Department of Homeland Security Budget for 2010 Approved by Congress

Posted by Nicki Nario

On June 12th, the House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security for the government’s Fiscal Year 2010. Related to immigration, the bill funds: Immigration and Customs Enforcement at $5.4 billion ($30 million below the President’s request and $439 above the Fiscal 2009 allocation. Included in the total is $200 million for Secure Communities; $1.5 billion for identifying dangerous criminals and prioritizing these individuals for removal; and $74 million for alternatives to detention ($10 million above the administration’s request). U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at $248 million (not including receipts and expenditures from the Immigration Fee Account, which accounts for most of ...

For full article, click here.

The Militarization of the Border: Could this be Reality?

Posted by Michael Sinanian

MSNBC just ran an article talking about the "interagency 'food fight'" taking place between the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense over policing the border and whether or not the national guard should be deployed there.


Article found here.

Chief of Border Patrol sector defends Riverside office

Posted By Crystal Moreno

Chief of Border Patrol sector defends Riverside office:
The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol sector that includes much of the Inland area defended the Riverside office against allegations of racial profiling and said he does not believe the office established arrest quotas that violate federal rules.

Visit:
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_S_border20.385ce84.html

Immigrant law loopholes threaten SF mayor's bid - washingtonpost.com

By Maria Uribe
Immigrant law loopholes threaten SF mayor's bid - washingtonpost.com: "SAN FRANCISCO -- Recent uproar over San Francisco's liberal-leaning policies toward illegal immigrants is threatening to derail two top city officials' bids for statewide office as they work to appeal to more conservative voters.
One month after Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for governor, he came under fire for a loophole in the city's long-standing sanctuary policy that allowed undocumented immigrant minors charged with crimes to not be deported. Instead, they were flown home or housed in the state at the city's expense."

Pentagon, DHS Divided On Military's Role at Border

by Maria Uribe
Washington Post Staff
Sat June 27 2009

A proposal to send National Guard troops to the US-Mexico border to counter drug trafficking has triggered a bureaucratic standoff between the Pengagon and the Department of Homelasd Security over the military's role in the doomestic affairs, accoridng to tofficials in both departments.
the debvate has engaged a pair of powerful personalities, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitiano and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, in what their subordinates described as a truf fight over whos hould direct the use of troops to assist in the fight against Mexican cartels and who should pay for them

Clikc HERE

Bill Increasing Homeland Security's Budget Passes House

Post by Maria Uribe
Associated Press
Thursday, June 25, 2009

The House passed, 389 to 37, a $44 billion spending bill last night that awards the Homeland Security Department a 7 percent budget increase, with money for more border patrol agents and for anti-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia.

As part of a GOP campaign against President Obama's order to close the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the bill requires the department to conduct threat assessments for the terrorism suspects being held there. It also requires that the department ensure that detainees are placed on its "no-fly" list and denied immigration benefits including admission into the United States and refugee status.

click HERE

U.S.-Mexico Border Fence Faces Yet Another Hurdle

Posted by: Lynda Banh

Suspension of the government’s possession of farmland needed to complete “biggest unfinished segment” of the U.S.-Mexico border fence.

Secure Fence Act originally called for almost 700 miles of double-layered fencing. However Congress has eased the requirement, allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to instead erect vehicle barriers in lieu of fencing, at their discretion.

The article explains that the DHS has encountered various problems in attempting to complete the fence. Landowners are concerned with the property the government must take to complete the fence and how they will access the land stranded by the fence. They oppose the idea of a gate so until a solution to how landowners will be able to access the property on the other side of the fence is developed, government ownership of the land is suspended.

Click here

Border Patrol Arrests of Illegal Immigrants Drop

Posted by Adrian Sanchez

The Department of Homeland Security has reported that arrests towards undocumented immigrants has dropped to the lowest it has been in the last 35 years (724,000). This is attributed to the high rate of employment in the U.S. and the increase of border control.

For article click here

Border Security, Civil Liberties and Immigration Reform:Obama’s Cartel Trust Busters

On a tour of the Southwest late last week, senior members of the Obama administration laid out the White House’s strategy for border security, narcotics control and immigration reform. And contrary to the expectations of some border residents and advocates who were betting on a new approach last January, the new administration’s strategic policy mainly follows and even expands on the previous Democratic and Republican administrations.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano swore in a new 21-member Homeland Security Advisory Council Southwest Border Task Force. The purpose of the new body, Napolitano said in a statement, will be to “present me with concrete recommendations to address the complex challenges we face in this region.”

The generous appointment of law enforcement and private sector representatives to top advisory positions reflects the Obama administration’s goal of relying on technology to tighten up border security while facilitating the flow of commerce between Mexico and the US

Meantime, details of a possible immigration reform package are beginning to appear in the press. Among the measures under consideration on Capitol Hall are proposals to extend guest-worker programs from agriculture to all economic sectors.

Posted by: Patricia
Source: La Prensa San Diego

Click here for full story

News from the Border: Minutemen Charged With Murder of Mexican Father, Daughter

Posted by: Myo
Source: lawprofessors.typepad.com

Arizona television news reports that three people have been arrested in connection with a double homicide in Arivaca, Arizona. One of the people arrested for the homicide is the National Executive Director of the Minuteman American Defense group (M.A.D.). Jason Eugene Bush, Shawna Forde, and Albert Robert Gaxiola, were arrested and charged in connection with the murders of a father, Raul Flores, and his 8-year-old daughter Brisenia Flores. Both were killed during an alleged home invasion. According to authorities, Bush, Forde, and Gaxiola broke into the home of the Flores family just after midnight on May 30th. At the time, the mother, father and daughter were home. The invaders reportedly shot the three members of the Flores family, killing the father, Raul, and the daughter, Brisenia. The trio has been charged with murder, burglary, and aggravated assault.

Click here for the report.

Helps Out There For Immigrant Children in TEXAS

A 16 year old boy named Juan (real identity with held) fled his native country of Guatemala for the United States to escape the abuse exercised on him from his alcoholic father. Juan like many other children, come to the U.S. alone each year seeking a haven from human trafficing and domestic abuse. Prior to 2008, most immigrant children that fled to the U.S. were sent back without ever going to trial. Fortunately, Juan ended up in a Texas court and was allowed to stay in the U.S. with the help of a pro-bono lawyer until his case is heard.

The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 ensures that officials act on the best interest of the child and not the older law that was never designed to accomodate children in the first place. Currenlty, the Texas court is one of few to implement this new law.


For Article Click Here


Posted by: Tamai Gilbert

34 illegal immigrants found in Phoenix drop house

PHOENIX — Authorities say they have busted the third drop house for illegal immigrants found in the Phoenix area in the last few days.

Officer Robert Bailey with the Arizona Department of Public Safety says the third house was raided Monday. Authorities found 34 illegal immigrants and nine suspected smugglers.

They were tipped off by a citizen who paid a ransom to get a family member released.

Bailey says many of the immigrants from Mexico were held for up to 30 days, and some were beaten by smugglers demanding more money for their release.

Two boys, ages 13 and 15, and a woman who was two months pregnant were among those being held. No one needed medical treatment.

The alleged smugglers were arrested and the immigrants turned over to federal officials.

Posted by Sandra Robles