ICE Launches Illegal Alien Hotline FOR Illegal Aliens

Federal immigration officials Thursday announced the creation of a telephone hotline to ensure that detainees held by local police are informed of their rights.

An ICE official in Washington said agency representatives had not been authorized to comment about the hotline but that more information soon would be posted online. Read the full story from the LA Times.

Chicago Hospital Opens Doors to Illegal Immigrants

A Chicago-area hospital said it will provide free treatment for illegal immigrants lacking health insurance, including several who need urgent organ transplants. So, we ask, what about providing care for Americans without health care insurance? Read the whole story here.

Lawsuit Targets Tennessee Jail Policy of Identifying Illegal Aliens

"A lawsuit in Nashville is seeking to stop jailers across Tennessee from enforcing a state law that requires them to investigate the immigration status of any person who comes into a county or municipal detention facility," the Tennessean writes.

"Public Chapter No. 1112, which passed in 2010 and took effect this year, required the Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training, or POST, Commission to draw up procedures for jails to follow. The lawsuit, filed by Nashville immigration attorney Elliott Ozment in Davidson County Chancery Court, claims the POST Commission did not follow the state's open meetings laws as it drew up a policy, and asks a judge for a temporary injunction that would halt its continued publication and implementation."

Social Security Taxes Paid by Illegal Workers Track Employment

"Social Security officials keep a record of wages that do not match up with real names and numbers in their system. The record is called the earnings suspense file. In 2009, the last year for which figures are available, employers reported wages of $72.8 billion for 7.7 million workers who could not be matched to legal Social Security numbers," the Seattle Times says.

"Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a leading voice for stricter immigration enforcement, concedes illegal immigrants put billions of dollars into Social Security. He says the figure he has heard is about $7 billion per year in FICA (Federal Insurance Contributions Act) contributions -- Social Security plus Medicare."

"'But that $7 billion figure pales when compared to the cost of having illegal aliens here,' Mehlman said."

"His federation estimates local, state and federal spending on illegal immigrants -- mainly for education and health care -- costs about $100 billion per year."

Hispanic Support for Obama Drops; Report Says Deportations to Blame

"By a ratio of more than two-to-one (59% versus 27%), Latinos disapprove of the way the Obama administration is handling deportations of unauthorized immigrants, according to a new national survey of Latino adults by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center," says a report by the Pew Center.

"Disapproval of Obama's policy is most widespread among those who are aware that deportations have risen during his tenure. Among this group, more than three-quarters (77%) disapprove of the way his administration is handling the issue of deportations. Among those who are not aware that an increase has occurred, slightly more than half disapprove."

U.S. Population Nears 313 Million

"The United States will have 312.8 million people celebrating the start of 2012, according to a population projection released Thursday. The total projected Jan. 1, 2012, population of the U.S. is 312,780,968, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates. That marks a .7 percent increase, or 2,250,129, from New Year's Day 2011, and a 1.3 percent increase since Census Day, April 1, 2010," Politico reports.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Open Border Advocates Need a Dictionary

Our ImmigrationReform.com blog today covers an interesting story coming out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Seems like open border advocates in that state have asked local papers to drop the term "illegal" when describing illegal aliens. Plus, FAIR's Media Director Ira Mehlman takes a close look at a recent letter signed by 33 of the nation's Roman Catholic bishops. Check these blogs out at www.immigrationreform.com.

Immigration the Top Issue for Some Iowa Voters

"Campaign buses loaded with Republican presidential hopefuls and their entourages are rolling across Iowa as the candidates hope some face time with GOP voters will help boost their chances in the Jan. 3 caucuses. The main issue for many Iowa voters is the economy. But there's a sleeper issue emerging: immigration reform," says NPR.

North Dakota Growing Without Illegal Immigration

While average temperatures in North Dakota in January are near zero, North Dakota's economy is one of the strongest in the U.S., even without the help of illegal aliens. Check out this brief blog at Forbes.com for the full story.

Many State Laws Including Immigration Measures Set for Jan. 1st

The federal government may have been bogged down in a quagmire this year, but states across the country actively passed a slew of new laws -- ranging from conventional to controversial -- that are set to go into effect in 2012.

"California takes the lead in the number of new laws that will be enacted Jan. 1, according to a list compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures," says ABC News.

"Four states - Louisiana, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia - passed laws requiring businesses to enroll in the federal E-Verify program to determine whether their employees are legal residents and eligible to work in the United States. They followed in the footsteps of 17 other states, including Arizona and Mississippi, that require public and private employers to use the Internet-based system."

The AP reports on one California measure that will benefit illegal aliens. The state is now banning local police from towing the cars of illegal aliens. "The cat-and-mouse game ends Jan. 1 when a new law takes effect in California to prohibit police from impounding cars at sobriety checkpoints if a motorist's only offense is being an unlicensed driver. Thousands of cars are towed each year in the state under those circumstances, hitting pocketbooks of illegal immigrants especially hard."

Sen. Gillibrand: Why I Support Tax $ Giveaways for Illegal Aliens

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has a NY Daily News op-ed today explaining her support for giving tax dollars to illegal aliens attending college.

"Since Congress refuses to act, New York can show the nation a different way. Where others have chosen intolerance, the Empire State can honor its legacy of being a beacon of hope and opportunity for generations of immigrants by passing the New York State DREAM Act," she says.

DOJ Investigation of Arpaio Comes Down to Electoral Politics

"When the U.S. Department of Justice issued a report condemning Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio's 'discriminatory' policing policies last week, some immigrant rights groups lauded it as a move toward immigration enforcement reform. Others, though, are worried it was nothing more than a conveniently timed ploy to regain support from disillusioned Hispanic voters," says a Houston Chronicle blog.

