The Associated Press reports that the Department of Justice has set up a public hotline for individuals to report potential civil rights concerns in relation to the Arizona "show me your papers" law. The law, which was recently approved by the U.S. Supreme Court, requires local police to check the immigration status of individuals they stop for other reasons.

The hotline phone number is 1-855-353-1010. The email is SB1070@usdoj.gov.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/25/federal-hotline-set-up-on-arizona-immigration/

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The Washington Times reports that the Obama administration is suspending seven 287(g) task force agreements with Arizona police. The agreements granted some local police the authority to proactively enforce immigration laws. The administration took advantage of the Supreme Court's recent ruling as a chance to end the agreements, which they reported "weren't working." In addition, the administration issued a directive which instructed Homeland Security officials to decline many of the calls from Arizona police reporting illegal immigrants. The administration officials said that they will not be issuing arrests on individuals unless they clearly meet the administration's defined priorities. While federal officials will still perform checks as required by law, they will only respond when someone has a felony conviction on record. Otherwise, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials will tell the local police to release the person.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/25/homeland-security-suspends-immigration-agreements-/

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The Associated Press reports that Virginia's request to have state troopers enforce federal immigration laws was denied. Governor Bob McDonnell submitted the request for a 287(g) task force agreement to the Department of Homeland Security last August. The agreements would have allowed state and local police to question and arrest illegal immigrants suspected in crimes. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) denied McDonnell's request in February, with a letter stating that they would focus on other programs and would no longer consider 287(g) agreements with states and localities.

http://www.dailypress.com/news/virginia/sns-ap-va--immigration-virginia-20120627,0,2203057.story

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The Associated Press reports that former Arizona Governor Raul Castro was detained at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint after the vehicle he was traveling in triggered a radiation sensor. Castro served as Arizona's first and only Hispanic governor from 1974-1977. He was traveling from his home in Nogales, Arizona to celebrate his 96th birthday in Tucson when he was detained on Interstate 19. Castro said that the agents questioned him outside his vehicle in 100-degree heat. He explained to them that he had undergone hospital testing on his pacemaker the previous day, likely triggering the sensor. However, officials kept him for 40 to 45 minutes, according to Castro. The federal agency said it was only 10 minutes.

Although Castro downplayed the detention by saying that he believed the stop was prompted by a monitor being set off and not by his appearance, he was displeased with the way he was treated. Castro didn't file a complaint but suggested that enforcement officials adapt a better system for dealing with elderly people.

http://www.chron.com/news/article/Ex-Arizona-governor-detained-at-border-checkpoint-3685918.php

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The Los Angeles Times reported that a bill aimed at restricting California law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement efforts passed the State Senate on July 5th. The bill, also known as the Trust Act, would prohibit police and sheriff's officials from detaining arrestees for possible deportation, unless the suspects have previous convictions for a serious violent felony. The Trust Act aims to lessen the federal immigration enforcement program, Secure Communities. Under the federal program, the fingerprints of arrestees are shared with immigration officials who issue detainment orders. If signed into law, the Trust Act would mark another one of California's many legislative efforts on behalf of their estimated 2.55 million illegal immigrants.

Advocates of the California law say that it will prevent illegal immigrants from being detained and possibly deported for relatively minor legal misdemeanors, such as traffic infractions. The California State Sheriff's Association, however, opposes the legislation, saying it would put local law enforcement in an awkward position between state law and federal policy. More than 75, 000 people have been deported from California under the federal Secure Communities program that began in 2009. Of those, 19,500 were convicted of misdemeanors, while 12, 600 were convicted of non-aggravated felonies or multiple misdemeanors, and 23, 500 were convicted of aggravated felonies or multiple other felonies. The rest were not convicted criminals but were considered priorities for deportation for other reasons. Under the Trust Act, which passed the Senate 21-13, an arrestee who is not convicted of a serious or violent felony would be released after serving sentence, posting bond, being acquitted of charges or otherwise becoming eligible for release, even if immigration officials request that the person be held for possible deportation.

http://www.latimes.com/news//local/la-me-trust-act-20120706,0,2006197.story

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The Canadian Press reports that Canada and the United States plan to join forces in order to better deal with the "irregular flows" of refugees that turn up in North America or migrate within the continent. By 2014, the two countries will begin routinely sharing information about travelers, such as fingerprints. Canada is laying the foundation for legislative and regulatory changes that will require all travelers-including Canadian and U.S. citizens-to present a "secure document," such as a passport or an enhanced driver's license, when entering Canada. Canada will also help Washington by systemically providing information on all travelers entering Canada from the U.S. The agreement between the two countries was announced late last year and it is detailed in Canada's Department of Citizenship and Immigration briefing notes.

The perimeter security initiatives of the two countries aim to smooth the passage of goods and people across the 49th parallel while strengthening defenses along the continental border. However, Roch Tasse of the Ottawa-based International Civil Liberties Monitoring Group says that the perimeter deal puts the personal information of Canadians at risk. Tasse said a disparity in privacy standards between the two countries means the security deal is likely to result is less control over the personal data of Canadians.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/07/10/canada-us-border-data-biometrics_n_1663103.html

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