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Congressional candidate Katie Witt of Kaysville says that construction of President Trump's nearly 2,000-mile border wall is a critical step in the process of immigration reform.

KAYSVILLE Congressional candidate Katie Witt of Kaysville believes that the solution to fixing Americas broken borders can be found in the will, the wall and the way.

Before it was pushed to the back burner by the coronavirus, Witt says immigration reform was very much a hot topic on the minds of voters in Utahs 1st Congressional District.

I cant even remember our great nation having a functioning immigration system, the Kaysville mayor explains. We need to address immigration reform in a comprehensive fashion, because the problem is about more than just our borders. Our broken immigration system affects every community in America.

Witt says that the first step in resolving our immigration crisis has to be developing the political will to address the issue honestly for the first time in a long time.

U.S. Rep. Carol Miller, R-West Virginia, strongly agrees with that view. In a video town hall conversation with Witt, Miller said the issue of immigration reform needs to be approached with good judgment, logic and intelligence.

The debate on immigration has too often been based strictly on emotion, according to Miller. That has led to border patrol agents and other officials being demonized by advocates of open borders.

The second step, Witt says, is enhancing border security with the wall being built along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexican border. After many legal and political battles, the Trump administration reports that the first 500-mile stretch of that barrier is scheduled to be completed by November of this year.

Miller said that thanks to President Donald Trumps dogged determination to push that project ahead, the Department of Homeland security has reported that illegal border crossings have been declining for the past eight months.

Witt and Miller say that the wall is necessary for both legal and humanitarian reasons.

Weve got to know who is entering our country, Witt explains. If we dont, then were not a sovereign nation.

Miller adds that the wall will help to slow the movement of drugs across the southern border, particularly illegal pain pills that fuel the ongoing opioid crisis.

Border security is also compassionate, Witt insists, since it will help to curtail human trafficking that leaves illegal immigrants vulnerable to criminal elements here in the United States.

Once the southern border is sealed, Witt believes that Congress will be able to find a way to develop a merit-based immigration system that allows deserving people to come here and become citizens.

Our current immigration system is unsafe, unfair and downright wrong, Witt emphasizes. Weve made it easy to enter the U.S. the wrong way and hard to enter the right way. Obviously, we need to reverse that situation.

We all want good people to come here. Miller says. After all, we were all immigrants once upon a time. But it is very important to get control of immigration because so many of our other problems are made worse by the current situation.

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Candidate says Congress needs the will, the wall and the way - Cache Valley Daily

The Libertarian Party (L.P.) has always stuck up for mobility rights unencumbered by political barriersin other words, for open borders. If its commitment to economic freedom has distinguished it from the Democratic Party, its commitment to the freedom of movement (along with civil liberties and reproductive rights) has distinguished it from the Republican Party. "A truly free market requires the free movement of people, not just products and ideas," the party platform's immigration plank declares.

So one key question for the five-term Michigan Rep. Justin Amash, a former Republican who recently joined the L.P., is whether he will advance this commitment or dilute it if he succeeds in getting the party's presidential nomination. He called out President Donald Trump's hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric when his erstwhile Republican comrades either stayed silent or played along. When Trump called immigrants "invaders" and contemptuously told Rep. Ilhan Omar (DMinn.)who emigrated from Somalia as a childto return "home," Amash voted in favor of a resolution condemning these comments.

But his voting record on legislation and explanations for his votes paint a mixed picture at best. Despite his well-deserved reputation as one of those rare politicians who puts principle above party or president, he's got a maddening habit of splitting the baby when it comes to immigration. He's certainly less restrictionist than every Republican out there right now, including even self-styled Trump nemesis Sen. Mitt Romney (RUtah), who during his own failed presidential bid in 2012 mused about making life so miserable for undocumented immigrants that they'd "self-deport." But notwithstanding Amash's other virtues, he seems less pro-immigration than his libertarian rivals.

This was evident during Saturday's L.P. presidential debate in Kentucky, when Jacob Hornberger, the founder of the libertarian think tank Future of Freedom Foundation, raved about the party's 1990 platform that unambiguously called for the "elimination of all restrictions on immigration [and] the abolition of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Border Patrol." He castigated Amash, noting that the congressman claimed to "love free enterprise" but went along with the "evil, immoral, socialist, central planning, Republican-Democratic system of immigration controls which has brought death and suffering to countless people" and resulted in a "brutal police state consisting of highway checkpoints and other initiations of force against innocent people." Meanwhile, Jo Jorgensen, the 1996 L.P. nominee for vice president, promised to "immediately stop construction on President Trump's border wall boondoggle, and work to eliminate quotas on immigration so that anyone who wishes to come to America could do so legally." She asked Amash point blank if he would do the same. He refused to answerjust as he did repeated requests from Reason for an interview for this piece.

In public comments two years ago, Amash noted that it is "important" for America to remain a "welcoming country" where immigrants like his dad, a Palestinian refugee from Ramallah, "feel they have the opportunity to come and start a new life." A few weeks ago, he told Reason's Nick Gillespie that he "supports immigration" and wants to "fix our immigration system so that people can come here lawfully."

Still, when he was a Republican in Congress, he too often ended up on the pro-immigration side for narrow procedural reasons, not fundamental principled ones. Indeed, Amash repeatedly said he agreed with several restrictionist ends and disagreed merely with the means deployed to achieve them.