Judge Tries to Restrict Arpaio's Arrest of Illegal Aliens

"The stage is set for a possible trial in a lawsuit alleging racial profiling by Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his deputies. A judge issued a ruling Friday that prevents Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies from detaining people based solely on the suspicion that they are in the country illegally," AZ Family News says.

Do Economists Live in the Real World?

The Financial Times Alphaville blog interviews "immigration economist" Giovanni Peri about the impact of immigration enforcement legislation.

"Ironically and interestingly, Alabama is one of the states which has become toughest, and yet it's one of the states with the fewest immigrants. There's a very small group of them, and they'll move easily out of the state because they're also mostly recent migrants," he says.

"In a sense, Alabama should actually be trying to attract them given its economy, and yet they're doing the opposite.

"If you were thinking these laws were being pushed by a negative economic effect, you'd think they would be pushed by California and Texas, which have received huge inflows.

"But to the contrary, these states have largely benefited from these inflows and are more pro-immigration."

San Diego Restaurant Fined for Hiring Illegal Workers

"The owner and the manager of a French restaurant in San Diego were sentenced in federal court Thursday to serve probation and pay fines after pleading guilty to knowingly hiring undocumented immigrants. Michel Malecot, 59, the owner of French Gourmet, was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $396,575 in fines, authorities said," the LA Times writes.

Portions of South Carolina Law Blocked

"A federal judge on Thursday blocked the most controversial parts of South Carolina's new immigration law from taking effect next month," the New York Times writes. "Judge Gergel blocked the most contentious part of South Carolina's law, which requires law enforcement officials to check the immigration status of any suspect they believe may be in the country illegally. He also banned provisions that make it a crime to harbor or transport an illegal immigrant."

"Although federal courts have repeatedly held that it is the intent of Congress that is paramount in determining whether a state law is preempted by federal law, Judge Gergel's abandoned this well-settled principle," noted FAIR in a press release.

Catholic Bishops Letter Focuses on the "Undocumented"

"The Catholic Church in the United States stands with undocumented immigrants, declares a letter written by 33 of the nation's Hispanic bishops," says the National Catholic Register.

"If so, that would be problematic, said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a nonprofit organization that opposes illegal immigration and seeks to improve border security. 'If we allow everyone around the world who really, really wanted to come here to the United States, it would negatively impact everyone's life here. What the bishops are advocating is something unjust to the American people,' Mehlman said."

Hazleton Connection in CBP Bust at Dulles; $300k in Heroin Found

"Authorities say they uncovered $315,000 worth of heroin hidden in the soccer clothes and a banner of a traveler who arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport. The alleged drugs were uncovered after 29-year-old Elias Casiano Jr. flew into Dulles from Bolivia on Saturday and was selected for a secondary inspection, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court in Alexandria. The Hazleton, Pa., resident resisted when Customs and Border Protection officers told him to place his luggage on an examination belt, the complaint says," the Washington Examiner writes.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Where Have All the Jobs Gone?

In today's ImmigrationReform.com blog, FAIR's Director of Special Projects Jack Martin takes a look at new data that sheds light on just how harmful the effects of illegal immigration can be on our job market and unemployment. Plus, how Al-Qeada might 'peacefully' take over the U.S. Find these blogs and more at www.immigrationreform.com.

Romney Says Obama's Uncle Should Be Deported

"Presidential candidate Mitt Romney told a Boston talk radio host on Wednesday that he supports the deportation of President Obama's Kenyan-born uncle who was arrested this fall on drunken driving charges in Massachusetts. When asked by Boston radio personality Howie Carr whether the president's relative, Onyango Obama, should be deported, Romney said, 'the answer is 'yes,'" says ABC News.

Mexico, Other Nations File Briefs Against Utah Law

"Attorneys representing Mexico and 13 other Latin American countries wrote in an amicus brief filed recently that Utah's immigration enforcement law 'dangerously contributes to a patchwork of laws that impede effective and consistent diplomatic relations,'" the Deseret News writes.

"The bill, signed into law in March, has been challenged on constitutional grounds by civil rights organizations as well as the U.S. Department of Justice. Mexico was joined in the amicus brief by the governments of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Uraguay."

Romney Super Pac Hits Immigration Issue

"A new ad from the pro-Romney super PAC Restore Our Future takes on both Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich," says Politico. "Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry: Too liberal on immigration, too much baggage on ethics," the ad's narrator says.

More Drones Patrol Mexican Border

"This is the semi-covert cutting edge of homeland security, where federal law enforcement authorities are rapidly expanding a military-style unmanned aerial reconnaissance operation along the U.S.-Mexico border -- a region that privacy watchdogs say includes a lot of American back yards," says the Washington Post of the increased deployment of drones along the Mexican border.

State Lawmakers Continue Push for Immigration Enforcement

"Pennsylvania state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican and founder of State Legislators for Legal Immigration, which pushes for federal and state laws that restrict illegal immigration, said he will wait for the Supreme Court to rule on the Arizona law before pushing anything similar in his state. But he said the recent success of Alabama banning contracts and business transactions by illegal immigrants has placed them on his 'wish list' for the upcoming session," the Tucson Citizen writes.

Federal Judges Approves Class Action by Mentally Ill Detainees

"A federal judge has granted class-action status to a case brought on behalf of mentally disabled detainees who lack legal representation in immigration court," the AP reported.

"The American Civil Liberties Union and other immigrant advocates want the federal government to appoint lawyers to represent mentally disabled detainees. Advocates brought the case last year on behalf of two men who had been detained for years."

