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Center for Immigration Studies
Steven Camarota is director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, a nonpartisan think-tank which favors tighter restrictions on immigration.
PROFILE
Steven Camarota
Guest
FROM Steven Camarota
To the Point
Will the Senate Make History with Immigration Reform? Early this morning, the so-called "Gang of 8" Senators from both political parties released an 800-page proposal that could lead to comprehensive immigration reform. Authors include Democrat Charles Schumer, Republicans John McCain and Lindsay Graham and, perhaps most important of all, the tea-party favorite, Republican Marco Rubio. Will a political compromise lead to historic legislation? Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4
To the Point
Immigration and the Fourth of July In the aftermath of Arizona's new immigration law , with the prospect of other states passing similar crackdowns, President Obama has made an impassioned plea for comprehensive immigration reform, although there's no chance of action before November's elections. Transparently courting the votes of Hispanics, he bashed the Republicans. But he also addressed all sides of an issue that is polarizing the nation. He wants accountability for the federal government's failures, the greed of employers and the lawbreaking by undocumented workers. Will his speech help resolve differences or make them worse? Will it stop other states from going the way of Arizona?
Which Way, L.A.?
Arizona Gets Tough on Immigration in Absence of Federal Reform On party-line votes, majorities in Arizona’s House and Senate have passed the toughest anti-immigration bill in the country. Republican Governor Jan Brewer says she is “considering” whether to sign it.
To the Point
Arizona Gets Tough on Immigration in Absence of Federal Reform In 2006 the Republican US Senate passed immigration reform, but it never came to a vote in the House, which decided instead to build a fence on the border. In 2007 a Democratic Senate bill was twice withdrawn from the floor. Washington's failure at immigration reform has created a legal vacuum Arizona Republicans are eager to fill. They've passed a bill requiring police to demand papers of anyone they suspect of illegal entry and to bar day laborers from soliciting work on the street. Even chiefs of police warn about racial profiling, and alienating legal workers they need for help in enforcing the law. Others call it bad for business. Supporters are open about its goal of making life as miserable as possible for undocumented workers. We hear both sides.
Which Way, L.A.?
Which Way Obama's Immigration Policy? An immigration raid in the State of Washington took Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano by surprise. Now all but one of the 28 workers arrested have been released, and a change of policy is in store. New guidelines have been drawn up, but they're being kept secret. What about those who supported Barack Obama in hopes of seeing immigration reform ?
To the Point
Are Immigrants Dying in US Prisons for Lack of Decent Healthcare? US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has rounded up and detained increasing numbers of undocumented people in the past five years. The Washington Post says it has "thousands of pages of government documents," including autopsy and medical records, investigative reports, e-mails and memorandums that reveal "a hidden world of flawed medical judgments, faulty administrative practices, neglectful guards, ill-trained technicians, sloppy record-keeping, lost medical files and dangerous staff shortages." The paper says tens of thousands are being kept in overcrowded prisons with little access to the legal help or healthcare to which they're entitled. Many have died, but ICE denies its officials are well aware that inmates, including asylum seekers, are put at risk by an overtaxed system. We hear from a Post reporter, an ICE spokesman and others.
To the Point
Immigration and Integration Immigration will be back on the front burner next week on Capitol Hill, with President Bush urging what he calls "comprehensive reform." But even an unlikely consensus on new policies may not change the reality that millions of newcomers are already here and more are coming. How are they changing America and the way Americans look at each other? As immigrants flock to the central part of the country, what can be learned from Los Angles, the most diverse place in the United States? Is the future assimilation, as it’s been in the past, or Balkanization?
Which Way, L.A.?
US-Born Kids Left Behind When Parents Are Deported US Immigration and Customs Enforcement or ICE launched " Operation Return to Sender " in May of last year. This latest program for rounding up and deporting undocumented workers has resulted in the arrest of 18,000 people so far. About 250 have been deported without getting a chance to collect their property -- or even their children, many of whom are citizens born in this country. How many kids are being left behind when families are broken? We talk to opponents and defenders of a controversial program.
Which Way, L.A.?
The Impact of Immigration on California Immigration reform is moving back to the front burner in Washington as the Bush Administration cracks down on both undocumented workers and their American employers. At the same time, a new report from the Public Policy Insititute of California says that in California immigrants increase wages for native-born workers, rather than pushing them down. We hear from a journalist covering the Senate hearings , the study's co-author and one of its critics.
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KCRW Features
What are Orange County Democrats saying to woo voters? Democrats are throwing everything they've got at four Orange County Congressional districts they're hoping to take away from Republicans in next week's midterm elections. But can a party focused on "resistance" to President Trump attract enough moderate Republicans to win in the conservative OC?