Immigration Law Update March 9, 2017

Immigration Law UpdateMarch 9, 2017

Bringing Peace to Immigrant Families.

The big misunderstanding

“I’m okay with immigrants as long as they do it the right way.”

Options for the undocumented

Main ways to immigrate: family, high skilled labor, asylum

Family:

3/10 year barsThe line

Executive Order: “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the U.S.”

Suspends admission and visa issuance for 90+ days for nationals of:

Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

Suspends refugee program for 120 days, Syrian refugees banned indefinitely

Suspends Visa Waiver Program

Priority to Christian refugeesApplied to Permanent Residents

Executive Order: “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the U.S.”

Judges on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said that while the government "identified the seven countries in the executive order as countries of concern in 2015 and 2016," it had not "offered any evidence or even an explanation" for how the national security concerns justified an "urgent need" to reinstate the executive order.

For now:DHS has stated that they’re back to operating as before the Executive Order

U.S. Consulates have stopped revoking visas

Airlines have stated they’re back to booking flights

Litigation will continue, could see new EO

New Executive Order

Iraq is not on the listNo Syrian refugee ban indefinitely, banned for 120 days like all other refugees

Does not apply to those with valid visa or lawful permanent residence

No visas issued for the next 90 days from: Iran, Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, Syria

Interior Enforcement EO’s and Memos

The concernsIncreased Detention

Everyone is a priorityLEAs enforcing immigration

Use of summary deportation for people apprehended

EO: Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 4. Physical Security of the Southern Border of the United States

(a) In accordance with existing law, including the Secure Fence Act and IIRIRA, take all appropriate steps to immediately plan, design, and construct a physical wall along the southern border, using appropriate materials and technology to most effectively achieve complete operational control of the southern border;

(b) Identify, and to the extent permitted by law, allocate all sources of Federal funds for the planning, designing, and constructing of a physical wall along the southern border

PROBLEM: COST

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell estimated the cost to be between $12 billion and $15 billion.Secure Fence Action – 700 miles of fencing cost 2.4 billion

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 5. Detention Facilities

(a) The Secretary shall take all appropriate action and allocate all legally available resources to immediately construct, operate, control, or establish contracts to construct, operate, or control facilities to detain aliens at or near the land border with Mexico. (b) and (c): assign asylum officers and immigration judges to the facilities

PROBLEM: COST, LOGISTICS, ACCESS TO COUNSEL

ICE's annual budget for immigration detention is about 

$2 billion. The daily cost of detention is about $164 per person. The federal government spends more than $5 million daily to detain immigrants. ICE holds up to 34,000 immigrants on any given day. (Human Rights First)

DHS detains 400,000 annually. BOP half that amount. (Center for American Progress)

Facilities are deliberately remote

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 6: Detention for Illegal Entry

The Secretary shall issue new policy guidance to all Department of Homeland Security personnel regarding the appropriate and consistent use of lawful detention authority under the INA, including the termination of the practice commonly know as “catch and release,” whereby aliens are routinely released in the United States shortly after their apprehension for violations of immigration law.

PROBLEM: FIXES SOMETHING NOT BROKEN

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 7: Return to Territory

The Secretary shall take appropriate action, consistent with the requirements of section 1232 of title 8, United States Code, to ensure that aliens described in section 235(b)(2)(C) of the INA are returned to the territory from which they came pending a removal proceeding.

PROBLEM: REMOVING KIDS OUTSIDE THE US PENDING REMOVAL HEARINGS

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 10. Federal-State Agreements

(b) To the extent permitted by law, and with the consent of State or local officials, as appropriate, the Secretary shall take appropriate action; through agreements under section 287(g) of the INA, or otherwise, to authorize State and local law enforcement officials, as the Secretary determines are qualified and appropriate, to perform the functions of immigration officers in relation to the investigation, apprehension, or detention of aliens in the United States under the direction and the supervision of the Secretary.