In a 2013 letter Amash co-signed in support of Sen. Rand Paul's efforts to elevate the GOP's tone on immigration (back before Paul found his inner restrictionist), Amash said that immigration reform should be treated like a "three-legged stool" that combined expanded legal immigration with enhanced border security by "both the physical border and the 'virtual' border of visa enforcement." Last year, even as he became the sole Republican to join a Democratic bill to stop Trump from declaring a national emergency to seize funds to build his wall (while criticizing his fellow Republicans for trading "massive, wasteful spending" in exchange for wall funding), he assured everyone that he doesn't "have an inherent objection to a border wall."

As for visa enforcement, he says he's "skeptical" of E-Verify, a program that requires employers to check whether their hires have work authorization against a federal database, because enforcing immigration laws is the government's job and private businesses shouldn't be asked to do it for them. But that opens the question of how far he is prepared to let the government go to do this job. Is it acceptable for the IRS to conduct audit raids (as it did under President Barack Obama) or for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to conduct physical raids on businesses (as it did under Presidents George W. Bush and now Trump) to ferret out undocumented immigrants?

Amash's record has also been mixed when it comes to defending sanctuary jurisdictions. Last year, he voted against the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, a punitive law that sought to strip certain federal funds from sanctuary cities that refused to cooperate with Uncle Sam's deportation efforts. But his objections did not center around anything morally objectionable about this particular bill, just that it went "too far." In fact, he went out of his way to assert that in the past he had "voted to defund sanctuary cities."

In the same vein, he voted against Kate's Law, which was named after the California woman accidentally shot by an unauthorized immigrant who was later acquitted on murder charges. That law sought to strip immigrants accused of illegal reentrya felonyof the right to challenge their removal order while they were being criminally tried. Amash, to his credit, noted that eliminating this right was unconstitutional. Yet he did not go so far as to question the criminalization of unauthorized entries in the first place, which should have been a no-brainer for a self-described small-l libertarian.

Among Amash's most inspired actions as a congressman was his vote two years ago against a Republican plan to put Democrats on the spot by forcing them to vote on a resolution supporting ICE, an agency with a history of brutal border enforcement. So when Trump implemented his zero-tolerance border policies and started separating babies and other children from Central American migrant moms seeking asylum, the progressive left joined longstanding (and admittedly unpopular) libertarian calls to abolish ICE. The Republicans' resolution tried to exploit that, praising the "heroic law enforcement officers who make sacrifices every day to secure our borders, enforce our laws, and protect our safety and security" and daring Democrats to vote against it. Amash condemned his fellow Republicans and demanded to know why a party that has historically counseled vigilance against an overweening federal government would "treat a federal agency as though its beyond reproach and reform." But he did not go so far as to join calls to abolish ICE.

As for zero-tolerance border enforcement, all Amash could bring himself to say was that the government shouldn't forcibly separate families seeking asylum in the United States "unless absolutely necessary." One would be hard-pressed to find any statement by Amash noting why providing asylum was a humanitarian imperative, particularly for a nation founded by people fleeing persecution.

Also praiseworthy was Amash's slam of Trump's so-called Muslim travel ban in 2017, which barred entry for all refugees for 120 days and barred entry for foreign nationals from seven predominantly Muslim countries for 90 days. Even as most other Republicans stayed mum, Amash called the ban "unlawful" and "extreme." He beseeched Trump to work with Congress if he wanted to change immigration law. But here again, Amash diluted his message by acknowledging the need for more vetting of refugees, despite the facts that refugees at the time were already being subjected to a multi-agency, multi-year review and that the number of Americans killed in a terrorist attack by a refugee since 1980 is exactly zero.

Since then, Trump has gutted the refugee program that Amash's own dad used to come to the country, slashing the annual refugee cap from 110,000 during Obama's term to 18,000, an all-time low. But since this is within Trump's executive authority, Amash hasn't bothered to really protest; it's as if only the legality of the president's actions matter, not their morality.

Amash hasn't just hemmed and hawed when opposing anti-immigration proposals. He's also slapped down pro-immigration measures for unclear reasons.

Amash claims he supports the legalization of Dreamersfolks who were brought to this country as minors without proper authorization and have been here ever since with hardly any contact or time spent in their birth land. But last year he voted against the American Dream and Promise Act, which would have created a path to lawful permanent residence and eventual citizenship for Dreamers who met certain stringent conditions. If the Supreme Court this summer upholds Trump's decision to scrap the Obama-era Deferred Action Against Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which handed Dreamers temporary legal status, Trump could eject them from the country en masse.

The bill never made it to the Senate, but Amash's vote is puzzling since he criticized Obama for using his executive authority to create DACAand then Trump, too, when he used his authority to eliminate the program. Amash urged Trump to work with Congress, yet when Congress, which has abdicated the issue for two decades, took a stab at protecting Dreamers, Amash balked, even as seven of his fellow Republicans voted for it.

Amash also voted for an amendment that prohibited funds for the Military Accessions Vital to National Interest (MAVNI) program because the program was extended to DACA recipients. This creative program, which hasn't escaped Trump's assaults, is the brainchild of a conservative Federalist Society lawyer who received the MacArthur Genius Grant for it. It allowed the Army to recruit legal immigrants who have skills considered to be of vital national interest and give them a path to permanent residency and citizenship. But Heritage Action, the lobbying arm of the conservative Heritage Foundation, dubbed the extension of the program to DACA holders "amnesty" and urged Republicans to vote for an amendment to defund it. That's exactly what Amash did.

