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Immigration News Blog

Friday, June 29, 2007

Tech Firms Fear Loss of Skilled Workers

Tech Firms Fear Loss of Skilled Workers
NPR audio:
Companies that produce everything from salad to silicon chips say they're disappointed by the Senate's failure to overhaul the nation's immigration system. Business interests had been among the biggest backers of the immigration bill. The measure would have increased the number of temporary visas available to high-tech workers, and made it easier for skilled employees to get green cards.

 

Failure of Senate Immigration Bill Can Be Lesson for Congress, Experts Say

Failure of Senate Immigration Bill Can Be Lesson for Congress, Experts Say
The Senate tried to do too much in one bill, said immigration lawyers, researchers, former government officials and other experts.

 

Immigrants Work On as Bill Dies and Views Divide

Immigrants Work On as Bill Dies and Views Divide
The day after the Senate failed to move on a proposal for a broad change in immigration law, it was time to take stock.

 

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Senate drives stake through immigration

Senate drives stake through immigration
President Bush's immigration plan to legalize as many as 12 million unlawful immigrants while fortifying the border collapsed in the Senate on Thursday, crushing both parties' hopes of addressing the volatile issue before the 2008 elections.

 

Defeat Worries Employers Who Rely on Immigrants

Defeat Worries Employers Who Rely on Immigrants
Employers from food-processing industries and agriculture as well as construction contractors and commercial landscapers were among the most persistent forces pushing for passage of the Senate bill.

 

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Canada’s Policy on Immigrants Brings Backlog

Canada’s Policy on Immigrants Brings Backlog
Canada’s merit-based immigration system has created waits of four years or more for immigrants.

 

US Congress set for make-or-break immigration debate

US Congress set for make-or-break immigration debate (AFP)
The US Congress Tuesday takes up a divisive bill balancing border security and the documentation of 12 million illegal aliens, in a make-or-break debate that could scuttle immigration reform until after the 2008 presidential election.

 

Monday, June 25, 2007

Big trouble with temporary work visa for professional workers.

Big trouble with temporary work visa for professional workers.
By Peter Rousmaniere
The likes of Micosoft, Google, Intel and the rest of the IT lobby in Washington have not been able to get Congress to add more slots. In fact, one lobbyist called the Senate reform bill of May a disaster. The point system plan worked against the interests of the lobbying firms because it stripped employers of picking the workers they wanted. And Washington is paying more attention to abuses in the current H-IB program whereby foreign holders of the visas are paid less than their American peers.

 

Planned worker ID called vulnerable / Effort to control immigration could boost identity theft

Planned worker ID called vulnerable / Effort to control immigration could boost identity theft
By Carolyn Lochhead
The linchpin of all new proposals to control illegal immigration, including a Senate bill up for reconsideration this week, is an electronic employer verification system to shut off the job magnet that has attracted millions of illegal workers to the United...

 

Video raises concern about firms' H-1B abuses / 2 lawmakers urge labor secretary to probe 'blatant disregard for American workers'

Video raises concern about firms' H-1B abuses / 2 lawmakers urge labor secretary to probe 'blatant disregard for American workers'
By Tom Abate
A video clip that teaches employers how not to hire Americans has prompted two lawmakers to ask Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to investigate whether U.S. companies may be abusing the H-1B visa program. The H-1B program lets U.S. employers import a...

 

Mexican Towns Pinched by Deportations, Slowdown

Mexican Towns Pinched by Deportations, Slowdown
NPR audio:
With immigration officials cracking down on undocumented workers and the U.S. economy slowing in some sectors, the amount of money being sent back to immigrants' homes has fallen. That has caused difficulties in Mexico that are starting to harm the local -- and possibly the national -- economy.

 

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Immigrants Said to Boost Pay of U.S. Workforce

Immigrants Said to Boost Pay of U.S. Workforce
NPR audio:
The White House Council of Economic Advisers claims immigrants actually boost the income of native-born workers. They put a dollar value on that benefit: $30 billion. They released the study as President Bush struggles to keep the immigration bill alive in Congress. The advisers conclude immigrants won't be a long-term drain on the nation's finances.

 

Friday, June 15, 2007

Immigration bill failure could create staff shortages for U.S. firms

Immigration bill failure could create staff shortages for U.S. firms
Many employers agree. They complain they are unable to fill vacancies, despite offering pay above current U.S. minimum wage levels of between $5.15 and $7.93 an hour depending on the state.

 

States taking immigration into own hands (UPI)

States taking immigration into own hands (UPI)
The legislatures of the 50 United States have introduced a record number of immigration-related bills this year out of frustration with federal reform delays.

 

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Tales of Mexican Migrants' Dreams, Realities

Tales of Mexican Migrants' Dreams, Realities
NPR audio:
In his new book, Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream, author and journalist Sam Quinones explores the complexities and contradictions of the immigration debate through true stories of Mexican migration.

 

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Trading on migrant labor

Trading on migrant labor
American Prospect
The comprehensive immigration bill may have stalled in the Senate last week, but the debate over immigration policy will undoubtedly continue -- especially over the status of the millions of undocumented workers presently in the United States, as well as those who will come in the next few years.

