Week of January 22–31, 2022

Immigrants waiting for humanitarian relief are being forced to wait in dangerous conditions in Mexico as US border officials ignore or deny their requests without explanation, according to advocacy groups. The US offers humanitarian parole to immigrants who are otherwise ineligible to enter the country based on urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons, but up until December 2021, the majority of requests for humanitarian relief had not been responded to, leaving asylum-seekers at risk of extortion, kidnapping, or assault in border cities. There are no guidelines for who qualifies for humanitarian parole, and the statute that includes it is written in a way that gives a lot of discretion to CBP officials, who often do not include reasons for denying the request, making it difficult for attorneys to know what criteria their clients need to meet.

The Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, which subsidises US employers who choose to hire non-immigrant alien college graduates instead of Americans, costs the social security, Medicare and federal unemployment insurance funds $4,000 per worker, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. The Bush II administration created OPT by redefining a student, meaning neither the worker nor the employer had to pay payroll taxes for three years following graduation. DHS data on the number of OPT workers is "more than a little fuzzy," but the number of such workers is thought to be about 200,000 at any one time. The Biden administration now wants to increase the size of the program by redefining its terms. However, the Center for Immigration Studies calls OPT the worst part of a broken immigration system and says the program takes specific jobs away from recent citizen college graduates, one by one.

Immigration agents in the Dominican Republic have been accused of detaining and deporting six Haitian minors and two women. Witnesses to the operation claim that the agents used force and committed abuses against those they were arresting to be deported. Relatives of the deportees say that the agents entered a house in the Sabaneta community of La Vega, where they took two Haitian women and four children. Two other minors who were walking to a school were also taken away during the operation. The National Council for Children and Adolescents (Conani) is making contacts to reintegrate the children with their families, who are currently in the Institute of Social Welfare and Research in Haiti. The DGM denied that the detention of undocumented immigrants corresponded to children who were on their way to an educational center.

The Florida Senate judiciary committee has given the green light to legislation that would prevent all Florida government agencies from doing business with transportation firms that bring immigrants who are in the US illegally into the state. This bill is Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ attempt to stop the federal government from sending those crossing the Mexican border illegally to Florida. DeSantis has been critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies and is believed to be a potential presidential candidate in 2024. The proposed bill was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a party line vote, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. It would prohibit any government agency, state or local, from doing business with any airline, bus, or other transportation company that is paid by the federal government to bring illegal immigrants into Florida. The bill’s opponents argue that it is unconstitutional and that it is motivated by a desire to attack President Biden, rather than any genuine concern for public safety.

The US immigration and welfare policies have limited access to the public safety net for many lawfully present immigrants for over two decades, including an arbitrary five-year waiting period for some programs that delays crucial access to life-saving benefits and services for immigrant communities. The LIFT the BAR Act, introduced by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and other co-sponsors, restores access to federal assistance programs like Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by removing the five-year bar and other barriers that deny critical care and aid to people who are lawfully present. Immigrant survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and other gender-based violence require access to economic resources and healthcare to find pathways to safety and security. The LIFT the BAR Act is a critical step forward in ensuring that immigrant communities and immigrant survivors of gender-based violence have access to the economic resources and healthcare they need to live safely and thrive.

Ontario, a province in Canada, is expected to welcome 8,600 newcomers in 2021, including 250 working in National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill level C occupations. However, the province got an additional 400 nominations from the federal government through an in-year reallocation. Ontario nominated 8,054 principal applicants to apply for Canadian permanent residence last year, exceeding its original allocation of 7,350. Ontario participates in the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), allowing provincial governments to create immigration programs for people who have in-demand skills, connections to the region like work or study experience, or who want to create business and investment opportunities that could thrive in the labour market. There are two pathways for workers to immigrate to Ontario through PNP, either as an Express Entry candidate or through a base stream. Ontario holds invitation rounds for Express Entry candidates to apply for a provincial nomination under three enhanced PNPs. Additionally, there are five programs that you can be eligible for with a profile in Ontario’s EOI system.

The pandemic has introduced new vocabulary into our everyday language, including "global supply chain." Trillions of dollars worth of consumer goods rely on this worldwide system, comprising millions of workers. George Castro works in the CBP Office of Trade as an international trade analyst, investigating allegations of forced labor in commodities imported into the US. Castro aims to level the playing field for domestic industries and prohibit unfairly traded imports from entering the US market. He seeks to combat forced labor and ensure human rights are not violated in the production of commodities exported to the US. Castro's passion for humanitarianism began at age 11 through the Boy Scouts. He has worked in international business and immigration law and now focuses on protecting all children from harm, both at home and at work. Castro believes that by leading by example, CBP can inspire other countries to adopt similar legislation to eliminate forced labor worldwide.

US Border Patrol agents confronted the head of the Border Patrol, Raul Ortiz, claiming that regulatory limitations based on political correctness have tied their hands in dealing with illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The confrontation was leaked on Friday and showed a heated exchange between Customs and Border Protection officials and Ortiz. One agent said that “good men are doing nothing” and that the agency is “allowing illegal aliens to be dropped off in communities.” Ortiz retorted, saying that his men are doing something by rescuing people, taking drugs off the streets, and detaining illegal aliens. The agents argued that the mission becomes meaningless when officers aren’t given the tools and authority to accomplish it. The confrontation highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in dealing with illegal immigration and drug trafficking under the Biden administration.

Former US President Donald Trump used the song "The Snake" to stoke anti-immigrant sentiments at a rally in Texas, referencing the 1968 hit by Al Wilson. The song tells the story of a woman who takes in a half-frozen snake and nurses it back to health, only for the snake to bite her when it is revived. When the woman asks why, the snake replies that she knew it was a snake when she took it in. Trump has used the song as a metaphor for immigrants at multiple rallies. Wilson's daughter, Alene Wilson-Harris, said she was unsure her father would "see eye-to-eye" with Trump's use of the song. "The Snake" was written by African-American activist and musician Oscar Brown Jr., and his daughter, Maggie Brown, said she was relieved that Trump cited the song to Wilson but added that she "hated the idea of him using Oscar's words to create such a platform."

A video has emerged showing secretive night-time flights transporting illegal immigrants to various points across the United States. The footage shows full-grown adults disembarking from the planes, despite claims by the Biden administration that only unaccompanied children and family units are being resettled. The article argues that the administration’s lies regarding illegal immigration and open-border policies continue to grow, with the secretive nature of these flights contributing to a lack of transparency and accountability. Releasing single adult males, including those with criminal records, undermines efforts to enforce immigration laws and provides smugglers with an opportunity to enrich themselves even further. The article suggests that the administration’s approach to immigration is neither “fair, orderly, and humane,” nor in the best interests of American citizens, and urges the public to demand that the government secures its borders.