Immigrants' Rights Update | September 21, 2007

PUBLICATIONS

Immigrants' Rights Update

Immigrants' Rights Update Index
Immigrants’ Rights Update Volume 21, Issue 7 \| September 21, 2007
IN THIS ISSUE
	This issue describes items posted on our website between publication of Issue 6 (on July 20) and Sept. 10. Issue 8, which is already being prepared, will feature original articles in addition to the usual listing of items "New on NILC's Website" (since Sept. 10).
Cast a Vote for NILC! Working Assets Members Can Cast a Vote to Benefit NILC
New on NILC’s Website (items posted July 20 - Sept. 10, 2007) Litigation Regarding DHS Rule: "Safe Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a 'No-Match' Letter" 6th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference: December 6-8, 2007 Injunction Upheld in Orantes-Hernandez v. Gonzales: Judge Finds Widespread Abuses in Immigrant Detention Federal Court Strikes Down Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Law in Hazleton, Pennsylvania Administration Announces Harsh New Immigration Measures What to Do if You Are Arrested or Detained by Immigration Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights at Home and at Work Children in Immigrant Families: A California Data Brief Social Security Administration "No-Match" Letter Toolkit (3rd Edition) Civil Rights Coalition Challenges Arizona Employer Sanctions Law E-Verify (A Dept. of Homeland Security Fact Sheet) Close to Slavery: Guestworker Programs in the United States Medicaid Program: Citizenship Documentation Requirements: Final Regulations Medicaid: Two Reports on Citizenship Documentation Requirements' Impact Immigrants and Health Care: At the Intersection of Two Broken Systems
New on NILC’s Website (items posted July 20 - Sept. 10, 2007)
Featured Item
	■ Litigation Regarding DHS Rule: "Safe Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a 'No-Match' Letter" (Social Security Administration (SSA)-related Information Page page). (See also "No-Match Letter Toolkit" information, below under "Employment Issues.") ¶ Court Halts Government from Implementing Flawed Social Security No-Match Rule >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/ssa004.htm ¶ Temporary Restraining Order >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/Chesney_Order_ TRO.pdf ¶ Complaint >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/suit_complaint.pdf ¶ Ex Parte Application for Temporary Restraining Order >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/suit_ ExParteTROandOSCAppl.pdf ¶ Memorandum in Support of TRO and Preliminary Injunction >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/suit_MemoISO_ TROandPI.pdf ¶ Proposed TRO >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA_Related_Info/suit_ ProposedTRO.pdf
Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference
	■ 6th National Low-Income Immigrant Rights Conference: December 6-8, 2007 (6th National Conference: December 6-8, 2007 information page). ¶ The conference home page has been updated. >> www.nilc.org/dc-conference2007.htm ¶ A registration/cosponsoring/scholarships info page was added. >> www.nilc.org/DC_Conf/dc-conf2007/registration2007.htm ¶ Training and workshop session descriptions have been added. >> www.nilc.org/DC_Conf/dc-conf2007/wkshp_descriptions_07.htm
Immigration and Detention Issues
	■ *Injunction Upheld in Orantes-Hernandez v. Gonzales:* Judge Finds Widespread Abuses in Immigrant Detention (Arrest and Detention page). "In a nationwide review of legal rights for immigrants in federal detention, a federal judge has found serious violations of the government's own standards relating to detention conditions." ¶ News release (English): >> www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/arrestdet/ad091.htm ¶ News release (Spanish): >> www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/arrestdet/ad092.htm ¶ Decision in Orantes-Hernandez v. Gonzales, No. 82-01107 MMM(VBKx) (C.D. Cal. July 24, 2007) (Amended Order Granting in Part and Denying in Part Defendants' Motion to Dissolve the Orantes Injunction) : >> www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/arrestdet/Orantes_amended_order_re_ injunction.pdf ¶ Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, filed Mar. 15, 2007, re: observations and evaluations of or reports about detention conditions in U.S. facilities: >> www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/arrestdet/foia_detention_2007-03-15.pdf ■ Federal Court Strikes Down Discriminatory Anti-Immigrant Law in Hazleton, Pennsylvania (Local Law Enforcement Issues page). "In the first trial decision of its kind, a federal court has declared unconstitutional a local ordinance that sought to punish landlords and employers for doing business with undocumented immigrants." (News release, ACLU of Pennsylvania, July 26, 2007.) ¶ News release: >> www.aclupa.org/pressroom/federalcourtstrikesdowndis.htm ¶ Decision in Lozano v. City of Hazleton, No. 3:06cv1586 (M.D. Pa. July 26, 2007): >> http://coop.pamd.uscourts.gov/06v1586.pdf ■ Administration Announces Harsh New Immigration Measures (Immigration Law & Policy/Miscellaneous Issues page). "Instead of fixing our broken immigration system, the new plan embraces the bumper-sticker enforcement-only philosophy of immigration reform opponents. Its adoption will harm our economy, increase discrimination, and in general make our nation a more hostile place to live for all." >> www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/misc/misc007.htm ■ What to Do if You Are Arrested or Detained by Immigration (Community Education page). ¶ Know Your Rights: English >> www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_2007-08.pdf ¶ Know Your Rights: Spanish >> www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/to_do_if_arrested_sp_2007-08.pdf ■ Immigration Enforcement: Know Your Rights at Home and at Work (Community Education page). ¶ Know Your Rights: English >> www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_2007-08.pdf ¶ Know Your Rights: Spanish >> www.nilc.org/ce/nilc/imm_enfrcmt_homework_rts_sp_2007-08.pdf ■ Children in Immigrant Families: A California Data Brief** (Immigration Law & Policy page). Published by Children Now, Aug. 2007. Presents the most current data available on the health, education, and family well-being of children in California's immigrant families, who represent 51 percent of the state's total child population. >> http://publications.childrennow.org/publications/invest/ immigrantkids_2007.cfm
