A new series in which we (will aspire to) offer a sampling of today’s headlines on immigration, race, and related stories.

August 16, 2018:

Americans donate frequent flier miles to migrant families separated under Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy.

This story of a Filipino family demonstrates the decades long effects of family separation.

California Senate will be debating a joint resolution today that will ask Trump and Congress to formally apologize to victims of family separation. Resolutions in Idaho are having a harder time getting passage.

UNICEF report indicates that families separated/deported by Trump will likely return to the U.S. because the situation they return to is made worse by efforts to flee. Here is more information and a link to the full UNICEF report, “Uprooted: Central America and Mexico.”

The Kaiser Family Foundation releases a study on toxic stress in immigrant families under the Trump administration.

A new study examines why so many DACA recipients are choosing not to renew their status.

Senators send a letter to DHS Sec asking the agency to crack down on privately operated detention centers using immigrants as forced labor. Several lawsuits are currently pending around the country against two of the largest contractors, GEO Group and CoreCivic, alleging human trafficking and other state and federal violations.

For viewers of Showtime’s The Affair (or other pop-culture aficionados), actress Catalina Sandino Moreno discusses her character’s complicated and timely immigration storyline in the series’ fourth season.

Continuing coverage of the Trump effort to denaturalize U.S. citizens through a new task force led by Frank Cissna, head of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

In addition to recently removing“ nation of immigrants” from the agency’s mission statement (see yesterday’s Daily Dispatch), USCIS’s Frank Cissna spoke yesterday at the Center for Immigration Studies – an SPLC designated hate group. I would suggest that the agency vet such groups before agreeing to appear, but, sadly, I’m guessing they did.  

Trump immigration goon Stephen Miller’s plan to expand the phrase “public charge” to include even the Earned Income Credit and to apply to all household members (including US citizens) is aimed at preventing legal immigrants from gaining citizenship, a policy shift that deviates from core conservative principles, says Raul Reyes.  

House Majority Leader and Trump supporter Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) was confronted by protesters during talk at Public Policy Institute of California. After claiming that Trump will “solve immigration,” the protesters began chanting “where’s your heart?” – leading McCarthy to lament the elected officials who seek to sow division ( = irony?).

Speaking of discord and irony, Sarah Sanders avoided uncomfortable questions at yesterday’s WH briefing by making the shocking announcement that John Brennan has been stripped of his security clearances due to his “erratic conduct” and “sow[ing] division and chaos” (wow, the country was full of irony yesterday, wasn’t it) and because of Russia – though we all know, thanks to the July date on the August release, that the announcement was intended to distract media attention – and Trump! – from a losing battle with Omarosa Manigault Newman over his use of racial slurs and misogynistic language. This distraction effort is not helped, however, by his threats to go after Susan Rice next, nor by the release of this recording in which Trump suggests a “blacks against whites” season of The Apprentice, nor by his asking for AG Sessions to have Omarosa arrested!! (It’s getting worse…)

A new series in which we (will aspire to) offer a sampling of today’s headlines on immigration, race, and related stories.

August 15, 2018:

Head of USCIS defends his decision to remove the phrase “nation of immigrants” from the agency’s mission statement, arguing that the agency exists to serve citizens, not immigrants.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) proposed rule change, barring citizenship to those who have benefited from public programs, would prevent US citizen children from receiving benefits. The leaked draft of a proposed rule change is available here.

Scheduled closure of Tornillo tent city, “housing” children separated from parents at the border, has been delayed. The location is operated by BCFS (formerly Baptist Children and Family Services), which declined a billion-dollar government contract earlier this summer to expand the installation from 400 to 4000 beds, calling the administration’s family separation policy “stupid.” (The proposed contracts reveal just how far Trump was planning to take this policy – which is chilling…)

Temporary Protected Status for Yemen gets 18 month extension.

An interesting read from the Texas Tribune on the inherently conflicted structure of the immigration courts, where judges seek to be impartial but are supervised by the DOJ.

Boston mayor, Joseph Curtatone, during a trip to El Salvador and Honduras to speak to deported migrants and their families, vows to boycott Sam Adams beer, citing CEO’s implicit support of Trump’s immigration policy and white nationalism.

A report on a University of Alabama study examining the factors that lead people to white nationalism.

CNN’s Don Lemon says a tape of Trump using racial slur “would change nothing” (video).

PETA urges Trump to adopt a shelter dog, citing his misuse of the term “dog” with reference to Ms. Manigault Newman.

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A new series in which we (will aspire to) offer a sampling of today’s headlines on immigration, race, and related stories.

August 14, 2018:

U.S. citizen parents fear their 4-year-old adopted daughter may be deported after her immigration case is denied and visa set to expire.

State review confirms that Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley detention center for immigrant children strapped kids to chairs and placed bags over their heads, but conclude that this does not rise to level of “abuse.”

NBC news reports that ICE has tripled number of arrests of non-criminal undocumented immigrants, largely in sanctuary cities.

Historical perspective piece on executive powers in enforcing immigration, and the role of public opinion.

ACLU files lawsuit against DHS chief Kirstjen Nielsen, alleging coordination between USCIS and ICE to schedule arrests during citizenship interviews.

A Supreme Court decision causes some deportation orders to be thrown out of court.

Bribery scheme lands ICE agent 3 years in prison.

The first family expands as Trump’s in-laws become citizens through the same process Trump has derided as “chain migration.”

Omarosa releases tape of WH communications staff discussing how to “spin” Trump’s use of “the n-word.” Meanwhile, Trump continues his smear campaign against black celebrities.

Related / Other:
Sessions isn’t a “real” attorney general, says president who appointed him “attorney general.”

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