There is important movement this week on comprehensive immigration reform, as a bipartisan group of eight senators unveil their plan for reform at a Capitol Hill news conference at 2:30 pm.
You can watch the press conference live on CNN Live, and expect analysis from LIRS later in the day. In addition, today Maria Odom, the Ombudsperson of the US Citizenship and Information Service, will visit the LIRS offices in Baltimore to discuss the potential impact of comprehensive immigration reform and our work with migrants, refugees, and immigrant detainees.
This past week, as we celebrated Martin Luther King Day and the second inauguration of President Obama, immigration reform continued to move closer to reality. This edition of the Monday Top Picks includes key steps forward for reformers, as well as in-depth commentary on issues such as family unity.
- In her commentary for Immigration Impact, “Why Immigrants Should Have Access to Legal Counsel,” Kristin Macleod-Ball laments that even noncitizens with serious mental disorders are not provided legal counsel in immigration court.
- Mahwish Khan, writing for America’s Voice, supports the new announcement by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) that deferred action for child arrivals (DACA) recipients should be considered “lawfully present,” which should help them qualify for state driver’s licenses.
- In her post for FIRM, “Congratulations, Mr. President, Now It’s Time for Reform,” Kica Matos challenges President Obama to fulfill his promises and act quickly to enact comprehensive immigration reform this year.
- Van Le, in her piece for America’s Voice, finds a continuing rise in bipartisan support for immigration reform embodied in recent statements by influential political figures such as Condoleezza Rice and Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
- Ivone Guillen’s post for Sojourners, “Campaign for Citizenship Highlights Harmful Effects of Family Separation,” examines the “Separated Families Dinner Table” project, which urges Congress to make family unity a priority in comprehensive immigration reform.
Please email me or leave a comment if you have any thoughts or questions about this week’s Top Picks. Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog today, and I look forward to bringing you the best online commentary on immigration and refugee issues every Monday.