This week in immigration news — June 6, 2019
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives passed the “DREAM and Promise Act of 2019.” If signed into law, this bill would give 2.5 million undocumented youth a pathway to citizenship.
However, even if this bill is passed by the Republican-controlled Senate, President Trump would still have the opportunity to veto it.
Pastors and churches in Phoenix are suing two anti-immigrant groups—AZ Patriots and Patriot Movement AZ—because of harassment experienced by immigrants being dropped off at local churches.
Pastor Angel Campos received an anonymous phone call threatening his children. In another incident, members of the anti-immigrant groups accused a pastor of engaging in human trafficking. In many cases, members of these groups have shouted at immigrants and recorded them on video. Pastors say that the climate of harassment has made both volunteers and new arrivals fearful, leading to them undertaking the lawsuit.
While President Trump wants former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to be director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) agency, his nomination would be unlikely to make it through the Republican-controlled Senate.
As has been previously reported, Cuccinelli is a vocal supporter of the president’s hardline immigration policies. However, he also most recently led the Senate Conservatives Fund, supporting challenges to many incumbent Republican senators, including Mitch McConnell. He was also a notable supporter of Roy Moore, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for Senate in Alabama. Because of his reputation of funding outsider candidates and antagonizing incumbents, Cuccinelli would likely not be considered by the Senate.
