6. News Bytes:
Rhode Island House speaker kills immigration bill
CNN reports that just days after a protest on the Rhode Island House floor, officials have decided not to hear a bill copying Arizona’s immigration law. The House Speaker, Gordon Fox, said he believes the issue is best addressed at the federal level. The move effectively kills the bill.
The sponsor of the bill, Democratic Representative Peter Palumbo, said that the heart of the immigration problem in his state lay in state funds spent on illegally present residents. ‘If you subtract the illegals[sic] from the equation, then we don’t have a budget deficit.’
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/25/rhodeisland.immigration/
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Ballot measures proposed on Ariz. immigration law
The Arizona Republic reports that two new groups have filed paperwork to bring the new immigration law to the voters this fall. Compassion for All, a group led by Father John Auther, a pastor at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Phoenix, filed papers to put an initiative on the ballot. An initiative allows voters to propose new laws or amend existing laws. The group needs to collect 153,365 votes by July 1 to qualify to be on the ballot at the November 2 elections.
A second group, called IMAZ- short for I’m Arizona- has filed papers for a referendum to be on the ballot in the fall. A referendum allows voters to decide whether a measure passed by the Legislature should be stopped or allowed to continue. IMAZ needs 76,682 signatures by July 28 to qualify for the ballot.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/pinal/articles/2010/05/26/20100526arizona-immigration-law-ballot-proposals.html
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Britain to scrap unpopular ID card program
The Associated Press reports from London that Britain has announced that they will scrap an unpopular national identity card program for UK citizens within 100 days. However, many foreign nationals will still require one of the documents, containing biometric information.
The cards were designed to carry biographical and biometric information, including a face picture and fingerprints. The information was stored in a national database, which will be dismantled with the end of the program.
Although the program will be ended for British citizens, British Home Office confirmed that foreign nationals from outside the EU who apply for residency in Britain will continue to be issued a similar card with biometric data. Such cards have been required for foreign nationals since 2008, with a total of around 215,000 having been issued.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_britain_identity_cards/print
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US, Cuba to hold immigration talks
Associated Press reports that the United States and Cuba will hold immigration talks in Washington, DC in mid-June, for the first time since a February meeting in Havana. The talks are ostensibly to discuss adherence to a 16-year-old agreement between the two countries, whereby the US issues 20,000 visas to Cubans a year.
In the past round of talks, the United States pressed Cuba to free American Alan Gross, a contractor accused of spying, but held for the past 6 months without being charged. US officials have said that there is little hope for improved relations between the two countries while Cuba holds Gross.
Despite the lukewarm relations, there have been many more contacts between the US and Cuba recently than in past years, discussing a wide array of topics ranging from damage control for the Gulf oil spill, to coordinating aid relief for Haiti.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAmsicW8N2RLyDMGseghZNrEpiNgD9GA411O0
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Clinton hopes for US immigration fix this year
Associated Press reports that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made a statement expressing hope for reform to the immigration system to take place this year. Clinton said that President Obama is ‘working very hard’ to obtain congressional support for comprehensive immigration reform.
The Secretary also rejected criticism that America is unwelcoming to foreigners. Asked if the US is becoming increasingly xenophobic, she replied: ‘No, I don’t…Americans have always been welcoming of immigrants, but they also want to see the laws enforced.’
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iJQD-TM683-eSe7fRUrv2Y3xyLPA
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The immigration brain drain
CNN Money ran an editorial discussing the implications of the H1-B visa program, and more generally, the implications of importing the best foreign minds to our country, and the potential downfalls for the countries from which the professional immigrants come. 65,000 H1-B visas are available each year for specialized, skilled foreign workers. However, this year, as of May 6, only 18,000 of the visa applications had been filed, likely due to the economy.
The author of this article points out that the Caribbean region has a 30% higher demand than supply of nursing professionals. But, at the same time, nearly three times as many Caribbean nurses work outside the region than in, and most of them are better trained and better educated than those that stay behind. The ultimate point of the article is that while it is ok to import the best minds from other lands, it is our responsibility at the same time to be giving back to the places from which we are taking.
http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/14/news/economy/immigration_brain_drain.fortune/
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ICE Realigns Itself, but Won't Call It a Restructuring
The Washington Post reports that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has announced that it will realign its offices under three new directorates: Homeland Security Investigations, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Management Administration. The realignment reflects a priority of ICE: improving the management structure of ICE and giving the agency a clearer sense of identity and focus. Officials cautioned that the realignment is not a restructuring, and will not alter any congressional appropriation or authorization.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/16/AR2010061605324.html
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