Timothy R Bakken
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that DACA will continue. To quote the DHS: “DACA recipients will continue to be eligible as outlined in the June 15, 2012 memorandum…No work permits will be terminated prior to their current expiration dates.” The good news is buried in a DHS memo announcing the official rescission of DAPA (Obama’s proposed program to protect undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents).
Timothy R. Bakken
Founder
President Trump wants to cut the number of refugees welcome in the United States in less than half from 110,000 to 50,000. However, his new plan will only hurt the United States. Not only is it illegal under the Refugee Act of 1980, but it also hurts the United States economy. For example, studies show that refugees are more likely than any other sector of the general population to start a business. Not to mention the fact that other countries such as Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey are bearing the brunt of Syrian refugees which is destabilizing these nations even further. The vetting process for refugees to come to the United States is already very thorough, and we cannot give in to the fear of terrorism and turn a blind eye to the tens of thousands of people who are being turned away. Read the full New York Times article here.
Timothy R. Bakken
Founder
Immigration helps keep jobs in the U.S. rather than losing them to other countries, especially when it comes to IT jobs, as explained by this Forbes article. In fact, at many American universities the majority of graduate students in engineering and computer science are international students who hope to work in the U.S. in highly skilled and technical positions. The more high-skilled visa workers that we have here, the less need we have to send work abroad to be performed by high-skilled workers located outside the U.S. Employment of high-skilled workers in the U.S. strengthens American companies and creates more jobs in the U.S. We should not give in to xenophobia and our laws should welcome and encourage immigration of intelligent, ambitious, educated, highly skilled, and creative individuals from throughout the world.
Timothy R. Bakken
Founder
Despite objections from privacy experts and academic and scientific communities in the U.S., the Trump administration has approved new rules that will allow State Department officers to request visa applicants’ last five years of social media handles, email addresses, and phone numbers, and the last fifteen years of residential, employment, and travel history. See full Reuters story here, click.
These new rules will give even more discretion to visa officers than they already have. Get ready for longer processing times at U.S. Consulates and an increase in visa denials, many of which will be based on innocent mistakes by applicants. Allegedly, the requests for additional information will be “voluntary”, though applicants who refuse to voluntarily provide the requested information may find their visa applications delayed or even denied. Stay tuned….
Timothy R. Bakken
Founder
Sure, the gentleman described in this article in the New York Times , should pay a fine for failing to pay his light rail fare. But, does anyone really believe deporting this person accomplishes anything other than appeasing extreme and hysterical anti-immigrant sentiments?
Timothy R. Bakken
Founder
Thank you to the Denver City Council for unanimously approving changes to the city municipal code that will reduce the maximum possible penalties for certain criminal convictions. Read the full Denver Post article here.
These changes will reduce the chances of deportation for immigrants, whether documented or not, convicted of relatively minor crimes.
Timothy R. Bakken
