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Top Immigration, Asylum, and Refugee Legislative and Political Developments
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New on MicEvHill.Com
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House Floor Consideration of a Bill that Would Roll Back Protections for Battered Aliens and the Advancement of the FY '13 Bills that Fund Border Security, Immigration Enforcement, and Immigration Services Highlight the Coming Week's Immigration- and
Refugee-Related Legislative Agenda
By Micheal E. Hill
Monday, May 14, 2012 -- 7:45 am EDT
--Updated on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 8:20 am EDT--
--Original Version Posted on Friday, May 11, 2012 at 9:55 am EDT--
The House of Representatives is scheduled to begin another week-long recess after it completes its business for the week of May 14. However, the House will face a busy immigration- and refugee-related agenda before it leaves town.
The most visible immigration-related action that Congress expects to take up during the week-to-come is House floor consideration of a controversial Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) reauthorization bill that would roll back protections in existing law for battered aliens who are the victims of domestic violence. At the time of this writing, it is unclear whether the House Republican Leadership will permit Members to offer amendments to the measure when it reaches the House floor. But regardless of whether amendments are permitted, the House floor debate on the measure promises to be contentious and emotional as Democrats charge that Republicans are waging a war against immigrant women and Republicans countercharge that the rollback in protections is necessary in order to prevent immigration fraud.
In more quiet -- but still very important -- actions, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are expected during the week-to-come to advance their bills that fund the federal government's border security, interior immigration enforcement, and immigration services agencies, functions, programs, and activities, setting up what could be contentious floor debates on those measures after the House and Senate return from their Memorial Day recesses. In addition to provisions funding the Department of Homeland Security, the House bill is expected to contain a provision extending authority for the controversial E-Verify system. The Senate bill is expected to contain a provision extending authority for the E-Verify system, as well. But it also could contain provisions extending the less controversial Special Immigrant Non-Minister Religious Worker Visa program, the Conrad 30 program, and the EB-5 Investor Visa Regional Centers program. Under current law, the legislative authority for all four programs are scheduled to expire at the end of fiscal year 2012.
Additionally, the House Committee on Appropriations during the coming week will mark up its fiscal year 2013 bill that funds refugee admissions and overseas refugee assistance.
Finally, a number of hearings are scheduled for the week-to-come that examine refugee and immigration issues.
In all, the coming week's legislative schedule includes at least four hearings, as many as four markups, and three potential floor actions on measures that contain significant immigation provisions or that could have significant immigration- or refugee-related consequences.
It will be a busy week for persons who work in Washington on immigration and refugee policy.
A more detailed write-up on the coming week's likely immigration- and refugee-related legislative agenda can be found after the jump.
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The Streak Ends on the Weekend's Sunday Public Affairs Programs
By Micheal E. Hill
Monday, May 14, 2012 -- 7:45 am EDT
For the first time in 13 weeks, there were no discussions on the Sunday public affairs programs on the subjects of immigration, refugeees, the country's changing demographics, or the Latino vote.
The subjects of gay marriage and the recently foiled terrorist attack on an American airliner were the bigg issues sucking up all of the airtime on the five public affairs programs. And so despite the fact that such immigration heavy hitters as Senator Dick Durbin, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Senator John Cornyn, Representative Peter King, and Al Cardenas were featured on the programs, there was no talk about immigration or the Latino vote.
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House Votes to Bar Funding for Litigation Against State Immigration Enforcement Laws and Deny SCAAP Funding to "Sanctuary Cities" as Part of the House-Passed FY '13 Bill
that Funds EOIR and SCAAP
By Micheal E. Hill
Thursday, May 10, 2012 -- 4:00 pm EDT
--Original Version Posted on Tuesday, May 8, 2012 at 12:01 am EDT--
 The House of Representatives has voted to bar the Department of Justice from challenging the validity of state-enacted immigration enforcement laws and to bar "sanctuary cities" from receiving funds from a popular immigration enforcement program. The provisions, offered as amendments by Representatives Diane Black (R-TN) and Joe Walsh (R-IL), respectively, were the most contentious of three immigration-related amendments that the House took up during its consideration of the fiscal year 2013 bill that funds the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) and State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP). The House went on to pass the appropriations bill, readying it for an eventual conference with the Senate.
