-Report touts legalization as economic stimulus

-NYC mayor vows fight for amnesty

-Catholic Bishops press for amnesty

-Iraqi collaborator denied U.S. permanent residency

-Visa revocation procedures enabled Christmas Bomber plot

-Feds implement new online visa application program-India

-NJ in-state tuition bill fails

-Church, activists plan to airlift Haitian orphans

-NY senator opposes NYC detention center shutdown

-Secretary Napolitano Announces Streamlined Citizenship Application    Process for Members of the Military

-NY senator, FL pols call for TPS extension to Haitians

-US officials preparing for potential wave of Haitian immigration

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Report touts legalization as economic stimulus

CNN is reporting on a joint study that advocates for legalization of unauthorized immigrants because of the policy’s unrivaled economic benefits. The report titled 'Raising the Floor for American Workers, The Economic Benefits of Comprehensive Immigration Reform' was published by the Center for American Progress and the American Immigration Council. The study concludes that legislation that both targets legalization of the more than 11 million unauthorized migrants in the United States and also creates flexible legal limits on future immigration would lead to a raise in wages, an increase in consumption, the creation jobs and an increase in tax revenue.

The study considers the economic benefits of the deportation of all undocumented workers against the creation of temporary worker programs, and the legalization of the current undocumented population.  In comparison to deportation and a temporary worker program, legalization would contribute the most to the United States economy, according to the report.   While the study estimates that legalization of the current undocumented population would equal to at least $1.5 trillion in added U.S. gross domestic product over a 10-year period, it also estimated that a worker program would lead to a gain of only $792 billion and deportation would lead to a loss of $2.6 trillion in gross domestic product over 10 years.

The authors argue that the 3 million people granted legalization through the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) were able to gain access to better jobs and education.  However, the study also argues that after this policy was enacted immigration reform passed as enforcement-only policy, which the report points to as the continues a cycle of unauthorized migration and low wages. In addition, the study finds that enforcement—only immigration policies have not decreased the number of unauthorized migrants flowing into the United States plus these policies are extremely costly.

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/07/immigration.economy/

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NYC mayor vows fight for legalization

The Asian Journal reports that during his third inaugural address, New York Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, announced his plan to focus on immigration policy during his upcoming term. He emphasized that he will work with President Obama and federal politicians to change the country’s immigration policies.

During his speech Bloomberg drew a parallel between immigrants and a prosperous economy. The Mayor likened the immigrant community of New York City with the entrepreneur spirit responsible for bolstering the City’s economy.

The Mayor pledged that his third term would be dedicating to boosting the City’s economy by supporting the small businesses, which are often owned by immigrants. Thus, the Mayor promised to help the economy by working to change the immigration policies that affect the entrepreneurs of New York City.

http://www.asianjournal.com/dateline-usa/15-dateline-usa/4152-bloomberg-vows-to-fight-for-immigration-reform.html

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Catholic Bishops press for legalization

CNS News reports that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is advocating for immigration reform to be passed in 2010. The USCCB is supporting the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (H.R. 4321), which was introduced in the House of Representatives December 15, 2009. The USCCB believes the proposed bill highlights the importance of a humane approach to reforming the current immigration system.

In an effort to call the attention of lawmakers nationwide to immigration reform, the Church has begun prayer vigils across the country along with a postcard campaign. During the campaign, parishioners are asked to send postcards to their congressmen urging for comprehensive immigration reform this year. The postcards are part of a larger campaign-- 'Justice for Immigrants'-- that provides other resources for parishioners to support immigration reform.

CNS  reports that while the Church’s efforts are supported by the Church elders, many parishioners do not agree with the Church sponsored call to push immigration reform. During the last months of 2009, a poll conducted by Zogby International showed that about 60 percent of the Catholic respondents disagree with the Church’s position on illegal immigration. However, the USCCB does not take the poll’s result as conclusive because of what they cite as biased methodology on the part of Zogby International. However, the USCCB does recognize that individual parishioners may take issue with the Church’s pro-immigrant stance. Yet, the Catholic officials say that they will take any disagreement as an opportunity to explain the Church’s view.

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/59466

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Iraqi collaborator denied U.S. permanent residency

The New York Times reports that an interpreter for the United States Army in Iraq-- Ahmed Alrais—who fled Iraq with his family after his life had been threatened for working with the Army - has been denied an application to become a permanent resident of the United States. Since he could not find a job in the United States due to the recession and he did not have a green card, Alrais decided to return to work as an interpreter for the U.S Army in Iraq.

Federal officials at United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) refuse to accept the time Alraishas has been working at a United States military base in Iraq for the time necessary for Permanent Resident applicants to live in the United States. Therefore, his application was denied on the basis that Alrais has not lived in the United States long enough to be considered for a green card.