Amash also voted "no" on last year's Farm Workforce Modernization Act after he'd quit the GOP. This bill would have expanded the H-2A visa program and allowed farmers to not just hire more foreign guest workers but to do so for the full year, instead of only seasonally. It would have also permitted undocumented aliens to obtain permanent residence if they had worked in domestic agriculture for at least 10 years and were willing to continue working in the industry for an additional four years. The bill contained an ill-advised E-Verify mandate for farmers, and that's certainly an affront to civil liberties. But it would suggest a strange and selective punctiliousness if that's what turned Amash against the bill, given his support for a wall, defunding sanctuary cities, and enhanced refugee vetting.

All of this (and more) has earned Amash a career score of 81 percenta solid B+and a recent score of 66 percent from NumbersUSA, a rabidly restrictionist outfit.

Amash's immigration record might be heroic for a Republican, but it is tame by libertarian standardsand confusing, too. He has repeatedly tried to reassure libertarians that he intends to "earn" the party's nomination by addressing concerns and explaining himself. If he's serious about that, he ought to clarify where exactly he stands on an issue that is central for his new party and that is going to be a major national issue as restrictionist forces ramp up to turn Trump's current temporary pause on immigration into a permanent one.

See more here:
Justin Amash's Confusing and Contradictory Immigration Record - Reason

Graduating seniors in a wide range of majors demonstrate the power of a liberal arts education. [10 min read]

As USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences prepares to celebrate its graduates, 10 exceptional seniors have earned a special place of honor as Dornsife Scholars.

Selected for their successes in educational fields that address both national and global questions of human value and social challenges, the students each will receive $10,000 to be used to continue their studies as graduate students and emerging professionals.

Virginia BullingtonMajor: Narrative StudiesMinor: International RelationsGPA: 3.95

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

USC Dornsife has prepared me impeccably well to enact meaningful change in the world because as a student in the largest, most diverse school at USC, I have been exposed to a range of perspectives and experiences. I never felt pigeon-holed or confined to one narrow career or academic path, rather USC Dornsife encouraged me to explore. Without having the opportunity to explore, I would not have been able to develop the strong sense of identity and conviction in who I am, what I am compelled by and where I see myself. These convictions will be essential as I seek to continue studying violent conflict and mass atrocity and how to implement solutions, thus maximizing the benefits of my education.

Gloria ChengMajor: Health and Human Sciences (pre-med and psychology emphasis)GPA: 3.80

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

The collective global and local experiences serving underserved populations informed my future aspirations to advocate in the health policy and non-profit sectors as a doctor in organizations such as the World Health Organization.

Thomas KimMajor: International RelationsMinor: Environmental StudiesGPA: 3.989

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

What made my time as a Dornsife student unique was its experiential learning. From Thematic Options interdisciplinary mental gymnastics, I learned how to analyze and synergize complex arguments. My internship with [USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies] inspired me to fight for sustainability and against inequality. The Arctic [Problems Without Passports] left me with a greater appreciation of not only the existential threat of climate change, but also empathy and the importance of mental health. My time as a Global East Asia Scholar in Japan reminded me of the joy of exploring other cultures, despite what others say about rising global populism. Cambridge University as a study abroad student opened my eyes to the perfect career avenue to make change: international law. And joining undergraduate research with the Arctic policy research team gave me perspective into how narratives are crafted and perpetuated in the international system. Each experience taught me a unique lesson in making a difference. As a senior whose last semester has been interrupted in the most unexpected way, I leave USC into a world changed by a pandemic. However, these lessons will stay with me, informing and keeping me grounded, as I strive forward to accomplish my lifelong goal, and consequently fulfill the Dornsifes commitment, to save the world.

Samantha KosaiMajor: SociologyGPA: 3.94

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

All of my experiences as a Dornsife student have made me more empathetic, inquisitive, and empowered by the many facets in which I hope to make a difference. After a few years working as a research assistant, I hope to earn a Ph.D. in sociology and begin a career as a professor researching and teaching about social inequality in our carceral, education, and health care systems. My dream is to continue working on studies, like my current honors thesis, that can be used to inform policies that protect our most vulnerable populations. My desire to make a difference in this world has been fostered by all the people I have been privileged to interact with as a Dornsife student; it only feels right that I pass along their kindness and support to the next generation of leaders.

Rae LanMajor: NeuroscienceGPA: 4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

Like myself, David Dornsife won national titles as a USC student-athlete, and the Dornsifes have long been a leading supporter of the USC neuroscience program. Moreover, the World Vision humanitarian programs supported by the Dornsifes align with the global health policy proposals and health systems research I carried out abroad. The Dornsife legacy has framed so many of my experiences these past four years. From the tennis court to the lab, from the classroom to the community, from Southern California to England, I will continue to make connections wherever I go and to translate my educational excellence into real-world impact.

Jenna MazzaDouble Major: International Relations and SpanishGPA: 3.88

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

From my time with the Global Womens Narratives Project to Dornsife Study Abroad to working with Los Angeles immigrants as a part of my upper division international relations coursework in forced migration, my Dornsife experience has formulated my lifes commitment to support all women both through one-on-one interactions and policy measures.

Sameer Nair-DesaiDual Major: Economics and International Relations (Global Business)GPA: 3.94/4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

As the Dornsifes noted, To see the results of your efforts improving someones life is something you wont ever forget. My time at Dornsife has pushed me towards this same realization. Often, those excluded from education are not undeserving, but rather underserved. I strongly believe talent and hard work should dictate life outcomes, not the birth lottery. [USC Dornsife] has motivated, educated and prepared me towards realizing this vision.

