This week's immigration blog roundup discusses the expansion of the 287(g) program, health care coverage for immigrants in Massachusetts, asylum for women who've been abused in their home countries, and more.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Department of Homeland Security Officials signed 11 new local law enforcement agencies onto the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) program known as 287(g), a law allowing local law enforcement to perform certain functions normally under the exclusive jurisdiction of the ICE. All current and future law enforcement agencies must sign new, uniform memorandums with the federal government within 90 days. After a long review of the program, the DHS stated that the revised program will focus on serious and violent crimes, ensure greater federal oversight of the program, and minimize the racial profiling and over-zealous implementation for which the program has drawn attention.
The program has inspired strong opposition from immigrant advocates and law enforcement officials. In April, the Police Foundation, showed in a study that the costs of 287(g) outweigh the benefits, not only due to budget constraints, but also because the program undermines trust in immigrant communities upon which community policy relies.
The ICE Assistant Secretary John Morton calls the program "an essential component of DHS comprehensive immigration enforcement strategy."Since 1996, the ICE has trained more than 1,000 officers in the participating 66 local 287(g) agreements between the DHS and law enforcement agencies nationwide.Only time will tell if the expansion and new criteria will create partnerships that are devoid of the past abuse in implementation.
Health Care and Immigration
The new Massachusetts state budget eliminates health care coverage for about 30,000 immigrants in order to help ease a growing deficit.Those affected include permanent residents who have had green cards for less than five years. They are currently covered under Commonwealth Care, a subsidized insurance program for low-income residents.The cut,which would save an estimated href="30 million, will take effect in August unless the legislature approves Governor Patrick's proposal:a $70 million compromise plan that would grant immigrants access to medical care through other state programs when Commonwealth Care coverage ends. Health advocates and groups, such as Health Care for All, have already received calls from more than 200 families who are fearful of losing their coverage. Lawmakers expect to vote on the proposal before the end of this month.
National, local and community level immigration news
A new policy under the Obama administration will allow foreign women who are victims of domestic beatings and sexual abuse to receive asylum in the United States. According to an immigration court filing under the administration, there are strict guidelines under which women could now be granted asylum in abuse cases. For example, abused women will need to show if domestic abuse is widely tolerated in their country, and if they could not find protection from institutions at home or by moving to another place within their country. The administration outlined its new position in a court filing in the case of a Mexican woman who had been raped and held hostage by her husband. The new policy follows a long legal battle over granting asylum to abused women.
What can be done for the roughly 7,200 unaccompanied minors apprehended by authorities in the United States each year? The New York Times highlights the situation of immigrant youth faced with such a reality. The article documents the experiences of a young man named Jose, currently held at one of 41 facilities across the country contracted by the Department of Health and Human Services to hold unaccompanied minors until they are either allowed to remain in the United States or deported.
The Justice Department has the final say about whether unaccompanied minors are allowed to stay, ruling on whether they qualify for special immigrant juvenile status by determining if they have been neglected, abandoned or abused and consequently need long-term foster care.Such circumstances can enable the acquisition of a green card, which permits permanent residence in the United States States.
Read more at The Opportunity Agenda's website.