Immigration Update 1/15/2016

Raids
Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security brought in the new year with a campaign to aggressively round up immigrants from Central America- who are primarily women and children – for deportation. The Department of Homeland Security and President Obama have come under sharp attack for the raids. The aggressive raids may re-traumatize families who may have been victims of violence in their home countries or during their journey to the United States.

When President Obama announced his executive actions on immigration, he said that he would be deporting “felons not families.” Yet, this operation targets a vulnerable population of women and children. While the targets of the raids may technically fall into DHS’s new enforcement priorities—those that received final orders of deportation issued on or after January 1, 2014—targeting this population is wrong. These families are fleeing some of the most violent countries in the world.

It’s also important to note that these families did not enter the country illegally. They presented themselves at the border seeking asylum, as is their right under the law. Some targets of the raids didn’t have access to counsel and therefore lacked a meaningful opportunity to seek asylum. The families of some of those detained have reported that their loved ones did not know that they had a deportation order. The immigration system is complicated and without counsel many of the refugees may not have even understood that they were required to appear in court. Missing a court date often automatically results in a deportation order. Other immigrants may have had inadequate legal representation. At least 33 people arrested in the raids have received a stay of removal from a judge, in part for claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.

The Guardian confirmed several instances in which Central Americans have been killed soon after being deported home, and reports that there may be more. The Central American refugees are fleeing real danger in their home countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Many organizations are asking the U.S. government to offer temporary protected status to individuals from these countries until conditions in those countries improve. The United Nations will begin screening people for refugee status in the three Central American countries. 

The raids are causing fear and harm among people in immigrant communities and should be stopped. Information on know-your-rights and how to report a raid are available on NILC’s website. 

DAPA: Executive Action on Immigration 

The Supreme Court is convening Friday to review cases that are seeking certiorari (a request for review) at the Supreme Court. We are cautiously optimistic that the Court will decide to hear Texas v. US, the case that suspended implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded DACA programs. For the case to be heard, four out of the nine justices must agree that they want to hear the case. We are hopeful that the case will be heard and scheduled for briefing and a hearing this April, and result in a decision by the end of June. Though the outcome is uncertain, we are also hopeful that the Supreme Court will decide in favor of the Federal Government and allow DAPA and DACA plus to be implemented. Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy are likely to be the swing votes in the case. 

Immigrants’ rights groups have kicked off a week of action urging the Supreme Court to take up the case. Many amicus briefs by different groups are being organized in support of the deferred action programs. Farmworker Justice plans to sign on on to one of the briefs as it did when the case was heard at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Farmworker Justice continues to prepare for implementation of DAPA and expanded DACA through active work in the Coalition for Immigration Reform Implementation (CIRI) and the Si Se Puede network. You can register for CIRI’s Ready America conference to prepare for implementation to be held on February 3-5th here. A limited number of scholarships are available for the conference. 

The H-2A Program
An employer association and large H-2A employer, WAFLA (formerly known as the Washington Farm Labor Association), is under investigation by the Washington Attorney General’s office for its efforts to direct employers on how to answer the Washington State prevailing wage/working conditions survey. WAFLA is the second largest employer of H-2A workers in FY2015, having received labor certification for 7,895 H-2A workers, and also advises employers on how to use the H-2A program. WAFLA has recently expanded its operations beyond Washington to Oregon, California and Michigan. The survey is used to establish the prevailing wage rate, one of several enumerated wage rates in the H-2A program (employers must pay the higher of the federal or state minimum wage, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, or the local prevailing wage, which may be an hourly wage or a piece rate) and certain other job terms in employers’ applications for H-2A temporary agricultural workers.

In September, WAFLA held webinars and posted videos and documents directing employers to put specific answers that would adversely affect wages and working conditions on the prevailing wages and working conditions survey. The Washington State employment agency (ESD) made preliminary findings that WAFLA’s instructions biased survey results. Farmworkers Justice has been assisting advocacy groups in Washington, led by Columbia Legal Services, and including the Northwest Justice Project, the Washington State Labor Council, and the National Employment Law Project. In addition to advocacy in Washington State where the Attorney General’s office has an investigation underway, the organizations sent a letter to the Department of Labor requesting an investigation to ensure that accurate prevailing wages and working conditions for this season are set. This situation clearly illustrates that in order to get accurate wage and practices information, workers must be surveyed as well as employers. 

Finally, in case you missed it, Buzzfeed published an article over the holidays called the Coyote. The article details Stan Eury’s abuse of the H-2 programs for his personal gain, resulting in a criminal sentence that includes prison time.  

