Some news stories I think worth your time: • Equality Day: Not only is today the 9th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Obergefell ruling which made marriage equality legal nationwide, but on this same date in 2003 the high court struck down so-called ‘sodomy’ laws (Lawrence v. Texas) and in 2013 struck down the Defense of Marriage Act which blocked the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage (United States v. Windsor). Continue reading “9th Anniversary Of Marriage Equality SCOTUS Ruling + More”
Some news items worth your time: • The Hill: The House Ethics Committee is probing whether nutjob Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) sought to obstruct investigations into his bad conduct regarding sex with minors and has issued 25 subpoenas in matters surrounding the congressman. Continue reading “House Ethics Committee Looks At Gaetz Again + More News”
A federal judge in Texas ruled Friday that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program ― a policy that lets undocumented immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as minors stay in the country ― is illegal and must be suspended.
In his ruling, Judge Andrew Hanen ordered President Joe Biden’s administration to stop approving new DACA requests from such immigrants, referred to as “Dreamers,” once again upending the Obama-era policy Biden had just revived in January.
The decision by Hanen, an appointee of former President George W. Bush known for his harsh rulings on immigration matters, does not have any bearing on current DACA recipients, nor does it affect their ability to renew their DACA grants.
Hanen made a point of saying the presence of DACA recipients “contributes to a more competitive labor market, which makes it more difficult for legal residents of Texas to obtain work.” But in 2017, NPR fact-checked that idea and said it’s not true. Not only do DACA recipients tend to be well-educated, making the economy that much more productive, they also contribute to the U.S. as consumers. It’s important to remember that DACA recipients are young people who were brought to the U.S. as small children. They didn’t make a choice to break any laws. And the idea of deporting a 14-year-old to, say, Mexico, when they might have been brought here as a baby is ridiculous. Also – a Pew survey conducted last year showed almost three-quarters of respondents, including majorities of Democrats and Republicans, support finding a pathway to permanent legal status for Dreamers. Read more at HuffPost.
Just in: A federal judge in Texas has blocked the DACA program going forward — it won't affect current recipients for now (judge is putting that issue on hold, pending expected appeals), but it blocks DHS from approving new applications https://t.co/urJh8jnJDdpic.twitter.com/LqvSDWx2ao
A federal judge has ruled that DACA, the Obama-era program shielding certain undocumented immigrants from deportation, is illegal and blocked new applicants. https://t.co/w1t0RJIpCE
President-elect Joe Biden (screen capture) On Day One of his administration, President-elect Joe Biden will announce an ambitious, extensive overhaul of immigration laws that will aim to provide a path to citizenship for nearly 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status. From HuffPost:
Under the legislation, those living in the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 2021, without legal status would have a five-year path to temporary legal status, or a green card, if they pass background checks, pay taxes and fulfill other basic requirements. From there, it’s a three-year path to naturalization, if they decide to pursue citizenship.
For some immigrants, the process would be quicker. So-called Dreamers, the young people who arrived in the U.S. illegally as children, as well as agricultural workers and people under temporary protective status could qualify more immediately for green cards if they are working, are in school or meet other requirements.
Under Donald Trump, immigration laws have been curtailed to be harsh and restrictive and included massive deportations.
President-elect Joe Biden is readying legislation that would provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status. It's a sharp reversal from the Trump administration's immigration policies.https://t.co/p1sEjKZid5
Lots of news re: Biden’s immigration plan he’ll send to Hill on Wed: 8-year path to citizenship, immediate green cards for Dreamers/TPS, lifting limits on key employment visas, big focus on combating root migration causes from Central America. My exclu: https://t.co/Zv83kL14nc
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration cannot move forward with plans to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has enabled an estimated 800,000 young people, known as ‘Dreamers,’ to remain in the United States. The decision represents a huge rebuke of Donald Trump’s immigration policy, which has been central to his presidency since he announced his run for office in 2015. According to the majority opinion, the administration failed to give an adequate justification for ending the federal program. From the New York Times:
The court’s ruling was a blow to one of President Trump’s central campaign promises — that as president he would “immediately terminate” an executive order by former President Barack Obama that Mr. Trump had called an illegal executive amnesty for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote the majority opinion, joined by the court’s four more liberal members in upholding the program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA.
“We do not decide whether DACA or its rescission are sound policies,” the chief justice wrote. “We address only whether the agency complied with the procedural requirement that it provide a reasoned explanation for its action.”
As the ruling notes, the decision didn’t rule on the legality of ending DACA, just that the Trump administration hadn’t followed proper procedures. Several pundits have shared the ruling could be used as a ‘road map’ for Trump to re-submit his executive order with more success. Trump has since announced he plans to do exactly that. This is the second ruling this week from the high court that decided against the Trump administration. On Monday, SCOTUS ruled that LGBTQ people are protected in the workplace by existing federal civil rights laws. It’s notable that Chief Justice Roberts voted in the majority in that decision as well. The Trumpster was, of course, not happy.
These horrible & politically charged decisions coming out of the Supreme Court are shotgun blasts into the face of people that are proud to call themselves Republicans or Conservatives. We need more Justices or we will lose our 2nd. Amendment & everything else. Vote Trump 2020!
