Editorial: We need national immigration reform

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An editorial in the Houston Chronicle points out the negative effects of state-level legislation regarding immigration, and calls for comprehensive immigration reform.

Arizona, for example, has so far spent more that $1 million in taxpayer dollars for legal fees in attempts to defend its immigration-related statutes in federal court, and has lost much more than that due to boycotts of the state over its immigration policies.

Immigration policy is a national issue, and must be addressed by federal legislation.

You may find the editorial here.

Know Your Rights Meeting in Detroit, February 5

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The Alliance for Immigrants Rights & Reform Michigan (AIR) and the First Latin American Baptist Church are sponsoring an Immigrants Know-Your-Rights Meeting.

The meeting will be held on Saturday, February 5, 2011, at 12:30 pm, at 6205 West Fort Street, Detroit, Michigan, 48209.  A free lunch will be provided at 12:30 pm, followed by a free presentation by immigration attorneys beginning at 1 pm.  The presentation will be in English and Spanish.

For more information, view the informational flier here.

Study: Immigration prosecutions increase sharply

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The federal government has significantly increased immigration prosecutions during the past few years, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), a private nonpartisan group at Syracuse University.

According to TRAC, felony immigration prosecutions in federal courts along the U.S.-Mexico border increased 259 percent from 2007 to 2010.

To read more about the TRAC reports, click here.

Global Detroit Study: Immigrants can help revitalize Michigan’s economy

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The New Economy Initiative of Southeast Michigan, the Detroit Chamber of Commerce and The Skillman Foundation recently published a report on the effects of immigrants on Michigan’s economy.  The study finds that immigrants can play an important role in revitalizing older neighborhoods and helping the region to shift to a healthier economy.

You may find more about the study here.

Michigan governor expresses support for immigration to Michigan

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In his first State of the State address, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder supported the idea of encouraging entrepreneurial immigrants to come to Michigan as a way to help revitalize the state economy.   Governor Snyder’s remarks are a refreshing alternative to much of the national discourse about immigration.

In his speech, the Governor stated, “We need to be a place that openly encourages innovators and entrepreneurs that come to our state. The evidence is clear that advanced college degree immigrants can make a tremendous difference in creating a positive economic activity environment,” Snyder said. “Immigration made us a great state and country. It is a time to embrace this concept again as a way to speed our reinvention.”

You can read more about the Governor’s speech here.