Raids
Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security brought in the new year with a campaign to aggressively round up immigrants from Central America- who are primarily women and children – for deportation. The Department of Homeland Security and President Obama have come under sharp attack for the raids. The aggressive raids may re-traumatize families who may have been victims of violence in their home countries or during their journey to the United States.

When President Obama announced his executive actions on immigration, he said that he would be deporting “felons not families.” Yet, this operation targets a vulnerable population of women and children. While the targets of the raids may technically fall into DHS’s new enforcement priorities—those that received final orders of deportation issued on or after January 1, 2014—targeting this population is wrong. These families are fleeing some of the most violent countries in the world.

It’s also important to note that these families did not enter the country illegally. They presented themselves at the border seeking asylum, as is their right under the law. Some targets of the raids didn’t have access to counsel and therefore lacked a meaningful opportunity to seek asylum. The families of some of those detained have reported that their loved ones did not know that they had a deportation order. The immigration system is complicated and without counsel many of the refugees may not have even understood that they were required to appear in court. Missing a court date often automatically results in a deportation order. Other immigrants may have had inadequate legal representation. At least 33 people arrested in the raids have received a stay of removal from a judge, in part for claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.

The Guardian confirmed several instances in which Central Americans have been killed soon after being deported home, and reports that there may be more. The Central American refugees are fleeing real danger in their home countries of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador. Many organizations are asking the U.S. government to offer temporary protected status to individuals from these countries until conditions in those countries improve. The United Nations will begin screening people for refugee status in the three Central American countries. 

The raids are causing fear and harm among people in immigrant communities and should be stopped. Information on know-your-rights and how to report a raid are available on NILC’s website. 

DAPA: Executive Action on Immigration 

The Supreme Court is convening Friday to review cases that are seeking certiorari (a request for review) at the Supreme Court. We are cautiously optimistic that the Court will decide to hear Texas v. US, the case that suspended implementation of the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanded DACA programs. For the case to be heard, four out of the nine justices must agree that they want to hear the case. We are hopeful that the case will be heard and scheduled for briefing and a hearing this April, and result in a decision by the end of June. Though the outcome is uncertain, we are also hopeful that the Supreme Court will decide in favor of the Federal Government and allow DAPA and DACA plus to be implemented. Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy are likely to be the swing votes in the case. 

Immigrants’ rights groups have kicked off a week of action urging the Supreme Court to take up the case. Many amicus briefs by different groups are being organized in support of the deferred action programs. Farmworker Justice plans to sign on on to one of the briefs as it did when the case was heard at the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. 

Farmworker Justice continues to prepare for implementation of DAPA and expanded DACA through active work in the Coalition for Immigration Reform Implementation (CIRI) and the Si Se Puede network. You can register for CIRI’s Ready America conference to prepare for implementation to be held on February 3-5th here. A limited number of scholarships are available for the conference. 

The H-2A Program
An employer association and large H-2A employer, WAFLA (formerly known as the Washington Farm Labor Association), is under investigation by the Washington Attorney General’s office for its efforts to direct employers on how to answer the Washington State prevailing wage/working conditions survey. WAFLA is the second largest employer of H-2A workers in FY2015, having received labor certification for 7,895 H-2A workers, and also advises employers on how to use the H-2A program. WAFLA has recently expanded its operations beyond Washington to Oregon, California and Michigan. The survey is used to establish the prevailing wage rate, one of several enumerated wage rates in the H-2A program (employers must pay the higher of the federal or state minimum wage, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate, or the local prevailing wage, which may be an hourly wage or a piece rate) and certain other job terms in employers’ applications for H-2A temporary agricultural workers.

In September, WAFLA held webinars and posted videos and documents directing employers to put specific answers that would adversely affect wages and working conditions on the prevailing wages and working conditions survey. The Washington State employment agency (ESD) made preliminary findings that WAFLA’s instructions biased survey results. Farmworkers Justice has been assisting advocacy groups in Washington, led by Columbia Legal Services, and including the Northwest Justice Project, the Washington State Labor Council, and the National Employment Law Project. In addition to advocacy in Washington State where the Attorney General’s office has an investigation underway, the organizations sent a letter to the Department of Labor requesting an investigation to ensure that accurate prevailing wages and working conditions for this season are set. This situation clearly illustrates that in order to get accurate wage and practices information, workers must be surveyed as well as employers. 

Finally, in case you missed it, Buzzfeed published an article over the holidays called the Coyote. The article details Stan Eury’s abuse of the H-2 programs for his personal gain, resulting in a criminal sentence that includes prison time.