Sherriff Joe in his own words: Detaining U.S. citizens for suspected immigration violations is "just normal police work."

Our broken immigration system

Watch a powerful video on our broken immigration system from Breakthrough on Vimeo.

"The “Restore Fairness” documentary is produced by Breakthrough in partnership with 26 leading organizations and calls for the U.S. government to bring back due process and fairness to the immigration system. The video features the powerful voices of Congresswomen Zoe Lofgren and Lucille Roybal-Allard, Judges Dana Marks and Bruce Einhorn, as well as civil society leaders like Anthony Romero, Donald Kerwin, Karen Narasaki and Mallika Dutt. It also gives a human face to harsh immigration laws through three very compelling personal stories - Jean Pierre Kamwa, an asylum seeker who faces mandatory detention, June Everett who lost her sister to immigration detention, and Walter Chavez and Ana Galindo, legal permanent residents who are victims of a warrantless home raid."

Deportation: The flip side of immigration

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Let's Remind Him

Barack Obama's Quota on Non-Criminal Aliens: 400,000 Per Year, Get Them Where You Can

Controversial Immigration Crackdown: Arizona bill would be toughest state law against illegal immigrants

Duke University Director of Research Vivek Wadhwa on why Silicon Valley is losing so many of its technically skilled foreign workers.

Graham: Obama done 'almost nothing' on immigration

Field Office Director Robin Baker targets, arrests, and intends to deport a 59-year-old woman because of a 20-year-old conviction

In the complete lack of humanity department our good friend Field Office Director (San Diego) Robin Baker is in the news again for targeting a 59-year-old Mexican woman for deportation as part of an "immigration crime sweep" in San Diego. The woman was targeted because of a single drug conviction that is over 20-years-old. Director Baker's rationale: she was "pursuing a life of crime rather than the American dream."

I'm not saying that breaking the law is excusable, but if you want to create a poster child for criminal deportation you may want to consider using someone who hasn't been leading a law abiding crime free existence in this country for over 20 years.

That being said, please explain to me how detaining and deporting a 59-year-old woman that paid her debt to society over 20 years ago, and who has a spotless record since in any way "underscores ICE's commitment to strategic, effective immigration enforcement that enhances public safety." ~Field Office Director (San Diego) Robin Baker

I can just imagine Director Robin wearing tights and a mask with Obama standing next to him in a Batman costume with a cartoon bubble caption over his head entitled:

"To the Bat Cave Robin! We need to deport more 59-year-old women!"

Senators Graham and Schumer on Immigration Reform on Meet the Press

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Why we need Immigration Reform Now. Telling the story of immigrants who have gone through the process of naturalization and illegal immigrants that have not yet received citizenship.

Tony & Janina's American Wedding

Film Description

"'Tony & Janina’s American Wedding' is a cinema verite’ documentary that gets to the heart of the broken U.S. immigration system. After 18 years in America, Tony and Janina Wasilewski's family is torn apart when Janina and their 6 yr old son Brian are deported back to Poland. Set on the backdrop of the Chicago political scene and featuring Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez at the heart of the immigration reform movement. This film follows the family's struggle to be reunited, as their Senator Barack Obama, rises to the Presidency. Breaking out of the stereotypes, this film tells the untold human rights story of post 9/11, that every undocumented immigrant in America faces today, with the power to open up the the conversation for change."

Angela Kelley from debates Mike Cutler on Immigration Reform

During his campaign for the presidency, Barack Obama, the US president, promised to overhaul immigration laws. But more than a year after he came into office, US authorities have deported more than 500,000 people.

Immigrant rights supporters converged on the National Mall to rally for immigration reform. Activists have been frustrated that they've had to wait for reform, despite the president's assurances that he remains committed to change.

Hundreds of Thousands Rally for Immigration Reform in Largest Rally of Obama Presidency

"Hundreds of thousands of people marched through the streets of Washington, DC on Sunday to call for immigration reform. Estimates of the crowd size ranged from 200,000 to 500,000. Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez, the chairman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force, emphasized the urgent need for Washington to act on comprehensive immigration reform." ~Democracy Now!

Hundreds of Thousands Expected to Gather in DC For Immigration Rights March

"An immigrant rights march planned on Sunday is expected to draw over 100,000 people from a broad coalition of groups across the country to call on President Obama live up to his promises and Congress pass comprehensive immigration reform. We speak with members of La Raza and Make the Road By Walking." Democracy Now!

Rootscamp participant, Prerna Lal describes her favorite Rootscamp session and why she is a progressive.

Join the March For America on March 21 in Washington, DC

The Chicago Tribune today published an Op-Ed written by Joshua Hoyt, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, entitled, "Obama's moral failure on immigration".

Mr. Hoyt has some scathing criticisms of the President's record which include:

"Obama's wrong. Immigration is hunting down teens, workers, mothers, not just criminals. According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reports, President George W. Bush's second term began with 246,000 deportations a year. Under Obama, the number is closer to 400,000. The administration's lack of leadership on immigration reform and its increased deportations of non-criminals has created a toxic relationship with Latino immigrants."

"The president is poisoning the well of political support he received from Latinos. And Republicans aren't lining up to stand next to him on immigration."

"If immigration legislation stalls, President Obama may provoke a new period of civil rights confrontations — aimed at him."

We'll see you this Sunday Mr. President. I hope you are getting the message.

Competitive Enterprise Institute Policy Analyst Alex Nowrasteh debates the proposal to assign all U.S. workers a national I.D. card to combat illegal immigration.

