7. Washington Watch:

Schumer Tries to Raise Holy Help on Immigration Overhaul

The Wall Street Journal reports that Senator Charles Schumer is trying to enlist the help of Evangelical Christian groups to bring Republicans back to the table to discuss immigration reform.

Schumer participated in a conference call with Christian religious leaders who are supportive of immigration reform. He told them that without at least some Republican support, the legislation won’t be able to move forward. The President of the National Association of Evangelicals said that current immigration policy ‘is not pro-family, and evangelicals at their heart are pro-family.’

http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2010/05/12/schumer-tries-to-raise-holy-help-on-immigrationoverhaul/?KEYWORDS=immigration+OR+immigrant+OR+migrant

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Bersin Unlikely to Receive Senate Confirmation

HS Today reports that the leaders of the Senate Finance Committee have made it clear that they will not support Alan Bersin for Senate confirmation as the next commissioner of US Customs and Border Patrol (CPB). Bersin’s interim appointment expires at the end of 2011.

A chief complaint centered around Bersin’s failure to obtain federal I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification forms for 10 domestic employees at his home over the past 20 years. This issue was addressed as a concern by lawmakers in both parties.

http://www.hstoday.us/content/view/13278/128/

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Fla. Gov. Crist says path to citizenship for illegally present immigrants can help keep Social Security solvent

The Associated Press reports that Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who’s running for Senate as an independent, has said that providing a path to citizenship for illegally present immigrants will help keep Social Security solvent.

Crist says that he supports a path to citizenship for those illegally present, and noted that with over 14 million illegally present immigrants in the country, if they paid into Social Security, it would help increase the worker-to-retiree ratio.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-florida-senateimmigration,0,2849359.story

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In U.S. visit, Mexican president to discuss drug war, immigration

The Washington Post reports that Mexican President Felipe Calderon plans to speak out against the new anti-immigrant legislation in Arizona during a trip to the USA to celebrate US-Mexican cooperation with the drug war. However, Calderon and other Mexican officials also have voiced frustration with the US and their role in the drug war.

Calderon has been frank in his condemnation of the Arizona law, and has asserted that the law is creating tensions between the two countries. Mexican officials have also voiced complaints over the fact that they feel the US is not doing enough in the drug war.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051602295.html?hpid=sec-world

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Hispanics: All sides to blame for immigration stalemate

The Politico reports that in a recent poll, Hispanics split the blame for not yet passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill between Republicans, Democrats, and President Obama.

Forty-five percent of Hispanics polled blamed Republicans, while forty-nine percent blamed either the Democrats or President Obama.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0510/37281.html

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Illegally Present Immigrant Students Protest at McCain Office

The New York Times reports that five immigrant students protested and held a sit-in at the office of Arizona Sen. John McCain, in an effort to get him to help sponsor legislation that grants a path to citizenship for illegally present immigrants.

Four of the five protesters were arrested, and three of them are illegally present. The three will likely face deportation proceedings in the coming weeks. McCain has in past years sponsored the DREAM Act, which would grant a path to legal status for illegal immigrant students, who came to the country as young children. This year, however, McCain has not sponsored the bill, as he is in a tight primary race with an opponent who is vocally anti-immigration.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/us/18dream.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

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