Immigration Reform

The defeat in the Senate of the Dream Act last week dealt a harsh blow to the many young people who have grow up here in the US who would have had a bright future going to school, getting a job or joining the army had the Senate passed the bill. The future of young immigrants is once again put on hold until our leaders pluck up the political courage to do the right thing.

Secure Communities Program

ICE continues to increase the pace of deportations and expand the reach of the Secure Communities Program. This program allows state and local police to check the fingerprints of an individual they are booking into a jail against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration databases. If there is a "hit" in an immigration database, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is automatically notified, even if the person has not been convicted of any criminal act.

Massachusetts is the latest state to agree to implement this program. Governor Deval Patrick's about face on this issue surprised and disappointed immigrants across the state. The Secure  Communities program has been fraught with problems since it's inception. It purports to target immigrants who have committed crimes but nationally, almost 80% of those deported have not been "Level 1" violators.  In Boston, over half of those deported have not been guilty of any criminal behavior whatsoever. The program is also criticized  for decreasing levels of trust between law enforcement and immigrant communities.
 
News From Ireland

This year again saw the introduction of budget measures that spared very few residents in Ireland. The 2010 Budget was described by commentators in Ireland and around the world in unusually harsh terms as €4 billion was removed from the country's national deficit. It included pay cuts for public sector workers and a 4% cut in social welfare payments, excluding the state old age pension as well as cuts in the Child benefit.