 

Suffolk’s Leader Wins a Following on Immigration

Suffolk’s Leader Wins a Following on Immigration
NY Times
Steve Levy, the Suffolk County executive, has attracted national attention for his positions on illegal immigration.

 

In Mamaroneck, Taking a More Hospitable Approach to Day Laborers

In Mamaroneck, Taking a More Hospitable Approach to Day Laborers
NY Times
A new hiring site and an unrelated settlement herald what could be a big change in the way Mamaroneck deals with Hispanic day laborers who usually seek work from contractors at local streets and parks.

 

Critics Dispute Effects of Immigration Point System

Critics Dispute Effects of Immigration Point System
Morning Edition NPR audio:
One of the sticking points that caused the Senate to deadlock on rewriting America's immigration laws was a proposed point system for allocating visas.

 

Senators work to revive immigration bill

Senators work to revive immigration bill
Key Republican and Democratic senators, working to attract more support for President Bush's stalled immigration bill, huddled Wednesday with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to discuss tougher border security and workplace enforcement.

 

Malta wants EU help on migrants

Malta wants EU help on migrants
In BBC Europe
Malta urges its EU neighbours to take a greater share of the illegal migrants crossing over from Africa.

 

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Plant raided in illegal worker probe

Plant raided in illegal worker probe
Federal agents on Tuesday raided the offices of a food processing plant suspected of employing hundreds of illegal workers who used Social Security numbers that belonged to other people or were made up.

 

Immigrants often key to startups

Immigrants often key to startups
Immigrants, many of whom came to the United States for college, helped found about one in five new engineering and technical firms in Texas over a 10-year period, according to a study released Monday.

 

Architects of disorder: U.S. senators can't settle for two more years of immigration status quo

Architects of disorder: U.S. senators can't settle for two more years of immigration status quo
After Republican senators refused to limit their amendments; after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., rejected pleas to let debate continue; and after immigration reform lay in a smoking mess, several lawmakers continued to mill about the Senate

 

Indian Americans push for fairer Immigration Bill

Indian Americans push for fairer Immigration Bill
Washington: As President George W Bush vowed to revive his derailed Immigration Bill, an Indian American advocacy group said it would push for a fairer law that would let the best and brightest to stay permanently.

 

Mexico courses teach migrants American ways

Mexico courses teach migrants American ways
Started in September, the Center for Migrant Rights is a small nonprofit group based in the central state of Zacatecas, which provides free legal aid to guest workers seeking compensation for injuries or missed pay. The workshops -- this one was conducted in the central city of Celaya in Guanajuato state -- emerged after some 20 workers who had returned from the United States decided to educate would-be migrants about the ins and outs of toiling in the United States.

 

Monday, June 11, 2007

Hispanic Voters Gain New Clout With Democrats

Hispanic Voters Gain New Clout With Democrats
The immigration battle and the new presidential primary schedule have amplified the influence of Hispanic voters.

 

US tech sector eyes immigration bill revival, cites worker shortage

US tech sector eyes immigration bill revival, cites worker shortage
US high-tech industry leaders say they will maintain a fight in Congress to address what they claim is a critical shortage of skilled workers, despite the collapse of an immigration overhaul bill this past week. Key technology

 

The Dysfunctional Status Quo on Immigration Lives On; an Unpopular Compromise

The Dysfunctional Status Quo on Immigration Lives On; an Unpopular Compromise
'Grand compromise' isn't quite an oxymoron, but the prospective immigration deal struck between Democratic and Republican senators certainly led to some bizarre political theater at a press conference last week. Senators, labor leaders, and Hispanic

 

Grass-roots activism derailed U.S. immigration bill

Grass-roots activism derailed U.S. immigration bill
The undoing of the immigration bill in the Senate this week had many players, but none more effective than angry voters like Monique Thibodeaux, who joined a nationwide campaign to derail it. Thibodeaux, an office manager at a

 

How to revive immigration bill

How to revive immigration bill
The onus is on Bush to convince critics that the US is serious about border enforcement. The Senate's 'grand bargain' on immigration fell 15 votes short in a key procedural vote Thursday night, and

 

US tech sector eyes immigration bill revival

US tech sector eyes immigration bill revival
US high- tech industry leaders say they will maintain a fight in Congress to address what they claim is a critical shortage of skilled workers, despite the collapse of an immigration overhaul bill this past week. Key technology executives had

 

1986 Law Looms Over Immigration Fight

1986 Law Looms Over Immigration Fight
When President Bush goes to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to push for revival of a comprehensive immigration bill, he will have to wrestle with the ghost of a 1986 law that promised to solve the problem of illegal immigration. That

 

Green card disasters

Green card disasters
By Peter Rousmaniere
“Sertasheep” from www.immigrationvoice.org wrote me to highlight growing problems with green cards: extremely long waits for green card issuance, and mounting shortage of skilled professional labor beyond computer engineering. Here is his posting:
“Contrary to popular belief, it is not just computer engineers but also high-skilled professionals from such diverse facets of industry as medicine, banking and insurance, finance, teaching and research who are among those affected by delays amounting to over 10 years.

