Week of May 1–7, 2022

The Democratic Party's attention has shifted to border politics, primarily centered on the Biden administration's pandemic-era deportation policy, much to the disappointment of immigration advocates. Democrats' narrow control of Congress and the GOP's refusal to consider comprehensive immigration reform, coupled with the current deportation confusion, has made this issue a significant intraparty debate. Immigration advocates are worried that this delay in fixing a broken system could cause problems for Democrats in the midterms. While Biden initially promised to deliver reform, including a pathway to citizenship, his administration has faced many obstacles both in court and on Capitol Hill, leaving some lawmakers to consider executive action instead. Although the White House claims that immigration reform is still a priority, senior Democrats admit that the more realistic path is to attempt to include reforms in a party-line budget bill that avoids a Senate filibuster.

California has expanded its state health insurance programme, Medi-Cal, to provide full benefits for low-income residents aged 50 and over, regardless of their immigration status. Previously, clients without satisfactory immigration status were given limited medical coverage known as “restricted scope” coverage. Now, they will have access to more comprehensive services known as “full scope” coverage, including dental care and preventative visits. More than 100,000 Sonoma County residents in California receive healthcare coverage through Medi-Cal. The expansion means that nearly 2,000 Sonoma County residents whose Medi-Cal benefits were limited because of their immigration status will be automatically upgraded into full-scope coverage, beginning May 1. Medi-Cal provides access to free or low-cost medical and dental services to low-income adults and families.

The "Days Without Latinxs & Immigrants" took place on May 1 and 2 in Wisconsin and 17 other states. The two-day event began with an annual May Day march organized by immigrant workers' rights group Voces de la Frontera in Milwaukee. The march ended at the Federal Building, where the rally's organisers called out Republican Senator Ron Johnson as a key reason immigration reform failed to pass in Washington, DC last year. Executive director of Voces de la Frontera Christine Nuemann-Ortiz called on President Joe Biden to use executive authority to expand protections for immigrant workers, particularly after broader reform failed last year. On May 2, immigrant rights activists traveled to Madison to advocate for the restoration of drivers' licenses and in-state tuition equity for immigrant students.

Noodles & Company has unveiled a new brand positioning, “Uncommon Goodness,” which includes fresh menu offerings, a marketing campaign, and six additional employee programs and benefits, including an immigration reimbursement program. The company will reimburse its team members up to $500 every two years to aid with fees linked to their immigration or work status. Most work status fees, ranging from $370 to $700, and the US Citizenship and Immigration Services immigrant fee of $220, will be covered by the firm. Other new benefits include the Balance Bucks reimbursement program, a mental health series, two employee resource groups, and a General Manager Equity Partner Program. The company expanded its workforce perks during the pandemic, adding free dental services for children under 14, tutoring services, and pet care support.

A new report from the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that Border Patrol agents significantly undercount immigrant deaths, with the number of people dying likely twice as high as previously reported. The Tucson sector alone showed an undercount of 360, or 72 immigrant deaths per year. The report shows that Border Patrol agents do not avail themselves of all the resources in their area, which leads to an incomplete accounting of immigrant deaths. University of California-San Diego Prof. Wayne Cornelius concluded that immigrant deaths are not an unintended consequence but a direct result of Border Patrol policies that started in the early 1990s and have continued to the present day. The report provides more evidence that for many years, US immigration policy has been ineffective, counterproductive, and deadly. Historically, the only effective way to reduce illegal entry significantly has been to allow more foreign nationals to work legally in the United States.

The American Legion's National Security Commission has presented an immigration reform policy resolution to address issues surrounding border security, visa applications, legal immigration, and the asylum system. The resolution urges the US government to implement policies that prioritize border security and reduce illegal immigration by improving visa security, streamlining legal immigration processes, and strengthening agreements with transit countries. The American Legion, which supports legal immigration and a path to US citizenship, adopted the resolution during its Spring Meetings in May 2021. The resolution also advocates for the reform of the asylum system, including the detention and expedited removal of illegal border crossers. The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency estimates that 45% of the 11.4 million undocumented immigrants in the US arrived legally but overstayed their visas.

Laye Sekou Camara, a former general in the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) rebel group during Liberia's second civil war, has been arrested and charged in the US for using immigration documents obtained through fraud. The indictment alleges that in 2011, Camara falsely stated on his application for a non-immigrant visa that he was not a member of a tribe, had never served in or been a member of a rebel group, and had never participated in political killings or other acts of violence. He repeated the same lies on his application for an immigrant visa the following year. Camara is alleged to have recruited and used child soldiers during his time with LURD. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

US President Joe Biden's emergency supplemental funding request to Congress for $33 billion in aid to Ukraine includes unlawful immigration benefits for hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian, Afghan and Russian immigrants, according to an op-ed in the Daily Signal. The request includes $1.2 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services with increased immigration provisions for STEM professionals from Ukraine, Afghanistan and Russia, which could circumvent normal visa caps. The op-ed also argues that the use of humanitarian parole for Ukrainians will encourage parents, guardians, or anyone deemed a "caregiver" to endanger children and send them to the US unaccompanied so they can come later. The provisions circumvent US law and set a dangerous precedent, the op-ed states.

Many immigrants in the United States lack legal status, which subjects them to a different regulatory framework for accessing justice, healthcare, and housing. Under the Trump Administration’s 2020 public charge rule, immigrants without legal status were designated a “public charge” if they relied on public benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP, or federal housing assistance. Even though the Trump Administration’s public charge rule is no longer in effect, the rule had a lasting effect during the COVID-19 pandemic, when half of immigrant families abstained from seeking public assistance because they feared potential consequences on their immigration status. In this context, several experts have suggested changes to current policies to ensure better protection for undocumented immigrants. For instance, Kimberly Bousquet argues that government actors should pass laws and adopt regulations to protect agricultural workers from excessive exposure to COVID-19, while Shayak Sarkar discusses how “capital controls” operate as a form of “migrant control.”

Republican Representative August Pfluger from Texas said that the US is facing a "blinking red" warning sign over the surge of illegal immigration into the country during an appearance on "The Ingraham Angle." He compared the current situation to the days before the 9/11 attacks when the "system was blinking red." Pfluger was reacting to news about the arrest of two undocumented Chinese immigrants during a traffic stop in Texas. The congressman claimed that Texas has been struggling with the problem of undocumented Chinese migrants for a year, and he believes the border is not secure. He called for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to resign and emphasized that securing the border is not a partisan issue. The congressman believes that the nation's security is dependent on securing the border.