Each week we collect stories related to U.S. immigration, and we provide a brief summary of each story in our weekly blog edition. Below you will find snapshots of stories that range from Trump’s administration to changes in U.S. immigration laws. We then give you fresh links at the bottom that relate to each story within our summary. Let’s dive in!
Stories from the Border
“Hey, hey, ho, ho, SB4 has got to go.”+ This chant stormed the hallways of the Texas House this week as protesters came together to oppose the bill Governor Abbott signed last month, which goes against sanctuary cities in Texas. A growing number of people oppose this bill because of its seeming, unconstitutional nature. In fact, San Antonio and Austin will challenge the bill in federal court along with others who are openly against the new law. Generally, the new law allows police officers to openly question people about their immigration statuses. Opponents are worried about the detrimental effect the new law may have on immigrant communities. They believe that it will widen the gap between communities and law enforcement because there may be a greater inclination to not report crimes as a result of the new law. It also may impact the sense of trust that law enforcement attempts to establish among communities that need assistance.
This week in U.S. Immigration News, we saw citizenship applications soar under the Trump administration. Indeed, it has been concluded that more permanent residents have filed applications to obtain citizenship, and this was partly due to the fear instilled by the administration. In further news, “UndoCU,” the Undocumented Students Initiative at Columbia University in New York City, voiced their concerns to the university and requested greater protection from immigration officials while students are in school. They feel that their requests need to be addressed by Columbia as an academic institution partly composed of undocumented immigrants. A new study reported that 50% of recent immigrants living in the United States hold a college degree. This goes against the common rhetoric that immigrants are uneducated and do not have the necessary skills to compete in a dynamic workforce. Considering that this figure includes undocumented immigrants, it is important to recognize the needs of undocumented immigrants at undergraduate universities.
California introduced two bills this week that would restrict landlords from releasing their tenants’ immigration information and public and private employers from releasing their employees’ information to ICE agents. These two bills seek to protect immigrants in the state of California, and we could see similar ones appear in the near future. Democratic Assemblyman, David Chiu, highlighted the importance of these bills for immigrants without criminal histories in the United States. There are others who recognize the importance of this community in the United States. Cuban American billionaire, Mike Fernandez, has devoted $1 million to an immigration fund that seeks to defend immigrant families without criminal backgrounds. He has vowed to increase his donation to $4 million in support of the Immigration Partnership & Coalition Fund.
Top U.S. Immigration News Stories:
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City officials split over controversial sanctuary cities ban lawsuit
- Texas Lawmakers Accuse Each Other of Assault, Threats as Hundreds of ‘SB4’ Protesters Disrupt Session
- Protest sparks Texas lawmaker threats of gun violence
- California bills target private business to help immigrants
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Ivy League illegal immigrants release list of demands, including free health care, legal protection
- Why This Cuban American Billionaire Is Raising Millions for Undocumented Immigrants
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VisaPlace Immigration News Contributor
Ella Bergquist
Hello! I am one of VisaPlace's many immigration news contributors. Comment below if you have any questions or comments about this article.
