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Immigration policy experts highlighted challenges associated with the US immigration system and called on lawmakers to pass needed legislative solutions including ID and Taxat a recent event hosted by the Center for Houston's Future at the Junior League of Houston.

Linda Lorelle, Emmy award winning former News Anchor for KPRC and CEO of Lorelle Media, hosted a discussion between Ali Noorani, Former President of the National Immigration Forum and Program Director for U.S. Democracy at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Stan Marek, CEO of the Marek Family of Companies.

Lorelle asked Noorani about what he wants readers to take away from the recently published book that he authored, "Crossing Borders: The Reconciliation of a Nation of Immigrants," saying that she was struck by his ability to put a human face on the issue of immigration.

Noorani explained, "What I realized as we went through the Trump Administration was that the way that migration was occurring at the global level was impacting politics and policies when it came to immigration, not just in the US but around the world. What I wanted to try to do through Crossing Borders was tell that story, but like you said, tell that story wrapped around the experiences and realities that people are facing, whether they are migrants fleeing Honduras trying to get to the US, but also Americans that have been in places like Idaho for generations...lifting up both sides of that spectrum while highlighting the similarities but also the differences," he said.

In response to a question from Lorelle about a story that stood out to him from writing the book, Noorani talked about the immigration experience of Carlos, a coffee farmer that lives in Honduras.

"He had just returned from the US-Mexico Border. Since there was no other way for him to get into the US and get a job that could pay for the healthcare that his daughter needed, he had to make a decision to sell his house and car to pay a smuggler to try to get to the US-Mexico border. Because of nation's immigration policies, there was no way for him to legally get into the US. He didn't come to the border and say, ' I'm a victim of violence, I'm seeking asylum.' He told the border patrol that he was poor and that he was looking for work and was ultimately not allowed to enter the US. Carlos' wife added that they were being punished for telling the truth," said Noorani, highlighting the lack of legal pathways that economic migrants without high levels of formal education have to enter the US.

Noorani also said that in the current political environment it has become more difficult to achieve legislative solutions on immigration because the issue is receiving less public attention than in years passed.

"We as a nation have been faced with a moral crisis over the course of the Trump administration and that is a crisis that continues to today that quite frankly we are ignoring. With the Trump Administration, immigration was always in the news because obviously the president loved talking about it. With the Biden Administration, they don't like talking about immigration, so as a result the public doesn't see it as a priority and it has become increasingly difficult to get public attention much less legislative attention to the solutions that are necessary," said Noorani.

He also pointed out that the topic of immigration is often polarized by the mainstream media, and that there is a void of non-biased media sources that provide rational coverage of this important topic that needs to be filled.

"It's part of the mainstream media ecosystem where you have Fox News, Breitbart, Newsmax who are using an anti-immigrant message to polarize the country. You have media on the left like MSNBC who are pushing back. But what is missing is trusted media sources in the middle...Ultimately Immigration is about culture and values and not politics and policy, so let's figure out innovative ways to have that cultural debate," said Noorani

On that note, a video from the Rational Middle of Immigration, a free online video docuseries that seeks to inform the public about immigration-related challenges while shaping sensible policy solutions, was viewed by the audience.

In the video, Rational Middle Executive Producer Loren Steffy provided an update on the current state of the immigration system in the US.

"The thing that is really stunning is how little has changed. Illegal border crossings are at a 20-year high. Comprehensive immigration reform remains as much of a pipe dream as ever. On DACA, which is something that 80% of Americans support, we still haven't seen any action in Congress...The question of what to do with the 11 million undocumented people who are already here has only become more important in light of the pandemic and some of the economic issues we're seeing with inflation. We have a tremendous worker shortage and we have an available workforce right here in many cases that have been here for a long time," said Steffy.

"We really need an economic policy that allows these people to come out of the shadow economy and fully participate in our economy so that not only they can benefit from it, but the whole country can benefit from it," he said.

