THIS WEEK IN IMMIGRATION
Thursday, 11. 19. 2009 – Category: Immigration Reform
Legislative Update
Immigration is gearing up again in Washington, D.C. Last week, Obama pressed Congress to rework immigration laws, when DHS Secretary Napolitano delivered remarks on the Administration’s efforts to reform the broken immigration system. She outlined a “three-legged stool” strategy for reform: 1) a commitment to serious and effective enforcement, 2) improved legal flow for families and workers, and 3) a firm but fair way to deal with those who are already here. David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to President Obama, also stated that Democrats and Republicans in Congress are working together to craft legislation that could become law as early as next year.
In a victory for immigrant women and girls, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) removed the Human Pamplona Virus (HPV) vaccination requirement for women ages 11-26 who are seeking green card status in the U.S. Immigrant and women’s rights groups, including the National Asian Pacific American Women’s Forum, argued that the requirement, which is gender-specific and costly, is discriminatory.
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Presently, the Reuniting Families Act has 5 co-sponsors in the Senate and 75 in the House.
Dream Act has 32 co-sponsors in the Senate and 105 in the House.
AgJobs has 20 co-sponsors in the Senate and 56 in the House.
SUCCESS Act has 8 co-sponsors in the House.
Military Families Act has 5 co-sponsors in the Senate.
Please call your members of Congress and encourage them to co-sponsor the legislation listed above!
Administrative & Legal Update
USCIS Director Mayorkas is considering fee increases for immigration benefits and possible layoffs in the agency. An increase in hikes will likely hurt immigrants from low-income backgrounds, pricing them out of applying for citizenship and other immigration benefits. Currently the cost of processing a citizenship application costs $675, increased from $330 in 2007, and the cost of a green card application is more than $1000.
Be sure to check out CLINIC’s analysis on the impact of repealing the widows’ penalty on immigrants applying for green cards, and a study by Human Rights First, showing that U.S. anti-terrorism laws are being applied too strictly and are delaying the immigration process for refugees and asylum seekers.
Tags: Immigration Reform, NAPAWF, Naturalization, President Obama, Reuniting Families, Secretary Janet Napolitano, USCIS