Latinos Set to Surpass Whites in California in March
SFgate.com reports that by March of this year, the Latino population is set to reach 39% of California’s total population, while the non-Hispanic white population will take second place at 38.8% of the total. This will establish Latinos as the largest race or ethnic group in California, which could lead to a reshaping of the electorate according to the director of the California Civic Engagement Project at the US Davis Center for Regional Change, Mindy Romero. Considerably more births in California are attributed to Latino parents, as well. Bill Schooling, chief demographer for the state Department of Finance, commented that new data suggests the current trend will likely not continue to the point of Latino groups becoming the majority in California.
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Latinos-set-to-surpass-whites-in-California-in-5146876.php
*
Florida Legislature May Back In-State Tuition for Undocumented Immigrants
The Tampa Bay Times reports that the case of Mariana Castro may convince Florida’s legislature to offer in-state tuition to certain qualifying undocumented immigrants. Castro has lived in Florida since the age of 10 and has temporary legal standing under DACA, but according to Florida law, she must still pay out-of-state tuition fees in order to attend the University of Florida’s neurobiological sciences program. She and other UF students are lobbying for proposals that would qualify students in her positions for in-state tuition. Florida’s Republican-dominated legislature has rejected several similar proposals in the last decade—in 2003, 2004, 2011, 2012, and 2013—but proponents believe Castro’s proposals have a good chance of moving forward. Republican House Speaker Will Weatherford has pledges his support to the cause. Senator John Legg, Trinity Republican and chair of the Education Committee, commented that despite his own “strong concerns,” Weatherford’s support will help the issue if it arrives in the Senate.
Florida International University and Miami Dade College have both adopted a partial tuition waiver program for students participating in the DACA program. At UF and the University of Southern California, student leaders hope to encourage similar programs. An outside attorney review UF’s proposal in November 2013, but determined that the university could not grant in-state tuition waivers to DACA students. Refusing to give up, UF’s Student Senate approved a resolution supporting in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.
According to the National Immigration Law Center, at least six states will be considering in-state tuition bills this year. Senator John Legg, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, has voiced doubts regarding such a bill moving forward in Florida.
*
Prosecutors say Utah immigration scams are increasing
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that prosecutors in Utah are taking efforts to combat immigration scams in the state. Scammers can pose as certified legal experts and charge for doing things like obtaining blank forms or offering fraudulent legal advice. Often, these false experts end up hurting victims’ chances for immigration. Other scammers call immigration petitioners and harass them for extra fees, threatening deportation if the individual does not submit extra payments immediately. Others use the Spanish-English cognate “notary” to pose as immigration experts, since “notarios” in Mexico often work with immigration cases. Officials are encouraging victims of immigration scams to come forward without fear of deportation to help prevent scammers from preying on more victims. Utah attorney David Barlow said that some officials may even help victims obtain U-visas (visas for victims of certain crimes) for their efforts. By helping to convict Jose Gonzalez, who posed as an immigration official and coaxed tens of thousands of dollars out of his victims in exchange for false aid, 20 victims obtained U-visas.
John Huber, a prosecutor in Utah, compiled the following warning signs for immigration scams. Immigration authorities or contacts from the Department of Homeland Security:
- will never conduct business outside of the office
- will never ask for money
- will never threaten individuals with deportation in exchange for payments
- will not ask petitioners to lie on immigration forms
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/57433992-90/immigration-money-victims-utah.html.csp
*
Immigration Reform? There’s an App for That
CNNMoney reports that FWD.us, an immigration advocacy group led by Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and entrepreneur Joe Green, recently launched a web application called Push4Reform. Users enter their zip code to learn about and contact their representative and senators on issues of immigration reform. Push4Reform came out of all-DREAMers “hackathon” hosted by FWD.us in November of 2013. Luis Aguilar, Justino Mora, and Kent Tam created the app and won “Best Advocacy” for their efforts. Tech entrepreneurs acknowledge a persistent gap between Silicon Valley’s rapid approach to problem solving and the deep-rooted policies in Washington. FWD.us hopes to bring the two institutions into closer dialogue while casting light on the skills of tech-savvy immigrants.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/01/23/technology/social/fwdus-immigration-app/
*
USCIS Introduces Form I-910 and Centralizes the Civil Surgeon Application Process
USCIS has announced that it will implement a new process to receive and adjudicate applications for civil surgeon designation, starting on March 11, 2014. The process will no longer be localized; instead, formal applications will be centralized at the National Benefits Center. All applications will be filed at a USCIS Lockbox. Current civil surgeons will not be affected by these changes, but physicians seeking civil surgeon designation will need to complete Form I-910 and pay a $615 application fee. By centralizing the application process, USCIS hopes to improve the application intake process, enhance USCIS’ ability to manage and track applications, promote consistency and uniformity, and improve the overall efficiency of the program.
*
Advance Copy of DOS Final Rule: No Petition Needed for TN Visa for Mexicans
The Department of State has amended its regulation pertaining to The North American Free Trade Agreement. The petition requirement for citizens of Mexico who are applying for nonimmigrant visa classification as NAFTA professionals has been removed. For more information, see the formal announcement from the Department of State here: http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2014-02674_PI.pdf
*
USCIS Message: Important Information for Individuals Granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Prior to August 15, 2012
USCIS has released a noticed stating that all individuals granted DACA status by ICE prior to August 15, 2012 or is a DACA recipient with an employment authorization document (EAD) that will expire in the next 120 days must apply for DACA renewal to avoid any lapse in employment authorization or accrual of unlawful presence in the United States.
For further information on DACA renewal, visit USCIS’ website: http://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-deferred-action-childhood-arrivals-process/ice-granted-daca-renewal-guidance
Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.