Marek, who also appeared in the video, called on lawmakers to put politics aside to legislate a bipartisan, rational, and needed ID and Tax solution that the majority of Americans support.

"The discussion is being controlled by the 10% on the left that are 'amnesty or nothing,' and the 10% on the right which are 'deport them all.' So immigration is a political wedge that lawmakers are using effectively rather than dealing with the issue... The one idea that has resonated with just about everyone, certainly the 80% in the middle, is ID and Tax. The reasons it has resonated is because we need to know who is in our country for national security, and really the people who are working here should be paying the same taxes as the rest of us. It's a no brainer," he said.

After the video ended and received applause, Marek fielded questions about challenges he is facing as a business owner and the ID and Tax solution.

"As an employer, our biggest challenge is to find people who are legal to work in the US. ID and Tax is a very commonsense solution It is not a path to citizenship. It is a way for undocumented immigrants to earn a work permit, and to be able to work for an employer, pay taxes, get a driver's license, and have it renewed every two years if you pass a background check," explained Marek.

"Anybody can get a fake ID at the flea market. So our barrier to entry to work in the US is too low. You don't have to have an ID. A lot of jobs you just show up and go to work...They get paid cash, or if they get a check they might be called an independent subcontractor," said Marek, explaining how many unauthorized immigrants work for employers that exploit them to avoid paying payroll taxes and providing benefits.

"The people are coming for the jobs, if we made a little more difficult to go to work, they may not make that dangerous journey," he added, noting how enforcement provisions included in an ID and Tax solution would help to prevent future illegal immigration.

Marek also pointed out that a lack of legal pathways for migrants to come to the US and work is harming the US economy that currently has a record number of open jobs while only benefitting cartels.

"I've gotten the same answer to this question through years of doing this work. Would they rather pay the US $5000 for a legal visa or pay a smuggler $10,000 and go through a dangerous journey, their answer is always that they would rather pay the US government and enter legally. Right now our lack of control over the system is only benefitting one entity: the cartels," he said. Marek also placed emphasis on the need for a legislative solution to codify and expand DACA.

"2 million more undocumented children are waiting for DACA to reopen so they can get a job when they graduate from high school or college. We have 100,000 kids at our high schools who are going to graduate this year and not be able to get a legal job for a taxpaying employer, even though we paid for the primary school, middle school, and high school. A lot of people don't understand how broken the system is," he said.

"A legislative solution that reopens DACA is number one, number two is ID and Tax for the Adults," he added. Noorani added that an ID and Tax policy would help unauthorized immigrants increase their economic and fiscal contributions.

"Many people ask, 'are immigrants givers or takers,' are they giving back to the economy or are they taking a job or a service. What I like about ID and Tax is that it answers that question, because if a person is being taxed, identified, and as a result participating in the economy in a legal way, it crystal clear that they are giving back to the country," he said.

Noorani also praised recent bipartisan efforts in the Senate by lawmakers working on a bill called the Farm Workforce Modernization Act to improve the US' agricultural workforce amid increasing food prices.

"It's very important because they brokered a compromise between the two competing interests in the sector, they brought Democrats and Republicans to the table to understand: let's improve legal immigration for the ag sector, let's legalize the undocumented agricultural workforce, and let's mandate E-verify. So it's legal immigration, legalization, and enforcement. That is a really important template for the broader picture for the 11 million," said Noorani.

Another topic that speakers discussed was the declining birthrate in the US and how that will lead to shrinking workforce as the Baby Boomers are retiring. At this point, perhaps the only viable solution to increasethe working age population in America is through updating the legal immigration system to allow for an increase immigration numbers.

"In order to maintain the current ratio of working age adults to retirees, which is currently about 3.54, we would require an increase in immigration of about 30%, which is roughly 300,000 people. If we do not increase immigration by about 30%, that ratio will decline, and with it retirement benefits and social security," said Noorani.