The Times cites Alrais’s situation as a paradox, where not only a person who is aiding the U.S military in Iraq during a time of war is denied permanent residency, but also that the time spent in the United States would probably mean a year as an unemployed refugee. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/us/08cncfamily.html

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Visa revocation procedures enabled Christmas Bomber plot[g2] 

The Washington Times reports that airplane bomb suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutalla was allowed to keep his American visa due to miscommunication among federal agencies. In a speech in response to the failed bomb attempt, President Obama said that the failure to catch the bomber was not a lack of intelligence information, but, rather, gaps in agency communication. Although different agencies had information about Abdulmutalla, the pieces of information each agency had were not enough on their own to link him with an airline bombing plot.

Although the State Department has full authority to cancel visas without permission from other agencies, it did not have the information to cancel the visa. While intelligence agencies were aware of the potential threat Abdulmutalla posed to the United States, these agencies did not have the power to rescind the visa. Thus, President Obama not only recognized that interagency problems exist, but also declared that his administration is examining how to better share information. 

One of the first steps in breaching the information gap, President Obama stated, will be for United States embassies and consulates around the world to include current visa information along with their warnings of individuals with terrorist ties.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/11/interagency-gaps-let-bomb-suspect-retain-visa/

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Feds implement new online visa application program-India

The Press Trust of India is reporting that an online visa application will be available in early February for those citizens of India wishing to apply for a United States nonimmigrant visa.

The United States embassy in India made the announcement in hopes that the paperless application will make the visa application process more efficient. Instead of only finding an electronic copy of the visa application form, those wishing to apply for a U.S non-immigrant visa will be able to also submit the application via the Internet.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/465067_New-online-US-visa-application-process-from-Feb-1

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NJ in-state tuition bill fails

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that proposed legislation to allow illegally present immigrants to pay in-state tuition failed in the New Jersey legislature. A vote on the bill was canceled, which has postponed a vote on the bill indefinitely.

Proponents of the bill believed that the bill could provide the possibility of higher education to those children who did not choose to enter the United States illegally. However, opponents’ main concern lay in the economic repercussions. Those who opposed in-state tuition for New Jersey Colleges and Universities were wary of the impact of the measure during a time of economic trouble.

Newly elected Governor, Christopher J. Christie, has also expressed disdain for the measure. Voting on the measure is unlikely. Pro-immigrant groups are now focusing on convincing Governor Christie of the merits of the proposal and waiting for the passage of a similar federal bill.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/81177907.html

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Church, activists plan to airlift Haitian orphans

The Miami Herald is reporting that Catholic Charities and other South Florida immigrant rights organizations are working on a program to relocate thousands of orphaned Haitian children to the United States in response to the earthquake that ravaged Haiti early in January.

The program will attempt to emulate Operation Pedro Pan. During that 1960s program, Cuban children were airlifted and placed with family members or orphanages in the United States in response to the Castro regime. The Cuban children who were part of Operation Pedro Pan, however, were reunited with their parents once the parents found a way out of Cuba.

Catholic Charities officials say they temporary shelter available for the orphaned Haitian children. Therefore, they are urging the Obama administration to help the non-profit organizations with providing humanitarian visas for the children.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1425090.htm

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NY senator opposes NYC detention center shutdown

The New York Times reports that New York Democratic Senator Charles E. Schumer, Chairman of the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, is requesting the Department of Homeland Security to continue immigration detention operations at the Varick Federal Detention Facility in Manhattan.  A decision to close immigration detention operations at the Manhattan facility would transfer 300 detainees to a county jail seven miles away in New Jersey.

Immigration and Enforcement officials estimate that housing detainees in the New Jersey jail would equal half the cost of what it is currently at the Varick Facility. Officials also cite that the transfer will allow national detention standards to be met.

However, Senator Schumer along with immigrant rights advocates and Civil Liberties lawyers believe that the transfer would cause great obstacles to the due process rights of the detainees. The seven mile distance from the city to the Hudson County Correctional Center in Kearny, N.J. is cited as the major challenge in not only having family visits, but also in providing pro-bono legal counsel. Thus, Senator Schumer declared that the cost-benefit analysis that Immigration and Enforcement officials are counting only measures a portion of the costs and not the significant costs to detainees.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/16/nyregion/16ice.html

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Secretary Napolitano Announces Streamlined Citizenship Application    Process for Members of the Military

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the publication of a rule formalizing DHS’ longstanding policy to expedite and streamline the citizenship process for people serving in America’s armed forces.

“The foundation of our national security is the patriotic service and extraordinary sacrifices made by the men and women of our armed forces,” said Secretary Napolitano. “Expediting the citizenship process for service members reflects our commitment to honoring those who come from all over the world to serve our country and become its newest citizens.”

The policy conforms to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2004, reducing the time requirements for naturalization from three years to one year for military service applicants. Service members who have served honorably in an active-duty status or in the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve for any time since Sept. 11, 2001, can file for immediate citizenship.

The rule also eliminates the requirement that members of the military file biographic information forms (Form G-325B) with their naturalization applications—removing administrative redundancy and increasing efficiency of the process.

For more information on USCIS and its programs available to the military, visit http://www.uscis.gov/military.