Articles Posted in News

Many of us living in border cities like San Diego are used to crossing the border to Mexico as a matter of routine. Upon entry all we had to do is state US Citizen, to the USCIS officer and he would let you in. This is all changing as of January 31, 2008. On January 31, DHS is ending this practice such that oral declarations alone to prove identity and citizenship will no longer be sufficient. Visitors will be asked to present certain documentation from a specified list when entering the United States at land or sea ports of entry.

Expect longer lines at the Ports of Entry.

Read the DHS press release here

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a few days ago a final rule establishing minimum security standards for state-issued drivers’ licenses and identification cards.

Homeland Security Secretary said the following:

“The American public’s desire for greater identity protection is undeniable,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “Americans understand today that the 9/11 hijackers obtained 30 drivers licenses and ID’s,and used 364 aliases. For an extra $8 per license, REAL ID will give law enforcement and security officials a powerful advantage against falsified documents, and it will bring some peace of mind to citizens wanting toprotect their identity from theft by a criminal or illegal alien.”

As we approach the New Hampshire 2008 presidential primary, the immigration issue should remain a key factor to be addressed by all candidates.

The importance of a reformed immigration policy in a broader homeland security strategy has made it a major subject of debate in the 2008 presidential election already. This debate escalated recently surrounding the controversial immigration reform legislation proposed in 2007, that would have granted temporary guest status to millions of illegal immigrants.

For the Candidates take on immigration click here…

The January 14th issue of Businessweek, features an important article about the future of business under an enforcement only immigration policy.

For years there has been an implicit understanding among businesses that need workers, illegal immigrants willing to do those jobs, communities that benefit from such commerce, and a government that rarely intervened. Now that understanding has been torn apart. Of 1,500 people surveyed in June by the Pew Research Center, 55% said the most effective way to reduce illegal immigration from Mexico is to increase penalties on employers. In a Democratic Presidential debate in November, Barack Obama said: “An employer has more of a chance of getting hit by lightning than being prosecuted for hiring an undocumented worker. That has to change.” All of the candidates, with varying degrees of vigor, have expressed the same sentiment.

Read the entire article here

I guess the USCIS have some bad apples as well. The former assistant chief in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in Alexandria on two felony counts of harboring an illegal alien and encouraging and inducing an illegal to reside in the United States.

Read the full story here..