Category Archives: La Migra

Current trends in Texas immigration

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

More Asian, less Latino is the nickel summary. The number of Latin Americans moving to Texas from abroad and other states has dropped by almost a quarter as the amount of Asians coming here doubled, offsetting the decline and echoing … Continue reading →

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Nothing says “holiday season” like immigration raids

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

How festive. Immigration agents are planning to round up Central American families that have been ordered deported by a judge in response to an unexpected surge in children and families crossing the border in South Texas, a former high-ranking immigration … Continue reading →

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Birth certificate denials only started happening recently

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Funny how these things work, isn’t it? Texas has for seven years said it won’t accept Mexican identification cards when issuing birth certificates for children of people in the United States illegally. But it doesn’t appear to have stepped up … Continue reading →

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Cruz to help Abbott give refugees a kick

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced legislation Tuesday to give governors the power to opt out of refugee replacements if they believe there are security risks. Cruz introduced the bill at a news … Continue reading →

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State strikes out again on Syrian refugees

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

0 for 2 and counting. A judge on Wednesday denied a renewed attempt by Texas officials to block nine Syrian refugees from entering the state, describing the state’s safety concerns as “largely speculative hearsay.” “The (state) has failed to show … Continue reading →

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No hearing on request to bar refugees till January

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. A Dallas-based federal judge has denied a request by Texas state officials for an expedited hearing regarding Syrian refugees and will not rule on the case until mid-January at the earliest. Judge David Godbey informed lawyers … Continue reading →

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Texas drops request for emergency order on Syrian refugees

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. Texas officials have withdrawn their request for an emergency order blocking a group of Syrian refugees from entering the state and instead are seeking a broader hearing next week on how closely the federal government coordinates with the … Continue reading →

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Texas files its lawsuit against International Rescue Committee

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I am at a loss for words. Texas has gone to federal court in its efforts to keep Syrian refugees out of the state, filing suit against the federal government and a refugee resettlement nonprofit. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS denies 30-Day Extension in Immigration Case

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted twenty-six states an extra eight days to file their response to the Obama administration’s appeal in defense of its broad new immigration policy. That extension — considerably less than the added thirty days … Continue reading →

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Refugee group defies Abbott

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. A nonprofit organization that resettles refugees in the United States says it will move forward with the placement of Syrian refugees in Texas, despite warnings from officials in the Lone Star State not to do so. The New … Continue reading →

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Texas threatens to sue religious groups over refugees

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Amazing. Texas officials are escalating their opposition to Syrian refugees with a new order aimed specifically at resettlement groups that have indicated they will accept people fleeing the war-torn country: change your mind or risk getting sued by the state. … Continue reading →

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Feds respond to request for delay of immigration appeal

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Counterpoint: It was the federal government’s move Tuesday, and the U.S. Department of Justice asked the court to reject Texas’ request for a 30-day extension to file its brief in the case, but says it is open to an eight-day … Continue reading →

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State wants delay on immigration appeal

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Of course it does. The Texas Attorney General’s office is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for an extra 30 days to respond to the Obama Administration’s appeal of lower court rulings that have blocked controversial changes in immigration enforcement. The … Continue reading →

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Obama appeals immigration order ruling to SCOTUS

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The Obama administration on Friday asked the United States Supreme Court to review a federal appellate court’s ruling that struck down the president’s controversial immigration program. The request comes exactly one year after the program, called Deferred Action … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit denies Obama immigration executive order appeal

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has once again ruled against the Obama administration’s controversial immigration program, upholding a lower court’s injunction barring the plan from taking effect while awaiting the outcome of a … Continue reading →

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What about LGBT asylum seekers?