Erin PinedaMajor: International RelationsGPA: 3.905

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

Through scholarships like SOAR [Student Opportunities for Academic Research], the School of International Relations Internship Fund, and the Hovel Scholarship for German Studies, USC Dornsife opened the door to opportunities that helped me discover my passion for immigration issues, which I will use to advocate for immigration reform in the U.S. To accomplish this goal, I will go to law school and later join the Department of Homeland Security to draft policies that are more just and human-rights-oriented than the legislation currently governing the U.S. immigration system. While conducting interviews with Venezuelan immigrants in Peru, I witnessed first-hand the power of public policy to positively impact peoples lives. Because of the well-rounded and globally-oriented education I received as a Dornsife student, I feel well-equipped to apply the lessons learned abroad and the expertise.

Lisa de RafolsDouble Major: Economics and International RelationsMinor: FrenchGPA: 3.74

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

Dornsife gave me a dynamic space to find my academic footing and then the concrete pathways to explore my interests and satiate my curiosity. Having zeroed in on the field I would like to work in after I graduate, my perspective on the subject has been indelibly shaped by my time as a Dornsife student. Beyond the impact of my experiences abroad through USC Dornsife, my time on campus was equally consequential: The critical thinking skills I learned in my Thematic Option courses will allow me to dig deeper when trying to find solutions for climate refugees, my courses on Francophone literature will provide an insight into the connections between refugee and diaspora communities, the econometrics I learned as an economics major will allow me to evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions the list could go on and on. Ultimately, I am convinced that I will always carry the ethos of USC Dornsife with me long after I leave this campus.

Megan SmithDouble Major: International Relations (honors) and FrenchGPA: 3.878/4.0

Scholarly Work, Volunteerism, Awards and Achievements:

The education I have received from USC Dornsife pushed me to be courageous in my learning and gain tools integral to professionalizing my passion. Now, I am emboldened as a global citizen to take risks and trust my voice as I continue my pursuit of forming peace.

About the program

The Dornsife Scholars program honors Dana and David Dornsife, renowned philanthropists with the highest regard for education. Available exclusively to outstanding graduating seniors whose major courses of study are at USC Dornsife, the program underscores the importance of core academic disciplines of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. Recipients demonstrate a commitment to educational excellence and the advances that allow for improving the lives of people and addressing pressing global problems.

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Dornsife Scholars exemplify academic distinction with an international perspective > News > USC Dornsife - USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts...

MIAMI An immigration detainee who tested positive for the coronavirus while at Miamis Krome detention center is going to be released, according to court records.

The 27-year-old Mexican national, who has been in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for about three months, is one of two detainees and three security guards at Krome who officials say contracted the illness at the facility.

The mans attorney, like thousands of others across the country, scrambled when the pandemic was declared in early March to file a humanitarian parole request, explaining how his client would be in imminent danger of catching COVID-19 in a crowded jail without the opportunity to practice social distancing.

On Wednesday, nine days after the detainee tested positive for the coronavirus, the emergency request for release was granted and hes free to go, documents show. The only requirements: an address where he will be staying, along with an emergency contact and information for the person giving him a ride home. ICE will release him when it gets that information.

But its almost as if its too late, said Matus Varga, a Miami immigration attorney. Our client already caught the virus. Who is going to want to get in a car with someone who has COVID-19? Think about it.

The detainees release has raised a question among legal experts, immigration advocates and critics about who bears the responsibility of making sure the man has a safe space in which to self-isolate, considering he got sick in detention.

The detainee who asked not to be named lives near Myakka City, about three hours northwest of Krome. The only family he has, a cousin, is not willing to risk spreading the virus to his wife and two children at home. The mother of the detainees infant daughter is also afraid that the virus could spread to the baby.

This is tough, the detainees cousin told The Miami Herald. You think I want to leave him in there like a prisoner? But I also have to be realistic. If I pick him up, I can get sick, and so could my wife and babies. Its like they decided to release him knowing hed have no way out anyway.

According to ICE policy, detainees shall receive continuity of care from the time of admission to time of transfer, release or removal. Detainees, who have received medical care, released from custody or removed shall receive a discharge plan, a summary of medical records, any medically necessary medication and referrals to community-based providers as medically appropriate.

But what does that mean for someone with the coronavirus who no longer has symptoms but is still contagious?

Former ICE director John Sandweg said the debate is a byproduct of the administrations refusal to take common sense steps to limit the exposure to low risk and vulnerable detainees.

While ICE doesnt necessarily have a legal responsibility to find alternate housing in this situation, the agency has an obligation to release the detainee to prevent exposure to staff and other detainees and a moral obligation to make arrangements to house the detainee in a safe location until he recovers, Sandweg said.

But that solution is outrageous and irresponsible, says Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an anti-immigrant lobbying organization.

He already has a place to self-isolate, its called Krome, and it has a medical facility, Mehlman said. His release makes no sense. We are basically shutting down the country to prevent the spread of this disease and here we are releasing this guy? His presence is illegal in the first place and he is a threat to public health. ICE should not be releasing people if they have no way of safeguarding public health, which at the end becomes their responsibility.

ICE told the Herald that the agency generally would not discretionarily release a diagnosed person until its determined they are not likely to potentially expose any other persons.