DOJ Data Lacking in Arpaio Investigation

"The most sensational allegation the Department of Justice has leveled against Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office is that Latinos are four to nine times more likely to be subject to traffic stops than similarly situated non-Latino drivers . . . At this point, however, the presumption has to be that the allegation is also based on junk science, since the DOJ refuses to release the "statistical study" on which it is based," says Robert Robb in the Arizona Republic.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Latest Immigration Commentary from Chipotle to New AEI Report

ImmigrationReform.com today takes a look at the latest AEI report claiming that a massive increase in immigration will stimulate the labor market. Plus, after getting caught employing hundreds of illegal aliens, now Chipotle's CEO says that "immigration is really messed up." Take a look at these stories and more at www.immigrationreform.com.

Chipotle Exec Decides He Doesn't Like Hiring Legal Workers

"A government crackdown that found Chipotle Mexican Grill had hired hundreds of undocumented workers has turned Monty Moran, the burrito chain's co-leader, into an unlikely champion of immigration overhaul. Over the past year, Chipotle became the highest-profile target of an Obama administration campaign against employers of illegal workers," the Denver Post writes.

"So now Moran, 45, is an outspoken advocate for changing immigration laws. In recent months, he has met with Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, both Colorado Democrats, and Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, as well as Republican Reps. Darrell Issa of California and Lamar Smith of Texas. His message: Fix immigration."

Salvadoran Officer Refuses Plea Deal

"In a surprise move, a former Salvadoran military commander accused of plotting the assassination of six Jesuit priests in 1989 abruptly balked at a plea agreement on federal immigration charges yesterday. Inocente Orlando Montano was expected to plead guilty in federal court in Boston to lying about his military background on immigration forms to stay in the United States, where he has lived for a decade. But as the judge advised Montano of his constitutional rights and the consequences of a guilty plea, Montano, 69, apparently had second thoughts," the Boston Globe writes.

DHS Needs 50 Agents to do Arpaio's Job

"The Homeland Security Department will use 50 immigration agents to screen jail inmates in Arizona's most populous county after revoking the sheriff's authority to access its systems, the agency said Monday in a letter to Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.). The letter from Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Nelson Peacock, obtained by the Associated Press, says the 50 dedicated agents will 'screen, identify, apprehend and remove criminal aliens' found in Maricopa County jails," the LA Times writes.

Illegal Aliens Caught in Raid Join N.C. Protest March

"Protesters took to downtown streets Sunday to voice opposition to a recent immigration raid in Asheville that led to the arrests of 12 Shogun Buffet restaurant workers. About 100 people, including some of the workers who were arrested, took part in a march that started and ended at the Vance Monument, with stops at Pritchard Park and the Buncombe County Courthouse," the Citizen Times writes.

Hearing in Feds Suit Against South Carolina Today

"The federal government squares off against South Carolina this morning as it asks a federal judge to stop the state's immigration law from taking effect Jan. 1.The hearing before U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel begins at 10 a.m. in Charleston. The U.S. Department of Justice filed suit against the state in October, saying the law undermined federal authority. The department argues that the U.S. government is the only entity that can create immigration policy and that the state's law could result in the harassment and detention of foreign visitors, legal immigrants and U.S. citizens," The State reported.

Immigrants Go Where The Jobs Are

It would surprising if people with the most mobility in the U.S. were to be found in areas with the least jobs, but that is not the case, a study by the American Enterprise Institute says. The New York Daily News says "The report examined census data and applications for foreign worker permits to see whether Americans in states with more immigrants are more likely to have jobs than those in states with fewer foreign-born. Answer: a resounding yes." However, it should be noted that Daily News editors are confusing correlation with causation. As Americans who are unemployed with underwater mortgages can attest, mobility during a deep recession increases your chance of finding a new job.

Investor Visas Help Finance the International Gem Tower in NY's Diamond District

"One of the more prominent [investor visa] projects is a 34-story glass tower in Manhattan that is to cost $750 million, one-fifth of which is to come from foreign investors seeking green cards. Called the International Gem Tower, it is rising near Fifth Avenue in the diamond district of Manhattan, one of the wealthiest areas in the country," the New York Times writes.

"Yet through the selective use of census statistics, state officials have classified the area as one plagued by high unemployment, the federal and state records show. As a result, the developer has increased the project's chances of attracting foreigners who will accept little, if any, return on their investment in the project if it means they can secure American visas for their families."

Gingrich: Most Illegal Aliens Would Leave

"Newt Gingrich insisted Sunday that some illegal immigrants who have become full community members should be able to stay in the country, but he added that his policy would require 7 million or more to go back to their home nations before having a chance to return," CNN reports.

"Appearing on the CBS program "Face the Nation," the front-running Republican presidential hopeful repeated his call for some kind of citizen review board to assess whether illegal immigrants would be eligible to get a residency permit and stay in America."

Maricopa County Backs Arpaio in Dispute With Feds

"While no planned action was taken yet by an Arizona prosecutor to address federal government concerns that Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office committed constitutional violations and discrimination against Latinos, the attorney lashed out against Homeland Security's decision to stop Arpaio's work," Fox News reports.

"Instead, Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery criticized Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's decision to stop Arpaio from checking inmates' immigration status and argued it would allow criminals to be released into the community. Montgomery said he was asking President Barack Obama to order the restoration of access to federal systems revoked Thursday."

New Poll: Majority of Americans Think the Government Encourages Illegal Immigration

Rasmussen Reports has a new poll (available to subscribers) that says 60 percent of Americans believe government policies encourage illegal immigration.

