Napolitano Touts DREAM Act Amnesty in Speech

"Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the United States' immigration laws were outdated and in need of overhaul. In her second annual Address on the State of the Nation's Homeland Security, Napolitano said they're "sorely outdated and in need of revision,'" Fox News Latino writes. "Asked by an audience member at the National Press Club what she sees as most in need of change, Napolitano said she couldn't narrow it down. But she specifically criticized Congress for failing to pass the so-called DREAM Act last year."

Kansas Defends Food Stamp Change to Count Illegal Income

"Gov. Sam Brownback's administration on Monday fended off suggestions that it is trying to ferret out undocumented immigrants with a new Kansas policy that cuts food stamp benefits for anyone in the country illegally. Appearing before the House Appropriations Committee, a top official at the state social services agency said the new food stamp policy is only intended to level the playing field between U.S. citizens and illegal immigrants," the Topeka Star writes. "The old formula gave households with illegal immigrants on average the ability to earn $900 more a month than U.S. citizens and still receive food stamps."

Asked About H-1B, Obama Says Tech Workers Shouldn't Be Unemployed

"During his Google+ hangout Pres. Obama tells a woman that her husband shouldn't be unemployed from the growth he has seen in the economy. Obama said he finds it "interesting" because he is getting "the word" that someone in her husband's job field "should be able to find something right away." Obama offered to do something if she would just send him her husband's resume," Real Clear Politics writes.

TPS Coming for Syrians?

On Wednesday, January 25th, United for a Free Syria (UFS), in close coordination with a broad coalition . . . has formally requested that the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, to Syrian nationals presently in the United States," notes a press release from the group.

Congress Takes Action on Border Tunnels

"The Senate passed a measure by unanimous consent Monday evening that would give new tools to law enforcement to combat construction of and activities involving cross-border tunnels," Congressional Quarterly reported.

"The bill (S 1236) would expand on current law to make the use, construction or financing of a border tunnel a conspiracy offense. It would consider illegal tunneling as an offense that would be eligible for the authorized use of wiretaps, and it would allow law enforcement to seize assets in border tunnel cases."

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Obama Latest Visa Policy: Playing with Fire

FAIR's Director of Special Projects Jack Martin gives some realistic perspective to President Obama's latest policy change with regards to tourist visas. The bottom line is that the Administration is playing with fire. Read the whole blog at www.immigrationreform.com.

Guilty Verdicts in Honor Killing Trial

"A Canadian court found two Afghan immigrant parents and their eldest son guilty of murdering four female family members in a so-called honor killing Sunday, the climax of a case that's transfixed Canada and sparked a wider debate about clashing cultures amid the country's large immigrant population," the Wall Street Journal writes.

"Canadian commentators have seized on the Shafia case as an example where immigrants aren't required to integrate enough. They have broadly criticized Canadian public services, including teachers and police, for not intervening when the girls complained of their father's sometimes-violent discipline. An editorial in the right-of-center National Post newspaper framed the Shafia girls as victims of Canada's "perverse national habit" of emphasizing "multicultural propriety" over individual welfare."

Four Takeaways from Mitt Romney on Immigration

"On Friday, Romney spoke about immigration to an audience of over 600 Hispanic leaders at the Hispanic Leadership Network, a center-right advocacy group, conference in Miami. The conference was co-chaired by former Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Here are four takeaways from Governor Romney's remarks," writes Fox News Latino.

Self-Deportation is No Joke

"Why would anyone self-deport? The answer is in the middle of Romney's response: You'd self-deport because you don't have legal documentation allowing you to work here. So the mockable, hilarious and unlikely idea is an enforcement of existing law. It remains illegal to work in America without proper documentation; that we collectively look the other way doesn't, in fact, make it legal," says an op-ed in the New York Post.

"Some paint Romney's position as far-right because a version of it has been supported by more zealous immigration opponents, but it's actually a fair compromise. Enforce the laws, secure the border and give those who self-deport a fair track to US citizenship."

Kansas Ag. Secretary Tries To Organize Hiring Network for Illegal Aliens

"Faced with a shortage of hired hands, Kansas ranchers and farmers are appealing to their state's secretary of agriculture for a solution. And he says he has one: hiring illegal immigrants. It's an idea that's unorthodox enough to turn heads but practical enough to justify a series of meetings with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security -- a meeting which Kansas Agriculture Secretary Dale Rodman told the Topeka Capital-Journal he has attended," the Daily Caller writes.

"His goal is for the state government to organize a network of illegal immigrants and willing employers into a hiring network. No such arrangement, of course, can go forward without the federal government's approval, since Washington, D.C. is tasked with enforcing immigration laws."

TN Lawsuit Against 287(g) Based in State Law Technicalities

"Nashville immigration attorney Elliott Ozment filed a lawsuit in January 2011 on behalf of individuals affected by a partnership between the Davidson County Sheriff's Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allows the sheriff to investigate the immigration status of jail inmates and determine whether to turn them over for federal deportation proceedings," the Tennessean says.

"Ozment argues that the 287(g) program, as it is known, violates the 1963 Metro Charter, which stripped the sheriff's office of most of its law enforcement powers but left it in charge of Nashville's jails."