Posted on July 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good question. As millions waited this week for a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, dozens of LGBT immigrants sat in American detention centers after fleeing what they say is persecution in their homelands because of their sexual … Continue reading →

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First hearing in Abbott’s immigration lawsuit

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

No clue what will happen with this. Saying South Texas is where the “rubber meets the road” on immigration issues, a federal judge used a folksy reference Thursday to note his court is the right place to decide whether to … Continue reading →

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More on revamping Secure Communities

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Stace responds to me. The involvement of local law enforcement has always been a sticking point for me. I’ve never been a fan of the federalization of local cops for the purpose of rounding non-criminal working brown people; I don’t … Continue reading →

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Revamping Secure Communities

Posted on December 10, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Long overdue. A federal jail screening program known as Secure Communities epitomized for critics the worst failings of the nation’s immigration system, causing the deportations of tens of thousands of immigrants who had committed no crimes or only minor infractions. … Continue reading →

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Abbott files his suit

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. Leading a 17-state charge up a steep legal hill, Attorney General and soon-to-be-Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Obama administration’s moves to expand legal protections for undocumented immigrants. The lawsuit, the 31st Abbott has … Continue reading →

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Abbott can’t stop talking about suing Obama

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what he does. A state lawsuit challenging President Obama’s executive order shielding as many as 5 million undocumented immigrants from deportation could come from Texas in the next two weeks, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott said during a Monday press conference. … Continue reading →

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Of course Greg Abbott wants to sue

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what he does. What else is there to him? Minutes after President Obama doubled down on his promise to change the country’s immigration system through executive action, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott made a vow of his own: Expect … Continue reading →

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What to expect from the DACA announcement

Posted on November 20, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

So today is the long-awaited, should-have-happened-months-ago announcement of executive action by President Obama on immigration enforcement and deportation. Stace, the Observer, and Politico have good overviews of what to expect. I personally hope Obama goes big, but whatever he does … Continue reading →

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Perry’s border surge

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Stupid. Gov. Rick Perry, leaping again into the national spotlight on illegal immigration, announced Monday he is sending up to 1,000 National Guard troops to the Texas-Mexico border, where an influx of young Central Americans has overwhelmed the federal government. … Continue reading →

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The real reason we need border security

Posted on July 9, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

To protect us from these guys. Several anti-government groups – many of which participated in the standoff at Cliven Bundy’s Nevada ranch – are recruiting armed volunteers to travel to the Texas-Mexico border as a citizen militia to participate in … Continue reading →

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National ag groups not happy with Republicans

Posted on April 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

It’s all about immigration reform. Craig Regelbrugge, who co-chairs the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform, says a large majority of his group’s members — which include large and small farming enterprises and growers all around the country — are Republican, … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS declines to hear Farmers Branch appeal

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

By all rights, this story should now be at an end. The U.S. Supreme Court brought closure Monday to the seven-year legal battle in Farmers Branch over a local ordinance that sought to ban landlords from renting property to people … Continue reading →

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The “illegal immigrant” hunt

Posted on November 20, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Who could have ever predicted that this would be a bad idea? A conservative student group at the University of Texas announced Monday that it plans to organize a mock immigration roundup on campus this week as a way to … Continue reading →

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Faith and business leaders rally for immigration reform

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the inbox: PROMINENT HOUSTON FAITH & BUSINESS LEADERS URGE REP. TED POE TO SUPPORT COMMON SENSE IMMIGRATION REFORM Pressure Continues to Build as Congress Returns to D.C. (Houston, TX)- On Thursday, September 12 at 11am, prominent clergy leaders and respected members … Continue reading →

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Farmers Branch loses again

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Same story, next chapter. The Farmers Branch ordinance barring people in the U.S. illegally from renting in the city is unconstitutional, an appeals court ruled for the second time Monday. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans … Continue reading →

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Keeping the push for immigration reform

Posted on February 23, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

From the Texas House: Democratic Texas House members [have] filed an immigration resolution that could serve as a litmus test for Republican support for reforms being suggested at the national level. House Concurrent Resolution 44, which urges the U.S. Congress … Continue reading →

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Sidelining themselves on immigration reform

Posted on February 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t know what’s going to happen with the comprehensive immigration reform proposals that are out there now. It’s long overdue, and the political stars all seem to be aligned for it, but we said the same things about health … Continue reading →

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Is immigration reform likely to happen now?

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

With President Obama’s victory powered in part by overwhelming support from Latino voters, and a dawning if grudging recognition from the GOP that they can’t continue to alienate this growing segment of the electorate, some kind of deal on immigration … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit will re-hear the Farmers Branch lawsuit again

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I have an uneasy feeling about this. Farmers Branch was sued four years ago after it passed an ordinance allowing the city building inspector to evict any illegal immigrant renters. Its case will now go before the full membership of … Continue reading →

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