USA Today: Deportations tear some families apart

Appearing on the front page of today's edition of USA Today is the heart wrenching story about Liliana Ramos, an Oregonian who was deported after living in the U.S. for 21 years. Liliana has been separated from her children since September of this year. Francisco Lopez, executive director of Causa Oregon and Barbara Ghio (Causa Board Member) are both mentioned in the story.

Deportations tear some families apart
By Dania P. Maxwell, for USA TODAY

TIJUANA, Mexico – Few words are needed when Liliana Ramos talks by phone with her youngest daughter, age 11, back in Oregon.
"Mostly we cry," she says. "All the time we cry and say, 'I love you, I miss you.' "

After living for 21 years in the U.S., Ramos, 39, was deported to Mexico in September, separated from the two daughters and son she has raised as a single mother since her ex-husband left them seven years ago

Continue reading here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2011-12-04/illegal-immigration-deportation-obama-gingrich-homeland-security/51646680/1

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Sign Sen. Bill Nelson's Letter on Behalf of Walter Lara

Walter Lara is a 23 year-old honor student facing deportation on July 6, 2009. Walters family immigrated from Argentina when he was three years old. He has only known life as an American, and proudly declares that the United States is my home.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson wrote the Department of Homeland Security on Walter's behalf, requesting that they defer action on Walter's deportation because "he has earned the chance to live and work here and call America home."

Sign onto Sen. Nelson's letter and on Thursday, July 2, 2009, we will deliver Sen. Nelson's letter with your co-signature to the Department of Homeland Security.

Sign on to Senator Bill Nelson's Letter on Behalf of Walter Lara by linking HERE

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Widows of Americans Face Deportation

This week on CBS, 60 Minutes aired a special report titled “Loss of Love and Country”. The focus of the report was the pending deportation of foreign born spouses of U.S. Citizens that passed away before they were able to complete their applications for citizenship.

It was once an honored rule that a foreign born immigrant who marries a U.S. citizen was entitled to become a U.S. resident. That concept is is not as straight forward as it once was. The Citizenship and Immigration Service (CIS), under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), says that if an immigrant spouse doesn’t complete their application while the citizen spouse is alive, they cannot remain in the country.

Listening to the stories of the widows, it becomes apparent that it is often not possible for a spouse to complete an application while their wife or husband are still alive. And, though they may have been in the process already, many widows who have lost their spouse are still facing deportation.

Taking their case against before the courts, a group of widows being denied citizenship won. In fact, four courts ruled in favor of the widows, however, the Department of Homeland Security continues to appeal the cases at taxpayer expense.

Why CIS making this such an issue? They argue that although a foreign born spouse is eligible for citizenship, they don't consider a widow a spouse. They cite Black’s Law Dictionary, which defines spouse as "a married person”. However, as the 60 Minutes report points out, the court sided on behalf of the widows because same law dictionary defines a surviving spouse as "one who outlives the other".

The Department of Homeland Security refused a request for an interview from CBS News, leaving the public to speculate why these widowed spouses and their families are left in limbo.




For more details on the report, visit CBSNews.com

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Immigrants' Rights Organizations Sue Department of Homeland Security

This release comes from our allies at the National Immigration Law Center (NILC). NILC is dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of low income immigrants and their family members.

Immigrants' Rights Organizations Sue Department of Homeland Security for Public Accountability About Deportation Program that Sidesteps Legal Process for Immigrants

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., November 12, 2008-Today a coalition of immigrants' rights organizations asked a federal judge to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to disclose information about a program under which it removes non-citizens from the U.S. without hearings before immigration judges. The program, called "stipulated removal," has resulted in the removal of over 96,000 non-citizens since its inception.

The Stanford Immigrants' Rights Clinic, together with the National Immigration Law Center (NILC), the ACLU of Southern California (ACLUSC) and the National Lawyers Guild of San Francisco (NLGSF) filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to gain access to agency records about stipulated removal from DHS and its sub-agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawsuit also seeks access to records from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and its Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR).

Stipulated removal allows the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to remove a non-citizen, even one with valid defenses against deportation, as long as the non-citizen signs an order. DHS appears to target non-citizens in immigration detention for stipulated removal, and does not allow the non-citizen to appear before a judge prior to being deported. Advocates have expressed concerns that immigrants signing these orders do not realize they are giving up their rights to challenge their deportation.

In the lawsuit, NLGSF et al. v U.S. DHS, the plaintiffs note that news reports, Congressional testimony, and agency press releases reveal that the DHS and DOJ have broadly implemented stipulated removal on a nationwide basis for at least 12 years. However, DHS and DOJ have failed to produce records that reflect the full scope of stipulated removal's implementation, and the select information DHS and DOJ have divulged to date provide a "strong indication that other documents have been improperly withheld."

"DHS is running a federal program that has resulted in the deportation of almost 100,000 people without legal hearings, and yet the public knows very little about the program," said Jayashri Srikantiah, director of the Immigrants' Rights Clinic at Stanford Law School. "Stipulated removal raises serious due process concerns because immigrant detainees may not know that they are signing away their rights, and no judge ever speaks to the detainee to ensure that they understand the process."

The lawsuit comes after two FOIA requests in December 2005 and February 2008 yielded only minimal information. According to data that was released under those FOIA requests by the DOJ's Executive Office of Immigration Review, that office entered 96,241 stipulated removal orders between October 1999 and June 2008.

Karen Tumlin, Staff Attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, observes: "DHS has revealed close to nothing about a program that impacts thousands of immigrants' due process rights. The stipulated removal program gives detained immigrants an impossible choice: sign away your rights or stay in detention."

"Immigrant detainees may be refugees or have U.S. citizen family members," said Ahilan Arulanantham, an ACLU of Southern California staff attorney. "The public should know whether DHS is pressuring these detainees to give up their right to a hearing."

