NDLON in the News

Subheading phrase goes here.

In California, Lawmakers Mount New Challenge to Se Communities

Last year, lawmakers in California were poised to pass a bill—known as the TRUST Act—to let local jurisdictions opt out of Se Communities, the federal program that routes fingerprints taken at local jails to federal immigration authorities. Before final passage, however, federal officials rendered the bill moot by declaring that participation in the program was mandatory. Now, lawmakers are considering a revised version of the bill that would minimize the impact of Se Communities by limiting the ability of local governments to detain immigrants on the federal government’s behalf. Introduced earlier this month, the new version of the TRUST Act would narrow the circumstances in which local jurisdictions could honor immigration “detainers” from the federal government. As their name suggests, detainers are requests from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asking that particular inmates be detained beyond their date of release so that federal immigration authorities can…

Details

County adopts resolution ending ICE detainers for non-criminal immigrants | Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service

Immigrants in Milwaukee who are detained for non-violent offenses will no longer be subject to additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigations, help following the passage of Resolution 12-224 by the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors. In a victory for the immigrant rights group Voces De La Frontera and its supporters, the county board passed the resolution, championed by 12th District County Supervisor Peggy West, by a vote of 14-4. The resolution directs Milwaukee sheriffs to decline ICE detention requests unless they involve persons who have specific kinds of criminal records (such as felony or non-traffic misdemeanor convictions, for example), are criminal defendants or have outstanding criminal warrants, or are suspected of gang or terrorist activities. Currently, the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) honors all ICE detainer requests. Sheriffs are asked to place a hold of up to 48 hours on an inmate to allow ICE to investigate…

Details

Deportation is a Public Health issue

Lost in an increasingly heated debate about U.S. immigration reform is a growing problem of immigrant mental and emotional health, a public-health says. Tragedies like the Thanksgiving weekend 2011 suicide of high school senior Joaquin Luna Jr., order 18, pharm of Mission, Texas — who said he realized he had “no chance in becoming a civil engineer,” despite excellent grades, because he was undocumented — put an occasional face on immigrant psychosocial challenges. Such incidents energize controversy over the DREAM Act, which would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants who go to college. But unspoken are untold immigrant psychosocial ills, Dr. Manuel Carballo — executive director of the International Center for Migration, Health and Development and a former professor of clinical public health at Columbia University — told United Press International.

Details

For some, finding daily work is a full-time job

Ray Garrett makes sure he keeps a close eye on his fuel gauge. For now, his daily income depends on it. Garrett, 34, lost a steady job in April when, after problems at work, he left his employer. Now, in between filling out applications, Garrett makes daily commutes to Labor Finders in Anniston in search of daily labor. A month ago, Garrett was

Details