the illegal immigrant influx would be greatly reduced, if not eliminated. Why? Simply because there would be no reason to hire someone just to save taxes. What taxes?"

Oklahoma Law Saving State Millions as Criminals Deported

"A year-old state law is saving Oklahomans millions of dollars by deporting illegal immigrant criminals back to their home countries. Oklahoma is one of about five states using similar methods to ease inmate overcrowding in prison systems, federal immigration officials say," according to the Oklahoman. "Most individuals deported under the state's rapid repatriation program had been convicted of drug and alcohol offenses. There are 136 inmates awaiting pickup and removal by federal officials." Oklahoma also has one of the toughest state level immigration laws enacted.

Virginia Legislators Study AZ Opinion, Remain Supportive of Law

"How serious are the national groups that helped get Arizona's law passed about making Virginia their next stand? Serious enough that Michael Hethmon, general counsel for Immigration Law Reform Institute, which pushed for the law, told Gwen Ifill on PBS' Newshour Wednesday night that he was actually meeting with Virginia legislators interested in passing a state law here when news of the Arizona ruling came down," notes the Washington Post Virginia Politics blog.

Crop Yields Could Force Up to An Extra 100,000 Mexicans Per Year to U.S.

"A reduction in crop yields caused by global warming could mean up to 6.7 million additional Mexicans will emigrate to the United States by 2080, says a study by Princeton University researchers," the Christian Science Monitor reports. The study itself, by Alan Kruger and two other professors at Princeton, focuses on agricultural yields by studying the 1995 - 2005 period, to determine the impact of an expected decline in yield from warming over the next 80 years. The study's appendix has more information about how the calculations were done. The total calculated "extra" migration is an estimate, although most media reports picked the high number of 6.7 million and not the lower 1.4 million.