No Protests in Mexico Over Required Voter ID

"National IDs for voting, or proving citizenship, is an idea that is being floated in the United States to crack down on voter fraud, illegal immigration and foreign terrorists. Proponents, such as the Federation for American Immigration Reform, say it is an efficient way to verify identities and prevent crime. Opponents, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, describe it as an invasion of privacy. Minority advocacy groups have even alleged that the cards would frighten minorities going to the polls. But Mexico has not seen many problems with its card, and national identity cards have been issued for years in France, Poland, Singapore, Brazil, to prove citizenship," USA Today writes.

"The credential proved so good at guaranteeing the identification of electors that it became the country's preferred credential, one now possessed by just about every adult Mexican. Its widespread acceptance deepened democracy, too, by giving credibility to the Federal Electoral Institute, analysts say. The agency was created as an independent agency to oversee federal elections."

Former USCIS Director Wants to be the Hispanic Rush Limbaugh

"A former Bush administration official is launching a Spanish-language talk-radio show in hopes of bringing a conservative political message to a medium popular with many Hispanics. 'It will be like Rush Limbaugh but with a little Piolín flavor,' said host Alfonso Aguilar, referring to the godfather of conservative talk and the country's dominant Latino broadcaster," Politico writes.

"Aguilar said he wants to 'challenge the conventional wisdom that if you're a Latino you have to vote with the Democratic Party.' But the program will differ from the likes of Limbaugh in one important way: Aguilar is an ardent advocate for comprehensive immigration reform."

Rabbi Involved in Immigration Fraud Finally Extradited

"A Toronto rabbi who fled the U.S. five years ago and is accused of masterminding a massive immigration fraud mill in America has been extradited from Canada to New York," The Toronto Star writes.

"Rabbi Avraham David, 47, whose real name is Earl Seth David, and who used to run a New York-based immigration law firm faces immigration fraud charges relating to the alleged processing of thousands of false immigration applications."

Brewer, Obama Have Sometimes Testy Exchange

"President Obama and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) appeared to exchange heated words in front of reporters and other public officials on Wednesday as Obama arrived in this Southwestern city for the second stop of his post-State of the Union tour," the Washington Post reported.

Gingrich Pulls Attack Ad After Rubio Complaint

"Newt Gingrich has removed an ad calling Mitt Romney the "most anti-immigrant candidate" in the race, after Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has decided not to endorse anyone, denounced the ad and called it "inflammatory."

"We respect Senator Rubio tremendously and will remove the ad from the rotation" until it is edited to remove the offending language, said Jose Mallea, Gingrich's Florida campaign state director," Fox News reported.

Democrats Attack Romney, Not Gingrich

"The Democratic National Committee has handicapped Tuesday's presidential primary in Florida and come to the conclusion that Mitt Romney is the likely winner or the bigger threat," says the Miami Herald.

"On a conference call with reporters Thursday, Democratic political consultant Freddy Balsera of Miami and state Rep. Darren Soto, D-Orlando, spent 20 minutes blasting Romney for his shifting position on the DREAM act, his "anti-immigrant" rhetoric, and his "ridiculous" suggestion that the solution to illegal immigration is that people will "self deport." Never once did they mention his Republican rivals, particularly former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who is running in a virtual dead heat with the former Massachusetts governor in recent polls."

Texas Will Push Illegal College Students to Apply for Status

"A Texas law that permits some undocumented immigrants to pay in-state college tuition rates, an issue that helped send Republican Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign into a downward spiral, is set to be adjusted Thursday in an effort to remind students of their promise to seek legal status. Thursday's vote on a rule change by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is a small step toward putting more pressure on those students to follow up on their pledge," Fox News Latino writes.

Meanwhile, trustees at the State University of New York said they support giving assistance to illegal aliens.

"The current demographic realities of New York State indicate that many of the brightest and hardest-working students eligible to enroll at SUNY are of undocumented status, and it is imperative that SUNY remain accessible to these students," said H. Carl McCall, chairman of the board of trustees.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - SOTU: Obama Wants More Foreign Workers

Today on ImmigrationReform.com, FAIR's Director of Research Eric Ruark provides some insight into President Obama's State of the Union speech on Tuesday night, and it should not surprise anyone that the President called for more cheap labor. Also, our Government Relations department takes a look at the case of a Haitian criminal illegal alien who should have been deported, but wasn't - with deadly results. See it all at www.immigrationreform.com.

Obama Uses State of the Union to Call for Amnesty Bills

"Facing a deeply divided Congress, [President] Obama appealed for lawmakers to send him legislation on immigration, clean energy and housing, knowing full well the election-year prospects are bleak but aware that polls show that the independent voters who lifted him to the presidency crave bipartisanship. Obama reiterated a call for comprehensive immigration reform, including giving responsible young people a chance to earn their citizenship, and also touted the recently signed free trade agreements with Panama and Colombia," Fox News Latino reports.

Rubio Says Gingrich is Inflamatory, Inaccurate in Spanish Language Attacks on Romney

"Sen. Marco Rubio scolded Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign over a Spanish-language radio ad that accuses rival Mitt Romney of being 'anti-immigrant.' 'This kind of language is more than just unfortunate. It's inaccurate, inflammatory, and doesn't belong in this campaign,' Rubio told The Miami Herald when asked about the ad," the Herald reports.