News With Nezua | Surfing the Sinewave

"IT’S ABOUT RHYTHM. It’s about flow. It’s about an inner-guided and inspired voice, communication. Expression. Connection. But what is left out when we plug into a current that demands no lull?" ~Nezua

News With Nezua | Surfing the Sinewave from nezua on Vimeo.

Huffington Post Op-Ed Harshly Critical of the President on the Issue of Immigration Reform

Today one of Barack Obama's most ardent supporters, Congressman Luis Gutierrez, (D-Ill 4th Dist.), has written a scathing op-ed on The Huffington Post that is harshly critical of the President's handling of the immigration reform issue.

Congressman Gutierrez reminds us that then Senator Obama was outspoken when campaigning, promising that if elected he would fix our broken immigration laws.

"I will make it a top priority in my first year as President - not just because we need to secure our borders and get control of who comes into our country. And not just because we have to crack down on employers abusing undocumented immigrants. But because we have to finally bring those 12 million people out of the shadows." ~Then Senator Barack Obama

One-year after his election Congressman Gutierrez has summed up President Obama's performance by stating that:

"Now, for Latinos in this country --for anyone who cares about fair, comprehensive and humane immigration reform-- Barack Obama has delivered 'change.' It's been a change for the worse."

Looks like Senator Graham is right (see below).

Senator Graham: Obama's unwaivering support of immigration reform doesn't pass the smell test.

The Broken Promises of President Obama

Unfortunately, I'm with Senator Graham. President Obama's 'Unwavering' Commitment to immigration reform‬‪ 'Doesn't Pass the Smell Test'. Obama has done nothing to stand for comprehensive immigration reform since taking office but break his campaign promises.

Just as in 2008 when then Senator Obama killed the McCain-Kennedy immigration reform Bill, Obama is only talking about immigration reform for the photo-op, and to deflect some of the bad press from this Sunday's Immigration Reform March on Washington (3-21-10).

When campaigning Obama promised meaningful action on comprehensive immigration reform in his first year in office. He was then elected, and IMMEDIATELY turned his back to the Hispanic electorate by pushing immigration reform to 2010, an election year where it has virtually no chance of passage... broken promise.

In the interim he promised to stop the immigration raids, and instead has deported more people (1,000 per day in office) than Bush did in his last year in office... broken promise.

He then promised to support the DREAM Act, and help get it passed... broken promise.

The cruel reality is that Obama has only given lip-service to the issue of CIR, appearing at photo-ops to placate immigration activists and blaming the GOP for his complete and total inaction on the issue, while trying to spin his record of mass deportations.

I am sad to say that I am predicting that the Changemaker's first term will go down in history as a total failure to those of us in the immigration reform community.

Democratic Congressman Luis Gutierrez decided to vote against health care reform after initially being in favor of it because of the anti-immigrant language contained in it

TRAILER - The Other Side of Immigration, a film by ROY GERMANO

ABOUT THE FILM Based on over 700 interviews in Mexican towns where about half the population has left to work in the United States, The Other Side of Immigration asks why so many Mexicans come to the U.S. and what happens to the families and communities they leave behind. Through an approach that is both subtle and thought-provoking, director Roy Germano provides a perspective on undocumented immigration rarely witnessed by American eyes, challenging audiences to imagine more creative and effective solutions to the problem.

A Father's Sacrifice by Eileen Mignoni

March 9: Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, talks with Chris Hayes about the divisions in the Tea Party movement over anti-immigration sentiment and the expectations pro-immigration activists have for President Obama.

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Immigrant groups are angry about the lack of reforms and the rise in enforcement of immigration laws under President Obama. It is time to hold him accountable for his broken promises to meaningfully address comprehensive immigration reform

Obama To Meet With Schumer, Graham About Immigration Reform

My comment:

There is virtually no chance that Obama will be able to get the votes to pass any comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) legislation in 2010. Pelosi has stated that immigration reform must first be brought up in the Senate, and that the House will not take the lead for political reasons (i.e., Pelosi is shielding her vulnerable members from another controversial and polarizing vote). Immigration reform has no chance in the Senate because Harry Reid knows the issue is a campaign killer, and he is fighting for his political life by a very fine thread. Just ask John McCain.

Obama is fully cognizant of the fact that CIR died the moment he broke his campaign promise to address the issue in his first year in office. Now his political capital is spent, and he is merely giving lip-service to the issue to placate immigration reform activists and Latino voters who got him into office, and who he will need to garner reelection in 2012.

It is unfortunate because the real victims in the immigration reform debate are the United States citizens who are being separated from their parents, spouses, children as a result of draconian and archaic immigration laws that have stripped immigration judges of the discretion to decide who deserves to stay in this country.

Once again our President has dropped the ball.

THE WAR ON POVERTY. The War on Drugs. The War on Terrorism. Is it safe to say the USA loves war? Is it more accurate to say the USA is war? Could the nation exist as we know it were we not maintaining a War on Truth every day?

News With Nezua | The War on Truth from nezua on Vimeo.

Last December, Congressman Luis Gutierrez unveiled the house version of the immigration reform bill.

"The proposed legislation includes provisions to increase border security, provide legal status and employment to the undocumented already residing in the US, portions of the DREAM Act, and it also include provisions for the guest worker program and visa lotteries."

Interfaith Vigil for Immigration Reform at Senator Feinstein's LA Office