Border & Immigration News
The Daily Signal provides border and immigration news, including reporting, analysis, and commentary on policy, enforcement, and political debates.
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news
Child Rape Case Inspires Lawmaker to Fight Philadelphia’s Sanctuary City Policy
An illegal immigrant living in Philadelphia has been charged with raping a child, spurring opponents of the city’s “sanctuary” policy to use his arrest to bolster their argument that such practices leave dangerous criminals on the streets. Pennsylvania state Rep. Martina White, a Republican, says the alleged rapist, Ramon Aguirre-Ochoa, a 45-year-old Honduran national, avoided… -
news
How Other Nations Stop US From Deporting Criminal Illegal Immigrants
Susanna Ruth Makinson can blame a lot of things for why her then-husband was shot dead eight years ago while patrolling the streets of Fort Myers, Florida, the first time since 1930 a police officer had been gunned down in the city. That’s because, in a distant way out of her—and his—control, Andrew Widman’s death… -
opinion
How Congress Is Looking to Fix Immigration Enforcement Problem
The United States Senate is scheduled to hold a procedural vote on Wednesday on two bills related to immigration enforcement. The sanctuary cities and “Kate’s Law” bills were combined last year, but failed to overcome the 60-vote threshold needed to proceed to the bill. Senate Democrats blocked the combined bill in October 2015. The two bills… -
opinion
Number of Victims Rescued From Human Trafficking Almost Doubled in 2016
According to the newly released Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report, the number of human trafficking victims rescued and traffickers prosecuted nearly doubled in 2016. The statistics offer hope that greater emphasis is being placed on rule of law solutions to fight human trafficking. The report, conducted by the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in… -
news
How Immigration Fueled the Brexit Result
The vote by Britons on Thursday to leave the European Union doubled as a referendum on how the country views the issue of immigration. With immigration at an all-time high in Britain, voters concerned about related issues such as economic uncertainty and sovereignty decided to shed their national identity by voting to upend 43 years… -
news
San Francisco Charter Amendment Would Grant Illegal Immigrants a Vote in Local Schools
A potential San Francisco ballot proposal could give illegal immigrants a voice in Bay Area schools. A charter amendment by San Francisco Supervisor Eric Mar is intended to grant illegal immigrants with children in school the right to vote in San Francisco Unified School District school board elections. Two similar measures were presented in the… -
news
Obama’s Real Legacy on Immigration Enforcement
Some liberals call President Barack Obama the “deporter-in-chief.” But many conservatives believe the president has not been tough enough on illegal immigration. To check the record, The Daily Signal investigated deportation statistics during Obama’s time in the White House. Learn more about Obama’s immigration enforcement legacy in this short animated video. -
news
1 Year After Steinle Death, San Francisco Unveils Immigration Policy Keeping ‘Sanctuary’ Protections
Nearly one year after Kate Steinle was killed in San Francisco allegedly by a man living in the U.S. illegally, the city has approved a new policy restricting the circumstances under which it will cooperate with immigration requests from the federal government. San Francisco’s new sheriff, Vicki Hennessy, and the city’s board of supervisors reached… -
opinion
DOJ Wants to Hide the Names of Illegal Aliens Granted Amnesty
The Justice Department is resisting a judge’s order to provide ethics training for its lawyers and is objecting to turning over to the court the names of illegal aliens who were granted what amounts to administrative amnesty (“deferrals”) in stark violation of an injunction issued by the court. On May 19, Judge Andrew Hanen of… -
news
The Slow Progress of Obama Administration Program to Stem Illegal Immigration From Central America
A key component of the Obama administration’s response to a crisis of Central Americans fleeing violence before illegally crossing the U.S. southern border is not operational more than four months after it was announced. On Jan. 13, Secretary of State John Kerry introduced a program to allow Central American children and families to apply for… -
news
In 2015, 19,000 Criminal Illegal Immigrants Were Released From Custody
More than 19,000 criminal illegal immigrants were released from custody in 2015, according to new figures disclosed by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. The 19,723 criminal releases—as the government refers to them—represent a 35 percent decrease from fiscal year 2014. The phrase “criminal releases” can apply to a wide range of crimes, including… -
news
Texas Governor Predicts Supreme Court ‘Politics’ Will Prevent States’ Outright Win on Obama Immigration Actions
The governor of the state leading the legal fight against President Barack Obama’s executive actions protecting illegal immigrants from deportation predicted today that “the best we can hope for” is a deadlocked decision by the Supreme Court. That’s the difference the vacancy on the court left by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia makes, Texas… -
news
Protesters, Politicians Spar at Supreme Court Over Obama’s Immigration Program
Mercedes Garcia would be eligible to benefit from President Barack Obama’s 2014 immigration executive actions, with the opportunity to earn quasi-legal status that would allow her three U.S. citizen daughters to not worry about their mother being arrested. Rep. Ken Buck, a Republican congressman from Garcia’s home state of Colorado, doesn’t believe Garcia—who is living… -
opinion
Senate Amendment Seeks to Plug Holes in Cuba Immigration Policy
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. has introduced an amendment aimed at curtailing the widespread abuse of welfare benefits by Cuban migrants. The measure, introduced as an amendment to a bill funding the Federal Aviation Administration, is aimed at reforming the core of the current Cuba immigration policy: the outdated notion that all Cuban migrants are political… -
news
US Immigration Agency Returns ‘Freedom of Religion’ to Naturalization Exam
Sen. James Lankford has made a small vocabulary victory that he believes will have a significant impact on religious liberty. The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it plans to replace the term “freedom of worship” on all naturalization materials with “freedom of religion.” The Oklahoma Republican began pushing DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson to make… -
news
How a Suspected Murderer and Criminally Convicted Illegal Immigrant Avoided Deportation
Before Pablo A. Serrano-Vitorino became the suspect in a murder spree across two states, the man, a once deported Mexican living in the United States illegally, was convicted of multiple crimes, across different agencies, but still free. Serrano-Vitorino’s case involved a series of errors that kept him from being detained by federal immigration authorities, and… -
opinion
Economic Freedom Essential to Fighting Human Trafficking
New data suggests that countries that rank higher in economic freedom are better at preventing human trafficking. A new report released by The Heritage Foundation found that when core tenets of economic freedom, such as rule of law, are practically applied to fight trafficking, the results are positive. The report used data from The Heritage Foundation’s 2016… -
news
The Challenge of Tracking Money Sent to Other Countries From Illegal Immigrants
Two recent reports by the federal government’s watchdog shed light on one of the more overlooked elements of immigration to the United States: the money migrants send to the country from which they came. The U.S. is the largest source of these money transfers sent overseas by foreign-born residents, known as remittances, with an estimated… -
opinion
What Would Happen If New York City Went Forward With Letting Illegal Immigrants Vote
The New York Post is reporting that some members of the Black and Latino Legislative Caucus will be pushing for the New York City Council to pass a law allowing illegal aliens to vote in NYC elections for mayor, comptroller, public advocate, borough president, and City Council. This is an anti-democratic policy driven by politics… -
opinion
The Sneaky Way Obama Administration Is Making It Look Like Fewer Illegal Immigrants Are Skipping Court Dates
Four out of 10 illegal immigrants never show up for their court hearings. That’s according to Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council (which represents border patrol agents). Judd testified that illegal immigrants show up to their required court hearings only 60 percent of the time after being issued a “notice to appear” at…