Samoan Lineman Runs Into Immigration Issue in Georgia

"A relatively new Georgia Board of Regents policy regulating the admission of undocumented students and illegal immigrants has prevented a football recruit from gaining admission to the University of Georgia," the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says.

"Chester Brown, a 6-foot-5, 340-pound offensive lineman from Hinesville, committed to the Bulldogs in July, but he confirmed to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and several other media outlets late Monday night that he was withdrawing his UGA commitment 'for personal reasons,' declining to elaborate."

Is There A Conservative Alternative to the DREAM Act?

"The Conservatives for Comprehensive Immigration Reform coalition is continuing to strive for conservative solutions aimed at fixing our fundamentally broken immigration system. As our 2012 legislative session gets underway, we are calling on our government to rise above the difficult politics of immigration and to work toward these much needed solutions. One such solution that we believe does have bipartisan support, and that could pass in 2012, would be a conservative alternative to the DREAM Act that also includes border security," says Robert Gittelson in The Hill.

"A conservative DREAM Act would not provide for any path to citizenship, or even legal permanent residency status. It would allow these children to stay in this country as non-immigrants or guest workers. This offers a very relevant distinction; it provides no mechanism for the children to petition anyone, including their parents, to come to or stay in the United States."

"Arizona Accord" Pushed by Agribusiness, Big Builders, Etc.

"Arizona is following in Utah's footsteps as business and civic leaders push for public support of five principles they hope will guide Arizona's immigration discussion in a new direction. But Republican lawmakers say they're not interested in that direction. Called the Arizona Accord, the five principles mimic the Utah Compact created by business leaders in 2010," the Arizona Republic writes.

"The principles support developing federal solutions, focusing local law-enforcement resources on criminal activities as opposed to civil violations of federal law, keeping families together and improving the health and well-being of all Arizona children, acknowledging the economic role immigrants play as workers and taxpayers, and treating immigrants with humanity and inclusion."

Romney Says He Favors "Self-Deportation"

"In Monday night's Republican presidential debate out of Florida, Mitt Romney described his plan for reducing the number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.: 'self-deportation,'" CBS News says.

"The former Massachusetts governor was responding to a question about his immigration position by Adam Smith, the political editor at "The Tampa Bay Times," who said he was "confused" about his stance on deportation."

Immigration Issue Gains Prominence Ahead of Florida Vote

"The issue of immigration, which barely simmered during the first three Republican presidential contests, could reach a boil now that the candidates have arrived in Florida for the state's Jan. 31 primary," NPR reports.

"Florida, with its large and influential Latino population, provides the earliest gauge of the difficulty facing any eventual GOP nominee in courting Hispanic voters, who increasingly view Republicans' rhetoric about immigration as anti-Hispanic."

Intra-Hispanic Rivalries Surface Over GOP Immigration Debate

"Those of Mexican descent comprise of almost 70% of the entire Latino population while those of Cuban descent make up of only 3% of the Hispanic population, yet we see Cuban-Americans trying to speak on behalf of the entire Latino population. This is an outrage particularly when we don't see them empathize on an issue that is near and dear to our hearts -- the immigration issue," says DeeDee Garcia Blase, formerly with Somos Republicans.

"[Rep.] Diaz-Balart underestimates the intelligence of Latinos living outside of Florida. He cannot claim to be for free markets and Capitalism when he supports Romney's protectionist and isolationist policies towards immigrants," she continues.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Unemployment Drops Sharply in Alabama

Today on ImmigrationReform.com FAIR's Ira Mehlman takes a look at new unemployment figures in Alabama that show a sharp drop in unemployment in the state since passage of Alabama's tough immigration enforcement law. Plus, our guest blogger Gregory Sokoloff gives his perspective about GOP candidate Mitt Romney's recent 'ambush' by an illegal alien at a NYC fundraiser. You can read about it at www.immigrationreform.com.

Felon Released by DHS Kills 3

"When burglar Kesler Dufrene became a twice-convicted felon in 2006, a Bradenton judge shipped him to prison for five years. And because of his convictions, an immigration judge ordered Dufrene deported to his native Haiti. That never happened," says the Miami Herald.

"Instead, when Dufrene's state prison term was up, Miami immigration authorities in October 2010 released him from custody. Two months later, North Miami police say, he slaughtered three people, including a 15-year-old girl."

Obama's Changes Weaken Immigration Law

"Last summer, the Obama administration began to employ "prosecutorial discretion" to suspend action against most of 300,000 illegal immigrants slated for deportation," says Richard F. LaMountain with Oregonians for Immigration Reform.

"Today, that appears but the opening salvo in a series of moves, as per commentator W. James Antle III, to effectively 'stop enforcing the law against whole categories' of illegal immigrants 'and to use necessary administrative leeway to effect policy changes that lack support in Congress.'"

Unemployment Drops Again in Alabama After Jobs Open Due to Immigration Law

"Alabama's unemployment rate continues to drop amid state-wide enforcement of a new immigration law, despite Democratic efforts to block and stigmatize the popular reform. December's unemployment rate fell to 8.1 percent, down from 8.7 percent in November and 9.8 percent in September," the Daily Caller notes.

"'In the last three months alone, we've seen an unprecedented drop of 1.7 percentage points,' noted Alabama Republican Gov. Robert Bentley in a Jan. 20 statement."