PROBLEM: COMPLEXITY OF IMMIGRATION LAWS, BURDENS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 11. Parole, Asylum, and Removal

It is the policy of the executive branch to end the abuse of parole and asylum provisions currently used to prevent the lawful removal of aliens(c) Pursuant to section 235(b)(1)(A)(iii)(I) of the INA, the Secretary shall take appropriate action to apply, in his

sole and unreviewable

discretion, the provision of section 235(b)(1)(A)(

i) and (ii) of the INA to the aliens designated under section 235(b)(1)(A)(iii)(II)PROBLEM: NO DUE PROCESS

Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements

Section 11. Parole, Asylum, and Removal

(d) The Secretary shall take appropriate action to ensure that parole authority under section 212(d)(5) of the INA is exercised only on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the plain language of the statute, and in all circumstances only when an individual demonstrates urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit derived from such parole.

PROBLEM: HUMANITARIAN RELEASE, NO RELEASE FOR ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO DO IT “the right way”

Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States

Section 5: Enforcement Priorities

: In executing faithfully the immigration laws of the United States, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prioritize removable aliens who: (a) have been convicted of any criminal offense;

(b) Have been charged with any criminal offense, where such charge has not been resolved;

(c) Have

committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offensePROBLEM: EVERYONE IS A PRIORITY

Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States

Section 6. Civil Fines and Penalties

As soon as practicable, and by no later than one year after the date of this order, the Secretary shall issue guidance and promulgate regulations, where required by law, to ensure the assessment and collection of all fines and penalties that the Secretary is authorized under the law to assess and collect fines from aliens unlawfully present in the United States

and from those who facilitate their presence in the United States

.

PROBLEM: UNCLEAR MEANING

Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States

Section 9: Sanctuary Jurisdictions

(b) To better inform the public regarding the public safety threats associate with sanctuary jurisdictions, the Secretary shall utilize the Declined Detainer Outcome Report or its equivalent and, on a weekly basis, make public a comprehensive list of criminal actions committed by aliens and any jurisdiction that ignored or otherwise failed to honor any detainers with respect to such aliens.

PROBLEM: SOUND FAMILIAR

? HITLER DID THIS

Sanctuary Cities

SB4Requires that cities or municipalities comply with ICE detainers or lose state grant funding

Permits 287(g) agreements and local immigration enforcementCounty or municipality liability for damages resulting from a felony committed by a person if county or municipality ignores ICE detainer, or

had probable cause the person was not a citizen

and the person had a prior conviction of a class B misdemeanor or higher.

Includes campus police departmentsPROBLEM: WARRANTLESS DETAINERS ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, COMPLEXITY OF IMMIGRATION LAWS, STUDENTS NOT SAFE, REDUCES PUBLIC SAFETY

What to advise

RAIDS and RAID preparednessRequire warrant

KYR cardsFamily planningCartas de

poder

Passport application

Passwords, license plate, critical informationWhat to carry at all times: 2 year proofProof of status unless undocumentedMemorize important phone numbersReport RAIDS: 1-844-END-1ICE (United We Dream)

What can we do?

Give Money#

StrongerTogether for Travis CountyLitigation

ACLU, Equal Justice Center, American Immigration Council (AIC)

Advocacy

Grassroots Leadership, AIC, RAICESDirect ServicesAm. Gateways, RAICES, Casa Marianella, Bernardo Kohler Center, Catholic CharitiesGive TimeAmerican GatewaysRAICES

Casa

Marianella

Karnes trips with Lincoln Goldfinch Law

TX Here to Stay – clinic Saturday 3/11 11-2

Planning for detention of a parent

MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND OTHER POWER OF ATTORNEY / DESIGNATION OF MEDICAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND OTHER AGENT Should not be a "springing" POA valid upon incapacity, b/c there is a concern that incapacity does not include "removal" as defined in the statute, but rather the recommendation is to make it effective now, but not hand it to the Agent until needed (agent should know where it is in person's home if needed -- after all this person has to be someone trustworthy enough to take over without much notice).

Types of Immigrants

CITIZENS

immigrants

lawful permanent residents (LPRs) “

greencard

”

Conditional residents

refugees/

asylees

Diversity visa

non-immigrants

Visitors

Students

temporary workers

Alphabet soup of visas

undocumented

NON-CITIZENS

Thank You

Guiding people through the immigration process so they can live and work without fear of deportation