NATURALIZATION LITIGATION
Hundreds of Immigrants Will Finally Become U.S. Citizens under Lawsuit Settlement -- Immigrants who waited years for their citizenship applications to be processed will finally have the chance to naturalize and enjoy the privileges of U.S. citizenship, under a settlement approved today between USCIS, NILC, the ACLU of So. California, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, and the law firm of Munger, Tolles & Olson.  NEWS RELEASE ››  (11/9/09)

ENFORCEMENT OF IMMIGRATION LAW BY LOCAL AGENCIES

Overview of the Key ICE ACCESS Programs: 287(g), the Criminal Alien Program, and Secure Communities
ICE has grouped the major programs that merge immigration enforcement with the criminal justice system under an umbrella scheme called Agreements of Cooperation in Communities to Enhance Safety and Security (ICE ACCESS).  (Posted 11/05/09)

New Immigration Enforcement Agreements Will Make a Bad Problem Worse
Signed agreements between local law enforcement and Department of Homeland Security threaten public safety and harm immigrant communities.  NILC STATEMENT ›› (10/16/09)

■

Growing Insecurity in Immigrant Communities
"Secure Communities" is the new shorthand for deporting immigrants caught for violations by matching their names to an immigration database in jails.  But it is fraught with problems, including lack of accountability and no safeguards against racially motivated arrests. 
READ BLOG ENTRY ON "RESTORE FAIRNESS" WEBSITE ›› (10/16/09)

DHS RULE REGARDING SOCIAL SECURITY "NO-MATCH"
Government Terminates “No Match” Rule Harmful to Authorized Workers -- DHS today issued a final rule rescinding its Social Security “no-match” letter rule, which was never implemented and which would have forced employers to fire workers based on discrepancies in their Social Security records.  DHS first announced its plan to rescind the rule in July.  The rescission will become effective in 30 days.  NEWS RELEASE ››  (10/7/09)

HEALTH CARE REFORM
Why Excluding People from the Health Care Exchange Is Impractical and Harmful to All of Us: It’s not about the policy, but the politics. We need more people paying into the Exchange, to make reform work for everyone. Screening out immigrants will harm citizens. Health care reform cannot fix the immigration system. America’s families include immigrants; excluding them will harm everyone. (9/14/09)

DREAM ACT (BACK-TO-SCHOOL DAY OF ACTION)
DREAM Act Advocates Across the Country Hold Over 100 Events in 26 States.  More information about DREAM, bipartisan legislation that would create a path to legal status for undocumented students, is available here.  (9/24/09)

E-VERIFY & EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION

■

SUMMARY OF FINAL RULE: Federal Acquisition Regulation: Employment Eligibility Verification." Approximately 169,000 contractors and subcontractors and 3.8 million workers will be affected by this rule. (Updated 8/31/09)

■

Why the Federal Rule Requiring Government Contractors to Use E-Verify Is Bad Public Policy (7/15/09)

SSI EXTENSION FOR HUMANITARIAN IMMIGRANTS 
Social Security Administration Issues Final Instructions on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Extension for Asylees and Other Humanitarian Immigrants (includes link to instructions/POMS) (5/13/09)

FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Issues Policy Clarifications That Facilitate Immigrant Access to Food Assistance (4/7/09)