Obama Moves to Weaken Consular Screening

"In a transparent attempt to win favor with the powerful tourism industry, President Obama announced that his administration will waive consular interview requirements for people renewing U.S. visas. He also directed his administration to expand the number of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). Citizens of VWP nations can enter the U.S. without obtaining a visa in advance. The net result of both changes -- counterintuitive in a post 9-11 world -- is that millions of additional people will enter the U.S. with less scrutiny," noted FAIR in a press release yesterday.

One in Six Illegal Aliens Qualify for Backdoor Amnesty During "Test"

"U.S. immigration officials, testing controversial new protocols that give them discretion to "administratively close" immigration cases instead of taking them to court, have recommended that about 14% of the nearly 12,000 cases reviewed thus far be closed, allowing those people to remain in the United States. Of the 11,682 immigration cases reviewed in two test cities -- Baltimore and Denver -- officials have recommended closing 1,667 cases, provided they pass a final background check," says CNN in a report on the program.

Farmers May Plant Less, Mechanize More After Immigration Laws

"Georgia and Alabama have approved laws that have tough enforcement provisions that farmers say are scaring migrant workers away from the states . . . Some producers said they might reduce the number of acres they plant or shift to less labor-intensive crops, while others are bracing for higher labor prices and have turned to new recruiting tools to attract workers," CNN reports.

"Haygood and some other farmers in both states are using a federal guest worker program, known as H-2A, which lets farmers bring in an unlimited number of temporary agriculture workers. But some complain it's too expensive and doesn't allow enough flexibility."

Poll Finds Marylanders Split on Tuition Aid to Illegal Aliens

"Maryland residents remain closely divided over the Dream Act and same-sex marriage, but the strongly Democratic state overwhelmingly approves of party leaders Gov. Martin O'Malley and President Obama, according to a Gonzales research poll released Wednesday," the Washington Times writes. "On the so-called Dream Act, which would allow some children of illegal immigrants to receive in-state college tuition rates, 48 percent agreed and 49 percent disagreed, within the poll's 3.5 point margin of error."

Remittances to Mexico Rebound

"Ending a three-year slump, remittances to Mexico are finally on the upswing, thanks to an improving U.S. job market. Analysts expect that money sent home last year by Mexicans living abroad, most of them residing in the United States, will top $23 billion when Mexico's central bank releases annual figures this month. Although still below the peak of $26 billion in 2007, that would be a solid 8% increase over 2010," the LA Times writes.

Gallup Poll Shows Majority Unhappy With Immigration System, Numbers Admitted

"The majority of Americans say they are dissatisfied with the level of immigration into the country, and more than four out of 10 of those concerned about the issue say they want to see fewer foreigners entering the U.S., according to a Gallup Poll out Tuesday. The percentage of people unhappy with the level of immigration, 64 percent, was slightly lower than the level dissatisfaction measured in Jan. 2008, when 72 percent said they were unhappy about the issue," Politico reports.

Left-Columnist: Would Romney Represent More Enforcement?

Matthew Yglasias at Slate says he thinks a Romney victory would mean more immigration enforcement. "Romney, in both the 2008 and 2012 primaries has run more-restrictionist-than-thou attacks against McCain, Newt Gingrich, and Rick Perry. Things sometimes happen on the campaign trail only to be forgotten later, but given that Romney's positioning on this is longstanding, in line with the views of party activists, and in line with the views of most congressional Republicans I think we should assume that a Romney administration would represent a real decisive turn of the Republican Party toward this view."

Former ICE Analyst Sentenced in Fraud Case

"A former Intelligence analyst for Immigration and Customs Enforcement was sentenced to prison Wednesday for his role in an alleged embezzlement scheme, and federal prosecutors announced another former analyst and a former agency contractor have pleaded guilty to related charges," ABC News says.

Cook County May Change Sanctuary Law

"The Cook County Board will hear from law enforcement leaders about its controversial decision to ignore federal officials' requests to detain possible illegal immigrants who might otherwise be eligible for release from jail," the Chicago Daily Herald writes.

"Some commissioners want to amend the policy, which was put in place in September, to reinstate such "holds" for suspected illegal immigrants who were accused or convicted of serious felonies. A committee hearing is likely in two weeks, county officials said, though no date has been set."

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Interesting Findings in New Georgia Ag Report

In today's edition of ImmigrationReform.com we take a look at a Georgia Department of Agriculture (GADOA) report on the effect of HB87, Georgia's immigration enforcement law, on farmers in the state. Plus, take a look at a ridiculous quote by a member of the Colorado Democratic party. Find these blogs and more at www.immigrationreform.com.

Travel Industry Lobbies To Weaken Rules

"Travel groups and convention planners are among the groups pressing the United States to change some of its more onerous visa requirements, arguing that the current rules are keeping out many international business travelers and that a faster, more efficient process would help American companies compete in the global marketplace," the New York Times writes.

Rep. Aderholt Scolds DHS for Abandoning Deportations

"An Alabama Republican is taking the Obama administration to task for its decision to suspend the implementation of a controversial deportation program in his state," CQ Today reported.

"Rep. Robert B. Aderholt, who chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, sent a letter Tuesday to Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, urging her to continue rolling out the Secure Communities program in Alabama."