"Stipulated removal appears to target the most vulnerable parts of the immigrant population," observed Carlos Villarreal, Executive Director of the National Lawyers Guild - San Francisco Bay Area. "Immigrant detainees often lack the money to pay for lawyers and bond money to get out of detention."

Jennifer Lee Koh, Cooley Godward Kronish Fellow with Stanford Immigrants' Rights Clinic, said: "Before DHS further expands its implementation of stipulated removal, the public should know whether the program satisfies basic due process requirements. Immigrant detainees should know exactly what they are giving up when they sign a stipulated order."

Students in the Stanford Immigrants' Rights Clinic participated in drafting the FOIA requests and the complaint filed today.

For more background about stipulated removal, see Backgrounder: Stipulated Removal-- Federal authorities are deporting immigrants without hearings, but the public knows very little about the program, attached to this release.

A copy of the complaint filed today in federal district court will be available later today at www.nilc.org.


MEDIA CONTACTS:

Stanford Immigrants' Rights Clinic: Jayashri Srikantiah, 650-724-2442

National Immigration Law Center: Linton Joaquin, 213-674-2909

ACLU of Southern California: Gordon Smith, 213-977-5247

National Lawyers Guild-SF: Carlos Villarreal 415-377-6961

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Don't Deport Me, Scotty

Today, Breakthrough released a new video called "Don't Deport Me, Scotty". Breakthrough is an international human rights organization that uses media, education and pop culture to promote values of dignity, equality and justice.

"Don't Deport Me, Scotty" takes a look at what happens when a permanent member of a popular space crew finds his status is in question. In any galaxy, when we deny due process and human rights to some, we put all of our freedoms at risk.


To learn more about Breakthrough and their mission of promoting values of dignity, equality and justice, please visit their website at www.breakthrough.tv

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League of Woman Voters Takes Position on Immigration

Last week the League of Women Voters of the United States issued a statement in supportive of citizenship for unauthorized immigrants and in opposition to deportations.

“After a lengthy and comprehensive study of this complex issue by our grassroots members,” said national League president Mary G. Wilson, “the League’s position calls for a path to citizenship for current unauthorized immigrants.”

“As part of overall immigration reform, the League supports a system for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria,” Wilson stated. “We oppose deportations of current unauthorized immigrants who have no history of serious criminal activity,” she said.

In addition, the LWVUS came out in support of increased enforcement personnel at borders, more effective tracking of individuals who enter the U.S., and significant fines and penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers.

Finally, they said they would "champion due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment".

A copy of their full report can be found below, or here.

LWVUS Immigration Position

The League of Women Voters believes that immigration policies should promote reunification of immediate families; meet the economic, business and employment needs of the United States; and be responsive to those facing political persecution or humanitarian crises. Provision should also be made for qualified persons to enter the U.S. on student visas. All persons should receive fair treatment under the law.

The League supports federal immigration law that provides an efficient, expeditious system (with minimal or no backlogs) for legal entry of immigrants into the U.S.

To complement these goals the League supports federal policies to improve economies, education, job opportunities, and living conditions in nations with large emigrating populations.

In transition to a reformed system, the League supports provisions for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status.

The League supports federal payments to impacted communities to address the financial costs borne by states and local governments with large immigrant populations.

Criteria for Legal Admission to the U.S.

The League supports the following criteria for legal admission of persons into the United States:

* Family reunification of spouses or minor children with authorized immigrants or citizens;
* Flight from persecution or response to humanitarian crises in home countries;
* Economic, business and employment needs in the U.S.;
* Education and training needs of the U.S.;
* Educational program opportunities; and
* Lack of a history of serious criminal activity.

Administration and Enforcement

The League supports due process for all persons, including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal and right to humane treatment.

The League supports:

* Improved technology to facilitate employer verification of employee status;
* Verification documents, such as status cards and work permits, with secure identifiers;
* Significant fines and penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers;
* Improved technology for sharing information among federal agencies;
* More effective tracking of individuals who enter the United States; and
* Increased personnel at borders.

The League also supports programs allowing foreign workers to enter and leave the U.S. to meet seasonal or sporadic labor needs.

Unauthorized Immigrants Already in the U.S.

In achieving overall policy goals, the League supports a system for unauthorized immigrants already in the country to earn legal status, including citizenship, by paying taxes, learning English, studying civics and meeting other relevant criteria. While policy reforms, including a path to legal status, remain unachieved, the League does not support deporting unauthorized immigrants who have no history of criminal activity.

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Simulator Tackles Complexities of Being an Immigrant

Organization seeks to create awareness of unfair U.S. immigration policies with new simulator

Yesterday, Breakthrough, an international human rights organization launched “ICED -- I Can End Deportation” an education tool to be used by students to help them understand the difficult challenges immigrants face under unfair immigration policies. The program was created in partnership with various community-based organizations, high school teachers and students from high schools and after-school programs across New York City.

Under current immigration laws in the United States, many immigrants are often denied due process and basic human rights, which even judges are prevented from affecting. In addition, harsh punishments may also be levied for minor offenses including indefinite detention. Responding to this fact, Breakthrough says, “when we let the government deny due process and human rights for some people, we put all of our freedoms at risk.

Users of ICED will come to realize it isn’t only undocumented immigrants that suffer under the U.S.’s immigration policy. One character users can choose to inhabit—a Japanese student on a visa-- demonstrates the challenges even documented immigrants face navigating the U.S..

Although “ICED” has been billed to the media as a “video game”, Breakthrough makes it clear that the situation many immigrants find themselves in on a daily basis is anything but a game.

“ICED -- I Can End Deportation” can be downloaded from Breakthrough’s Website by linking to www.icedgame.com

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