Immigration News Roundup

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Last week in immigration news, the merits of piecemeal strategies on immigration were considered as it became clear that with the oil spill the Senate will spend significant time tackling climate change and clean energy. Advocates continue to push forward for immigration reform with the support and urgency for CIR more apparent than ever with the crisis in Arizona. News began to roll in that some Arizona families and small businesses are relocating before July 29^th. Arguments for more border enforcement dwindled this week and were replaced with the news that the U.S. border patrol killed a teen honor roll student who may have been throwing stones. Last week’s fight to go right on immigration has calmed down in California with the primary passed but continues in other parts of the country. Polls show that Obama’s approval rate is down with Hispanic voters and that Hispanic youth favor the President but are often are not registered to vote.

 Push for CIR Continues-Piecemeal Strategies Weighed

Senator Harry Reid has signaled that he plans to work on climate change for the next two months. Strategists are considering whether to move legislation like Dream Act and Ag Jobs. It is uncertain if these bills have enough support to pass and if gaining that support would require packaging them with damaging provisions that would crack down on the remaining undocumented population. Senator Dick Durbin, sponsor of the DREAM Act, reports that he doesn't want to enact piecemeal immigration laws. He thinks AG Jobs and DREAM are needed to attract Republicans for “farther reaching” reform. "I am loath to even suggest" a piecemeal plan, Durbin said. "I am for comprehensive immigration reform."

Reform Immigration for America released a statement this week on its position on CIR, DREAM Act, and AG Jobs: “We demand the President and Congress come together to provide a path to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in America.  We are ready to throw the full weight of our campaign behind a strategy the President and Congress are committed to winning, whether it is DREAM, AgJOBS or Comprehensive Immigration Reform.  The politics of division must end. Congress must act.”

Hunger strikes in front of Schumer’s office ended after ten days. With many protesters tired and ill and one hospitalized they staged a “die-in” in front of Senator Schumer’s office. Last week, Senator Schumer spoke to the Irish Lobby for Immigration Reform and said that immigration reform can be done by March 2011.

The Border

Last Monday, Border Patrol shot and killed a teenage boy who was playing under a bridge near the US-Texas border. Border patrol has accused the boy of throwing stones. Mexico’s president released a statement saying that the action was unacceptable. A civil rights probe has begun by the FBI. It is unclear from what side of the border the U.S. border patrol fired. With two killings of Mexicans by Border Patrol in the past two weeks, the U.S. relationship with Mexico has become tense.

An unmanned aerial vehicle took its first flight over West Texas last week—taking off from Arizona and flying over El Paso and the Big Bend region. Currently, three drones are based in Sierra Vista, AZ and two are stationed in North Dakota. Rep. Cuellar and Sen. Hutchinson are eager to get another drone approved and in the air. It would be based in Corpus Christi. 

Economic Consequences of SB 1070

Consequences of the AZ law are starting to be felt. School enrollments suggest that Hispanics are fleeing Arizona before the July 29^th implementation of SB 1070.  Latino businesses that rely on the Hispanic community are also leaving town.

Immigration’s Impact on Elections

Obama’s approval rating among Hispanics has dropped 12 points since the beginning of the year. The lack of movement on immigration reform may be the cause.

Young Hispanic voters represent a powerful voting bloc but almost half of eligible Hispanic youth aren’t registered. A new poll of Latino youth says they favor Obama but are not aligned with a party.

McCain’s opponent has called his stance on tough immigration enforcement an “election year conversion.” McCain is comfortably (though not overwhelmingly) leading in the polls. Will voters see his tough line as honest or opportunistic? Rep. Gutierrez has criticized Sen. McCain for his flip-flop and suggested that once Sen. McCain is done with the election he will work on immigration reform, saying “I don't think this has staying power with him, mentally or in his heart."

GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman won California’s primary last week. Her “tough as nails” stance on immigration may have been only a primary-week conversion. Now pegged by the Democratic Party as “anti-Latino,” analysts suggest that Whitman needs to return to her moderate platform of jobs, education, and reducing spending if she is going to win over Latinos, women, and young voters.  

 AZ Attorney General Goddard and Chair of the AZ’s Democratic Party “campaigned” in NY the other day asking donors to give money to the state’s Democratic Party to help mobilize Hispanic voters and defeats Republicans who are already planning more anti-immigrant measures.