Bryan D. Cox, public affairs director for ICEs southern region, said theres one caveat: if the detainee has medical conditions that might place them at higher risk (in detention) for severe illness as a result of COVID-19. Any such decision for those persons would be made in coordination with state and local health officials.

According to the detainee, who has no other underlying condition, he has not been retested for the virus and is still in medical isolation at Krome. ICE told his legal team in an email that its client is asymptomatic with stable vital signs and no fever. Additionally, (he) has not required any medications for COVID-19 status.

The Florida Department of Health said the state agency, which also has local satellite offices, does not provide recommendations for medical releases to ICE, according to spokeswoman Brenda L. Barnes.

State health officials do schedule a call to explain how to practice federal health protocols such as social distancing and proper hand washing.

The nursing director and/or the epidemiology nurse would talk to the individual and provide education and guidance based upon the CDC materials, Barnes said. FDOH would be informed of the housing for the individual for any necessary epidemiology follow up with a confirmed case.

Barnes noted that FDOH would not be the agency to arrange for housing, but that in extreme cases coordination for this could be forwarded to local advocate groups depending on the area in Florida.

Whether or not ICE bears the responsibility to accommodate housing for the detainee outside of Krome is squishy, said Keren Zwick, director of litigation at the National Immigrant Justice Center. She added that accommodating a safe release was complicated and difficult pre-coronavirus, and will be even more difficult now as sick detainees start getting released.

ICE would have to take reasonable steps to reasonably ensure the safety of people who leave their custody, Zwick said. The same way they provide medication for someone who is ill, would have to be the same way they should provide someone a safe place to self-isolate outside of Krome, which doesnt have the ability to truly isolate people even in medical care because the facilities have a proven terrible track record.

A recent report by the Southern Poverty Law Center and Americans for Immigrant Justice said there are rampant medical deficiencies and other abuses throughout South Florida ICE detention facilities, including Krome.

Citing CDC detention setting guidelines, Homer Venters an epidemiologist and the former chief medical officer and assistant commissioner of Correctional Health Services for the New York City Health and Hospital System said there is an obligation by ICE to consider the safe release of anyone leaving their custody, and this obligation holds true during COVID-19.

The CDC guidelines say that upon release, ICE must discuss the release with health officials to ensure safe medical transport and continued shelter and medical care, as well as make direct linkages to community resources to ensure proper medical isolation and access to medical care. Before the release of a detainee with COVID-19 symptoms to a community-based facility, ICE must contact the facilitys staff or contact local public health to explore alternate housing options.

Venters said the Mexican nationals case is an example of the discrepancy between CDC guidelines for COVID-19 response in detention settings and ICE practices and policies. ICE should follow these guidelines and their failure to do so will increase the risk for serious illness and death among detained people and also hamper ongoing community efforts to combat COVID-19.

Jessica Schneider, director of the detention program at Americans for Immigrant Justice, said ICE coordinates with state and local health officials in regards to people who have severe, ongoing medical or mental health issues.

But this is not that. This is a new space and a new problem that will only grow, she said. We dont know what this coordination will entail within the context of a pandemic. Coordinating release for someone who has a highly infectious virus will likely look very different.

Immigrant advocates across the country say the problem could have been avoided if ICE had agreed to release non-criminal detainees from custody to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Dozens of lawsuits around the country have been filed in federal court seeking the release of detainees, including one in Miami.

This has created a troubling situation for sick people who are eligible for release but now can no longer safely reunify with their family because their relatives are immunocompromised or elderly, Schneider said. Unfortunately, because ICE failed to act preemptively and release people quickly before they became sick they have now created a seemingly impossible situation for those who want nothing more than to go home and get well.

During a Miami federal court hearing Friday, Dexter Lee, an attorney for the Department of Justice representing ICE, told Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, who is considering whether to grant release to South Florida detainees, that the agency is concerned that the burden of releasing detainees will disproportionately fall on the shoulders of ICE because the agency is responsible for making sure they have a safe place to go.

As of Thursday, ICE says about 200 detainees at Krome had been exposed to the coronavirus and segregated, but only 20 have been tested. Hundreds more detainees across South Florida have reported feeling sick but remain untested. The practice of segregating affected idetainees all together, which ICE calls cohorting, is actually spreading the coronavirus like wildfire among detainees and staff, health scholars have said in sworn statements before federal court judges.

ICE directly contradicts CDC guidance in several ways, including, most critically, that ICE officials describe cohorting as the planned response to a known COVID-19 exposure, not a practice of last resort, wrote Joseph Shin, an assistant professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, a founding member of the Cornell Center for Health Equity.

In recent weeks, detainees were so scared of catching the illness from new incoming detainees that fistfights erupted among guards and detainees, who were left bloodied and with black eyes in solitary confinement.

Alex Piquero, a professor of criminology at the University of Texas, Dallas and soon-to-be chair of the University of Miamis Department of Sociology, told the Herald that if it can be shown that (the Mexcian national) contracted the virus while in custody and not prior to it, then the agency should find a way to find him suitable housing for the period of time needed to quarantine before having the confirmatory negative tests thereafter.

Whether that isolation location is in a hospital or at another detention facility I believe is somewhat secondary to the matter so long as the individual is receiving the care needed, he said, However these facilities are designed to keep people in, but not viruses out.

