Media
National Immigration Forum press releases and statements are issued to provide perspective on key policies, legislative actions, reports, and events. View our latest releases below. For prior year releases, use the navigation buttons at the bottom of this page.
Press Releases
Bellingham, Washington Workplace Raid Creates Crisis for Obama on Immigration
February 25, 2009
Washington, DC – On Tuesday, ICE agents raided a workplace in Bellingham Washington, reportedly arresting 28 people. This is the first major workplace raid since President Obama took office. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan pro-immigrant advocacy organization in Washington, DC. The President is clear about his plans for the economy, health care, education, Iraq and Afghanistan; we expect nothing less than a...
More Stars Aligning for Immigration Reform in the 111th Congress
February 24, 2009
Key DHS/ICE Personnel Announced; Congressional Hispanic Caucus Launches Immigration Reform Effort Washington, DC – On Monday, the Department of Homeland Security announced two key personnel nominations: John Morton as Assistant Secretary for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Esther Olavarria as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy for the Department of Homeland Security. On Tuesday, Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez (D-NY), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, announced a...
Senator Schumer: An Encouraging Selection For Immigration Subcommittee Chairman
February 19, 2009
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, it was reported that Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would take over as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration. He replaces Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) in that role. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan pro-immigrant advocacy group in Washington. Selecting Senator Schumer to run the Immigration Subcommittee in the Senate shows that immigrants and...
The Forum Applauds Calls for Federal Investigation of Sheriff Arpaio’s Misconduct
February 13, 2009
Washington, DC – On Thursday, February 12, Members of the House Judiciary Committee requested Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to investigate misconduct by Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The letter is a direct response to Sheriff Arpaio’s February 4 actions, when he forced 220 shackled immigrants awaiting trial to march through the streets of Phoenix to a segregated facility called “Tent City”. The following is a statement by Ali...
Enforcement Without Oversight: Marching Immigrants Through the Public Square as Criminals Run Free
February 04, 2009
February 4, 2009 Washington, DC – On Wednesday, Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio plans to march shackled immigrants awaiting trial through the streets of Phoenix as a show of force and to promote his Fox Reality Channel television program. Meanwhile, former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, the new Secretary of Homeland Security, has called for a review of Homeland Security immigration enforcement measures, including a review of federal/local agreements, known as 287g, which allow...
Children’s Health Victory A Good Sign That A New Approach To Immigrants Is Taking Root
February 03, 2009
Washington, DC – On Wednesday, the House is expected to vote final passage for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill and President Obama is expected to sign it into law shortly there after. Among other things, the bill allows states to waive a five-year waiting period to extend health care insurance benefits to millions of legal immigrant children. It is the first piece of legislation directly related to immigrants and immigration that has passed this Congress and reached...
Senate Says “No” to Politics of Fear, “Yes” to Health Care for Children
January 31, 2009
Senate Protects Access to Health Insurance for Millions of Children, Including Immigrant Children Washington, DC – Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill (H.R. 2) to reauthorize and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program (S-CHIP), returning the bill to the House, which plans to quickly finalize it for President Obama’s signature. The bi-partisan bill passed by an impressive margin of 66 – 32 and included long fought-for improvements by child and healthcare advocates. Those changes...
Tripping Over Immigration Reform…Again
January 27, 2009
Until A Strategy For Reform Is In Place, Congress Will Continue To Stumble Over Immigration And Immigrants On Every Bill Washington, DC – This week, Congress considers reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) in the Senate and passage of the President’s stimulus package (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) in the House. Both bills have come under attack related to immigrants and immigration. On health care, the effort to allow states to waive a...
Over Twelve-Hundred Pro-Immigrant Groups Sign Letter to New Administration
January 22, 2009
President Obama, Secretary Napolitano: Welcome to D.C. Here Are Some Things We Think You Should Do… Washington, DC – Over 1,200 advocacy groups delivered a letter to the Obama Administration outlining priorities for immigration reform from the pro-immigrant, pro-immigration perspective. The letter stressed the urgency with which the new Administration should approach immigration reform legislatively and administratively, noting that efforts to address the many ills facing our immigration...
Napolitano’s Hearing: DHS Needs to Reprioritize Resources
January 14, 2009
Washington, DC – On Thursday, January 15, Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona will face Senators in her confirmation hearing to be the Secretary of Homeland Security in the new Obama Administration. The following is a statement by Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan immigration advocacy organization in Washington. What we have seen since 9-11 has been enforcement for enforcement’s sake, but not smart enforcement of our immigration laws or of measures...
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