Cook County Commisioners Try to Reverse Sanctuary Policy

"Three Cook County commissioners are pushing for big changes to an ordinance that frees some inmates wanted by immigration authorities. The commissioners say they'll argue for amendments at Wednesday's County Board meeting and press for a public hearing on them," WBEZ reports.

Border Patrol Plans Cutback in Voluntary Repatriations

"U.S. Border Patrol officials announced Tuesday what may be the toughest policy aimed at deterring illegal immigration since Operation Hold the Line began 19 years ago. Details on the new policy or strategy are expected to start filtering out today. Essentially, the Border Patrol plans to curtail the practice of using voluntary returns to send undocumented immigrants back to their home countries without punishment," the El Paso Times says.

Obama Administration Slows Deportations During Amnesty Review

"In a trial of a politically divisive program, U.S. prosecutors in Denver and Baltimore are reviewing thousands of deportation cases to determine which illegal immigrants might stay in the country -- perhaps indefinitely -- so officials can reduce an overwhelming backlog by focusing mainly on detainees with criminal backgrounds or who are deemed threats to national security," the AP reported.

"'It's a holiday for anybody in the country illegally,' said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform, which opposes the initiative. 'They're doing this with the intention of dismissing as many of them as they possibly can.'"

Labor Dept. Settles Case With Employer Charged With Discriminating

"The Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has announced that government contractor JacintoPort International has agreed to settle allegations of hiring discrimination on the basis of race involving 48 African-American and 21 Caucasian job applicants rejected for longshoreman positions at the company's Houston facility," LegalNewsLine.com writes. "DOL investigators found that the company was giving preferential treatment to Latino applicants and systematically discriminating against African-Americans and Caucasians seeking longshoreman jobs."

ICE Director Morton Tells Cook County That Sanctuary Policy "May" Break Federal Law

"Cook County's controversial illegal immigration policy, which critics say paved the way for a suspect in a deadly drunken driving crash to bond out of jail and disappear, may very well violate federal law, the nation's immigration director said in a letter to County Board President Toni Preckwinkle," the Chicago Sun Times writes.

Death Toll in Mexican Drug War Nears 50,000

"Mexico's sprawling capital had been something of an haven from the brutal cartel violence along the border and in outlying states. But gangs have been fighting for an increasingly lucrative local drug market for more than a year, mainly on capital's working class outer neighborhoods and suburbs," says Homeland Security Today.

"The [Mexican] Attorney General's Office said Wednesday that 47,515 drug-related killings occurred from December 2006, when Calderon deployed thousands of troops to drug hot spots, through September 2011. Drug-related killings went up 11 percent in the first nine months of 2011 when 12,903 people were killed, compared to 11,583 in the same period of 2010, the office said."

Tax Credit for Illegal Aliens New GOP Target

"It's a Catch-22 that only Washington could conceive of -- a small classic in this city's divide-and-conquer politics. As talks resume in Congress on paying for the payroll tax holiday, Republicans are proposing to find billions in savings by denying child tax credit refunds to working-class immigrant parents who lack a Social Security number proving they are authorized to work in the U.S," Politico says.

"Treasury data show that 21 million tax filers [legal and illegal] in 2011 claimed the refundable credits, which averaged about $676 per child and totaled $26.1 billion. That's more than some Cabinet departments spend annually, and represents a five-fold increase since 2002, when the cost was closer to $5 billion."

Gingrich Says Romney Panders to "Hardliners"

"Republican Newt Gingrich stopped in Miami on Thursday night to raise money, bash opponent Mitt Romney as a 'Massachusetts moderate' and to position himself as the harshest critic of Cuba's Castro regime. Trailing in the presidential polls, Gingrich also swiped at Mitt Romney for 'pandering to hardliners'" over immigration and for touting potentially bogus job-creation figures," the Miami Herald writes.

Catholic Bishops Endorse Amnesty Effort

"Catholics should be politically active at both the local and national level to promote a humane reform of immigration law is the message coming out of a conference in Salt Lake City sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Catholic Legal Immigration Network," Fox News Latino writes.

"'The USCCB doesn't support any state immigration accord, though the dioceses and the state Catholic bishops conferences have done so,' Kevin Appleby, director of migration policy and public affairs for the USCCB, told Efe from the Utah capital."

DHS Union Says Dispute Over Sending Agents to "Amnesty School" Overblown

"A squabble is brewing between Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the union that represents its rank and file agents. At issue is the training that needs to be conducted so ICE can implement the Obama Administration's new approach to deportations of illegal immigrants. That policy calls for the agency's scarce deportation resources to be focused on the most dangerous criminal aliens, rather than having ICE deport every illegal immigrant it comes across," Federal News Radio writes.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - NY Times Op-Ed Needs Dose of 'Reality'

FAIR's own Ira Mehlman takes to task an article written by University of Southern California professor Dowell Myers which appeared in the New York Times. The analysis and rebuttal to professor Myers' fantasy article is well worth the read and can be seen at www.immigrationreform.com.

