Democrats roast CIS head over plan to end ‘medical deferred action’
WASHINGTON - The acting director of Citizenship and Immigration Services insisted to a House panel that there are no new plans to end "medical deferred action," but Democrats called the administration "cruel" for considering the notion in the first place.
Vet still proud to have served his country – even after it deported him
WASHINGTON - Hector Barajas-Varela told a House panel he is proud to have served as a paratrooper in the Army's 82nd Airborne Division - even after the country deported him twice. And he is not alone: More than 44,000 noncitizens served between 2013 and 2018, and 250 vet faced deportation in that time.
For Syrians in Arizona, distant war affects life in their new homes
WASHINGTON - Arizona has taken in 1,291 Syrians since 2014, but for those refugees the war back home is never far away, whether they are worrying about loved ones or worrying about saying something here that can get family members there in trouble with one side or the other.
Two worlds, two cultures united
PHOENIX – In the United States, centuries of immigration and culturalization have generated a fusion of cultures from different Spanish-speaking countries
Asylum granted: LGBTQ Guatemalan couple begin a new life in Phoenix
PHOENIX – Asylum seekers find a new life as a lesbian couple in Phoenix with the help of Trans Queer Pueblo, as well as building a community in the LGBTQ community.
Justice Department pressing ahead with plan to collect immigrants’ DNA
WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is moving forward with plans to collect DNA samples from immigration detainees, including those without criminal offenses, raising alarms among both privacy and immigration advocates.
Lawmakers optimistic for bill on National Museum of the American Latino
WASHINGTON - The dream of a national museum dedicated to the Latin American experience took one step closer to reality Thursday, as lawmakers and advocates touted a bill that they think has a good chance of putting a museum on the National Mall.
Breaking the silence: Native Americans overcome taboos in battle against suicide
WHITERIVER – Native Americans have the highest suicide rates in the U.S., and youth are especially affected. Both on reservations and in cities, efforts are underway to build resilience and break the taboo of talking about mental health.
Advocates worry as ‘domestic violence green cards’ get greater scrutiny
WASHINGTON - Applications for "domestic violence green cards" have risen steadily since the 2013 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, but the percentage flagged as possibly fraudulent has risen even faster. But advocates say greater attention does not mean more problems.
‘Repugnant to the American dream’: Federal judges block controversial immigration policy
PHOENIX – Changes to federal public charge policy set to take effect on Oct. 15, have been blocked by a judge in New York. Arizona advocates are working to spread the word to immigrant families.
Trump’s emergency wall funding declaration was ‘unlawful,’ court says
WASHINGTON - A federal judge in Texas Friday blocked an administration plan to use $3.6 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall construction, calling President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency to secure the funds "unlawful."
Despite ICE detainer ruling, business as usual for Arizona sheriffs
WASHINGTON - Two weeks after a federal court halted some detainer requests from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Arizona law enforcement agencies say they are still doing business with the agency as usual.
