Angry Arizona, Again

Many states are doing urgent business: jobs, the economy, broken budgets. Arizona’s legislators are trying to give government new powers to strip away individual rights, to extend immigration enforcement into schools, public housing, hospitals and doctor’s offices.

Texas bill to make hiring illegal workers a felony

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas bill that would make it a state felony to knowingly hire an illegal immigrant, unless the person is a domestic worker, has faced some opposition from critics who say it would crack down on businesses while allowing households to use such workers.

Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Houston, authored the bill that would penalize those who knowingly or recklessly hire or contract with an undocumented worker. But jobs like maids, landscapers and other domestic positions within a family home would be exempt.

The Problem With Question 36

Last month, I became an American citizen, a tremendous honor and no easy accomplishment, even for a Canadian. After living here for 12 years, I thought I knew everything. Then I learned how we mint Americans.

Arizona Lawmakers Push New Round of Immigration Restrictions

Arizona lawmakers are proposing a sweeping package of immigration restrictions that might make the controversial measures the state approved last year, which the Obama administration went to court to block, look mild.

A Risky Trip Leads to Stardom and Sanctuary

A Honduran teenager gained fame as the star of a documentary film that showed the dangers faced by children who ride across Mexico atop freight trains to cross illegally to the United States. But the boy, Kevin Casasola, rode the trains again, and now he has been granted asylum in the United States, his lawyer said on Monday.

Dream Act Advocate Turns Failure Into Hope

HARRISONBURG, Va. — Isabel Castillo was counting on the Dream Act, and when the Dream Act was defeated in December, it upended her dreams.

Winning Entry 2010 Creative Writing Contest | Community Education Center

The AILA Santa Clara Valley chapter 5th grade creative writing contest is running for the 4th year. Last year, we had the national 5th grade winner, Julia Culbert. Please read her essay and comment. For information on this year's contest, please see: http://www.communityeducationcenter.org/community/winning-entry-2010-creative-writing-contest

Cool Places to Host Events

Here you have some places to host events:

Fox Theatre in Redwood City and Sparky's Hot Rod Garage.

http://www.foxrwc.com/venue-rental/
http://www.sparkyshotrodgarage.com/

E-Verify "Self Check" to go live Mar. 18th

"In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, the Department of Homeland Security proposes to establish a new Department of Homeland Security system of records titled, ‘‘Department of Homeland Security/United States Citizenship and Immigration Services—SORN DHS/ USCIS—013 E-Verify Self Check System of Records.’’ The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services E-Verify Self Check is voluntary and available to any individual who wants to check his own work authorization status prior to employment and facilitate correction of potential errors in federal databases that provide inputs into the E-Verify process.

Anti-immigrant activist convicted of murder of 9-yr.-old girl

TUCSON -- The leader of an anti-illegal-immigrant group was convicted Monday in a home invasion that left a 9-year-old girl and her father dead in what prosecutors said was an attempt to steal drug money to fund the group's operations.

USCIS to Issue Employment Authorization and Advance Parole Card for Adjustment of Status Applicants

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced that it is now issuing employment and travel authorization on a single card for certain applicants filing an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Form I-485. This new card represents a significant improvement from the current practice of issuing paper Advance Parole documents.

Some States Applying Brakes to Legislation Denying Citizenship to U.S.-Born Children

Yesterday, a panel in South Dakota’s legislature voted to halt legislation aimed at denying citizenship to U.S.-born children of undocumented immigrants. South Dakota’s bill—and others like it—propose measures which challenge the interpretation of the 14th Amendment, which states that, with very few exceptions, all persons born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens, regardless of the immigration status of their parents. While conservative lawmakers continue to introduce bills challenging the birthright citizenship clause, other states—like Arizona and Montana—are joining South Dakota’s lead in tabling these bills due to questions of constitutionality.

After a False Dawn, Anxiety for Illegal Immigrant Students

After a False Dawn, Anxiety for Illegal Immigrant Students
Darren Hauck for The New York Times
Maricela Aguilar, a recipient of a full academic scholarship to Marquette University, was born in Mexico but has lived in the United States without legal documents since she was 3 years old.

By JULIA PRESTON
Published: February 8, 2011


MILWAUKEE — It was exhilarating for Maricela Aguilar to stand on the steps of the federal courthouse here one day last summer and reveal for the first time in public that she is an illegal immigrant.