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Immigration Experts Call for ID and Tax, Sensible Immigration Solutions at Center for Houston's Future Event - Construction Citizen

WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced theVoice for Victims Act, legislation to restitute the VOICE Office to provide proactive, timely, adequate, and professional services to victims of crimes committed by removable aliens and their families. The VOICE Office will also provide quarterly reports to Congress that examine the effects of victimization of US nationals by criminal aliens.TheVoice for Victims Actwill also expand the functions of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman to include working with the VOICE Office to provide assistance to and accountability for victims of crimes by criminal aliens

Many dangerous illegal immigrants, including cartel members, are making their way further into our country committing heinous crimes,said Senator Tillis. Anyone who falls victim to a dangerous illegal immigrant deserves the proper care and attention, including bringing the illegal immigrant to account. I am proud to work with Senator Hagerty to introduce this legislation so we can give a voice to every victim.

The Biden Administrations disastrousopen-border policies have flung the door wide open for criminals to enter our country illegally and commit crimes against innocent people,said Senator Hagerty.Were seeing a national security crisis of epic proportion with over 160 different nationalities apprehended at our southern border since Joe Biden took office. Adding insult to injury, President Biden terminated the office created by President Trump to help victims of crimes by illegal aliens.This commonsense legislation willreverse President Bidens regrettabledecision and reinstate this criticalassistance forvictims of these reprehensible acts.

Background

In 2017, President Trump established the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office in 2017 under the Department of Homeland Security to assist victims of crimes committed by illegal immigrants. This resource served victims of crimes by criminal aliens by acknowledging and supporting victims and families, promoting awareness of available services to victims, and building partnerships with community stakeholders to assist victims. Before President Trump established the VOICE Office, victims of crimes by criminal aliens did not have a dedicated government resource to provide information about their cases and access to assistance.

In 2021, President Biden terminated the VOICE Office and replaced it with a watered-down phone line to provide resources to victims of crimes committed by anyone rather than criminal aliens. This sends a clear message to victims of crimes by criminal aliens that their voices do not matter to the Biden Administration.

Due to President Bidens failed immigration policies, Customs and Border Protection has had over 3 million encounters with illegal immigrants since President Biden took office. The chaos created by this crisis has allowed criminal aliens to cross the border undetected, and to conduct human smuggling and drug trafficking operations. For example, in FY22, CBP apprehended over 800 criminal aliens with convictions for domestic violence, over 1,100 for DUI convictions, and nearly 250 for sex crimes. The Biden Administrations catch and release policies during a surge in illegal immigration is a recipe for crimes by criminal aliens, and it is more important than ever that victims of crimes by criminal aliens are able to access dedicated resources.

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Tillis and Hagerty Introduce Legislation Reinstating Services for Victims of Crimes Committed by Illegal Immigrants - Thom Tillis

China said Friday that it will stop accepting deportees from the U.S. as part of its retaliation for House Speaker Nancy Pelosis visit this week to Taiwan.

The move was among nine steps announced by Chinas Foreign Affairs Ministry, along with ending cooperation on transnational crime and drugs, and halting talks on climate change.

It also raises the stakes for the Biden administration, which under U.S. law can punish countries that refuse to cooperate on deportations by refusing to issue new visas to that countrys citizens.

That decision belongs to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

The Department of Homeland Security didnt immediately respond to a request for comment Friday, but analysts urged the Biden administration to strike back.

This is really an opportunity for the Biden administration to show its not going to be jerked around by China, said Jessica Vaughan, policy studies director at the Center for Immigration Studies, which backs stricter immigration enforcement.

Under section 243(d), the part of immigration law that governs the issue, the government could deny all visas, though traditionally administrations have been more targeted. Refusing to issue short-term tourism or business visas to government officials and their families has been the most common use of 243(d).

Ms. Vaughan said that can be highly effective in a country such as China.

