The House of Representatives has voted on a spending bill that includes $1.6 billion for initial construction of the wall. This is only a downpayment on the wall, which is estimated to cost over $20 billion. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has made it clear that Mexico will not pay for the wall, and the idea of using a border tax on imports from Mexico is dead. In short, American taxpayers will foot the bill. Instead of wasting our money and grandstanding on this issue, the government should enforce and maybe bolster the existing laws against hiring undocumented workers. This would not only cut down on people crossing the border illegally to seek employment, it would also cut down on people who overstay their visas, which a report found represented 66% of undocumented residents. Separately, the government should work on a guest worker program, so farmers and other business who rely on the undocumented workforce can find the employees they need without resorting to illegal activity.

*Este mensaje se repite en Español Alamance County Sheriff's Office Dear Sheriff Johnson, We, community members of Alamance County and allies of the immigrant community, respectfully request that you not bring back to our county the 287g agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It is especially important that Alamance County does not bring back 287g agreement which put our county in the national spotlight for its poor implementation, civil rights violations and decreased trust that immigrants in Alamance County, and surrounding areas, have in law enforcement. Like other programs, agreements and policies that forge a collaboration between ICE and local law enforcement, the 287g program funnels immigrants into a detention and deportation system that does not afford due process rights, and ultimately tears families apart, leaving our communities weaker and more fearful of interacting with local law enforcement. The 287g program costs money, damages public safety, and increases the risks of racial profiling. The 287g program diverts officers from their local work to do ICE’s job for them. Numerous reports and studies have shown the negative human and legal impacts of implementing 287g [1]. Moreover, 287g is not mandatory: only 78 law enforcement agencies in the entire country and 5 in North Carolina have 287g agreements for their officers to act as immigration agents. The Maricopa County, AZ program, run by Sheriff Joseph Arpaio, was the largest 287g jurisdiction until it was terminated following a federal investigation into racial profiling and discrimination. The county of Alamance is home to many immigrants and 287g hurts the trust from immigrant community members. When some of our neighbors are reluctant to communicate with local law enforcement, even when they are victims or witnesses to crime, everyone is our community is less safe. We respectfully request that you do not bring back Alamance County's agreement with ICE. Sincerely, _____ Estimado Alguacil Johnson, Nosotros, miembros de la comunidad de Alamance y aliados de la comunidad inmigrante, respetuosamente solicitamos que no traiga de vuelta al condado de Alamance el acuerdo 287g entre el condado de Alamance y el Servicio de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE). Es especialmente importante que el condado de Alamance no traiga de nuevo este acuerdo ya, que fue el mismo que puso a nuestro condado en el centro de atención nacional por su mala implementación, violaciones a los derechos civiles y porque empeoraria la falta de confianza que los inmigrantes de Alamance y sus alrededores de porsi ya tienen en la policia. Al igual que otros programas de colaboración entre inmigración y la policía, el programa 287g canaliza a inmigrantes en un sistema de detención y deportación que no ofrece un proceso adecuado, y que en última instancia separa a las familias, dejando a nuestras comunidades más débiles y con más miedo de interactuar con la policía. El programa 287g cuesta dinero, daña la seguridad pública y aumenta los riesgos de discriminación racial. El programa 287g desvía a los oficiales de su trabajo local para hacer el trabajo de ICE. Numerosos informes y estudios han demostrado los efectos humanos y jurídicos negativos de la aplicación del 287g. Por otra parte, 287g no es obligatorio: sólo 78 agencias policiales en todo el país y 5 en Carolina del Norte tienen acuerdos 287g para que sus agentes actúen como agentes de inmigración. El programa del condado de Maricopa, AZ, dirigido por el Alguacil Joseph Arpaio, fue la jurisdicción de 287g más grande, hasta que el acuerdo fue terminado después de una investigación federal sobre la discriminacion racial y discriminación. El condado de Alamance es el hogar de muchos inmigrantes y acuerdo 287g perjudica la confianza de parte de los miembros de la comunidad inmigrante. Cuando algunos de nuestros vecinos se rehusan a comunicarse con la policía, incluso cuando son víctimas o testigos de delito, todos en la comunidad están menos seguros. Solicitamos respetuosamente que no traiga el acuerdo del condado de Alamance con ICE Sinceramente,

The goal of this petition is to gain recognition in the immigration case of Jose Vicente Saldana Hernandez and allow him to return to the U.S. with his wife and their 5 children. Over the past few years, he and his wife have been going through the scrutinizing immigration process in hopes of obtaining legal residency and ultimately, citizenship. After receiving poor legal counsel, Vincente, his wife Alicia, and their 7-week old child traveled to the U.S. Consulate in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico. Per their legal team, he was advised NOT to disclose a second entry into the U.S. on his pardon application for his grandmother's funeral 15 years prior. This was discovered and he admitted the truth with explanation during his interview which resulted in a 10-year bar. He tried to "right" his wrongs and the immigration system failed him and his family.