…ruling & request of yesterday. I have wanted to take care of DACA recipients better than the Do Nothing Democrats, but for two years they refused to negotiate – They have abandoned DACA. Based on the decision the Dems can’t make DACA citizens. They gained nothing! @DHSgov
Some news items you might have missed: • InstaHunks: From Ricky Martin – “I’m joining my friend @AlejandroSanz on this great initiative to support the #Dreamers in the US. By purchasing this t-shirt www.CharityStars.com/Alejandro you can be part of our #DreamerTeam too. Because #WeAllDream. We all belong. We are all one. And EVERYONE matters.” • The Advocate: “The Country Music Awards nominated the track from Lil Nas X featuring Billy Ray Cyrus in the category of Musical Event of the Year. … Lil Nas X is now the first out gay man to be nominated at the CMAs” • Courthouse News: After announcing the children born to U.S. service members while overseas would not automatically have U.S. citizenship, Immigration Director Ken Cuccinelli had to issue a statement clarifying the new rules will affect children of military service members and government workers who are legal U.S. permanent residents but not citizens. They can also affect U.S. citizens who can’t show evidence they lived in the U.S. for a sufficient amount of time. • Buzzfeed News: Steven Canals, co-creator of FX’s POSE, shares how his Bronx upbringing helped inspire the most important show on television. •CNET: Apple sent invitations to the media on Thursday for its next big product launch. On September 10, the tech company will unveil the 11 series iPhones. The devices likely will include better cameras, faster processors and iOS 13. They come at a time of malaise in the smartphone market, with people holding onto their devices longer than before. • New Music: Since I’m on a Ricky Martin tangent today, he has teamed up with Madonna collaborator Maluma for a new duet, “No Se Me Quita.” Check out a sample below. https://www.instagram.com/p/B1weT0QAyAP/
Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (and descendant of Irish/Italian immigrants) says the immigrant tradition that has made America great for centuries should be revised to welcome into the U.S. only those who can “stand on their own two feet.”
Ken Cuccinelli tweaked the famous poem from Emma Lazarus — whose words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” are long associated with immigration to the US and the nation’s history as a haven — as part of a case for strict new measures pushed Monday by the Trump administration that could dramatically change the legal immigration system.
“Would you also agree that Emma Lazarus’s words etched on the Statue of Liberty, ‘Give me your tired, give me your poor,’ are also a part of the American ethos?” NPR’s Rachel Martin asked Cuccinelli on “Morning Edition” in an interview published Tuesday.
“They certainly are: ‘Give me your tired and your poor who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge,'” he replied. “That plaque was put on the Statue of Liberty at almost the same time as the first public charge was passed — very interesting timing.”
On Monday, the Trump administration announced a regulation that makes it easier to reject green card and visa applications. The new rule means many green card and visa applicants could be turned down if they have low incomes or little education, and have used benefits such as most forms of Medicaid, food stamps, and housing vouchers, because they’d be deemed more likely to need government assistance in the future.
Here’s acting USCIS director Ken Cuccinelli saying on NPR this morning that the Statue of Liberty plaque should be changed to read, “give me your tired and your poor who can stand on their own two feet, and who will not become a public charge.” pic.twitter.com/q8OoNn3k6r
An 18-year-old U.S. citizen was detained at a border Patrol checkpoint for almost a month, reports Buzzfeed News.
Francisco Galicia was stopped while driving to a soccer recruiting event from his home in the border town of Edinburg on June 27. Even though he had his Texas ID and his birth certificate, he was held in custody for 26 days.
“The officers were just telling him they didn’t believe he was a US citizen, he was Mexican and should go back to Mexico,” attorney Claudia Galan told BuzzFeed News. “He said that it was inhumane, the worst experience ever. He doesn’t wish that to anybody.”
While held in immigration detention, Francisco slept on the floor of a cell crowded with 60 men. He was denied access to a phone to call his mother or lawyer. During that time, he lost 20 pounds from a lack of food.
Francisco told the Dallas Morning News he was also unable to shower for 23 days while in custody.
The conditions were so terrible, Francisco considered signing the paperwork that would deport him to Mexico just to get out.
The high school student was born in Dallas in December 2000, according to his birth certificate.
While in custody, officers ran Francisco’s name and discovered an old travel visa.
The visa had been applied for by his mother when he was a child. Because she didn’t enter the country legally, she had used a different name on his birth certificate and didn’t believe she could get him a US passport.
Because of the “conflicting reports,” ICE and CBP say they had taken appropriate steps.
“Situations including conflicting reports from the individual and multiple birth certificates can, and should, take more time to verify,” the agencies said. “While we continue to research the facts of the situation, the individual has been released from ICE custody.”
Note – “Take more time to verify?” He was in custody for 26 days and had an American birth certificate.
You can almost understand taking a few hours. MAYBE a day?
But he’s in the system as an American who was born in Dallas.
Look out, folks. Don’t think it can’t happen to you.
In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court has ordered Title 42, the pandemic-era health measure that blocked migrants from seeking asylum, will remain in effect for the time being, staving off potential increases in unlawful crossings. 
Some news items you might have missed: • 