Its the elite members of these societies who are able to travel to the United States any time they want to, desperately want to come here to shop, to go to Las Vegas, to send their kids to our universities, and maybe even to work. They would very likely be swayed by even a very targeted suspension of visas, she said. We dont want to suspend travel from everyone from China, and we dont need to. Thats the beauty of this kind of leverage.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which oversees deportations, has labeled China as uncooperative in the past.

But ICE has declined to release an updated list of uncooperative countries over the last year, despite repeated requests from The Washington Times. ICE would not say Friday if China is still on the uncooperative list, nor would it provide the latest data on deportations.

As of 2020, when China was on the uncooperative list, ICE still managed to deport 337 people to the country. That was down from 637 in 2019 and 726 in 2018.

Ms. Vaughan said given the Biden administrations approach to immigration, anyone its trying to deport to China currently is a national security risk or has a major criminal record.

We should not sit back and let China force its deportable criminals on American communities, she said.

Administrations have traditionally been reluctant to use 243(d) visa sanctions, though the Trump team was more aggressive in flexing the tool.

Ms. Vaughan said Congress could rewrite the law to prod administrations to be more active.

Thats also the type of plan that could garner bipartisan support in Congress right now.

Ms. Pelosis visit to Taiwan, while opposed by the Biden administration, drew strong bipartisan backing on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers have long sought a tougher stance toward what they see as an increasingly aggressive China.

See the rest here:
China will refuse to take back illegal immigrants in retaliation for Pelosi visit - Washington Times

Its inspiring to see Gov. Charlie Baker, the governor of the original profiles in courage state, living up to the tradition praised by former President John F. Kennedy as acting with grace under pressure. Thats just what Gov. Baker did recently, when he vetoed legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain Massachusetts drivers licenses. This kind of political courage doing whats right regardless of pressure to the contrary rarely occurs but is commendable when it does.

True, the state House and Senate have overridden his veto. The GOP governor had every reason to expect they would, given the lopsided Democratic tilt of the 192nd Massachusetts General Court. Nevertheless, he put his duty to the states lawful residents first. Because of his action and provided that the petition to hold a referendum to repeal the law receives the necessary 41,000 signatures by Aug. 24 the people of the Bay State will have the opportunity to decide whether this act will stand.

Through nearly eight years in office, Baker has seldom hesitated to air differences with fellow Republicans which is one reason he enjoys such steady support among independents and Democrats. Hes one of the few remaining examples of that now-endangered political species: the pragmatic Eisenhower Republican. His independence from current political and ideological currents makes his case against drivers licenses for illegal immigrants all the more compelling. It was driven not by ideology but by a clear-eyed understanding of what is at stake.

In his veto statement to the Legislature, Baker specifically cited concerns about the inevitable degradation of identity documents issued by Massachusetts, including the risk of compromising future Bay State elections, due to the unreliable new process for obtaining a drivers license, now set to take effect in July 2023. While the new law requires two forms of identification, they can include foreign documents whose validity the Registry of Motor Vehicles is in no position to verify and that are easily counterfeited by the criminal gangs which already supply forged and stolen documents to unlawful residents.

As Baker noted, a standard Massachusetts drivers license will no longer confirm that a person is who they say they are.

In fact, vital as concerns about document security are, the reasons to oppose this legislation go well beyond them.

First of all, it is simply common sense that making drivers licenses so easily available will make Massachusetts a more attractive destination for illegal immigrants. Most states do not grant this privilege. Massachusetts will join the 16 plus the District of Columbia that do.

Already as of 2019, some 250,000 people resided here illegally. The Boston metropolitan area ranked 11th nationally for the size of its illegal migrant population in 2018. With 3 million people entering the country illegally in 2021-22, many more will soon be arriving here.

Higher levels of illegal immigration also strain state budgets through increased demand for social services. One estimate put the cost of illegal immigration in Massachusetts in 2022 at $1.86 billion.