Taking Off-Shoring to a New Level

"You've heard of tech companies starting in a Silicon Valley garage. What about on a ship? That's the idea being floated by a California startup that wants to dock a vessel off the coast to house foreign entrepreneurs who have dreams of creating the next Google but can't get visas to work in the United States," the AP writes. "'I would say the whole thing is a perfect metaphor for how in corporate America the practice to grow talent and incubate business locally is drifting away _ quite literally,' said Bob Dane, of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which advocates for limited immigration."

DOJ Attack Dogs Unleashed on Arpaio

"The Justice Department on Thursday accused a controversial Arizona sheriff known for tough immigration enforcement of widespread discrimination against Hispanics, saying Sheriff Joe Arpaio's department illegally detained Hispanic residents and denied them critical services in jail," the Washington Post writes.

"The reaction was equally blistering from Arpaio's supporters, who accused the administration of targeting him for political reasons amid its broader crackdown on new state immigration laws. A different Justice Department division has sued four states over their laws, and the first such suit was filed against Arizona. 'The Justice Department has been turned into an attack dog to sic on anybody who tries to enforce immigration laws,' said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors tough immigration enforcement."

Gingrich Toughens Stance on Immigration

"After taking heat from his fellow Republican presidential candidates for supposedly being soft on immigration, GOP frontrunner Newt Gingrich laid down a stricter rhetoric on the issue during the Thursday night's debate in Iowa. While refusing to back off his previous statement - that it was unjust to deport undocumented immigrants who have lived in the country for 25 years and have families in the U.S. - Gingrich said that the federal government should drop lawsuits against states, like Arizona and Alabama, with strict immigration laws," Fox News writes.

Citizen Review Boards for Amnesty?

"Creating 'citizen review boards' could be a new way forward and a breakthrough to the immigration impasse. Letting U.S. citizens, who are stakeholders in their communities, determine whether an individual can and should remain in the United States and what restitution they must make is an old-new way of looking at things. If, 70 years ago, a New Deal president could put his faith in the wisdom of the American people, the national government of this era can do the same," says Craig Shirley in Politico.

NYT Says There Are Problems With Every Method of Immigration Law Enforcement - Today the Target is Secure Communities

The New York Times reports that in rare cases, people who are U.S. citizens have been detained under the Secure Communities program. Just as opponents of any immigration enforcement attack E-verify for not being perfect, they are now shifting to attack Secure Communities. "Detentions of citizens are part of the widening impact on Americans, as well as on immigrants, of President Obama's enforcement strategies, which have led to more than 1.1 million deportations since the beginning of his term, the highest numbers in six decades."

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - CA Petition Drive Against AB131, and CT Mayor Drive to Allow Voting by Illegal Aliens

Today our blogs covered a couple of news-worthy topics. First, FAIR's Field Director Susan Tully provides an update on the petition drive effort by activists in California against AB131 (The California DREAM Act); we also take a look at a proposal by a Connecticut mayor to allow local voting privileges to illegal aliens. We do have a nice bonus video today, too. Check all of this out at www.immigrationreform.com.

Obama Administration's Immigration Hypocrisy

"Why is the Obama administration using its executive powers to implement a general amnesty for the vast majority of illegal aliens present in the U.S.? And why is it abusing its law enforcement power to try to prevent states from finding illegal aliens? The Justice Department has sued Arizona, Alabama, South Carolina and Utah over their new laws that require police officers to check the immigration status of individuals arrested or detained for violations of state laws if there is a reasonable suspicion the person is unlawfully present in the United States," says Hans von Spakovsky at Fox News.

New Haven Wants Illegal Aliens to Vote in Local Elections

"New Haven Mayor John DeStefano plans to ask the state Legislature to allow illegal immigrants who live in the city to be able vote in municipal elections. DeStefano said on Tuesday that the proposal would build a more engaged community and follows the lead of other cities, the New Haven Register reports," local NBC news says.

52% Support Arizona Style Laws

"The U.S. Supreme Court Monday announced it will decide whether the Arizona immigration law passed last year violates the Constitution, and a new survey finds that half of voters still support a similar immigration law for their own state. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely U.S. Voters shows that 52% favor passage of an immigration law similar to Arizona's in their state," says Rasmussen Reports.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - House Looks to Close Tax Loophole for Illegal Aliens

On ImmigrationReform.com today we take a look at House action later today that seeks to close a loophole in our tax system that has benefited illegal aliens to the tune of $4.2B. Also, check out the guest opinion about the hypocrisy taking place in the state of Vermont. Read this and more at www.immigrationreform.com.

Mobile Home Provision of AL Law Blocked

"U.S. District Judge Myron Thompson issued a preliminary injunction Monday that blocks a provision of Alabama's immigration law that would have forced illegal immigrants to leave their mobile homes," the Birmingham Business Journal writes. The move formalizes a temporary injunction issued earlier against the provision.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - SCOTUS To Take Up AZ Immigration Law, and Letting Illegal Aliens Loose in the Name of Fiscal Sanity

This morning the Supreme Court of the United States announced that it will consider the constitutionality of Arizona's tough immigration law this coming year. Read FAIR's Ira Mehlman's take on this upcoming event as well as a guest opinion about a 'study' touting the fiscal benefits of closing illegal alien detention centers in the Midwest. Check out www.immigrationreform.com for more.

FAIR Op-Ed: Dictionary Debate Over Anchor Babies

"After receiving a complaint from the Immigration Policy Center, an organization known for its open-borders and amnesty agenda, the American Heritage Dictionary redefined the term 'anchor baby' as an offensive term, admitting they had made a mistake. Translation: the American Heritage Dictionary capitulated to a small, but vocal, special interest group that is trying to manipulate the political, legal, cultural and linguistic landscape on behalf of illegal aliens," says FAIR's Bob Dane in an op-ed on Foxnews.com

Obama Plans Reduction of National Guard on Border

"Blaming budget cuts, the Obama administration early next year will cut the number of National Guard troops patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border by at least half, according to a congressman who was briefed on the plan," the Washington Times writes.

