Report documents dramatic shift in immigrant workforce’s skill level

The Washington Post is reporting on a report by the Brookings institute that the skill level of the immigrant workforce has increased:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/report-documents-dramatic-shift-in-immigrant-workforces-skill-level/2011/06/08/AGHqthMH_story.html?hpid=z1

In Texas, the state legislature has gone into special session to deal with budget-related issues, and Governor Perry has also added several measures related to immigration, including a "sanctuary cities" measure: http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/perry-adds-immigration-issues-to-lawmakers-agenda-1525237.html

Supreme Court declines case on in-state tuition

The story from the LA Times:  Supreme Court ruling on California immigrant tuition rates could affect other states' policies

This case emphasizes the role of the state in determining policies related to immigrants and education.  While states like California and Texas offer in-state tuition to undocumented students who graduate from in-state high schools, other states are moving to restrict access.  It will be interesting to see if these policy approaches will ultimately have any impact on politics, particularly around the issue of the DREAM act.

A play about borders

This week I saw a play titled "The Book of Grace" which revolves around the turmoil caused by a reunion between a father who is obsessed with his job as a border patrol agent, and his son who is recently returned from the military.  Although it is advertised as having 3 charactes, I would argue that the border fence plays an important fourth character, in this allegory about borders between people.  The performances were uneven, although the actor who played the father, "Vet", did an amazing job of inhabiting his character.  I left the play wondering what it was really about, and I have to admit that I consider a play successful if it makes me think in more detail -- this one made me think more about the impact that the border has on both sides, and the people who live in its shadow.

Interesting developments at the state level

I'll start today with an interesting editorial in the Christian Science Monitor, by Daniel Altschuler:  'Silent raids' and E-Verify immigration enforcement are destroying US farms

He emphasizes the impact of the recent Supreme Court decision on Arizona's law sanctioning employers who hire illegal aliens (NYT article) and it's impact on farm workers, i.e, the human cost of employer sanctions.

However, it is clear that states are ready to step in where the federal government has failed to take action - although some argue that e-verify can't be trusted (LA Times).  Texas' legislature has gone into special session, and many of the bills that failed to make it through the regular session will be revived and the deployment of National Guard troops is being extended by three months along the Texas border.  Utah has passed controversial legislation, and many more states are in the process of considering legislation including an Arizona (SB1070) style immigration bill in Louisiana.

The Supreme Court ruling ensures that much of the action on immigration policy will continue to be at the state level, the question is what's next for Congress?  Its still seems unlikely that any major measures will be considered before 2012...

Cover story from Austinwoman magazine

Discusses my life story and immigration research:  http://www.austinwomanmagazine.com/

Ruben Navarrette takes on Lamar Smith

Ruben Navarrette writes a regular syndicated column and often comments on immigration issues.  In today's column he is critical of Lamar Smith and the Republican Party's take on immigration policy:
http://www.statesman.com/opinion/navarrette-lamar-smith-and-the-gop-must-look-1506479.html

Previous columns have also taken on the Texas legislature and Governor Perry on sanctuary cities:
http://www.postwritersgroup.com/archives/nava110525.htm

Back From Paris

I am back from my week in Paris, and I had an enjoyable trip, with a few highlights related to antidiscrimination policy.  Last Monday I attended the Y'a Bon awards in Paris.  This is an annual event hosted by the organization Les Indivisibles.  I was invited by Rokhaya Diallo who was a participant in the conference I organized around Transatlantic Intolerance back in February.  The event highlights the most egregious racist statements made in the media by high profile people in France like government ministers and business people.  It was interesting to see a different perspective around issues of racism in France, since I am normally spending time with academics, many of whom continue to insist that racism isn't an issue in France.  It is also interesting to note that there is a much stronger linkage to issues around racism, discrimination and immigration in France.  For example, many of the statements have linkages to the colonial past (e.g., Guerlain's use of the word negre) or Muslim immigrants.

I also attended a conference at the University of Paris (Sorbonne) Law School around the issue of organizations like La Halde, France's main antidiscrimination body, being folded into a human rights body call the Defenseur des Droits.  Most of the commentators focused on how this would reduce the effectiveness of the different entities that had focused on discrimination related to gender, sexual orientation, race, and many other grounds.  This has clearly been a political process, with the Sarkozy government focusing on this as a "rationalization" of the different entities (i.e., cutting people and budgets), but also reducing the ability of these organizations to "blame and shame" businesses, and even government entities that discriminate.  France does not have a legal tradition of class action law suits and they generally do not collect data that would help to support discrimination cases, so this will be a major dilution of the ability to pursue these types of cases.

Other immigration news updates:
The New York Times reports on the Obama administration's focus on employer sanctions: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/30/us/politics/30raid.html
A critique from the Daily Beast of Obama's approach to immigration legislation:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/20110529/ts_dailybeast
California Assembly vote to limit immigration checks:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/27/california-assembly-votes-limit-immigration-checks-arrests/

In Paris

I have been in Paris this week, giving a talk at the University for Social Science Studies (EHESS), meeting with people about my research, and attending a day-long conference on changes in anti-discrimination institutions here in France. Unfortunately, things seem to be moving in a negative direction, but I'll be writing more about that later. Of course the big news has been Dominique Strauss-Kahn, aka DSK.  After initial disbelief, the French seem to have gotten used to the idea that he isn't going to be able to make quick work of this problem.  Other news includes Obama's trip to Britain and now he is in France for the G-8 meeting.

The New York Times has had several interesting articles related to immigration:

The first is the sad story of a migrant living in the shadows in Europe: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/world/europe/26migrants.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=world

Migrant labor in Napa Valley:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27bcjames.html?src=recg

Supreme court upholds Arizona's employer sanctions law:  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/27/us/27scotus.html?ref=politics