2020 Miami Herald

Visit Miami Herald at http://www.miamiherald.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

PHOTO (for help with images, contact 312-222-4194):IMMIGRATION-CONTRACTOR

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ICE detainee with COVID-19 in Miami detention center will be released with nowhere to go - Janesville Gazette

Sun Thisweek and the Dakota County Tribune released a questionnaire to candidates for the 2nd District Republican endorsement in March prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Due to the overwhelming need to provide news coverage to the pandemic and communication issues in assembling the responses, the questionnaire has been delayed from its original run date of April 3.

Political realities have changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the newspaper plans to address the many issues caused by it in the future.

Five candidates are seeking the Republican endorsement for the chance to run against U.S. Rep. Angie Craig, D-Eagan. The 2nd District Republicans have scheduled May 2 for its endorsement.

The 2nd District includes all or portions of Dakota, Scott, Wabasha, Goodhue and Rice counties.

Following are responses the newspaper received. Word limits were placed on each question. A response was not received from Regina Barr of Inver Grove Heights.

Residence: Apple Valley

Family: Husband John, son Cameron, daughter Delaney

Education: Bachelors from UMC, Masters of Public Administration from Troy University, Guantanamo Bay Cuba campus

Endorsements: Added to U.S. Rep. Elise Stefaniks Women to Watch list; Shakopee City Council Member Matt Lehman

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I have a comprehensive depth and breadth of life experience between my corporate, senior military and leadership roles that make me the most qualified candidate for the endorsement. I have 24 years of experience as a senior military officer, and still serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserve. After 22 years of wearing the uniform full time, I transitioned to a corporate role two years ago. I also have extensive leadership experience and was recognized by the secretary of defense for my work creating an Employee Resource Group and mentorship network on military bases, navy ships, service academies, and deployed locations throughout the world. Finally, I most closely resemble what the voters in this district identify with and will elect in November.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I am willing to meet anyone halfway for a reasonable solution that is in the interest of the United States. I have experience working on enterprise solutions for the Defense Department and Department of Veterans Affairs. Most recently, my work to create a veteran transition program has resulted in legislation via Title 1 of the Deborah Sampson Act, and the program was added to the FY2020 Defense Authorization Bill.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

Health care must be consumer centered. To move in this direction, we need to provide health care that is transparent, affordable and easy to understand. Market-driven care will result in increased choice for the consumer. Public Health Savings Accounts (HSA) is one option that should have a much wider access. Another potential legislative option is based on the Direct Primary Care model. In this option, patients pay a monthly fee for primary care benefits. The added benefit is that it supports a direct relationship between the patient and provider, without a need for an insurance provider. While consumers would need a secondary catastrophic insurance, these fees would be lower than many current insurance plans in the market.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget?

Tax cuts would put more money into the hands of the American people. An optimal way to offset these tax cuts would be to transition the current federal budget cycle from an annual cycle to a biennial cycle. This cycle would begin and end with each congressional class elected into office. Our current end-of-fiscal-year and Continuing Resolution Authority cycles are inefficient and costly. A biennial cycle would also allow departments to better plan long term mission sets and extend many contracts from a 1-year cycle to a 2-year cycle. Money saved from doubling the lifecycle of contracts would easily be able to offset any tax cuts.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Effective immigration legislation needs to address the coyote industry at the southern border. Over the last few years, the human smuggling industry on the southern border has been replacing the drug smuggling industry. This is because time and money isnt needed to create the product. Although people are worth far more money than drugs, its easier and cheaper for coyotes to smuggle humans rather than drugs. Most recently, human smuggling has begun to evolve into human trafficking, resulting in ransoms being demanded once immigrants get across the border. We need to have stiffer penalties to put this to a stop immediately.

Residence: Apple Valley

Family: Marie E. Kistner (spouse) and Elodie M. Kistner (daughter)

Education: University of Minnesota (Bachelor of Arts, history), New England College (Master of Arts, international relations)

Qualifications: Lifelong Minnesotan, family man, and 9-year Marine Special Operations Forces veteran. I have four overseas tours, leading and commanding over 500 personnel conducting counterterrorism and counter China/Russia aggression operations. My last four years in Marine Special Operations I worked national strategy and policy as well as worked directly with Congress on legislative issues. My leadership experience coupled with my experience working national level issues with Congress makes me the most qualified candidate.

Endorsements: U.S. Sen. Rudy Boschwitz; U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan; U.S. Rep. Mike Gallagher; 2018 Minnesota attorney general candidate Doug Wardlow; state Rep. Steve Drazkowski

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I have Minnesota values, family values, leadership, and military experience. I bring tested and tried experience leading men and women in Marine Special Operations as well as experience working with Congress that make me the most qualified and unique candidate. Working with Congress helped me gain extensive knowledge and understanding of national issues. It also gives me an advantage by knowing how to navigate and work with Congress. As a husband and father, I know the importance of security and safety for my family and always work to give them a prosperous life. As a servant leader and veteran Marine Raider, its the mentality of being a resource to the needs and interest of the constituents over myself. As a congressman, I will take these values and effectively serve and represent and fight for the voices of this district in D.C.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I agree the greatest issue were facing is the divisiveness in politics today, especially in Congress. As a veteran of the elite Marine Special Operations, I worked with people from all walks of life who had different backgrounds, views, and morals. As the leader, I worked with everyone and united our team to accomplish the mission at hand. It was never emotional because everyone approached the conversation with civility. Its this experience in servant leadership that is crucial to bring sanity to our political system in Congress.

