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InAlienable
Daily Dispatch
March 18, 2019
Immigration News:
ICE continues to employ unethical strategies to satisfy the Trump administration’s toxic immigration tactics, without truly understanding the negative ramifications of their actions on a social and economical level. The New York Times, recently posted an article about farmers in Upstate New York who now have a shrinking labor pool due to predatory actions of ICE agents in the area:
“We are seeing that the immigration enforcement is having a tremendous enforcement impact on farm workers, on farms,” said Mary Jo Dudley, director of the Cornell Farmworker Program. “For many farmers, there’s no alternative labor force.” To search private property like a farm, ICE needs a warrant that shows reason to believe a particular undocumented immigrant is living or working there. But if undocumented workers leave the farm to go to a grocery store, they can be approached by ICE agents in a parking lot or a roadside checkpoint, detained and deported.”
And in California, through local police departments and the private company, Vigilant Solutions, ICE is being provided with residents’ license plate information in order to track whether or not they are undocumented.
In an effort to protect communities of colors, the Sacramento Immigration Coalition, a local advocacy group, have started a campaign to teach families “What to do If ICE Comes Knocking.”
Bills Making Moves:
In legislation news, the Mississippi Senate has passed the Criminal Justice Reform Act (House Bill 1352). The bill will:
“help those leaving looking to gain employment after serving their time in the state’s prison system along with expanding drug courts. Additionally, it would prevent automatic suspension of driver’s licenses for nonpayment of fines or simple drug possessions.”
Local organizations such as Empower Mississippi as well as Senate members are confident in the bill becoming a law.
Also, the Dream and Promise Act (HR 6) was recently introduced by House Democrats. The bill will “allow as many as 2.5 million people to apply for legal status and put them on a path that could ultimately lead to US citizenship” (VOX). If passed, the bill will address the legal status needs of DACA and TPS recipients.