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Report: Most state ballot initiative laws are ‘ripe for fraud’
A majority of states which allow ballot initiatives received a failing grade on fairness and transparency in the initiative process, according to a new report from the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC).
Noncitizens won’t be informed of their rights before questioning, says Obama administration
Under a new decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals made last week, immigrants arrested without a warrant will not be read their rights until they are placed in formal deportation proceedings. The decision (PDF) reversed a 1980 precedent which affirmed that immigrants have to be informed of certain Miranda-like rights before they can be questioned by immigration officials.
Federal Reserve expects a somewhat slower pace of recovery
The Federal Reserve’s policy committee, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), met Tuesday and voted on what course of action they would take with respect to U.S. monetary policy in the coming months. Their statement reflects the commonly-held perception that the recovery from the Great Recession has stagnated:
At NCLR conference, Obama blames congressional Republicans for stalled immigration reform
Addressing the National Council of La Raza’s annual conference, President Barack Obama argued that there was little he could do on crucial issues such as immigration reform and lowering unemployment without the support of congressional Republicans.
Study: Racial wealth gap widens
The wealth disparity between white households and black and Hispanic households reached staggering and unprecedented proportions after the housing market meltdown and subsequent recession, according to a new Pew Research Center report which analyzed Census data from 1984 to 2009.
Jose Antonio Vargas loses his driver’s license, increasing risk of his deportation
When journalist Jose Antonio Vargas confessed to being undocumented in a piece for New York Times Magazine, he stated that he had obtained an Oregon driver’s license by using a fake Social Security card and proof of residency. However, his lawyer advised him not to include the fact that he had obtained a Washington state driver’s license after the Oregon one expired. That news broke soon after the story was published. Now, Vargas’ license has been cancelled by the Washington State Licensing Department, which cited Vargas’ lack of residence in the state as their reason for revoking his license.
Atlanta restaurants blame immigration law for lack of workers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a survey by the Georgia Restaurant Association revealed widespread worker shortages in the state’s $14.1 billion restaurant industry:
Michigan’s Republican governor: We need more immigration
Immigrants are the key to revitalizing Michigan’s economy, said Gov. Rick Snyder (R) at a New Media Conference at Wayne State University this week.
Alabama speaker: Immigration law could be overturned, but ‘we’re just getting started’
The Huntsville Times reports on a speech made on Saturday by Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn), in which the co-sponsor of the state’s new immigration law admitted the high likelihood that parts of the law will be overturned by federal courts:
Alabama business opposed immigration law, but some say not loudly enough
Alabama’s new immigration law has been called the most far-reaching of the state-level efforts at cracking down on undocumented immigrants. But of all the Alabama interest groups that the law affects, none has greater influence on the Republican Party-controlled Legislature than business groups, who are some of the biggest contributors to GOP state lawmakers’ election campaigns.
