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Mexico filed the challenge in a U.S. federal court saying it was concerned for possible discrimination acts against its citizens.

“Mexicans citizens will have fear to visit Arizona, whether is for work or pleasure. They will be subject to scrutiny and illegal detention by the Arizona police” detailed the brief by the Exterior Relations ministry of Mexico.

The Mexican government urged the US federal court to block the law and declare it unconstitutional. (more…)

Miami, June 22 .- The small town of Fremont, Nebraska in the United States approved on Monday a new immigration law that prohibits  hiring and renting property to illegal immigrants.

The city of just 25,000 residents jumped into national spotlight after calling on its population  to vote for the controversial ordinance. It is estimated that 60 percent of the voters approved the law.

Supporters of the measure say that federal officials do not properly enforce immigration laws, while several opponents emphasize that this new ordinance will only bring discrimination.
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Miami, June 22.-  An undocumented student from Harvard University will not be deported to his native country of Mexico after an announcement from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) stating that it will not pursue the expulsion for the undergraduate.

¨ICE uses its discretion on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate, and has the authority to grant a deferral of a removal action based upon the merits of an individual’s case and a review of specific facts¨, said ICE spokeswoman Cori Bassett in press release.

The case of the 19 year old Mexican, Eric Balderas was brought to public light by several Hispanic media and was picked up later on by many international media agencies.

¨I feel very relieved that I will have the opportunity to continue my studies at Harvard; pure and simple, I am rejoicing in my heart!¨ wrote the student after the announcement in his Facebook page that was created to support his cause.

The arrest and possible deportation of the Mexican brought support messages from around the country and many pro-immigrant organizations. Even Christine Heenan, vice president of communications for Harvard said in behalf of the school that students like Balderas are ‘vital for the future in America’.

Balderas was detained two weeks ago by immigration agents when trying to return to the school in Boston, after visiting his mother in San Antonio.

Balderas was arrested trying to board a plane from the San Antonio international airport showing only his college ID. His Mexican passport, the only valid ID in he had, was missing. This caught the attention of immigration officials.

His family moved to Texas when he was 4 and converted San Antonio into their hometown. The young Mexican had just completed his freshman year in molecular biology and was returning from to Boston after a short break.

The arrest caused for supporters of the Dream Act to use Balderas as their main image to push the initiative, which has been dormant in congress since 2001.

The legislation would grant temporary resident status to undocumented students, after completing two years of college military service.

¨These cases illustrate the need for comprehensive immigration reform. ICE is focused on smart, effective immigration enforcement that focuses first on criminal aliens who pose a threat to our communities while we continue to work with Congress to enact a reform¨ concluded Bassett in the statement.

According to Walter Brown, a mathematics professor at a San Antonio high school and counselor when Balderas sent his college applications ´there are 65,000 kids a year graduating from high school that are in the same situation as Eric´.

“Not all of them, of course, are future Nobel Prize winners. It´s a lot of wasted potential talent¨. Brown motivated Balderas to ¨dream big¨. Before getting accepted to Harvard, he had secured his admission to Middlebury College.

Balderas graduated with honors from the Highland High School in San Antonio, Texas. His dream is to find the cure for cancer and become a renowned scientific figure.

Luis Velarde (LAV)

Miami, June 18 .- The U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said that the administration of president Barack Obama will sue the state of Arizona for the SB 1070 immigration law passed last April.

Clinton, who announced the news in a local TV station in Quito, Ecuador on June 8, but was released on June 17 by the American Civil Liberties organization, explained that Mr. Obama has declared on several occasions that he is against the law, and that “he thinks that the federal government should be determining immigration policy”

“The Justice Department, under his direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act”, she added in the interview. (more…)

Miami, June 16.- The state of Arizona in the United States will introduce a new bill to restrain the American citizenship for children born of illegal immigrants.

The bill was proposed by Senator Russell Pearce, the same legislator who pushed the immigration law SB1070, which gives the Arizona’s state police the faculty to ask anyone suspected of entering the United States illegally.

According to Pearce, the automatic citizenship creates a greater incentive to violate the law “when it grants citizenship to anyone born in the United States and encourages illegal immigrants to come to the country to have children and thus assure full rights”.
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A. STATUTORY NUMBERS

1.  This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during July. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security reports applicants for adjustment of status.  (more…)

Miami, June 14 .- The United States Federal government has granted immigration benefits to thousands of Guatemalan citizens after Tropical Storm Agatha left more than 170 people dead in the Central American country.

The United States Citizenship and Immigrations Services (USCIS ) said that a natural disaster can affect an individual’s ability to establish or maintain lawful immigration status.

The measures of temporary relief to Guatemalan citizens include: A change or extension of status, extension of residence permits, expedited travel requests and employment authorizations for students and others. (more…)

The Barack Obama’s administration announced Wednesday it intends to raise fees by at least 10 percent on immigration services in the United States. The federal government has indicated that the measure could take effect before September 30.

According to the head of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Alejandro Mayorkas, the measure is needed because over the last two years there has been a drop in the number of revenue from these procedures.

The immigration agency obtains about 90 percent of their funding through the fees. Currently the USCIS has a deficit of 200 million dollars. (more…)

Miami, June 9 .- The Mexican government said, it wants a detailed and deep investigation into the death of a young Mexican on Tuesday after being shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.

Several versions state that Sergio Hernandez of approximately 14 years apparently was trying to cross the border between Mexico and the United States from Ciudad Juarez. At the same time other interpretations state that the young Mexican mocked the border agents by stoning their vehicles.

The lifeless body of the teenager was found with a bullet in the head. (more…)

Miami, June 8.- Immigration improves employment, productivity and incomes in the U.S. according to a study released Monday by the Migration Policy Institute. It also suggests that legal immigration creates more jobs without harming the native work force of the country.

The 26-page study called “The impact of immigrants in recession and economic expansion” by Professor Giovanni Peri of the University of California at Davis, covers the short and long term immigration over the whole of a business cycle.

The author wants to emphasize in the study, the require adjustments that have to be done in the country´s immigration policy. It also states that illegal immigration has “effects” in the American economy, but at the same time the current legal system has no answers to make legal immigration more responsive. (more…)