"The National Guard said an announcement will be made by the White House 'in the near future,' but Rep. Duncan Hunter, a California Republican who has learned of the plans, said slashing the deployment in half is the minimum number, and he said it will mean reshuffling the remaining troops along the nearly 2,000-mile border."

DHS Complies With Judiciary Document Request, Data Released

Congressional Quarterly reports that the DHS has finally complied with a document request from the House Judiciary Committee, after facing the prospect of a contempt hearing. "Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Texas, first asked for the records in August, and a subcommittee followed up his request with a subpoena in November. The agency sent him ID numbers for almost 221,000 undocumented immigrants, a list he said was useless."

Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Appeal From Arizona

"The Supreme Court announced Monday it will hear arguments over Arizona's immigration law, which the Justice Department filed suit to void arguing the state can't legislate rules that the federal government is responsible for enforcing. Similar laws in Alabama, South Carolina and Utah also are facing administration lawsuits. Private groups are suing over immigration measures adopted in Georgia and Indiana," Foxnews reports.

"The justices said they will review a federal appeals court ruling that blocked several provisions in the Arizona law, including one that requires police, while enforcing other laws, to question a person's immigration status if officers suspect he is in the country illegally."

Unmanned Checkpoint Proposed for Big Bend Area of Texas

"The bloody drug war in Mexico shows no sign of relenting. Neither do calls for tighter border security amid rising fears of spillover violence. This hardly seems a time the U.S. would be willing to allow people to cross the border legally from Mexico without a customs officer in sight. But in this rugged, remote West Texas terrain where wading across the shallow Rio Grande undetected is all too easy, federal authorities are touting a proposal to open an unmanned port of entry as a security upgrade," Fox News writes.

Romney, Gingrich Debate Immigration

"Republican presidential frontrunners Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney mixed it up during the latest GOP debate Saturday evening in Des Moines, Iowa, just weeks before the first-in-the-nation caucuses could propel one of them to the top of the list. Both men, along with Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is trying to revive his candidacy after several missteps and verbal gaffes over the past month, differed over how they would handle immigration reform, with Gingrich staking out a position of limited amnesty for aliens who have been in the country for decades," Newsroomamerica.com says.

Rep. Smith Threatens Contempt of Congress Citation Against DHS

"The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano to provide a list of illegal and criminal immigrants who have been flagged by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents but have not been detained or placed in removal proceedings," the Washington Times writes.

"Rep. Lamar Smith, Texas Republican, said the department faces the possibility of a contempt citation if it does not comply by Friday. He said the committee has sought the information for four months as a part of its oversight responsibility in trying to determine whether criminal immigrants intentionally released by ICE have committed additional crimes."

Today on Immigration Reform: NY Says Tuition Benefits to Illegal Aliens Cost $625,000

"Any calculation over how much New York State would spend annually if it were to provide college tuition assistance to illegal immigrants amounts to an educated guess. In the bill it sent to the Legislature on Thursday, the state's Education Department offered its best estimate: $627,428," the New York Times writes.

"In a memorandum of support for the bill, Richard J. Trautwein, deputy commissioner for legal affairs for the state's Education Department, argues that the cost will be offset, at least in part, by increased income tax revenues 'generated by affording this population the opportunity to complete college and obtain higher-paying jobs,' as well as the decline in the amount of money the state would spend in public assistance for these students."

[FAIR comment: The Education Department appears to be assuming that these students will be authorized to work in the U.S., and that they would remain in New York to pay taxes there after graduation. See Jack Martin's take on this figure over at Immigrationreform.com]

Gingrich Promises to End Legal Challenge to State Immigration Laws

"Newt Gingrich brought his rapidly ascending campaign to Greenville on Thursday, declaring that as president he would end the government's legal action against South Carolina's immigration law. Rick Perry also brought his hopes to town, declaring his campaign still was on the march," Greenvilleonline.com writes.

"Gingrich told a gathering of business and community leaders that on the day he's inaugurated, he will sign an executive order dropping lawsuits against South Carolina, Alabama and Arizona 'because I think the federal government should be stopping illegal immigration, not stopping the states from enforcing the laws.'"

Supreme Court to Hear Arizona Appeal

"The Supreme Court will meet behind closed doors on Friday to take a first look at a challenge to Arizona's strict immigration law and decide whether or not to take up the case. The law, passed in April 2010, is one of several recent attempts by various states to play a more aggressive role in immigration-related matters," ABC News writes. "Arizona argues that the state had to move aggressively to pass the controversial provisions because the federal government was not doing its duty to control immigration."

Details of Backdoor Amnesty Plan Leak Out

"Immigrant rights groups are enthusiastic about a plan by the Obama administration to review all of the pending 7,800 deportation cases in Colorado and 5,000 cases in Baltimore as part of an experiment to make enforcement agencies focus on high-priority cases. About 300,000 cases pending nationwide could be affected if the experiment succeeds," the AP writes.

"Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said President Barack Obama is trying to bypass Congress by stopping enforcement of immigration laws in Colorado. 'The executive branch is just rewriting immigration law. They're making sure these cases never get to court,' Mehlman said."

Will the Utah Compact Come Back to Haunt Romney?

"One of the biggest obstacles Mitt Romney faced when he ran for President in 2008 was the fear that, if elected, he would take orders from the President of his Church. Like the Catholic Jack Kennedy in his 1960 race for the presidency, Romney, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), had to overcome the uneasy suspicion that the head of his church would dictate public policy. To dispel such fears, Romney gave his memorable "Faith in America" speech," says Karen Johnson, a state legislator in Arizona.