 

Friday, June 08, 2007

Tech Firms Unsettled by Failed Immigration Bill

Tech Firms Unsettled by Failed Immigration Bill
NPR audio:
The immigration overhaul endorsed by President Bush was pulled from the Senate floor Thursday without a timetable to bring it back. There was disagreement over a business-backed program allowing 200,000 foreign guest workers into the country every year. Technology executives are concerned the bill wouldn't allow enough high-skilled workers to become permanent residents.

 

Deep divisions derail immigration bill

Deep divisions derail immigration bill
AP - The Senate divisions that derailed a White House-backed immigration bill - for now, at least - mirror the U.S. society's deep differences over the issue, according to polling data, lawmakers and analysts. Those gaps will challenge any effort to get the measure back on track.

 

Thursday, June 07, 2007

US immigration compromise irks skilled immigrants already awaiting legal status

US immigration compromise irks skilled immigrants already awaiting legal status
When Kola Akinwande came to the United States on a skilled-worker visa from Nigeria, he was quickly hired as a database manager by a major medical insurance company and looked forward

 

Visa Plan angers Silicon Valley / Immigration bill would limit employers' choice of workers

Immigration bill would limit employers' choice of workers
By Carolyn Lochhead
Silicon Valley technology companies, usually savvy in the ways of Washington, were shocked to find they had been in their view burned -- badly - in the Senate's giant immigration overhaul. Scrambling to catch up, they are lobbying vigorously,...

 

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Competition for workers may threaten immigration reform

Competition for workers may threaten immigration reform
Tucson Citizen, AZ -
Waves of immigrants, scorned by many people, are so valued by US business that the competition for them threatens the fragile immigration compromise in ...

 

Will Major Cities Simply Ignore Any New Immigration Rulings?

Will Major Cities Simply Ignore Any New Immigration Rulings?
As Congress wrangles over immigration, the debate is moot in major cities across the country. The reason: "Sanctuary" cities from Los Angeles to New York will never check a person's immigration status regardless of what Washington passes.

 

ANA And NYSNA Condemn Exploitation Of Filipino Registered Nurses, USA

ANA And NYSNA Condemn Exploitation Of Filipino Registered Nurses, USA
The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) today condemned the exploitation of immigrant RNs by unscrupulous U.S. employers and called for better enforcement of immigration laws. They cited the case of 26 registered nurses from the Philippines who say they were brought to New York under false pretenses and denied the rights guaranteed by their employment contract.

 

Immigration bill a glimmer of hope amid fear for local immigrants in Seattle

Immigration bill a glimmer of hope amid fear for local immigrants
As both sides of the immigration issue find fault with a controversial bill in Congress, local illegal immigrants say it may be the key to making their dream...

 

Google Calls for Boost in Work Visas

Google Calls for Boost in Work Visas
American technology companies will lose highly skilled foreign workers to Indian and Chinese rivals if the country's work-visa program is not fixed, a Google executive warned Congress on Wednesday. "Simply put, if U.S. employers are unable to hire...

 

New Haven, Conn. OKs ID cards for illegal immigrants (AP)

City OKs ID cards for illegal immigrants (AP)
AP - City officials have approved a plan to offer illegal immigrants identification cards that would let them open bank accounts and use other services that may be unavailable without driver's licenses or state-issued IDs.

 

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Guest workers have a long history in U.S. / Temporary programs become source of permanent labor force

Guest workers have a long history in U.S. / Temporary programs become source of permanent labor force
By Carolyn Lochhead
There is nothing new - and if history is any indication, nothing temporary - about the large new temporary worker program that is among the most controversial parts of the giant immigration overhaul to be taken up again by the Senate this week....

 

Monday, June 04, 2007

A Point System for Immigrants Incites Passions

A Point System for Immigrants Incites Passions
As Congress resumes work on the immigration bill, a point system to evaluate would-be immigrants based on job and language skills will be at the heart of the debate.

 

Thousands Rally for Changes to Immigration Bill

Thousands Rally for Changes to Immigration Bill
The demonstrators gathered to urge the Senate to adopt legislation that would make it easier for illegal immigrants to become legal residents of the United States.

 

Bill to Reduce Tuition for Illegal Immigrants Passes in Connecticut

Bill to Reduce Tuition for Illegal Immigrants Passes in Connecticut
Illegal immigrants would be eligible for in-state tuition at Connecticut’s public universities if Gov. M. Jodi Rell decides to sign a bill that narrowly passed the legislature.

 

A Mexican Baby Boom in New York Shows the Strength of a New Immigrant Group

A Mexican Baby Boom in New York Shows the Strength of a New Immigrant Group
The number of births to Mexican women increased 28 percent from 2000 to 2005, a time in which the city’s overall births were down.

 

Economic View: Shattering Stereotypes About Immigrant Workers

Economic View: Shattering Stereotypes About Immigrant Workers
NY Times
Some broad facts about the role of illegal immigrants in the economy seem to be emerging, and they may upset some preconceived notions.