In the first vote on an immigration bill since this month’s election, the Republican-controlled House rehashed an old policy and passed a version of a bill that already failed earlier this year, 245-139.  Twenty-seven Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the legislation. The STEM Jobs Act, sponsored by anti-immigrant Rep.... Continue »
Could some in the non-extremist wing of the GOP be slowly starting to “get it” on immigration?  Yesterday, the Huffington Post reported that the state of Nevada—led by Republican Governor Brian Sandoval—is the latest to confirm that it will allow DREAMers recognized by President Obama’s deferred action (DACA) program to apply for driver’s... Continue »
Hasn’t Rep. Steve King (R-IA) gotten the memo yet? While Republicans of all stripes are busy agreeing that the GOP must start doing better with the Latino vote and immigration reform, anti-immigrant Rep. King is—as Sen. Lindsey Graham would say—digging the hole deeper.  King went on talk radio this... Continue »
Some Republicans get it.  Because of the party’s historic losses among Latino voters in the 2012 elections they are calling for the GOP to adopt a new brand image on immigration.  Some still don’t get it.  These Republicans seem to hope that they can do something that looks like immigration reform and address their... Continue »
As the legislative debate around immigration percolates, the issue of what constitutes real reform is at the heart of the discussion. According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice Education Fund: Real immigration reform means putting 11 million undocumented immigrants on the road to full citizenship.  We will... Continue »
Two days ago, retiring GOP Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) and Jon Kyl (AZ) held a press conference to announce their new Achieve Act, a watered-down version of the DREAM Act which would confer legal status but no guarantee of citizenship.  When reporters asked Sen. Kyl to address that... Continue »
More than a year after Alabama began implementing state anti-immigrant law HB 56—which was supposed to be a jobs bill–Alabama now has the worst economy in the American Southeast.  The state has endured a year of civil rights groups and supporters comparing the state’s present to its famously ugly... Continue »
Earlier this week, we told the GOP that the same cast of characters + the same mistakes on immigration = the same ending when it comes to the Latino vote.  That is, it was an encouraging sign when Republicans–after losing this year’s presidential contest by more than a 3-1... Continue »
Today, leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, joined by Senator Robert Menendez, held a press conference to announce their own nine principles of immigration reform. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), the Chair of the CHC’s Immigration Task Force, asked for “one simple thing” in immigration reform—fairness—during their event, entitled “One Nation: Principles... Continue »
Yesterday, outgoing Republican Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) and Jon Kyl (AZ) held a press conference to announce the Achieve Act, a scaled-down version of the DREAM Act which offers legal status to young undocumented immigrants but not necessarily citizenship. The Achieve Act would cover DREAMers who are currently younger... Continue »