Employment Issues
	■ Social Security Administration "No-Match" Letter Toolkit (3rd Edition) (Social Security Administration "No-Match" Letter Toolkit (3rd Edition) page). ¶ Materials for Advocates, Organizers, and Workers >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#adv ¶ Dept. of Homeland Security Rule: "Safe Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a 'No-Match' Letter" (section includes a summary by NILC of the final DHS rule) >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#dhsrule ¶ Background Materials >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#bkgrnd ¶ Employer Education Materials >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#emplyr ¶ Legal Resources >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#legal ¶ Additional Resources on No-Match >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/SSA-NM_Toolkit/index.htm#addnl ■ Civil Rights Coalition Challenges Arizona Employer Sanctions Law (Employer Sanctions: State & Local Legislation & Litigation page). Lawsuit filed in federal court challenges new state law that threatens employers with permanent loss of business licenses based on invalid new state requirements; alleges that the law conflicts with federal immigration law and the U.S. Constitution. ¶ News Release >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/state_local/essl001.htm ¶ Complaint >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/state_local/az_empsanctions_ complaint_2007-09-04.pdf ■ E-Verify (A Dept. of Homeland Security Fact Sheet) (Employment Eligibility Verification and Antidiscrimination Protections page). "E-Verify is a re-branding of its predecessor, the Basic Pilot / Employment Eligibility Verification Program. . . . The Basic Pilot is being re-branded to highlight key enhancements in the program, including a new photo screening tool that helps employers to detect forged or faked immigration documents." >> www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/ircaempverif/E-Verify_Fact_Sheet_ 2007-08-09.pdf ■ Close to Slavery: Guestworker Programs in the United States (Research on Immigrants and Employment page). "Unlike U.S. citizens, guestworkers do not enjoy the most fundamental protection of a competitive labor market -- the ability to change jobs if they are mistreated. Instead, they are bound to the employers who 'import' them. If guestworkers complain about abuses, they face deportation, blacklisting or other retaliation." (A report by the Southern Poverty Law Center, March 2007.) >> www.splcenter.org/legal/guestreport/index.jsp
Public Benefits Issues
	■ Medicaid Program: Citizenship Documentation Requirements: Final Regulations (Verification and Reporting page). Link to the final rule issued by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. 72 FR 38662-97 (July 13, 2007). >> Link to federal government website (PDF). ■ Medicaid: Two Reports on Citizenship Documentation Requirements’ Impact (Verification and Reporting page). ¶ Government Accountability Office Report "Medicaid: States Reported That Citizenship Documentation Requirement Resulted in Enrollment Declines for Eligible Citizens and Posed Administrative Burdens" (GAO-07-889, June 2007) . >> http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070724110408.pdf ¶ Committee Staff Report "Medicaid Citizenship Documentation Requirements Deny Coverage to Citizens and Cost Taxpayers Millions" (Majority Staff, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, July 24, 2007). >> http://oversight.house.gov/documents/20070724110341.pdf ■ Immigrants and Health Care: At the Intersection of Two Broken Systems (Health Care page). "For recent immigrants [to the U.S.] -- especially the estimated 12 million who are here illegally -- seeking health care often involves daunting encounters with a fragmented, bewildering, and hostile system." (Perspective/analysis by Susan Okie, M.D., in The New England Journal of Medicine, Aug. 9, 2007.) >> http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/357/6/525
Cast a Vote for NILC!
	Working Assets Members Can Cast a Vote to Benefit NILC
	There's an easy way to help support the National Immigration Law Center. With a click of your mouse, Working Assets members can cast a vote for NILC! We're proud to be among the 48 nonprofits chosen to receive Working Assets donations this year. By selecting NILC on the Working Assets 2007 Donations Ballot (we're listed under the Civil Rights category), you can increase the amount of funding we get. (Funds will be distributed according to how many votes each group receives.) Voting is easy. Simply go to www.WorkingAssets.com/vote and cast your vote for NILC. If you're a Working Assets member, we invite you to go there now and vote while you're thinking of it. And if you're not already a Working Assets member, consider joining by going to www.WorkingAssets.com so you can help allocate the millions of dollars Working Assets contributes each year to worthy groups such as NILC. Thanks for your interest in our work to promote and advance the rights of low-income immigrants, and for your continued support!