What we need now are people who can bring civility back to politics and be able to have a conversation with the other side. The only way we can address the hard issues is by working together to accomplish the tasks at hand, making this country great and giving the people the conditions to ensure a more prosperous and secure future.

3) What legislation would you support to make healthcare more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

The rising cost of healthcare has become a national problem many Minnesotans are faced with. We need to rein in skyrocketing cost, improve quality and expand access without breaking the bank.

Im focused on a healthcare solution that is private, portable, and affordable.

I support bipartisan, common sense solutions to do exactly that, including: paying for quality of care, not quantity as well as focusing on prevention and wellness. A free and competitive market which is patient centered healthcare is the best solution to this daunting problem which Congress continues to ignore. Drop the state line restrictions, allow foreign pharmaceutical companies from Europe and Canada access to our markets, and continue to push for greater transparency in the cost and care provided in our healthcare system.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget? The free market system and our trade agreements have allowed our economy to grow and flourish. Economic prosperity is not achieved through increased taxes but through the deregulation of the free market system to make it truly free.

We need to continue to cut taxes and ensure our small business owners and the entrepreneurs continue to receive tax breaks which encourage them to open businesses and thrive.

Our government spending continues to increase with more calling for raising the debt ceiling to allow politicians to increase the national deficit. We need to look at ways to cut waste, find more reforms in our national budget, and advocate for a reduction in our spending, not find ways to increase it. The more debt we accumulate, the more we are putting on our future generations to deal with. Its time we take responsibility and act now to address this issue.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Border security is national security. Its that simple. We need to build the wall and secure the border. Its not fair for illegals who break the law to cut in front of those who are waiting to come here legally.

And as we saw in the debates, Democrats want open borders and free healthcare for illegal immigrants. We simply cannot let that happen.

Congress needs to continue to work with President Trump to stop illegal immigration to keep our communities safe.

Residence: Prior Lake

Family: Spouse: Linda, married Sept. 19, 1970, (yep, coming onto 50 years), two boys, Brad, 43, director of nursing at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Kirk, 41, supervisor in the control room of the Xcel Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant. Three grandkids, two here in Minnesota five miles away.

Education: J.D. from Stanford Law School, all but dissertations in Ph.D. programs at University of California, Davis in agricultural economics and Michigan State University in K-12 education administration, 50-60 courses from https://www.thegreatcourses.com/ and several Coursera courses.

Qualifications: I have a lifetime of leadership experience in both the private and public sectors. Ive:

served as an attorney for the Republican Caucus in the House of Representatives in Washington State for three sessions,

worked out of the Governors Office in Washington State,

served as a state representative in Michigan, winning in 2010 by 53 percent in a Democrat district while being grossly outspent.

been an agricultural cooperative president

been a school business manager for over 10 years and

traveled to 41 countries.

The result is a much broader perspective on the issues while retaining my conservative point of view.

Endorsements: None locally as I have not sought them.

1) Why should you be the endorsed Republican candidate in the 2nd District?

I began this campaign because there were big issues that were not being addressed, and if not solved, the burdens would fall on my grandchildren and your grandchildren.

the huge and growing national debt fueled by unbelievably large annual federal budget deficits,

our changing climate,

skyrocketing health care costs,

immigration reform,

the projected insolvency of social security and more.

I have written about them in depth in my blog, which is linked to my campaign website. No fancy slogans. No 30-second sound bites. No avoiding the hard issues. No more politics as usual with me. And I am the only candidate who has been addressing these issues in the campaign.

These issues are still important but are now superseded by the COVID-19 crisis and the economic slowdown.

We need our representative in Congress to have the experience, knowledge and mature judgment to deal with these issues.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I value input from multiple sources, as I realize I cant be an expert in all fields. So, I have learned how to work with many people of differing viewpoints, while retaining my ability to sort out fact from fiction, data from hyperbole, analysis from polemics, and to determine what really is the truth. Sometimes I find my initial perspective is wrong. This openness to examine my own beliefs allows others of opposing views to willingly work with me and to often alter their views as we seek common ground.

Practicing this method, I have served as moderator for Better Angels and National Issues Forum, as well as a discussion leader for Global Minnesota.

This, together with my expertise in many fields and willingness to think independently will allow me to be and effective thought leader in Congress, and not simply a back bench follower.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? If not, what other solutions would you propose?

While I opposed Obamacare, I see a national health program as inevitable as the solution for the 30-plus percent of the total health care costs being administrative costs, far above other countries costs. That is, we need to lower the enormous costs imposed by the confusion of multiple insurance companies and multiple policies with differing coverages.

The abuse of the patent laws which allow pharmaceutical companies to essentially continuously extend their patents must be stopped, so generics can effectively compete at lower prices.

I dont like it, but the health care industry is broken, and movement to a single payer system appears inevitable if we are to ever control health care costs. This can be done while retaining the bulk of the system as private businesses as some countries have already done.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget? With exploding federal budget deficits, promising tax cuts now appears to only be pandering to the anti-tax crowd. I dont pander. Projected increases in interest costs on our national debt and rising health care costs with their effects on Medicare and Medicaid make the challenge even more daunting. However, continuing or expanding tax credits for larger community based solar projects would be a better investment than less efficient tax credits for individual home installations. Eliminating some of the many subsidies for the fossil fuel industry would be a place to look for offsets. Eliminating some of the excessive number of military posts within the U.S. is another possibility, although politically difficult.

