NILC News Releases & Statements

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. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

7/22/10

NILC and Civil Rights Groups Ask Court to Block Implementation of SB 1070, Arizona's Racial Profiling Law
At a federal court hearing today in Phoenix, AZ, the National Immigration Law Center, as a member of a coalition of civil rights groups, argued that Arizona's discriminatory new law, known as SB 1070, should be blocked pending a final court ruling on its constitutionality. The law, scheduled to go into effect on July 29, 2010, requires police to demand "papers" from people they stop who they suspect are "unlawfully present" in the U.S. According to the coalition, the law would subject massive numbers of people -- both U.S. citizens and noncitizens -- to racial profiling, improper investigations, and detention. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

7/20/10

Momentum Builds for DREAM Act:
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 ››

7/6/10

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. Department of Justice (DOJ) 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. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

7/1/10

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. READ THE STATEMENT ››

6/29/10

Supreme Court to Review Arizona Employer Sanctions Law: National Immigration Law Center Applauds Decision
The Supreme Court yesterday agreed to review Chamber of Commerce v. Candelaria, a lawsuit challenging an Arizona statute that imposes stiff state penalties on employers who allegedly hire unauthorized workers and requires all Arizona employers to use E-Verify, a flawed tool, to attempt to ascertain authorization to work in this country. The National Immigration Law Center represents several plaintiffs in the case, including Chicanos Por La Causa and Somos America. Below is a statement from Linton Joaquin, general counsel of the National Immigration Law Center. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

6/16/10

Muslim Denied Citizenship Because of Discriminatory Practices in Naturalization Process: Civil Rights Groups File FOIA to Uncover Racial and Religious Profiling
The ACLU of Southern California has sued U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for denying a 50-year-old Egyptian Muslim man’s naturalization application based on misleading FBI files and questionable tactics. This disturbing denial is part of what the ACLU/SC, the Council on American Islamic Relations, and the National Immigration Law Center believe is a broader pattern of racial and religious profiling in the naturalization process aimed at blocking citizenship for individuals of Muslim countries and coercing them to become FBI informants. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ›› READ THE FOIA REQUEST ››

6/5/10

SB 1070 | ARIZONA: NILC and Civil Rights Groups Ask Court to Block Implementation of Arizona's Racial Profiling Law During Legal Battle
A coalition of civil rights groups yesterday asked a federal court to block Arizona from implementing its controversial new law, known as SB 1070, pending a final court ruling on its constitutionality. The law requires police to demand 'papers' from people they stop who they suspect are "unlawfully present" in the U.S. According to the coalition, the law would subject massive numbers of people -- both citizens and noncitizens -- to racial profiling, improper investigations and detention. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

5/26/10

STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT OBAMA'S PLEDGE TO SEND NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS TO THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER:
Enforcement-Only Approach Won't Fix Our Broken Immigration System
President Obama yesterday pledged to send up to 1,200 National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border. The president also will seek $500 million to maintain elevated levels of militarization in the region. Here is a statement from Tyler Moran, policy director for the National Immigration Law Center. READ THE STATEMENT ››

5/20/10

DREAMers Risk Deportation to Stand Up for the DREAM Act
Yesterday, five youth leaders staged a sit-in in Sen. John McCain's Tucson office to encourage the senator to once again support the DREAM Act, a piece of legislation that would create a path to legal status for undocumented young people who pursue higher education or military service. Three of these young people were detained as a result of their efforts. This morning, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials released these young leaders from detention. READ THE NEWS RELEASE ››

5/17/10

NILC and Civil Rights Groups File Legal Challenge to Arizona Racial Profiling Law
NILC and a coalition of civil rights groups filed a class action lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona challenging Arizona’s new law requiring police to demand "papers" from people they stop who they suspect are not authorized to be in the U.S. The extreme law, the coalition charged, invites the racial profiling of people of color, violates the First Amendment and interferes with federal law.
READ THE NEWS RELEASE ›› | READ THE COMPLAINT ››

4/30/10

Democratic Leadership Takes Step Toward Comprehensive Immigration Reform; Uncertainty Remains about What Comes Next
At a crucial moment for the immigrant rights community, Senators Schumer, Reid, Menendez, Leahy, Durbin and Feinstein have released the "Real Enforcement with Practical Alternatives for Immigration Reform" (REPAIR) proposal, an important step toward initiating much-needed reforms in the nation's broken immigration system. The text of the outline itself raises some concerns, and the lack of details leaves many questions unanswered. However, the proposal contains promising provisions.

