^{Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota/Pictured are Henry Jimenez (left), Senator Ray (center), and John Keller (right)} 

This spring, ILCM advocated for the Immigrant Task Force Bill in the Minnesota Senate.

SF 3405, or the Immigrant Task Force Bill, seeks to create an immigration integration task force to research state laws and rules that negatively impact immigrants. It aims to create methods to ensure that future proposed laws and rules consider the impact of proposals on Minnesota’s immigrant communities. The task force would include five members appointed by the governor to represent Minnesota’s various immigrant communities, two members from the House of Representatives, two senators, and both a chair and co-chair.

Though SF 3405 was approved without dissent in early April and moved to the Senate Finance Committee, it did not receive a hearing  in the House. ILCM is now asking the Governor to convene this task force through executive action.

Above, Senator Patricia Torres Ray is pictured testifying on the bill. Henry Jimenez, from the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, also provided strong testimony.

More information on the bill can be found here.

^{Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota/Pictured are Jamael Lundy (left), House Representative Rosa (center left), Zamzam Ahmed (center right), and John Keller (right)}

ILCM’s intern, Zamzam Ahmed provided testimony for the Citizenship Tax Credit Bill, HF 3560. The Bill creates a state tax credit of $680 to cover the cost of filing for citizenship for low-income students and workers; it will allow some of the 80,000 green card holders in Minnesota to naturalize sooner. Zamzam provided testimony of her personal story: she was eligible to apply for citizenship, but did not possess the financial means to apply, especially as a college student.

The tax credit bill is a part of the broader “Minnesota New American Integration Act,” which includes tax credits, education grants, and new business assistance; these bills attempt to increase both education and economic opportunities for new immigrants. The bills associated with the Act also involve HF 3563 (creation of Task Force), HF 3559, and HF 3560.

More information on the “Minnesota New American Integration Act” can be found here.

The Supreme court could decide on the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive order from 2014 in the case United States v Texas as soon as this summer. The case concerns the expanded DACA and DAPA.

The expanded DACA eliminates the age gap for DACA, changes the date of entry for DACA eligibility purposes, and grants work authorization for a period of three years instead of two. More information on the expanded DACA can be found here.

In Minnesota, 12,810 (Center for Immigration Studies) individuals are eligible for the original or expanded DACA program. If the Supreme Court decides in favor of President Obama’s administration, more students could gain the opportunity to obtain proper work authorization. 

^{Citizens League, Capitol Pathways 2016 Legislative Cohort} 

ILCM, along with organizations including the Office of the Secretary State, Education Minnesota, MinnCAN, Fresh Energy, Minnesota Environmental Partnership, and NAMI Minnesota, will serve as a host site for a Minnesota Capital Pathways intern.

The internship seeks to increase diversity in the Minnesotan government by allowing students of color to access the Minnesotan capitol so that they can engage in matters that impact their respective communities; students will work with their host sites as they build relationships with established capitol leaders and gain exposure to different careers in policy.

Erika Idrovo-Cuesta, ILCM’s Spring 2016 intern, is currently working with Executive Director John Keller on policies such as the MinnCare Expansion Bill.

More information on the internship can be found here.

The Government Services Administration is currently planning to move the Twin Cities USCIS office for immigration services to a location with limited public transportation options

The legislation, authored by Klobuchar and cosponsored by Franken, would require the Government Services Administration (GSA) to verify that the public transit requirement specified in a lease solicitation is met and that public transportation runs regularly throughout the business hours of the building; Ellison will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives

Klobuchar, Franken, and Ellison also joined with Representatives Peterson, McCollum, Walz, and Nolan in sending a letter urging the GSA to find alternatives to the proposed Twin Cities USCIS office relocation.

More information on the bill can be found here.

On August 25, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security announced that current TPS registrants from Haiti have until October 26, 2015 to apply to extend their TPS status. The 18-month extension would allow the individual to have TPS through July 22, 2017.

Please call ILCM if you have questions or need assistance: (651) 641-1011

TPS for nationals of Nepal in the U.S. announced! Please call ILCM for assistance: (651) 641-1011. “Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson announced his decision to designate Nepal for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months based on the conditions resulting from the devastating magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015, and the subsequent aftershocks. As a result, eligible nationals of Nepal residing in the United States may apply for TPS with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).”

Visit the website of USCIS for more information: http://goo.gl/dI2ZDA

Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for eligible nationals of Somalia (and eligible individuals without nationality who last habitually resided in Somalia) for an additional 18 months, effective Sept. 18, 2015, through March 17, 2017.

Please call the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota with any questions or to schedule an appointment. (651) 641-1011.

Current TPS Somalia beneficiaries seeking to extend their TPS must re-register during the 60-day re-registration period that runs from June 1, 2015, through July 31, 2015. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) encourages beneficiaries to re-register as soon as possible once the 60-day re-registration period begins. USCIS will not accept applications before June 1, 2015.

The 18-month extension also allows TPS re-registrants to apply for a new Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Eligible TPS Somalia beneficiaries who re-register during the 60-day period and request a new EAD will receive one with an expiration date of March, 17, 2017.

To re-register, current TPS beneficiaries must submit:

• Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status (Re-registrants do not need to pay the Form I-821 application fee).
• The biometrics services fee (or a fee waiver request) if they are 14 years old or older.
• Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, regardless of whether they want an EAD.
• The Form I-765 application fee or a fee waiver request, but only if they want an EAD. If the re-registrant does not want an EAD, no application fee is required.

Applicants may request that USCIS waive the Form I-765 application fee and/or biometrics fee based on an inability to pay. To do so, applicants must file a Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver, or submit a written request. Fee waiver requests must be accompanied by supporting documentation. USCIS will reject the TPS application of any applicant who fails to submit the required filing fees or a properly documented fee waiver request.

All USCIS forms are free. Applicants can download these forms from the USCIS website at uscis.gov/forms or request them by calling USCIS toll-free at 1-800-870-3676.

Additional information on TPS for Somalia —including guidance on eligibility, the application process and where to file—is available online at uscis.gov/tps. Certain individuals who are not current TPS beneficiaries may be able to apply late for TPS under the Somalia designation. Information on Late Initial Filing is also available at uscis.gov/tps. Further details about this extension of TPS for Somalia, including the application requirements and procedures, appear in a Federal Register noticepublished today.

Applicants seeking information about the status of their individual cases can check My Case Status Online, or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283 (TTY 1-800-767-1833).

The Minnesota Business Immigration Coalition is publicly supporting the Minnesota Driver’s License Bill. We are thankful for their support and proud to say that they have strengthened our coalition and our efforts to pass this important legislation before the end of session.

You can read their letter of support here.

Read a letter of support from Representatives Kurt Daudt and Paul Thissen here.

Read multiple letters of support from a variety of law enforcement officials throughout Minnesota here.