With the economy improving and the labor market tightening, employers have ratcheted up their call for an increase in foreign labor. President Trump has even said that there are not enough workers to fill open jobs. The President's own Council of Economic Advisors makes clear in its latest report that there are still many Americans on the sidelines who are available to work.
With more and more news reports on what is actually happening at the border, it should get harder for Members of Congress to plausibly deny the asylum loopholes that are driving the current surge of illegal immigration.
The American Dream and Promise Act, H.R. 6, would grant amnesty to as many as 3.5 million illegal aliens who entered the country before their 18th birthday AND to 429,000 (mostly illegal-alien) individuals who have received relief from deportation, making it the largest amnesty in our nation's history, if passed.
An op-ed this week in the Washington Examiner points out that up to 5,000 Verizon employees may be laid off over the next three months, many after training the guest workers who will replace them. The writer discusses how the H-1B skill guest worker visa is often used to displace qualified American workers.
Immigration expansionists often say that struggling American towns and cities would benefit from increased immigration that would "grow the economy." But adding people only guarantees that an economy will be bigger, not necessarily better.
In an exclusive interview with Breitbart, Pres. Trump said the country needs to import more foreign workers, but also said that he wants an immigration system that's less of a burden on American taxpayers. Since his State of the Union address, Pres. Trump has maintained a consistent call for increasing current, record-high immigration levels because of the strengthening economy.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen announced an extension of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South. After reviewing conditions in South Sudan with interagency partners, Nielsen said the ongoing armed conflict and other extraordinary conditions warrant an extension. The current 84 beneficiaries from South Sudan are eligible to re-register for a TPS extension through November 2, 2020.
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients are not entitled to enroll in certain Georgia colleges and universities that bar those without “lawful presence.” The Court ruled that the DACA program does not confer lawful presence on recipients, and that Georgia’s admissions bar does not violate a DACA recipient’s right to equal protection.
Green Dallas, a website operated by the city's Office of Environmental Quality, recognizes that population growth presents huge challenges for its environmental management. One thing you won't find on the site is any recognition that Dallas should consider even slowing its population growth in order to ensure "resources are available for future generations."
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released statistics on Southwest Border apprehensions that indicate illegal immigration is occurring at levels not seen since the George W. Bush Administration. The agency is experiencing a record number of apprehensions and inadmissible “family units.” The new statistics counter claims that border crossings are near historic lows and underlines the president’s case for an emergency declaration.
Our public policy debates would benefit from a broader understanding of the role immigration policy plays in many of the issues of the day, and how immigration will shape future policies. The key factor will always be the numbers.