4/29/10

Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and NILC Join in National Week of Action to Stop Mission Creep in Immigration Enforcement
Across the country, advocates will demand that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finally shed some light on the government programs that partner local law enforcement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to carry out immigration enforcement operations. Organizations are engaging in a week of action beginning on April 27, 2010.

4/29/10

National Immigration Law Center, MALDEF, ACLU, ACLU of Arizona Will Challenge Arizona Racial Profiling Law in Court
Today, the National Immigration Law Center, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), the American Civil Liberties Union, and the ACLU of Arizona held a news conference on the House of Representatives lawn of the Arizona State Capitol Building in Phoenix, Arizona, to announce their future legal challenge to Governor Jan Brewer's recently signed SB1070. In addition, the organizations sought to address misinformation and fears that have been spreading throughout the Latino community across Arizona. MALDEF, ACLU, ACLU of Arizona and NILC leaders were joined by civil rights leaders Dolores Huerta, Richard Chavez and multi-Grammy winning artist and human rights advocate, Linda Ronstadt.

4/29/10

NILC, MALDEF, and ACLU to Announce Challenge to Arizona Racial Profiling Law at a Press Conference in Phoenix Today
On Thursday, April 29, 2010, at 11 a.m. (MST), these organizations will hold a news conference on the House lawn of the State Capitol grounds in Phoenix, Arizona, to announce that they are preparing to challenge Arizona's extreme new law, which requires law enforcement to question people about their immigration status during everyday police encounters and criminalizes immigrants for failing to carry their "papers." The unconstitutional law, the groups say, encourages racial profiling, endangers public safety and betrays American values.

4/24/10

ARIZONA SENATE BILL 1070
Unity Statement Against the Legislation of Hate in Arizona
In Arizona, the die is cast. On Friday, April 23, Governor Brewer signed SB 1070. The new law forces police officers to arrest Latinos on a "reasonable suspicion" of being undocumented. Here is a joint statement by Jobs With Justice, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, National Domestic Workers' Alliance, National Immigration Law Center, National Peoples' Action, and New Orleans Workers' Center for Racial Justice.

4/23/10

ARIZONA SENATE BILL 1070
Arizona Turns Back the Clock on Civil Rights
Today, Governor Jan Brewer of Arizona signed SB 1070 into law. When it goes into effect, SB 1070 will be the harshest anti-immigrant law in the United States. Here is a statement from Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center.

4/22/10

ARIZONA SENATE BILL 1070
Proposed Arizona Law Would Declare Open Season on People of Color
The National Immigration Law Center today urged Arizona Governor Jan Brewer to veto what would become the harshest anti-immigrant state law in the United States. Here is a statement by Linton Joaquin, NILC's general counsel.

4/21/10

Senators Durbin and Lugar Request That DHS Defer Deportations of Students Impacted by DREAM Act
Showing bipartisan leadership, Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Lugar (R-IN) today sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano asking for an end to the deportation of DREAM Act-eligible students. The DREAM Act is legislation that would provide a pathway to lawful immigration status for undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. as children. Here is a statement by Tyler Moran, NILC's policy director, as well as background information about the DREAM Act.

4/14/10

POWER Act Introduced Today Provides Key Protections for Immigrant Workers, Securing Fair Labor Standards for Everyone
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), flanked by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and other civil rights as well as union leaders, today introduced the Protect Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation (POWER) Act on Capitol Hill. Crafted in response to reports across the country of employers using immigration enforcement to retaliate against workers who step forward to claim their workplace rights, the bill is designed to thwart the use of immigration law to quash workers’ efforts to promote fair labor practices. Here are statements by Marielena Hincapié, NILC's executive director, and Tyler Moran, NILC's policy director.

4/2/10

Inspector General Finds Fundamental Flaws in Immigration Enforcement Program
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS’s) inspector general today issued a damning assessment of the 287(g) program, which delegates federal immigration enforcement powers to local law enforcement jurisdictions. The report finds that, despite Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE’s) touted improvements to the program, the agency hasn’t corrected old deficiencies and has added new ones. Here are statements by Tyler Moran, NILC's policy director, and Joan Friedland, a NILC managing attorney and expert on immigration enforcement issues.