"Romney's speech was generally well received, and it appeared that he had put the matter to rest. Unfortunately, the question of LDS Church influence has roared to life again in 2011, with indications that it could affect the 2012 elections. It began in November, 2010, when a group of Utah businessmen, politicians, newspaper publishers, and various church denominations launched a list of principles they felt should guide immigration policy. They called it the Utah Compact."

In fact, Johnson says, opponents of State Rep. Russel Pearce explicitly campaigned on religous grounds - targeting Mormon voters as part of the recall effort. "DeeDee Blase, head of Arizona's Somos Republicans, an open borders advocacy group, said: 'The biggest win with regard to our efforts is getting a special supporter who is a devout member and a member of the high council of the Mormon Church. We have scheduled lectures that will be specifically aimed to members of the LDS community as well as the business community. We know that Mesa has a Mormon stronghold, and in order for us to have an overall effective campaign, we must win over the Mormon community. It is imperative for them to know that Russell Pearce (a member of the LDS community) refuses to listen to the Mormon Prophet, and he refused to uphold the Constitution of the United States.'"

Victor Davis Hanson: Why Illegal Immigration is Immoral

"The strange notion has developed that supporting something as immoral as illegal immigration is somehow ethical. It is not, and there are several reasons why," says Victor Davis Hanson in a National Review column.

"Real wages for the working poor in the United States have been stagnant for decades, especially in the Southwest -- largely because of the influx of millions of illegal aliens, who, at least for a time, will work for considerably lower wages than Americans," he notes.

"Somehow ethnic chauvinism has been cloaked with a thin humanitarian veneer, when in fact the concern is not for illegal aliens per se, but for a particular category of illegal aliens. Try a thought experiment. Ask the National Council of La Raza whether it would support offering fast-track citizenship to a commensurate 15 million economic refugees from an imploding Europe or an impoverished Africa, even on conditions not imposed on those from Latin America, such as legality, mastery of English, a college degree, and proof of sustenance."

North Carolina Legislators Target Illegal Immigration

"Republicans now in charge of the state legislature are using their clout to push for new laws identifying illegal immigrants and limiting their use of public services. That effort got its start Wednesday in the House Committee on the State's Role in Immigration Policy, which drew a crowd representing both sides of the controversial issue. The committee can recommend legislation to be considered next year," the Charlotte Observer writes.

FAIR Op-ed: Is The Obama Administration Authorizing a Shady Program to Sell Green Cards?

"The con man has an offer too good to resist. He, along with hundreds of others can be authorized by the federal government to manage investment money and sell green cards to foreign investors under a federal program known as the EB-5 Investor Visa. The Senate Judiciary Committee is holding a hearing this week on the program but the title "Reauthorizing the EB-5 Regional Center Program: Promoting Job Creation and Economic Development in American Communities" is troubling. It indicates the Committee may simply rubber-stamp continuation of the program instead of subjecting it to a long overdue, thorough and transparent investigation of the program," say FAIR's Bob Dane and Kristin Williamson in a Fox News op-ed.

Gingrich, Romney Offer Competing Immigration Visions

"There are many flashpoints between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney as they battle for the Republican presidential nomination. Most of them are about character or leadership: Who can beat President Obama? Who's the real conservative? But Gingrich and Romney do have one big policy difference -- and that's on immigration," says a report from NPR.

Does Normalizing Illegal Immigration Mean Permanent Illegal Immigration?

"Nestor Rodriguez, a sociology professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said that acceptance of illegal immigration has grown in concert with the influx of immigrants. 'Immigration has become such a permanent feature of our society that [illegal immigrants have] kind of become a part of the landscape,' he said. Rodriguez added that the record-high number of immigrants arriving in the U.S. in the 1990s and the first decade of the 21st century have made immigration 'something we're getting used to,' and that it will become more acceptable as newer generations grow up with illegal immigrants living and working around them," says a blog item at the Houston Chronicle.

Border Arrests Drop; Amnesty Drumbeat in the Distance

It's clear that supporters of illegal immigrants have taken a new tack, in concert with talking points laid out earlier this year by the Obama administration. The border is more secure than ever, assured DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. And with another drop in border arrests, the media is now laying the groundwork for another amnesty effort.

"For the sixth consecutive year, arrests of immigrants along the U.S. border with Mexico are at the lowest level since the Nixon administration. The development could change the debate on illegal immigration from securing the border to handling the people who are already here," says Fox News Latino.

The Fox News story quotes various open-borders groups as saying that the drop in apprehensions shows the border is secure. "Simon Rosenberg, head of the liberal-leaning NDN advocacy group, said while the debate should shift away from the border it isn't likely to because Republican calls for securing the border have repeatedly been popular with party voters. 'They are still heavily invested in it because it worked for them,' Rosenberg said. 'The Republican argument at the border is more ideological than fact based.' And because it is unclear whether the lower rates of illegal immigration will continue, Democrats aren't likely to proclaim the border secure just yet, [Demetrios Papademetriou, president of the Migration Policy Institute] said.

DOJ Sues California Hospital for Demanding Too Many Employment Documents

"The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that it has sued a major San Diego hospital, saying it discriminated against immigrant employees and job applicants. The department said UCSD Medical Center demanded excessive documentation from non-citizen job applicants and employees to prove they were eligible to work. The lawsuit says the hospital made no such demands of U.S. citizens. The Justice Department, in a lawsuit filed with its Executive Office for Immigration Review, seeks unspecified monetary damages for affected workers," the San Jose Mercury News writes.