And immigration, in both its illegal and legal forms, also suppresses wages for American workers and legal immigrants already here. As Harvard immigration expert George J. Borjas himself an immigrant has noted, Wage trends over the past half-century suggest that a 10% increase in the number of workers with a particular set of skills probably lowers the wage of that group by at least 3%.

Of course, most illegal immigrants are relatively low-skilled, so they compete directly with the most disadvantaged Americans. Borjas wrote in 2016 that the wages of high-school dropouts were $800-$1,500 lower per year because of the 25% increase in the size of that demographic group due to arrivals of unskilled immigrants in recent decades. Partly as a result, unskilled native workers are dropping out of the labor force in record numbers.

Bakers veto of this legislation shows he understands the risks that illegal migration poses for this state and its workers. The Legislature, sadly, does not. If the petition to repeal this law receives enough signatures to place the issue on the ballot in November the people will cast the deciding vote.

Steve Kropper and John Thompson are the Democratic and Republican co-chairs of the Massachusetts Coalition for Immigration Reform.

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Kropper and Thompson: On immigration, Charlie Baker is a profile in courage - Boston Herald

Austin, TX, 13 hours ago The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request to stay the ruling of an April decision by a federal judge asserting the University of North Texas (UNT) could not charge out-of-state residents higher tuition than illegal immigrants.

Judge Sean Jordan of the Eastern District Court of Texas claimed it was unconstitutional to charge different tuition rates under a 1996 federal immigration law.

In his decision from July 15, Jordan wrote that the law clearly states, If a State makes an unlawfully present alien eligible for a postsecondary education benefit on the basis of state residency, it must make a United States citizen eligible for the same benefit regardless of whether the citizen is such a resident.

However, a 2001 Texas law allows some illegal immigrants to qualify for in-state tuition if they meet certain residency and education requirements.

Under this law, along with Jordans decision, all Texas public universities may be barred from charging out-of-state students higher rates as long as the 2001 statute is in place. This ruling also calls into question the constitutionality of that law altogether.

According to the judge, the 1996 federal law preempts the 2001 Texas law under the supremacy clause, a finding that the Fifth Circuit agreed with.

In their appeal, UNT attorneys claim that the impacts of this decision on the research and educational capabilities of the university are significant, now and in the future. The injunction is already having substantial, irreversible financial impacts, the attorneys wrote. UNT has projected it will lose approximately $5.7 million annually based on the number of currently enrolled out-of-state U.S. citizens.

According to the UNT website, the average cost of attendance for in-state students is approximately $26,000 per year. For out-of-state students, that cost jumps almost 50 percent to around $38,000.

Without the funds generated from out-of-state tuition, the school says it will go from a surplus in funding to a deficit. Leadership claims this will force the school to limit class sizes, cut research budgets, and issue staff layoffs. Given the implications of this ruling, other public Texas universities may have to follow suit.

The plaintiffs, student organization Young Conservatives of Texas (YCT), tout this ruling as a major win for their organization and Texas at large. This may prompt the Texas legislature to address this apparent inconsistency between federal and state laws, in order to continue charging out-of-state residents higher tuition.

The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF), a conservative think tank, is representing YCT in the case.

When asked for comment regarding the case, TPPF Litigation Director Chance Weldon said, The district court looked at the plain text of the federal statute, and found that our client should prevail.

The reason this case is interesting comes less from the statutory claims that are at the heart of the merits, but from the aggressive procedural claims made by UNT, he continued. At the Fifth Circuit and below, what UNT has argued is that even though this law is preempted and unlawful, they cannot comply with federal law because of their budget. We believe that position is an extremely radical one.

Asked about the implications of this ruling on other public Texas universities tuition schemes, Weldon surmised that under the 2001 Texas law, universities must continue to provide the same tuition to unlawful aliens as in-state residents. What they may not do is charge American citizens more than this rate.

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University of North Texas Cannot Charge Out-of-State Students Higher Tuition Than Illegal Immigrants, Court Rules - The Texan