South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and state Republican lawmakers said that they are pushing to require cities and counties to prove they are working with federal immigration authorities in order to receive state funds. If any jurisdiction in the state passes or practices sanctuary city policies they could lose their state funding for three years.
This week the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) upheld the Dept. of Labor’s (DOL) decision to deny DDM Hauler Inc.’s request for seasonal H-2B workers. The DOL claims that the employer did not show proof that they had tried to hire American workers first by placing ads in the local newspapers as required.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee on several topics including immigration. Sessions defended the DOJ’s ability to limit federal grants to sanctuary cities and said that DACA recipients should not be given amnesty in exchange for just border security.
The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has released its analysis of the current USCIS data of the H-2B program for FY17, which ended on Sept. 30. Through their analysis CIS found key discoveries in H-2B areas including: certification numbers, average pay, occupations, and the additional 15,000 visas granted by DHS.
Acting ICE Director Thomas Homan said during a speech at the Heritage Foundation that the agency will increase worksite immigration enforcement in the coming months. He said this is an effort to reduce illegal immigration by eliminating the jobs magnet.
A new Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) report analyzed the latest American Community Survey (ACS) data, conducted by the Census Bureau, and found that the immigrant population (legal and illegal) hit a record high of 43.7 million in July 2016. This is an increase of half a million since 2015, an increase of 3.8 million since 2010, and 12.6 million since 2000.
Today the Dept. of Justice sent a final letter to eight identified sanctuary jurisdictions who were identified in May 2016 by the DOJ’s Inspector General. Four of the jurisdictions have been cleared while the other four continue to potentially violate federal immigration laws.
During his speech today at the department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Attorney General Jeff Sessions criticized the asylum process saying that it is rampant with “abuse and fraud”. Sessions said that many immigrants are taking advantage of the loopholes in the system to enter and then stay in the U.S. illegally.
The Department of Justice and the State Department have formalized a partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) where they have agreed to share information to protect American workers from discrimination and target employers who commit visa fraud or misuse their visas.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) publicly released the letter he sent to U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer to remind him that under federal law trade agreements cannot change immigration law. The letter was sent in August as the fourth round of NAFTA negotiations were taking place in Washington, DC.