New York, March 2009
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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA REMAINS COMMITTED TO LEGALIZING IMMIGRANTS
 Washington,
D.C. - Despite the sinking economy, President Obama reportedly remains
focused on providing a path towards
citizenship for the 12 million illegal
immigrants estimated to be residing in the United States. As a recent call-in
guest on a radio talk show airing on Univision, President Obama reiterated his
dedication to passing comprehensive immigration reform and “dealing with the
immigration system that’s broken.” The President indicated plans to begin
initiating immigration legislation within the next several months, citing the
challenges immigration legislation will face given the current economic climate.
Mr. Obama believes that immigration reform will most likely be “tougher now than
it was, partly because of the fact that the economy has gotten worse.” However,
he remains motivated and stated “...I’ve got to focus on the economy. I've got
to focus on housing, and make sure that people feel a little bit more secure; at
the same time, get the various immigrant rights groups together and have them
start providing some advice in terms of what strategies we're going to pursue in
Congress.” In 2006, President Bush tried to pass a Comprehensive Immigration
Reform bill; however, the Senate and House of Representatives disagreed on
aspects pertaining to citizenship and the bill was squashed.
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NEW LEADERSHIP AT DHS RAISES HOPE FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM
 Washington,
D.C. - On February 24, 2009 President Obama announced his nomination of
Esther Olavarria as the new deputy assistant secretary for policy of the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This nomination signifies a change in
political climate for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Ms. Olavarria
previously has worked on legislation for immigration reform, and currently
serves as the Director for the Center for American Policy, a progressive “‘think
tank.” In addition, she was previously a part of the counsel team for Senator
Edward Kennedy, a staunch supporter of the immigration reform bill. The National
Immigration Forum applauds the President’s nomination: “Esther Olavarria is
deeply committed to the goal of crafting immigration policies that are both
enforceable and enforced. No person is better suited to help the Secretary, and
the President understands what ails our current
immigration mess and what needs
to be done to restore legality, transparency, and fairness to our immigration
system.” |
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INDIAN OUTSOURCING COMPANIES TOP LIST FOR H1-B VISAS
 New
York, NY - Data recently released by U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service
(USCIS) reveal outsourcing companies located in India were the top recipients of
the H1-B visa in 2008. The H1-B visa program has been in effect for over 20
years, and was set up so that American companies could remain competitive by
attracting highly skilled workers from other countries. However, critics of the
H1-B visa program maintain that overseas workers are taking jobs from Americans.
Considering the economic crisis and the emerging unemployment rate in the United
States, these data alarm many and contribute to the growing debate on the
issuance of H1-B visas. To help negate the effects of the H1-B visa on the US
unemployment rate, some senators are planning on reintroducing legislation that
would require companies to first try to hire American workers before looking
oversees for employees, and proposing additional restrictions on the
applicability of the H1-B visa for outsourcing purposes. The annual limit for
the issuance of H1-B visas is 65,000.
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REVIEW ORDERED OF RECENT WORK PLACE IMMIGRATION RAID
 Seattle,
WA - Janet Napolitano, the Security Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS), recently ordered a review of the first work-site immigration
raid to occur under the Obama administration. Immigration enforcement raids that
occur at workplaces usually result in the arrest of hundreds of illegal
immigrants, and commonly occurred under the Bush administration. The raid in
question occurred at a manufacturing plant in Bellingham, Washington and
resulted in the arrest of 28 illegal immigrants. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) officials stated that many of the illegal immigrants were able
to gain employment with fake Social Security numbers and counterfeit documents.
The review of this recent immigration raid indicates a change in the approach to
immigration enforcement. Obama, who appointed Napolitano, has maintained that
his administration would focus less on work-site enforcement and more on the
employers who hire illegal immigrants.
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“HOMELAND SECURITY USA” REALITY SHOW FUELS PROTESTS
 Burbank,
CA - The airing of ABC’s “Homeland Security USA” recently fueled protests at
the front of ABC studios in California. The rally was organized by an immigrant
advocacy group called Southern California Immigration Coalition (SCIC). Members
of an anti-illegal immigration group called Save Our State showed up to offer
their support of the show. The reality show features employees of the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who are responsible for immigration
enforcement at U.S. seaports, airports, and land borders. Some viewers claim
that the show portrays only one side of the immigration debate and doesn’t
depict the hardships of immigrants. One protester whose husband was deported one
year ago stated, “Deportation happens to nice, normal citizens like me. It’s not
a problem that is just among the immigrant community…it’s a problem for all
citizens.” Others claimed that the show “perpetuates these stereotypes that all
Mexicans are undocumented.” On the other side of the protest, some claimed that
the show isn’t “race-based” at all. An advocate of immigration enforcement went
on record to state, “We are lucky to be in a country where we have a government
that wants to secure us, and we should want to be secured unless we forget what
happened on Sept. 11. Without secure borders, we would have no idea what is
coming in here. It’s not racist to want to have a secure nation.”
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NEW PASSPORT REGULATIONS AS OF JUNE
 Los
Angeles, CA -As of June 1, 2009 new passport regulations will require all
travelers returning to the United States from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, or the
Caribbean to have a passport, passport card, or other governmental approved
document in order to be granted entry into the US. This upcoming regulation is a
part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative and will be applicable for all
U.S. land and sea ports. The State Department is urging travelers to apply or
renew their passport now, in order to avoid a potential backlog in applications.
Travelers returning to the United States from Mexico, Canada, Bermuda, and the
Caribbean also have other options besides a U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card.
The enhanced driver's license, SENTRI, and NEXUS cards are also considered to be
acceptable identification. The enhanced driver’s license is a high-tech,
encrypted document that is currently only being offered in a few states.
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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
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