Eventually we will need to raise taxes to avoid the financially hazardous national debt to GDP ratios that have endangered other countries economies. A value added tax which does not discourage savings and investment would be the best choice.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Any sensible immigration policy starts with secure borders. This means we need to have an effective wall in some places on our southern border while in other places electronic surveillance is likely a more cost-effective solution. Enforcement of the laws is necessary at the employer level, using E-verify.

But, if we have secure borders and strong enforcement, we will need to have a robust guest worker program as many industries rely on these workers. We will need to have a pathway to citizenship for those brought to the U.S. by their parents as minors. Other illegal immigrants who have been here for many years without otherwise running afoul with the law should have some pathway to permanent legal residency. The lottery immigration program quotas should be shifted to increasing the number of skilled workers which are in short supply in many industries.

Residence: Cottage Grove

Family: Married; five children. Ouryoungest lives at home and has special needs (Down syndrome and autism.) The other four are either still in college, or on to their own lives.

Education: Juris doctorate (2004), Western State University College of Law

Qualifications: I am an attorney and small businessman. Ive been an advocate for individuals, small businesses, the disabled, and immigrants my entire career. I come from a military family, and I was taught to lead and stand by my values no matter the opposition. Im an uniter who seeks common ground with a proven history of success. If that fails, I stick to my values and fight until I win. In this arena of acrimony that infects our politics, I offer a new voice and a fresh perspective on the issues. I am both an uniter, and a fighter.

Endorsements: I am not pursuing endorsements until the 2nd District endorsement process is complete. I do not think candidates should be amassing and spending funds from our citizens to advocate to a small group of less than 350 that will make the Republican local endorsement decision which many do not realize amounts to less than 1/10th of 1 percent (0.10 percent, in fact) of the voting populace (350 delegates/337,000 voting in 2018). That is wasteful.

1) Why should you be the endorsed candidate in the 2nd District?

Here are the facts: Jason Lewis won CD2 in 2016 with 47 percent of the vote; he lost in 2018 with 47 percent of the vote. These facts offer a stark truth hardline conservative Republicans have support from voters in CD2 amounting to only about 47 percent.

I am a fiscally conservative Republican, but a social moderate; and not an extreme right-winger. If an extremist is endorsed instead of me, Republicans will receive 47 percent of the vote and lose in November. I differ from my fellow candidates; I disagree with the calls for no restrictions on freedom, ever and believe a reasoned public health approach to the pandemic is preferable. Even when all seems lost, act to protect the lives of others. Take no action that leads to needless death nor permit the same. Embrace life, and find purpose therein. If you do, you will be made whole.

2) The nation and Congress are sharply divided into conservative and liberal viewpoints. How can you be an effective representative in this political climate?

I like to use the term polarized, because what I see is outside influences such as social media or biased narratives pushing people into opposite corners. I dont see Red states and Blue States we are 50 Red, White and Blue states. Effective leadership is needed to build consensus instead of acrimony and to seek the good of the American people over political gain, especially in these times. Otherwise, we will continue to have a polarized government.

I will never be a party to that. I am an outsider and Im beholden to no one.

I will seek consensus. We are all Americans even if we disagree. We are not living in the Jason Bourne movie the Democratic elites have been spinning, and our politics should not be trying to get points for Gryffindor & Slytherin houses. We should be working together. I will do that.

3) What legislation would you support to make health care more affordable? How would it work? In not, what other solutions would you propose?

Americans have the best health care providers and practitioners in the world, but new ideas will be needed as the country recovers from the devastation of this invading microscopic killer.

My health plan calls for transparency in all aspects of health care and will eliminate surprise billing. I want to empower patients, providers and practitioners by increasing intra-state competition, and adopt the One Price Rule. The One Price Rule states simply that the price of a drug or service provided to a patient or practitioner cannot deviate based on who or where the recipient is located. We must expand and empower health care savings accounts.

The focus on third party payers providing managed care being equated with health care must end. Health insurance is not the same thing as health care. We must prohibit discrimination based on pre-existing conditions, and fund Medicare for the less fortunate and disabled.

4) Do you support a combination of tax cuts? Explain. If you are proposing tax cuts, how would they be offset in the federal budget?

I believe in fiscal responsibility and limited government. The government should tax only what it needs to function and no more. It should not run a deficit, and likewise, there should be no surplus. Never has this topic been more relevant than in todays stimulus days.

The government has simple roles it must provide for fairness in the marketplace, but otherwise allow commerce to thrive; it must apply the Constitutions principles, and it must provide for the common defense. Spending and proposals outside those arenas should always be met with skepticism. In recent days, much has been asked of our government to protect the well being of our fellow citizens. I support this wholeheartedly, but we must be cautious about the danger to our country that doing too much will have, as well as the devastation not doing enough will cause. I will provide bold leadership.

5) What legislation or enforcement would you support to curb illegal immigration?

Unlike other candidates, I have a great deal of experience in this regard because I practice in the immigration courts. I would support a requirement that asylum be sought at the point of entry, or a claim of asylum barred if an immigrant is found to be illegally in the United States. I would support legislation to bar birthright citizenship.

I am completely against the over-reach of individual trial judges constantly using a nationwide injunction to reach beyond the parties before them and attempt to enact immigration policy contrary to the directives of the president. The Supreme Court has repeatedly rebuked trial judges for this, but the practice continues. I would bar it by making an injunction of nationwide scope an original petition solely to be brought in the U.S. Supreme Court. They will deal with the most critical matters, and deny those which are not pressing.

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