DOJ Harasses Alabama State Agencies Over Immigration Law

"Law enforcement agencies in Alabama began receiving letters Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Justice cautioning them not to infringe on people's constitutional rights when enforcing the state's immigration law. The letter, signed by Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez, is being sent to all sheriff's offices and police departments in the state that receive federal funds, Justice Department spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said," the Montgomery Advertiser writes.

Woman Escapes Deportation Thanks to Back Door Amnesty

"The U.S. government has dropped its New York deportation case against an Argentine lesbian who married a U.S. citizen, marking an improvement in the treatment of cases of same-sex couples involving a legal alien and a U.S. citizen, a lawyer for the woman said Tuesday," the AP writes.

"The couples were helped more on Nov. 17 when an inter-agency prosecutorial discretion working group began working with a goal of finding and closing all "low-priority" deportation cases, the lawyer said."

Alabama AG Wants to Drop School Provision from Law

"Alabama's attorney general, who is charged with defending the toughest-in-the-nation illegal immigration law now being challenged in federal courts, said in a letter that parts of the law should be scrapped, reports the AP," says Politico.

"In a letter to the state's legislative leaders, Attorney General Luther Strange said that repealing certain sections of the law would make it 'easier to defend in court' and 'remove burdens on law-abiding citizens,' according to a copy of the letter obtained by the wire service."

CBP Changing Security Standards to Define Acceptable Illegal Immigration Level

"Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is working to employ new metrics that will be used to estimate the numbers of illegal aliens crossing the southern border into the United States and the likelihood of their apprehension by Border Patrol. These new metrics also will be used to help to determine Border Patrol staffing levels in the future," Homeland Security Today writes.

"The new initiative to gauge the security of the southwest border follows Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources having told Homeland Security Today in May that policymakers are considering whether, as a matter of official policy, metrics could be used to justify an acceptable level of illegal migration into the United States and a possible reduction in the CBP workforce due to the reduction in illegal border crossers."

Mounted Patrols Beefed Up at Border

"Clyde, a lean, copper-colored mustang, is one of the latest weapons in the struggle to tighten the U.S. border with Mexico. The U.S. Border Patrol has used horses since its inception in 1924, but new funds from headquarters and a federal program that captures, breaks and donates wild mustangs is bringing more mounted patrols than ever to the border," says USA Today.

Many Illegal Aliens Have Lived in the U.S. For Over 10 Years

"Almost two-thirds of the estimated 10.2 million adult undocumented immigrants in the U.S. have lived here for at least 10 years, according to a study released this week by the Pew Hispanic Center. About half of them have children under 18 years old," says the New York Daily News.

"Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's proposal to regularize the status of some undocumented immigrants drew fire from rivals Mitt Romney and Michele Bachmann, who said the plan would provide incentive for illegal immigration."

Is It Impossible to Secure the Border?

Fox News Latino says the border may be impossible to secure, and quotes Ted Galen Carpenter of the libertarian, open-borders CATO institute to prove it. "The U.S. Border Patrol says 873 miles of the border, about 44 percent, have been brought under operational control. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said that 'the border is better now than it ever has been.'"

Ruben Navarrette Jr. Rises in Defense of Gingrich Amnesty Plan

"WITH Newt Gingrich being attacked for his common-sense immigration proposal by purists on both the right and the left, someone should defend the former House speaker. Glad to do it. The perfect can't be the enemy of the good. What Gingrich proposes isn't perfect, but it is pretty good. He wants to create what he calls 'a path to legality' for people with deep ties to this country so as to not split up families," says Ruben Navarrette Jr.

Zetas blamed for shootout in Houston

"The mission was supposed to be a textbook "controlled delivery" -- a routine trap by law enforcement officers using a secret operative posing as a truck driver to bust drug traffickers when their narcotics are delivered to a rendezvous point. Instead, things spun out of control. Shortly before the marijuana delivery was to be made Monday, three SUVs carrying alleged Zetas Cartel gunmen seemingly came out of nowhere and cut off the tanker truck as it rumbled through northwestern Harris County, sources told the Houston Chronicle," the San Antonio Express News says.

Fall in Apprehensions Touches off Debate on Illegal Immigration

"Arrests of illegal migrants trying to cross the southern U.S. border have plummeted to levels not seen since the early 1970s, according to tallies released by the Department of Homeland Security last week, a historic shift that could reshape the debate over immigration reform," the Washington Post writes.

"The number of illegal migrants arrested at the border has been dropping over the past few years but appears to be down by more than 25 percent this year."

Candidates Ratchet Up Immigration Rhetoric in Iowa

"Most GOP candidates eyeing the party's presidential nomination want to secure the United States against illegal immigration. A fence that would surround the southern border is one solution most candidates in the race agree with," the Daily Iowan says.

"'I do believe that if you've been here recently and you have no ties to the U.S., we should deport you. I do believe we should control the border,' former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said in a debate last month."

McCain Lectures GOP on Immigration

"Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said his home state and others could be "up for grabs" in the 2012 presidential election, due in large part to the growing numbers of Hispanic voters and warned GOP candidates to watch their rhetoric on immigration issues. 'The demographics are clear that the Hispanic vote will play a major role in national elections,' he said on CNN's 'State of the Union,'" The Hill reports.

Gingrich Signs Fence Pledge

"Newt Gingrich continued to shore up his right flank on immigration Thursday, signing a pledge to build a fence along the U.S. - Mexico border by the end of 2013 if he becomes president," the Wall Street Journal reported.

"The pledge follows comments he made earlier this week in South Carolina that were also intended to ease concerns among conservatives that Mr. Gingrich is not tough enough on immigration."

