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The United States suspends raids on undocumented immigrants in workplaces

According to a memorandum issued on October 12 by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, federal immigration agents will end mass workplace arrests of immigrant employees suspected of living in the United States without legal permission. 

Now, instead of searching for undocumented immigrants, they seek to shift the focus to “unscrupulous employers who exploit the vulnerability of undocumented workers” and will emphasize the fight against worker abuse, including poor wages, unsafe working conditions, and human trafficking.

The memorandum specifies that within two months, the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Customs and Border Protection must develop a plan that increases penalties for employers, encourages workers to report unscrupulous practices, and coordinates with other agencies such as the Department of Labor. 

These types of raids were defended during the administration of former President Trump and other Republican presidents as strong deterrents against illegal immigration, while workers denounced them as unfair and discriminatory. A clear example of this was when 680 Latino workers were arrested at chicken plants run by organizations like Koch Foods, based in Illinois.  

Nadia Marín Molina, executive director of the National Network of Day Laborer Organizations, stated: “It is time for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to stop allowing employers to use the threat of deportation as a tool to facilitate exploitation and evade accountability… Immigrant workers kept the lights on in this country during a pandemic, and the government essentially told them they should work themselves to death without basic rights so that others could live.”.

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New guidelines for arresting and deporting immigrants for ICE agents

New arrest and deportation guidelines were issued to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 

After images of agents on horseback whipping undocumented immigrants went viral, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that new arrest and deportation guidelines had been issued to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. 

The Biden administration will continue to prioritize the arrest and deportation of undocumented immigrants who genuinely pose a threat to national and public security. However, it is important to reconsider that being an undocumented immigrant “should not be the sole reason” for deciding on detention and deportation from the United States, noted Alejandro Mayorkas. 

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas stated in a press release that “For the first time, our guidelines, in the pursuit of public safety, will require an evaluation of the individual and will take into account the totality of the facts and circumstances.” The new guidelines will take effect on November 29, 2021.

This statement was issued at a critical moment in the handling of approximately 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States, many of whom have lived there for most of their lives. Therefore, according to Mayorka, the aim is to prioritize the situation of certain undocumented immigrants who do not pose a threat to the nation and can receive a fair evaluation. 

A key point emphasized in the statement was that the main purpose of the law and the agents is to ensure the safety of both citizens and "non-citizens," understanding that the country must recognize that immigrants contribute to the nation in various ways. 

This news story was created from The Washington Post: https://wapo.st/3Bcm1Sv

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MacDonough (congresswoman) dismisses Democrats' immigration plan B

Senate Representative Elizabeth MacDonough rejected an alternative proposal for immigration reform in a budget process in which she argues they do not comply with Senate rules, in addition to using obstructionism.

Democrats proposed changing the immigration registry to help legalize millions of undocumented immigrants who would then benefit from humanitarian temporary residency permits. However, Representative Elizabeth's response indicated that she would not allow changes to the entry dates used to determine eligibility. 

This proposal from the Democrats is not the only one they have used; initially, they would have sought to use their spending bill to provide around 8 million Green Cards for: Dreamers, people with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), agricultural workers, and essential employees.

The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), said he was “disappointed” by the ruling and that it left them with “limited” options. However, Democrats intend to continue trying, as Senator Robert Menendez stated, “We’re going to pursue a Plan C.”

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New bill makes legal adjustments that give hope to immigrants

«"Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) announced a committee meeting for Monday, September 13, to discuss legislative proposals under the budget reconciliation guidelines."»

On September 10, 2021, the House Judiciary Committee issued a press release: «Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) announced a committee meeting for Monday, September 13, on legislative proposals under the budget reconciliation instructions.» Before becoming law, the provisions would have to be approved by the Judiciary Committee, the House of Representatives, the Senate, and signed by the Speaker. (Update: On September 13, 2021, «The House Judiciary Committee voted 25-19 along party lines to advance the legislation,» reported Suzanne Monyak of CQ/Roll Call.) 

This new House bill could provide relief for the millions of immigrants living in the United States who wait years to obtain a Green Card because of delays in granting legal status. 

Although the bill does not contain permanent structural changes to the legal immigration system, it would likely allow more people to obtain permanent residency, which the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 would provide relief to many families, highly skilled immigrants, and employers.

This bill would provide significant benefits and help American employers retain talent, as well as potentially help American universities and improve the lives of many families. 

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More than 10 million U.S. citizens live with an undocumented immigrant.

In the United States, there are more than 10 million undocumented immigrants, according to a Census Bureau study conducted by the immigration advocacy group FWD.us. Of these 10 million, 4.9 million are children with at least one undocumented parent. 

