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American Immigration Lawyers Association denounces House Detention Bill
May 26, 2011The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is denouncing the House Detention Billl, arguing that passing this bill will allow for the U.S. government to indefinitely detain individuals, increasing their already broad authority to detain noncitizens. AILA also argues that this goes against the constitution. To read the full story, click here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota -
Gov. Dayton vetoed all of the budget bills
May 24, 2011Today Governor Dayton vetoed all of the budget bills, including those that would harm ILCM and the immigrant community. See our recent action alert here and read the Governor’s veto statement and letters here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota -
Deportation Halted for Some Students as Lawmakers Seek New Policy
April 28, 2011Olga Zanella was pulled over by the police, but had no driver's license; she was turned in to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (I.C.E.). After fighting the case for two years, Ms. Zanella was granted by ICE the right to stay and live in the United States as long as she stayed in school and out of trouble. Surprised by the decision, Ms. Zanella's parents and siblings decided they didn't want to live in the shadow anymore and turned themselves in, hoping for the same relief that Olga had received. ICE's reason for the Ms. Zanella's decision was that they wanted to focus on deporting criminals and not DREAM kids or immigrants who have never committed a crime. Democrat Lawmakers are still hoping to push this issue forward by fighting for the DREAM Act and making sure ICE only deport criminals.
To read the full story by the NYTIMES, click here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in the United States -
Interactive map: Where are MN's immigrants coming from?
April 20, 2011Take a look at where Minnesota's immigrants are coming from in this fun interactive map; statistics were taken from 2000-2009.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota -
Hmong National Conference comes to MN
April 20, 2011This year's Hmong National Conference being held in Minnesota is drawing in more than 900 young Hmong professionals and students attendee. Traditionally the conference's focus has been on Hmong students, but with the twin cities having the highest concentration of Hmong professionals in the country HNC decided that the theme for this year would be Hmong professionals. "We're definitely focusing more on the working professionals, and we're bringing in very top people in the Hmong community to come and speak," says Lee Vue a conference organizer. The organization's statistic states that, "38 percent of the conference attendees will have a master's degree or higher, and 86 percent will have at least a bachelor's degree." The keynote speaker for the conference will be MayKao Hang, the President of Wilder Foundation; other speakers plannning to attend the conference are MN Senator Al Franken and former State Senator Mee Moua.
To read the full story from the Pioneer Press, click here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota -
American Immigration Lawyers Association files amicus brief in support of ILCM appeal
April 15, 2011On April 11, 2011, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) filed this amicus brief in support of ILCM's pending appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, Matter of Mansour. The question presented is whether an individual "grandfathered" under INA section 245(i) remains grandfathered and eligible for secition 245(i) adjustment of status regardless of whether he or she adjusts status under another provsion of the INA. ILCM and AILA both ask the BIA to publish a precedential decision in Mansour to clarify this important issue of law.
Read more...Categories Litigation Highlights -
Dayton drops Pawlenty directive on immigration
April 14, 2011Governer Mark Dayton has decided to let former Governor Pawlenty's executive order to have the state enforce federal laws, expire and opted not to renew it. The executive order "required state agencies for public safety, corrections and commerce to work with federal officials by cross-designating state agents to enforce immigration and customs law, combing the prison population to identify illegal immigrants and participating in efforts to uncover document fraud, gang activity and child predators." Governor Dayton believed that the executive order was not necessary, and pointed it to merely "a political stunt on [Pawlenty's] part," when he decided to pass it.
To read the full story from MPR, click here.
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Eighth Circuit remands important asylum case; Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P. joins ILCM in litigation on behalf of Guatemalan victims of gender violence
March 31, 2011On March 28, 2011, the Eighth Circuit remanded the important asylum appeal, C-R-P- v. Holder, for further consideration by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The BIA will now reconsider whether "Guatemalan women" is a valid "particular social group" whose members are eligible for asylum protection. Adam Welle of Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi has agreed to join ILCM as pro bono co-counsel in the remanded proceedings. A positive BIA decision could extend the reach of our asylum laws to the benefit of many victims of severe sexual violence. Prominent immigrant rights organizations including the National Immigrant Justice Center, the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies, and the Harvard Immigration and Refugee Clinical Program plan to file amicus briefs in support of our client.
Read more...Categories Litigation Highlights -
MN Chamber of Commerce takes immigration message on the road
March 22, 2011Bill Blazer, senior vice president for public affairs and business at the MN Chambers of Commerce, and ILCM's Executive Director John Keller has teamed up to take the immigration message on the road. With support from businesses, immigration activists, faith-based communities and labor unions, they're lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform, and arguing that immigration is a good thing for Minnesota with charts, graphs, statistics, and anecdotes. To read the full story, click here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota -
Immigration audit hits second major business in MN
March 15, 2011Harvard Maintenance Inc., a national janitorial company, will be the second major business in Minnesota that has been hit by ICE's immigration audit. Harvard Maintenance will be forced to fire 240 of their workers for not being able to provide proof of authorization to work in the United States. To read the full story, click here.
Read more...Categories Immigration in Minnesota