Debate in Maryland Focuses on Tuition Bill for Illegal Immigrants

"State officials debated what they said were the pros and cons of the Maryland Dream Act on Sunday in Lusby during a panel discussion that aimed to inform the public. About 120 people attended the panel discussion at Middleham and St. Peter's Parish, 'The Big Conversation.' The Rev. David G. Showers said he and several committee members worked together for more than a year to put together the first session, where three panelists spoke in favor of the law and three panelists spoke in opposition to it," SoMdNews.com reports.

"Mike Hethmon of the Immigration Reform Law Institute said Virginia passed legislation in 2003 banning the receipt of public benefits for illegal immigrants and also restricted the enrollment of illegal immigrants in most state and public universities. 'Virginia has reacted exactly the opposite of the state of Maryland,' Hethmon said. 'We've seen, as a result, movement of criminal gangs and movement of the most marginal types of illegal aliens from Virginia to the more hospitable shores of Maryland.'"

Kobach Endorses Romney

"Mitt Romney, who used to try to sound like a moderate on immigration, has dropped the pretense. On Wednesday, he proudly accepted the endorsement of the anti-immigrant activist Kris Kobach, architect of the nation's most radical immigration crackdowns, including the unconstitutional show-your-papers laws in Arizona and Alabama," huffs the New York Times in an editorial.

"Mr. Romney has flipped and flopped all over on immigration, but in allying himself with Mr. Kobach he has lurched toward the extremist right. 'Kris has been a true leader on securing our borders and stopping the flow of illegal immigration into this country,' Mr. Romney said."

Missouri Bill Mirrors Other Tough Enforcement Laws

"Missouri could be the next battleground in a nationwide fight over tougher immigration laws. State Sen. Will Kraus, a Lee's Summit Republican, is sponsoring a bill that would mandate that all public schools verify the immigration status of enrollees. It also would require law enforcement officers to check immigration status on all stops when they have reasonable cause, and create a state misdemeanor for not carrying proper citizenship documentation," the Kansas City Star writes.

50 Charged in Massive ID Fraud Ring

"Fifty people have been accused of conspiring to sell the identities of hundreds of Puerto Ricans to undocumented immigrants on the U.S. mainland in the largest single fraud case ever for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, authorities said Wednesday. Hundreds of birth certificates, Social Security numbers and driver's licenses were sold for up to $2,500 a set as part of a black market ring based in Puerto Rico that operated from since at least April 2009, according to ICE Director John Morton," Fox News Latino writes.

Michigan Gov. Wants More Immigrants

"Michigan Governor Rick Snyder calls himself the most pro-immigration governor in the country, and he's out to prove it [. . .] Snyder, 53, a former venture capitalist and chairman of computer maker Gateway Inc., wants Congress to ease the entry of people with advanced degrees, especially in science and technical fields, and newly minted foreign graduates to work in the U.S. The first-term governor's public embrace of immigrants is an anomaly in a party more often associated with arguments for Mexican border fences and deportations," BusinessWeek writes.

La Raza's Munoz Gets a Promotion at the White House

"The White House named Cecilia Munoz as director of the Domestic Policy Council, elevating the president's point person on immigration and outreach to the Hispanic community to his senior staff," the Wall Street Journal writes.

"The move comes at the start of an election year where President Barack Obama is counting on strong support from Latino voters, though officials pointed to Ms. Muñoz's work on a range of issues to explain her selection. It also comes a day after the surprise resignation of Chief of Staff William M. Daley shook up the White House, and Mr. Obama named budget director Jacob Lew as the centrist Democrat's successor."

Romney Touts Immigration Policies in South Carolina

"While all eyes were on Iowa and New Hampshire, and how GOP presidential contenders would fare in each, the battle for a South Carolina victory was well underway - with immigration as a hot-button issue. It is a topic that Mitt Romney, the winner in both Iowa and New Hampshire, has been more than willing to address - aiming to show his conservative bona fides," Fox News Latino writes.

Obama Administration Extends TPS for Salvadorans

"The Obama administration has extended temporary protected status to El Salvadoran nationals through late 2013, shielding them from deportation and forcible return to their home country. The Department of Homeland Security cites ongoing disruptions from a series of earthquakes in 2001, concluding that 'El Salvador remains unable, temporarily, to handle adequately the return of its nationals,'" Politico writes.

Today on ImmigrationReform.com - Open Border Rush to Judgement, and AZ Looking Good

In today's ImmigrationReform.com blog we take a close look at how amnesty supporters were quick to condemn ICE, and also how Arizona policymakers have succeeded in deterring illegal immigration. Read it all at www.immigrationreform.com.

Arizona Gov. Brewer Defends Immigration Law

"In a year in which her state will play a high profile role in the battle between the states and the federal government over healthcare and immigration policy, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer(R) addressed the legislature Monday with her annual State of the State message," Governorsjournal.com writes.

"Brewer wasted no time in defending her state's position on the immigration issue and cementing her place as one of the leading national symbols of opposition to the Obama administration. She said, 'I take a back seat to no one when it comes to taking on Washington, D.C. When it comes to standing up for Arizona.'"

Case of Deported Teen Shows If You Want to Run Away to Colombia, You Can

"A Texas teenager who was deported to Colombia after claiming to be an illegal immigrant was back in the United States on Friday and at the center of an international mystery over how a minor could be sent to a country where she is not a citizen," CBS News says.

