NEWS BYTES Three former INS district directors have joined the growing number of people saying that amnesty needs to be offered to the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the US. They announced their support of such a program at a news conference in New York City, saying it was necessary because of the strong economy and the difficulty filling jobs in many sectors. They stressed that if an amnesty is granted, it should be accompanied by increased border enforcement and new measures to address future US labor market needs. One of those supporting a new amnesty was Benedict Ferro, district director of the INS in Baltimore. He was responsible for running the amnesty enacted in 1986.
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Richard Riordan, the mayor of Los Angeles, has criticized the INS for taking too long to process travelers at Los Angeles International Airport. In a recent letter to INS Commissioner Doris Meissner, he said that times for passengers to pass through inspection has significantly increased this year. Many take more than two hours for processing, well over the stated INS time it should take – 45 minutes.
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A number of Honduran and Nicaraguan nationals in the US in Temporary Protected Status granted in the wake of Hurricane Mitch, which devastated Central America in October 1998, are being fired from their jobs despite the fact that they are legally authorized to work. The problem is being caused by confusion about the TPS program. When it was initially granted, it was to expire this summer. However, last May the INS extended the period of TPS. The cards issued those having TPS have not been updated, so many employers, not aware of the extension, are firing employees. The INS says it will call employers who have fired workers and explain the situation to them. Not all employers, however, are reassured by this, and refuse to rehire the workers it fired because of fear of being hit with employer sanctions. Hondurans and Nicaraguans in TPS are authorized to work until July 5, 2001.
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Jurisdiction over asylum applications filed by individuals residing in Hawaii and Guam is being moved from the San Francisco Asylum Office to the Los Angeles Asylum Office. Also, the place of filing for residents of Hawaii and Guam is changing from the Nebraska Service Center to the California Service Center. The Nebraska Service Center will continue to accept asylum applications filed by residents of Hawaii and Guam until August 23, 2000, after which date they will be rejected.
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An Immigration Judge has refused to drop charges of illegal entry against Meriam Al-Khalifa, the member of the Bahraini royal family who snuck into the US to be with the US Marine she fell in love with in Bahrain. This means that Al-Khalifa will have to win political asylum to be able to stay in the US. No date for a future hearing has yet been set. < Back | Next > Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk. | 