Thomas Sowell: Newt Gingrich's Immigration Baggage

"Let's go back to square one. The purpose of American immigration laws and policies is not to be either humane or inhumane to illegal immigrants. The purpose of immigration laws and policies is to serve the national interest of this country. There is no inherent right to come live in the United States, in disregard of whether the American people want you here. Nor does the passage of time confer any such right retroactively," says Thomas Sowell in National Review.

DHS Stats on Deportations of "Criminal" Aliens Don't Add Up

"Statistics from an independent clearinghouse for federal data, however, appear to contradict some of the government's claims [on deportations]. Moreover, the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University in New York says the administration has been hesitant to release details behind a record 400,000 deportations in the past year," the Christian Science Monitor writes.

"In May, President Obama told an audience in El Paso, Texas, that the focus was on 'violent offenders and people convicted of crimes; not families, not folks who are just looking to scrape together an income.' The problem is that immigration court statistics obtained by TRAC show that actual criminal deportation proceedings have dropped below Bush administration levels. So how are deportations of criminal aliens up 89 percent over 2008?"

DHS Leaker of Perry Smear Worked for Suspect Charity

"Earlier this week, I reported on the ongoing stonewall efforts by the Department of Homeland Security regarding any questions related to my PJ Media exclusive last month that DHS Advisory Council member Mohamed Elibiary had downloaded Texas Department of Public Safety reports from a sensitive DHS database and shopped those documents to at least one left-leaning media outlet claiming that Gov. Rick Perry was running an 'Islamophobia' operation," says Patrick Poole at Pajamas Media.

"But while Janet Napolitano continues to stonewall questions about how, when, and why Elibiary was given access to this (including questions posed by my colleague Erick Stakelbeck of CBN News), I can report exclusively here that the organization that Elibiary founded and has operated and headed since 2002, the Plano, Texas-based Freedom and Justice Foundation, had its 501(c)3 tax-exempt status revoked by the IRS in May 2010 for failing to file the required annual IRS Form 990s."

Democrats Attack Romney on Immigration

"Democrats, who have launched an advertising campaign against Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, on Thursday attacked the former Massachusetts governor again warning of the effects his hardline immigration policy could have. Romney 'will do anything' to get the votes of the most extremist Republicans with an eye toward the primaries, and that 'could put the future of immigrant families in danger if he gets to the presidency,' Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) told Efe," Fox News Latino reports.

Study: Millions Would Benefit from Gingrich Plan

"When Newt Gingrich said he'd like to find a way for illegal immigrants who have been in the United States for more than 25 years to stay in the country, just how many people was the GOP presidential candidate talking about?" asks USA Today.

"The Pew Hispanic Center tried to put a number to it today in a study that analyzes Census Bureau data along with what it calls other 'demographic characteristics.'"

Senator Blocks Bill Removing Per Country Cap on Green Cards

"A bipartisan immigration bill is unusual, but one led by Utah Republicans received overwhelming support in the House earlier this week and was just about to fly through the Senate, too. And then Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Judiciary Committee, stepped in the way," says the Salt Lake Tribune. "Sen. Mike Lee is taking the lead on the issue in the Senate and has offered an identical bill. Their proposal would eliminate the per-country caps on visas issued to highly skilled workers, essentially allowing more well-educated people from India and China to work in the United States."

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Immigration and Population Growth Over the Past Decade

FAIR's Jack Martin takes a close look at new Census data that shows that immigration has contributed significantly to U.S. population growth over the past decade. Check out his blog and many others at www.immigrationreform.com.

Feds Shut Down NY Mob Visa Fraud Ring

"A mob-run ring that lured women from Russia and other Eastern European countries with the promise of waitressing jobs -- only to send them to dance at New York strip clubs -- was shut down Wednesday after 20 people were charged, including seven purported members of organized crime families, authorities said," the AP reported.

Immigration's Role in the 2012 Election

"The 1992 presidential campaign boiled down to this memorable slogan from Bill Clinton's camp: 'It's the economy, stupid!' The 2012 contest for the GOP presidential nomination is now being reduced to an intriguing variation: 'It's all about immigration, stupid!' Texas Gov. Rick Perry touched the immigration hot button and lost support from Tea Party voters after saying conservatives opposed to in-state university tuition for illegal immigrants revealed a lack of compassion or 'heart,'" says Juan Williams in a Fox News commentary.

Honda Worker Caught By Alabama Law

"A second foreign auto worker has been stopped by authorities in Alabama, where the nation's toughest immigration law recently went into effect, officials said on Wednesday. A Honda worker on assignment at the company's Lincoln, Alabama, factory was issued a citation," says Reuters.

California Flight School Cited for Fraud

"Immigration officials on Wednesday arrested a woman accused of bringing foreign students to train at her Southern California flight school on fraudulent visas and without government authorization," the AP reported.

"Karena Chuang, 28, was arrested Wednesday at a friend's house in Rancho Cucamonga and is charged with visa fraud for allegedly enrolling students from Egypt, Sri Lanka and Taiwan at her La Verne-based flight school, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said."

Huge Border Tunnel Found With 32 Tons of Pot

"Authorities have discovered a major cross-border tunnel linking warehouses in San Diego and Tijuana and found more than 32 tons of marijuana in one of the largest pot busts in U.S. history, immigration officials said Wednesday," according to the AP.

"The 600-yard passage was equipped with a hydraulic lift, electric rail cars, a wooden staircase and wood floors from one end to the other, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Derek Benner told The Associated Press."

Detroit Box Company Raided; 15 Arrested

"The federal government sent a stern message to employers following a raid Tuesday in Detroit: If you hire illegal immigrants, we're coming after you. A raid of a box company in southwest Detroit Tuesday led to arrests of a plant manager and 14 people who are suspected of working there illegally," the Detroit Free Press reported.