"Her family has questioned why U.S. officials didn't do more to verify her identity and say she is not fluent in Spanish and had no ties to Colombia. While many facts of the case involving Jakadrien Lorece Turner remain unclear, U.S. and Colombian officials have pointed fingers over who is responsible."

DHS Changes Story on FOIA Request; Secure Communities Memo Released

"The Obama Administration has quietly thrown in the towel in a long-running battle to prevent disclosure of internal legal memos about its plans to force local law enforcement agencies to participate in the controversial immigration-enforcement system known as Secure Communities. The government also admitted it made an embarrassing mistake by giving a federal judge false information last year about the circulation of one of the documents," Politico writes.

"U.S. District Court Judge Shira Scheindlin ruled in October that ICE had to make public a key memo describing the legal basis for forcing local police agencies to have fingerprint checks submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation also cross-checked in databases of alleged immigration violators."

Gingrich Stands Behind Draft Board Idea for Amnesty

Newt Gingrich defended his immigration plan at a Latino outreach event in New Hampshire that was later disrupted by Occupy protesters. "Gingrich told the crowd that he favors modernizing the process for obtain temporary visas to visit the United States, as well as a more robust guest worker program. He said he would like to secure the border and said the United States has a 'moral obligation' to help Mexico fight drug traffickers largely funded by U.S. money."

Obama's New Training Program for DHS Focuses on "Discretionary" Enforcement

"The federal agency in charge of deportations is conducting a far-reaching training course to push immigration enforcement officers and prosecutors nationwide to focus their efforts on removing immigrants convicted of crimes," the New York Times reported.

"But in a new sign of the deep dissension over immigration, the union representing 7,000 deportation officers of the agency, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE, has not allowed its members to participate in the training. Without the formal consent of the union, the administration's strategy could be significantly slowed for months in labor negotiations."

Most GOP Candidates Back Enforcement Measures

"When it comes to illegal immigration, Republican presidential candidates are talking like it's 1999. Listening to the GOP White House aspirants, voters might not know that the number of illegal immigrants in the United States is down, attempted border crossings are at a 40-year low and President Barack Obama has deported undocumented workers at twice the rate of his predecessor," says James Rosen with McClatchy Newspapers.

"The issue is likely to heat up in the next two weeks as the candidate campaign in South Carolina's first-in-the-South Republican primary Jan. 21. Illegal immigration has long been a hot-button topic in South Carolina, where U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint was lionized by Republican activists for his leading role in killing 2007 reform legislation he branded as amnesty."

Obama Policy Shift Another Part of Backdoor Amnesty

"President Obama proposed a new rule last week that would allow certain illegal immigrants with U.S. citizen spouses or parents to stay here while they apply for hardship waivers, the first step for many before they can submit applications for legal residency. Without waivers, illegal immigrants can be barred from reentering the U.S. for up to 10 years," the LA Times writes.

"Under the current rule, those who seek waivers have to go to their native countries and wait for the applications to be processed by U.S. officials, which could take months or years."

Massachusetts Court Mandates Tax Paid Health Care for Illegal Aliens

"Massachusetts lawmakers must quickly come up with about $150 million to provide health insurance to tens of thousands of legal immigrants, after the state's highest court ruled yesterday that they were illegally excluded from subsidized coverage available to other residents," the Boston Globe writes.

"The Supreme Judicial Court said a 2009 law that cut legal immigrants from the insurance program 'violates their rights to equal protection under the Massachusetts Constitution.'"

Obama Administration Changes Rules to Benefit Illegal Aliens

"The Obama administration plans a rule change to help reduce the time illegal immigrant spouses and children are separated from citizen relatives while they try to win legal status in the United States, a senior administration official said. Currently, illegal immigrants must leave the country before they can ask the government to waive a three- to 10-year ban on legally coming back to the U.S. The length of the ban depends on how long they have lived in the U.S. without permission," the AP reported.

New Campaign Against Notario Fraud

"The logjam in Washington D.C. over immigration reform has led to an unintended consequence: Fraud. So called 'notarios' who sometimes also go by 'immigration consultants' are essentially non-lawyer, non-licensed legal advisers that are popular with illegal immigrants seeking some kind of legal status," Fronteras Desk writes.

"These notarios can charge several thousand dollars for work visas, green cards or citizenship applications. Sometimes it works. Most of the time, it doesn't."

Congressmen Ask For Continued Guard Presence at Border

"Several congressmen sent a letter to President Barack Obama asking him not to reduce the number of National Guard soldiers deployed to support border-security missions. 'We have grave concerns about this proposed shift in policy and we urge you to extend the current deployment of 1,200 National Guard troops on the southern border,' said the Dec. 13 letter signed by a bipartisan group of members of Congress," the El Paso Times writes.

How Much Credit for Obama in Lower Apprehension Numbers?

"Looking ahead to the new year ahead of us, these next two weeks I want to look at important developments affecting Latin America that are worth keeping a close eye on in 2012. The first is the changing nature of immigration," says Shannon O'Neil at The Atlantic.

"The flow of immigrants from Latin America to the United States, a constant and often accelerating trend of the last three decades, slowed in 2011. The most prominent was the change from Mexico. New arrivals fell off a cliff, with apprehensions at the border hitting their lowest levels in seventeen years. The drop is so great that Doug Massey, head of the Mexican Migration Project (a long term survey of Mexican emigration at Princeton University), claims that for the first time in sixty years, Mexican migration to the United States has hit a net zero."