House action on the Black Amendment occurred in the pre-dawn hours of Wednesday, May 9, while the House was considering amendments to H.R. 5326, the Fiscal Year 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The House agreed to the Black Amendment by a vote of 238-173. 8 Members crossed party lines on the vote, with 12 Democrats supporting the amendment and 6 Republicans voting against it. Action on the Walsh amendment to the C-J-S Bill occurred at a saner hour, at around 7:30 pm EDT on Wednesday. The House agreed to the Walsh amendment by a voice vote.
The House began its consideration of H.R. 5326 on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, continued to consider amendments into Wednesday, May 9, and completed its consideration of the measure on Thursday, May 10, passing it by a vote of 247-163.
From an immigration perspective, the House Appropriations Committee-reported version of H.R. 5326 actually would increase fiscal year 2013 funding for EOIR relative to fiscal year 2012. However, it would appropriate less for the popular SCAAP program in fiscal year 2013 than was appropriated for it in fiscal year 2012.
The most controversial immigation-related matters that the House faced in connection with H.R. 5326 came in amendments offered by Members on the House floor, including the Black and Walsh amendments.
See a summary of the immigration provisions in H.R. 5326, along with an account of the immigration-related amendments offered to the bill during House consideration of the measure and video of the House floor debate on the Black and Walsh amendments, after the jump.
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Immigration is Front and Center as the House Judiciary Committee Approves Controversial Violence Against Women Act
Reauthorization Bill
By Micheal E. Hill
Tuesday, May 8, 2012 -- 5:55 pm EDT
--Updated on Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 12:30 am EDT--
--Original Version Posted on May 8, 2012 at 12:01 am EDT--
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The House Committee on the Judiciary has approved legislation reauthorizing programs authorized by the Violence Against Women Act, doing so largely along party lines. Included in the measure are a number of provisions that would rolll back protections in existing law for battered aliens who are the victims of domestic violence. Committee action occurred on Tuesday, May 8, 2012, in connection with H.R. 4970, the "Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2012". The Committee approved the measure by a vote of 17-15 after taking up numerous amendments, including 11 amendments that would pose significant consequences for immigration policy.
The markup session began at approximately 10:27 am EDT on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. It lasted until close to 6:00 pm EDT.
H.R. 4970 is controversial for several reasons. Unlike S. 1925, the Senate-passed version of legislation reauthorizing programs under VAWA, it does not include provisions relating to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals who are the victims of domestic violence. And it does not include provisions relating to the authority of Indian Tribes to prosecute non-Native Americans.
Some of the greatest controversy surrounding H.R. 4970 is found in several of the immigration-related provisions that are contained within Title VIII of the measure. Those provisions were opposed by more than 100 domestic violence, religious, civil rights, and immigration advocacy organizations and individuals.
See a summary of the immigration provisions in H.R. 4970, along with an analysis of the 11 immigration-related amendments that were offered to the measure during the Committee markup, after the jump.
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Consideration of Bills That Would Roll Back Protections for Battered Alien Domestic Violence Victims and Bar Aliens Without Social Security Numbers from Using the Refundable Child Tax Credit Highlight the Coming Week's Immigration- and Refugee-Related Legislative Agenda
By Micheal E. Hill
Monday, May 7, 2012 -- 12:01 am EDT
--Original Version Posted on Friday May 4, 2012 at 1:30 pm EDT--
Congress returns from a week-long recess on Monday, May 7, to a crowded and contentious immigration legislative agenda.
Among the contentious immigration-related actions that Congress is set to take up during the week-to-come is the markup of a measure that would roll back protections in existing law for battered aliens who are the victims of domestic violence. Another such item on the agenda for the coming week is consideration by the House Committee on the Budget, and possibly by the full House of Representatives, of a bill that would bar aliens without Social Security Numbers from making use of the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit. And a House Appropriations Committee panel is scheduled during the week-to-come to mark up its version of the fiscal year 2013 bill that funds the federal government's border security, interior immigration enforcement, and immigration services agencies, functions, programs, and activities. While no draft of the latter measure had yet been circulated at the time of this writing, the measure often is full of controversial spending and policy provisions.
