"SECURE COMMUNITIES" PROGRAM
Smoke and Mirrors: FOIA Reveals ICE Deception in Secure Communities Program.  The misnamed Secure Communities program appears to be a nothing but smoke and mirrors—a federal program operating without adequate supervision or safeguards. The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking information on Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) signature immigration enforcement program. The government documents NILC obtained show that ICE’s public statements about the Secure Communities program do not reflect what goes on behind closed doors. (9/1/10)  BY MELISSA KEANEY, IN "IMMIGRATION IMPACT" ››

HEALTH COVERAGE FOR CHILDREN
Facts About Federal Funding for States to Provide Health Coverage to Immigrant Children and Pregnant Women.  The Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 provides states with a new opportunity to provide affordable health coverage to many immigrant children and pregnant women through Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).  READ THE UPDATED FACT SHEET ›› (Posted 8/6/10)

SB 1070 | ARIZONA RACIAL PROFILING LAW

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Court Blocks Implementation of Key Sections of Arizona's Racial Profiling Law.  Ensuring that Arizona law enforcement will not be required to demand "papers" from people they stop who they suspect are "unlawfully present" in the U.S., a federal court in Phoenix today blocked key provisions of Arizona's racial profiling law, scheduled to go into effect on July 29, pending a final court ruling on its constitutionality. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice challenging the Arizona law. The ruling vindicates similar claims made by the National Immigration Law Center and a coalition of civil rights groups in a separate lawsuit challenging the discriminatory measure. (7/28/10)  READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››  READ THE COURT ORDER ››

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U.S. Dept. of Justice Files Lawsuit Against Arizona’s Racial Profiling Law: NILC and Other Groups Also Challenging Law Laud Obama Administration’s Action.  The U.S. Dept. of Justice filed a lawsuit today challenging Arizona’s recently enacted racial profiling law, known as SB-1070.  In taking this extraordinary action, the federal government has sent a clear message that it will not tolerate state laws that invite racial stereotyping and profiling and interfere with federal immigration priorities and policies. (7/6/10)  READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

DREAM ACT
MOMENTUM BUILDS FOR DREAM: It’s Time to Heed the Calls of Students and Educators.  WASHINGTON, DC -- DREAM activists have poured into this city from as far away as California to organize and to raise awareness of the DREAM Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would provide a pathway to legal status for undocumented young people who came to this country as children, if they attend college or enlist in the military. In the last week, DREAMers have staged a mock graduation, hosted a teach-in, and arranged a briefing with university heads to raise awareness of the pressing need for legislation to give undocumented students the tools to contribute to our society.  READ NILC'S STATEMENT ››  (Posted 7/20/10)

COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Action Should Follow Talk: NILC Executive Director Marielena Hincapié Responds to President Obama’s Speech Calling for Congress to Act on Immigration Reform.  Calling on the nation to aspire to our higher ideals, which are rooted in our nation’s immigration history, President Obama stated, during a speech today at American University, that fixing the broken immigration system is a “moral imperative.” Here is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center. (7/1/10)  READ THE STATEMENT ››

PRO-IMMIGRANT STATE LEGISLATORS & POLICY
A call co-hosted by Progressive States Network and NILC introduced STATE LEGISLATORS FOR PROGRESSIVE IMMIGRATION POLICY, a network of legislators in 28 states leading the way forward by rejecting the politics of division and advancing inclusive, pro-immigrant policies at the state level -- policies that promote the effective integration of immigrants as critical members of communities and state economies. (6/29/10)

IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
NILC, the ACLU Immigrant Rights Project, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, and the Rights Working Group have developed a sample civil rights violations complaint form to document abuses occurring under the various immigration enforcement programs, not just by federal officials but also by local law enforcement officers.  The form is for use by groups and individuals interested in lodging complaints with DHS and the Dept. of Justice's Civil Rights Division.  More information and the complaint forms available here.   GET MORE INFO ›› (Posted 4/28/10)