***BREAKING: News reports say Trump may end DACA today. We will be delivering your signatures to Washington this week. Please sign and spread the word!*** More than 800,000 immigrant are protected by DACA—a vitally important program that, for the past five years, has given immigrants who came to this country as children a way to go to school, work, and support their families without constant fear of deportation. But despite the success of this program, right-wing extremists at nearly every level of government are trying to dismantle this program, putting the legal status of 800,000 immigrant youth in jeopardy. The attacks against immigrants and DACA are growing more and more intense and dangerous. Last month, attorneys general from ten states and the governor of Idaho sent a letter to the Trump administration calling on Homeland Security to phase out DACA completely. In their unseemly ultimatum to the federal government, they threaten to bring a lawsuit to challenge DACA by September 5. At the same time, immigration arrests have increased 38% in Trump’s first six months in office, with more than half a million people in detention centers awaiting immigration hearings. These arrests and deportations rip families and communities apart, and anti-immigrant rhetoric is only being more normalized. As a DACA recipient myself, I know how important this program is to our community and our families. I believe in our power when we stand together. A handful of cynical Republicans want to trade our dignity and respect for cheap political points, but I am hopeful that our community and our allies will stand with us. In the coming months, we’ll need everyone to stand together to support a country that includes us all. Will you stand with immigrant youth and defend DACA

This summer, the Trump Administration will decide whether to deport nearly 800,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and currently have no immigration status, a group often known as Dreamers. In 2012, President Obama used his executive power to protect Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work and drive legally in the United States. Since then Dreamers have thrived under DACA, by going to school and contributing back to their local communities and economy. However, several officials within the Trump Administration have indicated that they intend on ending the DACA program - killing the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who grew up only know America as their home and putting them on a path to deportation. Even Trump’s top immigration official even told Hispanic leaders in Congress to prepare for the worst in regards to the DACA program. The 2017 Dream Act, a bipartisan bill recently introduced in Congress, would allow Dreamers to stay in the United States and apply for citizenship. If we want to ensure that Dreamers are kept safe from Donald Trump’s Deportation Force, then Senator Murkowski must recognize them as the aspiring Americans that they are and pledge to protect DACA program and co-sponsoring the 2017 Dream Act.

As an immigrant from Mexico, I have heard in person many different stories from immigrants from different countries from Latin America and I think that the DACA program strength the relationship with the immigrant community and specially with the Latino community making America and North Dakota a better place to live for all.

This summer, the Trump Administration will decide whether to deport nearly 800,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and currently have no immigration status, a group often known as Dreamers. In 2012, President Obama used his executive power to protect Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work and drive legally in the United States. Since then Dreamers have thrived under DACA, by going to school and contributing back to their local communities and economy. However, several officials within the Trump Administration have indicated that they intend on ending the DACA program - killing the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who grew up only know America as their home and putting them on a path to deportation. Even Trump’s top immigration official even told Hispanic leaders in Congress to prepare for the worst in regards to the DACA program. The 2017 Dream Act, a bipartisan bill recently introduced in Congress, would allow Dreamers to stay in the United States and apply for citizenship. If we want to ensure that Dreamers are kept safe from Donald Trump’s Deportation Force, then Senator Heller must recognize them as the aspiring Americans that they are and pledge to protect DACA program and co-sponsoring the 2017 Dream Act.

This summer, the Trump Administration will decide whether to deport nearly 800,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and currently have no immigration status, a group often known as Dreamers. In 2012, President Obama used his executive power to protect Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work and drive legally in the United States. Since then Dreamers have thrived under DACA, by going to school and contributing back to their local communities and economy. However, several officials within the Trump Administration have indicated that they intend on ending the DACA program - killing the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who grew up only knowing America as their home and putting them on a path to deportation. Even Trump’s top immigration official even told Hispanic leaders in Congress to prepare for the worst in regards to the DACA program. The 2017 Dream Act, a bipartisan bill recently introduced in Congress, would allow Dreamers to stay in the United States and apply for citizenship. If we want to ensure that Dreamers are kept safe from Donald Trump’s Deportation Force, then Senator Alexander and Senator Corker must recognize them as the aspiring Americans that they are and protect the DACA program and co-sponsor the 2017 Dream Act.