Not all of the coming week's actions on immigration-related legislation are actions that the pro-immigrant advocacy community will oppose. For instance, the full House of Representatives is scheduled during the coming week to take up the fiscal year 2013 appropriations bill that funds the immigration court system. The House Appropriations Committee-approved version of the measure would increase funding for the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) relative to fiscal year 2012, and it would increase funding for Legal Orientation Presentations (LOP) to detained aliens and the guardians of unaccompanied alien children who are in immigration proceedings. Even that measure, though, could become controversial and contentious; the pro-immigrant advocacy community is bracing for amendments to that measure on the House floor on such difficult questions as whether Congress should bar funding for litigation against the Alabama immigration enforcement law.
In all, the coming week's legislative schedule includes at least one hearing, four markups, and two potential floor actions on measures that contain significant immigation provisions or that could have significant immigration- or refugee-related consequences.
As is often the case, a lot of "off of the Hill" activity of interest to the immigration community will be happening during the coming week, including a gathering of immigration restricitonists, who will descend on Washington to lobby Congress and rally their troops around the nation.
It should be an interesting week.
A more detailed write-up on the coming week's likely immigration- and refugee-related legislative agenda can be found after the jump.
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For the Twelfth Consecutive Weekend, the Sunday Public Affairs Programs Feature Discussions about Immigration, Refugees,
or the Latino Vote
By Micheal E. Hill
Sunday, May 6, 2012 -- 1:25 pm EDT
For the twelfth week in a row, there was at least one discussion about immigration, refugees, demographics, or the Latino vote during the Sunday public affairs programs. Indeed, there were such discussions during the week of May 6, 2012, on three of the five major public affairs programs.
Immigration-, refugee-, or Latino vote-related references during the May 6, 2012, Sunday public affairs programs were made by Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), former Governor Howard Dean (D-VT), Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY), and Senator John McCain (R-AZ).
See a summary of and video excerpts from all of the mentions of immigration and the Latino vote that were made during the April 29, 2012, Sunday public affairs programs after the jump.
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President Obama Blames Republicans for Lack of Progress on Immigration Reform in Remarks at White House
Cinco de Mayo Reception
By Micheal E. Hill
Thursday, May 3, 2012 -- 6:50 pm EDT
President Obama today blamed Republicans for lack of progress on immigration reform generally, and for blocking the DREAM Act, specifically, during remarks before a largely Latino audience at a White House reception. The President's remarks came during a Thursday, May 3, 2012, Cinco de Mayo reception at the White House.
In his remarks, President Obama said, "there is still plenty of unfinished business, including fixing our broken immigration system." Continuing, the President said, "it is long past the time we unleashed the promise of all of our young people and make the DREAM Act a reality." He reminded his audience that "over a year ago, we brought the DREAM Act to a vote in Congress thanks to the hard work of many of you. It passed the House and [won] a majority of votes in the Senate. Unfortunately, we had some on the other side of the aisle that got together and blocked it. But we didn't come this far just to let partisan politics stand in our way."
"No is not an option," the President declared in his remarks, saying "we are going to keep fighting for this common sense reform, not just because hundreds of thousands of talented young students depend on it, but because ultimately, America depends on it."
"I want to sign the DREAM Act into law," the President declared, saying "I've got the pens all ready; I am willing to work with anybody who is serious to get this done and to achieve bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform that solves this challenge once and for all."
See video of President Obama's remarks after the jump.
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President of U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Talks about Immigration Policy and the GOP
By Micheal E. Hill
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 -- 1:00 pm EDT
Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York and President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, offered advice to Republicans on immigration during a May 2, 2012, appearance on MSNBC's "Jansing & Co." program, saying to Republicans, "You need to get your house together when it comes to immigration," adding "you better come up with a much saner, more civil, more just immigration policy."
The Cardinal said that Catholic Bishops feel very strongly that immigration needs reform and are "upset where the loudest cheers on the campaign trail are for whatever candidate can say the most punitive or the most angry things about immigrants."
