Trump Continues to Attack High-Skilled Lawful Immigration

Trump is now targeting the STEM OPT program in his continued efforts to discourage legal high-skilled immigration to the United States. STEM OPT currently allows over 40,000 foreign STEM students at U.S. universities to work in the U.S. in a STEM field for three years after graduation. President Bush conceived the program, Obama extended it, and now Trump is trying to end it, which will only hamper America's leading position in the world. What does this say about Trump’s professed support of a merit-based immigration system?  And from a larger perspective, what message does it send about America’s historical role as a nation that welcomes immigrants and benefits from their economic and cultural contributions? 

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

FAIR Miscalculates the Cost of Unauthorized Immigration

Read the full article about the new study here. 

Court Catastrophe

The U.S. immigration system is in one of the worst states in our history, with court dates being backlogged to as late as 2022. Even for simple proceedings, the immigration courts simply do not have the capacity to keep up with the volume, mostly due to a lack of judges. For families and individuals, this creates immense turmoil and uncertainty regarding their future. For more information, click here. 

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

Don’t Dismantle DACA!

Not only is DACA good for the economy and family unity, but it’s also constitutional. We must never stop reminding our elected representatives at all levels that DACA reflects positive American values – compassion, positive exercise of discretion for deserving individuals, rewarding ambitious and responsible young people, and keeping families intact. Read The New York Times' article here.

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

Will DACA Die? Hundreds of Thousands Afraid of Deportation

Young adults who came to the United States as children fear being deported to their home country under the new Presidential administration. Jessica Colotl tells her story of coming to the United States as an 11-year-old with her undocumented family and the challenges she has faced as a result. The futures of over 750,000 DACA recipients like Jessica are more uncertain than ever. To read the full story from Politico, click here. 

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

USCIS Will Naturalize Nearly 9,000 New Citizens During Independence Day Celebrations

Illustration Photo - JFK Presidential Library & Museum in Boston - Photo All Rights Reserved: Torgrim Landsverk

USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Acting Director Lori Scialabba will help USCIS celebrate our nation’s 238th birthday as the agency welcomes approximately 9,000 new U.S. citizens during more than 100 naturalization ceremonies across the country from June 30 to July 4.

“We’re honored to celebrate Independence Day by welcoming new U.S. citizens at ceremonies across the United States,” said USCIS Acting Director Lori Scialabba. “It’s our pleasure to celebrate the fulfillment of their dreams of citizenship at the same time we celebrate the birth of our country.” 

Citizenship candidates will take the Oath of Allegiance during numerous ceremonies, including: Nevada’s Las Vegas City Hall; Old Salem Museum and Gardens in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Turner Field in Atlanta; the Miramar Branch Library & Education Center, Miramar, Florida; Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona; the New York Public Library in New York City; the Seattle Center in Seattle; the National World War II Museum in New Orleans; the Benjamin L. Hooks Central Library in Memphis, Tennessee; and California's Great America Theme Park in Santa Clara, California.

This year’s celebration of Independence Day and U.S. citizenship also will feature special naturalization ceremonies at sites integral to America’s history, including: George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Mount Vernon, Virginia; Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia; the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Mount Rushmore National Memorial in Keystone, South Dakota; the USS Midway in San Diego, California; the Battleship New Jersey in Camden, New Jersey; and Saratoga National Historical Park in Stillwater, New York.

To view a list of 2014 Independence Day naturalization ceremonies, visit www.uscis.gov/news. USCIS encourages new citizens and their families and friends to share their ceremony experience and photos afterward via Twitter and other social media, using the hashtag #newUScitizen.

By USCIS, 1. July 2014.