This summer, the Trump Administration will decide whether to deport nearly 800,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and currently have no immigration status, a group often known as Dreamers. In 2012, President Obama used his executive power to protect Dreamers from deportation and allowed them to work and drive legally in the United States. Since then Dreamers have thrived under DACA, by going to school and contributing back to their local communities and economy. However, several officials within the Trump Administration have indicated that they intend on ending the DACA program - killing the dreams of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who grew up only knowing America as their home and putting them on a path to deportation. Even Trump’s top immigration official told Hispanic leaders in Congress to prepare for the worst in regards to the DACA program. The 2017 Dream Act, a bipartisan bill recently introduced in Congress, would allow Dreamers to stay in the United States and apply for citizenship. If we want to ensure that Dreamers are kept safe from Donald Trump’s Deportation Force, then Senator Rubio must recognize them as the aspiring Americans that they are and pledge to protect the DACA program and co-sponsor the 2017 Dream Act.

Update: AG Kilmartin has signed onto AG Becerra (California)'s letter to the Trump administration directing them to defend DACA. Our focus is now on ensuring that our federal delegation sponsors the re-introduced Dream Act in order to codify permanent protection for Dreamers. ---- DACA, a policy memorandum issued in 2012 by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano, allows those who overstayed their visa or unlawfully entered the United States as children an opportunity to work, pay taxes, and remain in the U.S. without the constant fear of deportation. I am a DACA recipient. In 1998, I was brought to the U.S. from Portugal at the age of ten months. Prior to DACA, I was unsure of how I would live or work. I agonized over the fact that I wouldn't be able to seek lawful employment. I worried that I could be forced out of my home, the United States — the only country that I have ever known. I suffered from severe anxiety and depression. It was a challenge to merely get out of bed every morning. DACA changed my outlook on life. It has allowed me to obtain something as simple as a driver's license. It allows me to work and be treated with dignity. It allows to obtain an education and pursue the American Dream. But that dream is now at risk after ten states threatened to sue the Trump administration for continuing DACA. Dreamers are Americans in every way except for our citizenship status: something that we are not allowed to pursue because of our broken immigration system. If DACA is rescinded, the impact will be felt far beyond the 800,000 recipients nationwide that will be left jobless and unable to provide for their families. Ending DACA would have a grave economic impact on our communities, cities, and states as revenues shrink by over $800 million[2]. That is why we are calling on you, Governor Raimondo and Attorney General Kilmartin, to protect young Rhode Islanders by standing up to the Trump administration and demanding that the U.S. Justice Department defend DACA. Our federal delegation, Representatives Cicilline and Langevin, as well as Senators Reed and Whitehouse, must lead on this important issue by co-sponsoring legislation to codify a permanent solution for Dreamers. ---- [1] "Data Set: Form I-821D Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals." USCIS. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Biometrics Capture Systems, CIS Consolidated Operational Repository (CISCOR), 8 June 2017. Web. 20 July 2017. [2] Hill, Misha E., and Meg Wiehe. "State & Local Tax Contributions of Young Undocumented Immigrants." ITEP. Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, 25 Apr. 2017. Web. 20 July 2017.

In his 2018 proposed budget, Trump has requested A LOT more money to fund the detention and deportation of immigrants, including: • funds to hire new ICE and Border Patrol agents to terrorize our communities, • more local police to focus on immigration enforcement, • a massive increase in immigrant detention—the equivalent of locking up the entire population of New Orleans over the course of a year, • $1.6 billion to build a southern border wall, and • further border militarization including aircraft and surveillance technology At the same time, the administration is seeking drastic cuts to vital housing, education, nutrition, and health care programs that help communities grow and thrive together, and is threatening to take away programs like DACA and Temporary Protected Status, which would subject hundreds of thousands more people to deportation. Congress is taking action on this budget right now. The bill in the House of Representatives gives Trump almost all of what he asked for, even though ICE and CBP have put the detention and deportation machine on steroids, regularly lie, hide information from the American public, and retaliate against anyone who speaks out. Join us in demanding your Representative and Senators #DefundHate by publicly calling for significant cuts to the detention and deportation machine, and voting NO on any bill which wastes any money on this unaccountable and abusive system.

In his 2018 proposed budget, Trump has requested A LOT more money to fund the detention and deportation of immigrants, including: • funds to hire new ICE and Border Patrol agents to terrorize our communities, • more local police to focus on immigration enforcement, • a massive increase in immigrant detention—the equivalent of locking up the entire population of New Orleans over the course of a year, • $1.6 billion to build a southern border wall, and • further border militarization including aircraft and surveillance technology At the same time, the administration is seeking drastic cuts to vital housing, education, nutrition, and health care programs that help communities grow and thrive together, and is threatening to take away programs like DACA and Temporary Protected Status, which would subject hundreds of thousands more people to deportation. Congress is taking action on this budget right now. The bill in the House of Representatives gives Trump almost all of what he asked for, even though ICE and CBP have put the detention and deportation machine on steroids, regularly lie, hide information from the American public, and retaliate against anyone who speaks out. Join us in demanding your Representative and Senators #DefundHate by publicly calling for significant cuts to the detention and deportation machine, and voting NO on any bill which wastes any money on this unaccountable and abusive system.