Mixed-status households comprise approximately 22 million people who live in and are part of American society despite being undocumented immigrants. These figures include U.S. households that house U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or holders of temporary visas, and at least one undocumented individual. 

This study comes as immigrant advocates begin to pressure Democrats in Congress to fight to include immigration provisions in the upcoming $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill. 

Advocates expect up to 8 million people to be covered by the bill, gaining access to permanent legal residency, which could become a path to U.S. citizenship. This is because currently, undocumented immigrants and beneficiaries of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program are not allowed to apply for any type of legal status. 

According to a report by FWD.us, of the 2.4 million U.S. citizens living with undocumented immigrants in California, 1.2 million are children, meaning that up to 1.2 million eligible voters live in mixed-status households. In Texas, up to 1.5 million eligible voters live in mixed-status households, as do more than 140,000 in Arizona and 120,000 in Georgia.

«Fixing our broken immigration system is personal for millions of Americans living in mixed-status families. As citizens and voters, they expect Congress to give their families a long-awaited chance at justice, certainty, and a better future in the country they call home,« Connor added.

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Which Afghan refugees are being resettled in the US?

The Biden administration's plan to airlift and relocate wartime allies from Afghanistan faces major logistical and political challenges, so much so that they have ignited a national conversation about U.S. efforts to resettle Afghans who helped U.S. forces during the 20-year conflict. 

Providing refuge to Afghans assisting in the U.S. war effort is an unusual immigration policy that enjoys broad public support, including among Republicans and Democrats. However, it has also raised questions about how many at-risk Afghans will be able to evacuate to the United States, who will qualify for refuge, where those who do will be resettled, how they will be exposed, and what will happen to them once they set foot on American soil.

Special immigrant visas

Under programs established by Congress with broad bipartisan support, designed for certain Afghans who support the U.S. war effort, they may be eligible for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which allows them to move to the U.S. permanently with their spouse and children. 

One program is designed to provide security for Afghans working as translators or interpreters. Another program allows Afghans who have worked for the U.S. government, were contractors, or served with NATO to obtain a special visa if they meet certain requirements. 

While the smaller program for interpreters and translators is permanent, the second classification is temporary and will expire once all targeted visas are issued. In July, Congress added 8,000 more visas to the broader classification, bringing the total to 34,500. 

Another way to qualify for refugee resettlement 

The Biden administration in early summer created a new refugee category for those who worked with U.S.-based media and non-governmental groups.

Afghans evacuated from Kabul who are not eligible for special visas may still qualify for US refugee resettlement if they wait in underdeveloped countries. 

The Biden administration has been asked to use an immigration tool known as "humanitarian parole" to allow vulnerable Afghans, such as female leaders, to enter the United States without a visa. 

It has also been suggested that people on parole who may be potentially eligible for other immigration benefits such as political asylum may be received in the United States. 

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Black immigrants have been left out of political decisions for far too long

Shamira Ibrahim has nostalgically recalled being far from home, after a grueling journey across the US-Canada border, struggles to obtain visas, poverty, a battle with the criminal justice system and giant financial obstacles as a result of being an immigrant from East Africa. 

When Ibrahim was just 5 years old, he arrived in the United States with his family. He recalls living briefly in East Africa before moving to Canada. Now 30, he says he spent most of his life in the countryside, experiencing firsthand the fear of being a Black immigrant. 

In a territory like the USA, whose empire is based on the criminalization of foreigners, African American immigrants have an additional stressful element surrounding this, since this society in this nation remains intrinsically criminalized. 

Around 71% of immigrants in the USA are African American, and because of this they are already more likely to be deported than immigrants of other races, according to a report by the Black Alliance for Just Immigration.

Between June 2018 and June 2020, African American immigrants paid higher bail amounts than non-African Americans at detention centers, according to the Refugee and Immigrant Legal Services and Education Center. This has led to the recognition that migrants end up in immigration detention centers for extended periods, sometimes indefinitely, due to their inability to afford the disproportionately high bail amounts. 

African American societies have been and are subject to arrests and prosecutions far more frequently than the general non-African population; 761% of African American immigrants are deported for having had contact or an argument with the police, according to the Black Alliance report. 

Because of all these issues, UndocuBlack, the Black Immigrant Collective, African Communities Together, and other groups fought for years to get Congress to pass the Liberian Refugee Immigration Equality Act, a law that offers Liberians living in the U.S. since 2014 the opportunity to become permanent residents, obtain a green card, and ultimately, citizenship. Congress passed the law in 2019; UndocuBlack officials said it is the first legalization bill to become law in more than a decade.

This news story was created from NBCNEWS: https://nbcnews.to/2WNKqif