Last Wednesday, the Supreme Court ruled to strike down a key component of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which barred gay and lesbian marriages from being federally recognized, therefore denying them the same marriage rights of straight couples. Now, gay couples finally have the same marriage rights as straight couples, and that includes immigration …
Senate Passes Comprehensive Immigration Reform
This is a great victory and a historical moment for Immigration advocates. After approximately six months of deliberation, on Thursday evening, the Senate has finally passed S.744 Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill with a bipartisan vote of 68-32. The vote was just short of the 70 votes the Gang of Eight was hoping for to pressure …
Senate Vote Passes Border Security Plan in Immigration Reform Bill
Monday night, the Senate voted on a key amendment of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill, to increase Border Security along the southern border. The amendment passed with a bipartisan vote of 67-27. The bill will increase fencing and number of border agents, as well as implement a surveillance system. The border security increase is seen …
“Papers Please” Arizona Law is found to be Unconstitutional
Last Monday, the Supreme Court ruled an Arizona law that requires voting applicants to submit proof of citizenship unconstitutional. Supreme Court Justices voted 7-2 to strike down the voter requirement. Under Proposition 200, enacted in 2004, Arizona voters must show documentation of U.S. citizenship to use the voter registration form produced under a federal law …
ICE Director John Morton Switching Jobs
Immigration officials will soon be answering to a new boss. John Morton, the director of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced on Monday that he will be stepping down from his current position at the end of July. ICE is an agency of the Department of Homeland Security that deals with enforcing immigration …
Virginia Senator Gives Floor Speech in Spanish
The Senate Immigration Reform bill, S.744, has been a hot topic of conversation this week since passing its first vote, early this week. Journalists and people on social media have been buzzing about new amendments, controversies, and who supports what. Perhaps one of the most interesting events on the Senate floor, however, was a speech …
Connecticut to Limit Involvement in Secure Communities
Connecticut legislature has passed a bill that will limit the state’s participation in the Secure Communities program and protect immigrants from deportation. The federal Secure Communities program is a nationwide legal program that has local police detain witnesses and victims of crimes. Last year, a New Haven resident, Josemaria Islas, was arrested for stealing a …
Florida Governor Vetoes Driver License Bill
So far, we have seen many positive changes in immigration law in the year 2013. The national Comprehensive Immigration Reform is currently being debated on the Senate floor, but the states are also beginning to take certain immigration matters into their own hands. One of these matters is driver licenses. Here in Connecticut, for example, …
Connecticut Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Residents
CT Driver’s Licenses for Undocumented Residents While Washington discusses a national Immigration Reform, Connecticut and many other states are passing their own immigration laws, as well. On Thursday morning, the Connecticut Senate endorsed a bill that will allow undocumented workers to obtain a special driver’s license. It is expected that Governor Malloy will sign the …
Immigration Scam Email – Ignore it!
If you receive an email that reads: “You have been selected as one of the lucky winners of the US Visa,” ignore it. This is a scam. This particular email claims it is part of an email lottery visa program, gives you a case number, and promises a 10 year visa for you and your …
Notary Fraud Bill Passed in The House
Last month, HB 5513 was passed in the Connecticut House of Representatives and was placed on the calendar to be considered in the Senate. If passed, the act will help make sure “Notarios” do not offer legal assistance with immigration matters or mislead people into believing they can offer certain legal services that only attorneys …
President Obama Signs Deferred Action into Law
Obama’s New Deferred Action Law Gives New Hope to Children of Illegal Immigrants On Friday, June 15, 2012, the Obama administration announced an Executive Order granting, what is called Deferred Action, to young immigrant students. Essentially, it provides immediate relief to eligible young immigrants, often identified as “DREAMers”, who were brought into the United States …