The Cardinal criticized the Republican policy as being one that splits up families, drives people underground, and that, in the case of Alabama and Arizona, "is asking our soup kitchens to ask for documentation before they give people food or housing or clothing or medical care." He asserted of the policy, "That's not right. That's not Catholic. That's not Christian. That's not religious. And it's not American. And the Bishops have been pretty adamant about that."
See video of Cardinal Dolan's interview after the jump.
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| New Today! |
| NEW! MicEvHill.Com has posted the Thursday, May 17, 2012, edition of its "Today on the Hill" page, which details the likely immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity for Thursday, May 17, 2012. -- Click Here to See the May 17, 2012, Edition of "Today on the Hill |
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| New Yesterday! |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted the text of a new version of H.R. 4970, the "Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2012", which House Judiciary Committee Republicans have unveiled. The new version of the bill makes changes to the immigration-related provisions contained in the bill that the Committee approved on Tuesday, May 8, 2012. The full House is scheduled to take up H.R. 4970 on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. -- Click Here to See the Text of the New Version of H.R. 4970 |
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| New This Week! |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted an update of the May 14, 2012, edition of its "This Week on the Hill" page, which presents a detailed look at the immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity that will likely occur during the week of May 14, 2012. -- Click Here to See the Updated Version of the May 14, 2012, edition of "This Week on the Hill" |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a brief write-up previewing the likely immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity that Congress will face during the week of May 14, 2012. -- Click Here to See a Summary of the Likely Immigration- and Refugee-Related Legislative Activity for the Week of May 14, 2012 |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted the May 14, 2012, edition of its "This Week on the Hill" page, which presents a detailed look at the immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity that will likely occur during the week of May 14, 2012. -- Click Here to See the May 14, 2012, edition of "This Week on the Hill" |
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| New Last Week! |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a sneak peek at the possible immigration-related discussions that could take place during the May 13, 2012, Sunday public affairs programs. -- Click Here to See a preview of the May 13, 2012, Sunday Public Affairs Programs |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a write-up of the immigration-related issues that were contested during House floor consideration of H.R. 5326, the Fiscal Year 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, including video excerpts from the Floor debate. -- Click Here to See the Write-Up on House Floor Consideration of H.R. 5326 |
| MicEvHill.Com has updated its write-up of the immigration-related issues that were contested during the House Judiciary Committee's May 8, 2012, markup of H.R. 4970, the "Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2012" to include links to all of the immigration-related amendment that were offered during the markup. -- Click Here to See the Write-Up on the Immigration Provisions in H.R. 4970 |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a brief write-up previewing the likely immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity that Congress will face during the week of May 7, 2012. -- Click Here to See a Summary of the Likely Immigration- and Refugee-Related Legislative Activity for the Week of May 7, 2012 |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted the May 7, 2012, edition of its "This Week on the Hill" page, which presents a detailed look at the immigration- and refugee-related legislative activity that will likely occur during the week of May 7, 2012. -- Click Here to See the May 7, 2012, edition of "This Week on the Hill" |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted video excerpts of the immigration-related comments made by guests on the May 6, 2012, Sunday public affairs programs. -- Click Here to See Video of the Immigration-Related Comments Made on the May 6, 2012, Sunday Public Affairs Programs |
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| New This Month! |
| MicEvHill.Com has made extensive updates to its "Over the Horizon" page, which looks ahead to likely immigration-, asylum-, and refugee-related legislative activity that either is scheduled to occur within the next several weeks or which has not yet been officially scheduled but that is likely occurring just over the horizon. -- Click Here to See MicEvHill.Com's "Over the Horizon" Page |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a write-up on and video of President Obama's immigration-related remarks at a May 3, 2012, White House Cinco de Mayo reception. -- Click Here to See the Write-Up and Video of President Obama's Cinco de Mayo Remarks |
| MicEvHill.Com has posted a video excerpt of Cardinal Timothy Dolan's comments about immigration and the GOP, made on the Wednesday, May 2, 2012, edition of MSNBC's "Jansing & Co." program. -- Click Here to See a write-up of and video excerpt of the Cardinal's Immigration Comments |
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