New York, June 2009
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U.S. JAILS TO EXPAND IMMIGRATION CHECKS
 Washington
D.C. - President Obama is seeking funds to expand programs that will enable
local jails to check the immigration status of inmates. Individuals incarcerated
in federal and state programs already undergo immigration checks, but plans are
underway to ensure that the immigration status is checked of inmates in all
local jails throughout the United States. This program is expected to result in
a marked increase of deportations of
illegal immigrants who have committed
crimes and were previously ordered to leave the country. The program is
currently operating in Miami, Boston, Phoenix, Houston, Dallas, and Los Angeles.
President Obama is asking for approximately $200 million to fund the expansion
of the program, enabling it to receive $1.1 billion in funding by 2013. |
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JUNE 1 PASSPORT DEADLINE
 Newark,
NJ - On June 1, 2009 heightened U.S. passport requirements take effect. As
of this date, Americans will be required to have a
passport or other
governmental approved ID in order to get back into the country from land or sea
from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. Those without a passport or
other approved form of identification will, at the very least, face delays upon
their return to the country. The US Passport Card and enhanced driver’s licenses
are included on the list of accepted forms of identification for land and sea
crossings. Children under 16 are exempt from the June 1 deadline, and will be
able to prove their US citizenship with a birth certificate. Cruise ship
passengers traveling from a US port June also be exempt, but this depends on the
cruise line. The new passport requirement for all land and sea crossings into
the US is a part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which was
developed in response to the September 11 terrorist attacks. |
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U.S. TO BEGIN IMMIGRATION REFORM MEETINGS
 Washington,
D.C. - Plans are underway to begin discussions in regards to comprehensive
immigration reform legislation. President Obama has set a June 8 meeting at the
White House for Senate and House leaders to begin discussing immigration reform.
According to a White House spokesman, the Obama administration is hoping to
propose immigration reform legislation by the end of this year. Fueling the
debate is the decrease in arrests at the Mexican –U.S. border. Arrests in this
area are down by 27% from prior years. This figure is in part due to the decline
in illegal immigration to the United States, which is attributed to the downturn
in the U.S. economy. The increase in immigration enforcement is also believed to
be contributing to the decrease in illegal immigration to the United States. The
United States has nearly doubled its employment of
border patrol agents since
2001. In addition, to date, over 600 miles of border fencing has been completed
of the proposed 2000 mile fence.
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E-VERIFY DEMONSTRATES IMPROVEMENTS, BUT STILL NOT PERFECT
 Dallas,
TX - E-Verify, an electronic eligibility verification system that is
designed to assist employers in verifying the immigration status of potential
employees, has recently underwent several improvements. The system allows
employers to verify the identity and immigration status of new employees by
checking with government databases, so that individuals unauthorized to work in
the United States, such as illegal immigrants, are not hired. E-verify has
remained a focal point of comprehensive immigration reform, and has received
much funding . The use of E-verify has tripled from 2006 to 2008, and is used to
screen 1 out of every 10 newly hired employees in the United States. As of last
month, over 117,000 employers have registered to use the system. This can be
compared to only 9,000 employers who registered in 2006. Current US law mandates
that all US employers check potential new employee’s documentation and fill out
an I-9 form, to ensure work eligibility in the U.S. However, only certain
employers are required to use E-Verify such as employers in certain US states,
certain federal employers, and employers who have previously been convicted of
hiring illegal immigrants. Recent improvements have allowed for the majority of
queries (approximately 96 %) to receive a response within 24 hours, and
non-confirmations have decreased. However, many believe that E-Verify still
needs to see even more improvements, as a number of individuals who have
reportedly been unauthorized to work in the United States have received employee
verification and have been hired.
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IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT FOCUSES ON EMPLOYERS, NOT EMPLOYEES
 Phoenix,
AZ - The Department of Homeland Security recently released new guidelines
that shifted immigration enforcement to employers who knowingly hire
illegal
immigrants, as opposed to the illegal immigrants themselves. Thus, U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement will now focus on enforcing immigration law
with employers who hire unauthorized workers. Advocates of this new approach
applaud DHS by focusing on a key source of illegal immigration – employers who
provide jobs to illegal immigrants. Previously, DHS enforced immigration law by
conducting workplace raids and arresting unauthorized workers. Last year, of the
6000 arrests that were made at workplaces, only 135 of the arrests were
employers. Undoubtedly, this new approach set forth by the DHS will result in
changes in immigration enforcement and arrests of unauthorized workers will be
significantly curtailed. Many point out however, that arrests of those who
employ illegal immigrants are difficult to make, stating, “..It’s not very easy
to make a case against employers under the current law.”
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UNITED STATES IMMIGRATION SUPPORT
511 Avenue of the Americas # 45
New York, NY 10011
Phone: (646) 233-3836
Fax: (646)792-3296
Web: www.usimmigrationsupport.org
Email: info@usimmigrationsupport.org
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