This week’s immigration blog roundup will cover immigrant detention, immigration judges, and more.
Immigration activists are mourning the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, citing his work with on behalf of Latinos and communities of color. USA Today reports that Kennedy fashioned our immigration system by working in 1965 to pass a bill that eliminated the quota system. His work continued throughout the decades and has laid the groundwork for comprehensive immigration reform now.
The New York Times reports that the New York Department of Correction has given names of foreign-born inmates (including U.S. citizens) to immigration officials, which has resulted in deportation proceedings for at least 13,000 Rikers Island inmates since 2004. Out of 105,000 inmates annually, about 4,000 are questioned on their immigration status, with about 3,200 being detained (about 3 percent).
The Washington Post reports on the rise in kidnappings of people crossing the border by smuggling cartels. Many undocumented families pay the ransom rather than face U.S. authorities.
A new study by University of California-San Francisco found that immigration judges are being crushed by their workload. There are about 215 immigration judges in the country; they average more than 1,600 cases per year, far more than the 350 cases that federal judges have on their dockets.
Lastly, another Latino has quit the GOP – Sergio Garcia, Political Director of the New Mexico GOP resigned, saying "I have come to the realization that the current environment is no longer conducive for moving forward with any strategic plan of positioning the Party for the future."
Read more at The Opportunity Agenda website.