Arpaio Says Facts Will Vindicate Him in Civil Rights Case

"The controversial Arizona sheriff accused of a long list of civil rights violations conditionally agreed Wednesday to discuss with federal officials ways to correct the alleged violations. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said that his office first needs the U.S. Justice Department to provide facts to back up its allegations that his office racially profiles Latinos, bases immigration enforcement on racially charged citizen complaints and punishes Hispanic jail inmates for speaking Spanish," Fox News Latino writes.

If You Lie About Being a Foreign National, There's No Surprise ICE May Deport You

"A teenage girl from Texas who went missing two years ago has turned up in Colombia after being mistakenly deported by U.S. Immigration authorities. At only 14-years old, Jakadrien Turner ran away from home in the fall of 2010 after the divorce of her parents and the death of the grandfather. She made her was Dallas to Houston where she was arrested by police for theft," Fox News Latino writes.

"Turner gave Houston police a false name, representing that she was an adult from Colombia with no legal status in the U.S. Throughout her criminal legal proceedings in Texas, the 14-year old non-Spanish speaker maintained her false identity and was convicted in a Texas state court., according to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) statement provided to Fox News Latino."

Cook County Policy Frees Killer Who Vanishes

"Chicago politics didn't kill William "Dennis" McCann. What killed the 66-year-old man was that black Dodge Neon driven by an alleged drunken driver as McCann walked across Kedzie Avenue last summer," says Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass.

"But the politicians allowed the man charged in the fatal crash to skip out of jail despite pleas by federal authorities to hold him. Thanks to Chicago politicians, the alleged drunken driver is most likely hiding in Mexico."

USCIS Pressuring for Rubber Stamp Approval of Visas

"Higher-ups within U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services are pressuring rank-and-file officers to rubber-stamp immigrants' visa applications, sometimes against the officers' will, according to a Homeland Security report and internal documents exclusively obtained by The Daily," The Daily reported.

"A 40-page report, drafted by the Office of Inspector General in September but not publicly released, details the immense pressure immigration service officers are under to approve visa applications quickly, sometimes while overlooking concerns about fraud, eligibility or security."

DHS Sets Up Special Hotline for Illegal Aliens

"U.S. immigration authorities are setting up a telephone hotline to ensure that detainees held by local police forces partnering in a controversial federal immigration enforcement program are adequately informed of their rights," Reuters reported.

"The initiative announced by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency on Thursday provides a toll-free number to field queries from detainees held by state or local law enforcement agencies 'if they believe they may be U.S. citizens or victims of a crime.'"

Georgia Ag Survey Says Workers in Short Supply

"A study by the Georgia Agriculture Department of the state farm workforce shows that finding legal employees with the skill and desire to do labor-intensive harvesting is extremely difficult. The reasons, says a report released Tuesday of the study's findings, include the complexity and expense of government programs intended to help farmers employ guest workers, and the physically demanding nature of many agricultural jobs," Fox News Latino writes.

LA Arson Spree Probe Focuses on Immigration Connection

"The 'person of interest' detained for questioning in a string of arson fires is a native of Germany who may have been in dispute with federal immigration officials, sources said," the LA Times writes.

"The man appears to have been battling the U.S. government over the immigration status of a relative, but the officials said they don't know if this played any role in the case. The Los Angeles Police Department is in communication with federal immigration officials concerning the dispute, the law enforcement sources said."

Univision Reveals Bias; Chairman Calls Sen. Rubio "Anti-Hispanic"

"Haim Saban is an Egyptian born Israeli-American and Chairman of Univision, the Hispanic television station. For the past several months, Univision has tried to get Marco Rubio to come on Univision for an interview and offered to kill or run a negative story on Marco Rubio's brother-in-law depending on what Rubio did," says Erick Erickson at Human Events.

"Senator Rubio would not be bought and Univision ran the story on his brother-in-law. Subsequently, all of the Republican candidates refused to participate in a debate on Univision, opting instead for a debate with Univision's competitor Telemundo."

Griswold: Conservatives Abandoning Reagan on Immigration?

"Immigration has loomed larger as an issue in the Republican presidential debates than it does in the minds of most voters. Driven by a minority of activists in their party, the candidates have been drawn into an unhealthy competition to see who can sound the harshest in cracking down on low-skilled illegal immigrants from Latin America. So far the biggest loser in the competition is the Republican party," says Daniel Griswold, who favors opening the immigration process and works at the open-borders CATO Institute.

"The party is losing out because the rhetoric brings us no closer to actually solving the problem, while driving away voters crucial to the party's long-term success."

Romney Would Veto DREAM Act

"Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney said on Saturday he would veto a proposal granting U.S. citizenship to undocumented immigrants who were brought to the country as children, a pledge that won hearty applause from Iowa conservatives he hopes to win over," Reuters reported.

"A young woman asked Romney about the bipartisan proposal known as the Dream Act, during an appearance at a crowded restaurant in Le Mars, a conservative Republican stronghold in western Iowa. 'The question is if I were elected and Congress were to pass the Dream Act, would I veto it and the answer is yes,' Romney said."