Page 5 - Aruba Today
P. 5
U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 22 January 2016
US program aims to get immigrants into court to track cases
AMY TAXIN Honduras have a strong Immigrants from El Salvador and Guatemala who entered the United States illegally board a bus
Associated Press shot of winning asylum but after they were released from a family detention center in San Antonio.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — With must be in court to do so.
tens of thousands of Cen- Judges routinely issue de- (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
tral American immigrants portation orders for those
arriving on the U.S.-Mexico who don’t show. raids earlier this month. ty director for enforcement up for hearings, court statis-
border in the last two years, As many as 800 families Those eligible for the pro- and removal. tics show.
federal authorities are who pass an initial asylum gram include pregnant Since 2014, immigrant fami- Advocates welcomed the
launching a program Thurs- screening can join the pro- women, nursing mothers lies have been sent to fam- new program, hoping im-
day to encourage more of gram in Los Angeles, New and immigrants with men- ily detention centers or re- migrants can prove they
them to show up for their York, Washington, Chicago tal illness, ICE said. leased and told to appear are fleeing persecution
hearings in immigration and Miami starting Thurs- “We are looking at Cen- in immigration court. and win the right to stay in
court. day. tral American mothers, Nearly 790 deportation or- the U.S.
Immigration and Customs Caseworkers will help new- predominantly heads of ders have been issued for It faces opposition from
Enforcement hired a con- ly arriving immigrants with households, because that immigrants with children those who want the gov-
tractor to help some im- tasks such as finding trans- is what we’re seeing now who have arrived since July ernment to quickly screen
migrant families find trans- portation to immigration as the biggest population 2014 and were detained. immigrants on the border
portation, housing and court and enrolling their to be served,” said Andrew More than two-thirds were and turn away those who
low-cost lawyers, hoping children in school. Lorenzen-Strait, ICE’s depu- for those who didn’t show don’t qualify for asylum.q
that getting them on sta- Later, they will help those
ble footing will make them who lose their bids to stay
more likely to attend court in the country head home.
hearings that determine The program will cost $11
whether they should be al- million a year and reach
lowed to stay in the coun- a tiny sliver of the 54,000
try or deported. Central American immi-
When immigrants show up grants with children who
for court, federal authori- have arrived on the south-
ties can keep track of asy- western border since Oc-
lum cases to ensure those tober 2014. It comes as the
who lose return home. Ad- Obama administration fac-
vocates want immigrants es court-imposed limits on
to attend the hearings be- the detention of immigrant
cause they believe many families and as authorities
of those arriving from El began arresting those who
Salvador, Guatemala and lost their asylum cases in
Nebraska bill to allow packer-owned hogs faces resistance
GRANT SCHULTE matched the national them to go — and they’re Producers, the Nebraska Kansas or Iowa.
Associated Press growth rate at 14 percent out of business,” said Sen. Farm Bureau and the Ne- Sen. Kate Sullivan, the pres-
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A over a decade, while South Al Davis, a rancher from Hy- braska Department of Ag- ident of a family farm cor-
bill that would end Nebras- Dakota’s increased by 53 annis. riculture have endorsed poration in Cedar Rapids,
ka’s status as the only state percent, Iowa 30 percent, Opponents aimed criti- the legislation; the Inde- said the bill would even-
which prohibits meatpack- Minnesota 25 percent and cism at Smithfield Foods, a pendent Cattlemen of Ne- tually turn producers into
ers from owning hogs re- Missouri’s 22 percent. Chinese-owned pork pro- braska, the Center for Rural “serfs” who work for large
ceived a skeptical recep- But critics said the bill would cessor that has quietly lob- Affairs and the Nebraska meatpackers.
tion Thursday from lawmak- give large packers too bied for the bill and con- Farmers Union oppose it. “It’s not about what other
ers, including many rural much leverage over small tributed to at least 20 cur- Sen. Ken Schilz of Ogal- states are doing,” Sullivan
senators who said it would farms by allowing them to rent state lawmakers, Gov. lala said he introduced said. “It’s about our state,
hurt family farms. control the entire supply Pete Ricketts and Attorney the bill to keep Nebraska’s our culture, our producers.”
Supporters touted the chain. General Doug Peterson. hog industry competitive Sen. David Schnoor, a farm-
measure as a way to help Contracts offered by pack- Bold Nebraska, a progres- with nearby states where er from Scribner, said the
Nebraska’s hog industry, ers impose tight controls on sive group, highlighted the it has grown faster. Schilz, bill could open the door to
which has grown slower how the hogs are raised donations earlier this week a farmer and chairman of a similar push by packers in
than in several nearby and place many of the risks and said the bill would only the Agriculture Commit- the cattle industry.
states, according to the onto producers, who are benefit large corporations tee, said the 1998 owner- Packers “do not care
U.S. Department of Agricul- often saddled with debt to at the expense of family ship ban only applies to in- whether you survive or not,”
ture. build their operations. farmers. state meatpackers. He said Schnoor said. “This bill is for
As of last year, Nebras- “If they lose their contracts, The bill has divided farm some companies might opt big industry. This bill is not for
ka’s hog production had there’s really no place for groups. The Nebraska Pork to move to neighboring the farmer.”q
