This Week in Immigration Reform – Week Ending May 2

Week Ending May 2, 2014

This week in immigration reform: Virginia, Florida, and Colorado took steps to strengthen communities by adopting policies that more fully incorporate immigrants. The GOP continues to talk the talk but not walk the walk on immigration reform. Despite comments from Speaker Boehner and Republican Conference Chairwoman McMorris-Rodgers regarding moving forward on immigration reform, Majority Leader Eric Cantor failed to include immigration reform in his memo outlining the agenda for this congressional work period in May.

–Dreamers in Virginia and Florida are now eligible for in-state tuition rates. On Tuesday April 29, the Attorney General of Virginia, Mark Herring, extended in-state tuition to Virginia students who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).Also this week, the Florida legislature passed an in-state tuition bill (HB 851) allowing undocumented students who have grown up in Florida to qualify for in-state college tuition rates. The bill is expected to be signed into law by Governor Scott.

–Several Colorado Sheriffs will no longer honor ICE holds. On Wednesday April 30, a group of Colorado sheriffs stated that they would no longer be honoring requests from federal immigration authorities (ICE) to hold undocumented immigrants for longer that their charges called for. After Oregon and Pennsylvania courts ruled that detainer requests from ICE are not commands which local jurisdictions have to abide by, Colorado sheriffs have said they will stop honoring the ICE detainers.

–GOP continues talking but not acting on immigration reform. Speaker Boehner made strong remarks in his home district chiding members of his conference for their unwillingness to tackle immigration reform.Chairwoman McMorris-Rodgers said in an interview with the Spokesman Review, she believes there is a path to get a bill on the floor by August. Despite these encouraging statements, immigration reform was completely left out of this memo from Majority Leader Eric Cantor outlining the agenda for the House for this month. In the memo, Majority Leader Cantor says that the goal of the House of Representatives is to pass legislation that provides an “environment for economic growth and job creation.”  Join us in calling Majority Leader Cantor and urging him to allow a vote on immigration reform that will create economic growth and new jobs in congressional districts across the country.