Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel Favors Same Sex Marriage
June 30, 2011 by carolthompson
Laura Klairmont of CNN News recently posted an article detailing Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s support of same sex marriage legislation in Illinois. In an interview with CNN’s Wolf Blizter, Mayor Emanuel stated that he would support similar legislation for same sex marriage that was recently passed in New York.
While running as a candidate for Chicago mayor and after his election, Emanuel advocated for civil union legislation in Illinois. To read the entire article posted by Klairmont, go to CNN.com.
Rhode Island Passes Legislation to Permit Civil Unions Between Same Sex Couples
June 30, 2011 by carolthompson
Rhode Island has passed legislation that will permit civil unions between same sex couples. The bill was passed by the Rhode Island Senate on a vote of 21-16. The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1st.
Civil unions are currently allowed in New Jersey and Illinois and will be legal in Delaware and Hawaii on January 1,2012. To read more on this new development, visit CNN.com.
Federal Judge Issues Preliminary Injunction Against Georgia Immigration Law
June 30, 2011 by carolthompson
CNN reported that a federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction that will temporarily block key provisions of the Georgia illegal immigration law. U.S. District Judge Thomas Thrash, Jr. ruled that state and local law enforcement officers would not have the authority to arrest, detain, or prosecute anyone based on sections 7 and 8 of this particular law while the injunction remains effective. In his opinion, Thrash wrote, “The apparent legislative intent is to create such a climate of hostility, fear, mistrust, and insecurity that all illegal aliens will leave Georgia.”
Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens intends to appeal Judge Thrash’s ruling.
Same-Sex Marriage Bill Becomes Law in New York
June 24, 2011 by carolthompson
CNN reported that the New York legislature has approved a measure that will allow same-sex couples to marry in New York within 30 days. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the bill into law after a 33-to-29 vote legalized same-sex marriages in New York.
New York is the sixth state to approve same sex marriages. It joins the ranks of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia in granting licenses for same-sex marriages.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2011 Reintroduced
June 23, 2011 by carolthompson
The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2011 was reintroduced by U.S. Senators on June 22nd. The bill includes the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) which would allow U.S. nationals the right to sponsor foreign-born same-sex partners for U.S. citizenship.
The bill also includes measures that would strengthen border security, require that an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants register with the U.S. government, pay their taxes, learn English, pay a fine, pass a background check, and complete the appropriate paperwork to apply for permanent residence.
The following Senators sponsored the introduction of the bill:
- Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
- Senator Harry Reid ( D-NV)
- Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
- Senator John Kerry ( D- MA)
- Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL)
- Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
- Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
To view the entire bill, please visit govtrack.us.
Alabama Joins State Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants
June 15, 2011 by carolthompson
The Chicago Tribune and CNN recently reported that another state has enacted tough new laws to curb illegal immigration. The Tribune and CNN reported that Alabama has surpassed Arizona in creating stricter illegal immigration legislation by passing measures that are even more restrictive than Arizona’s illegal immigration laws. The new Alabama law contains the following provisions:
- Allows the police to arrest anyone suspected of being an illegal immigrant if the person is stopped for another reason;
- All businesses are required to use the federal e-verify system to check the legal status of workers;
- It becomes a crime for landlords to knowingly rent to an illegal immigrant; and
- Schools must perform background checks to verify immigrant status of their students.
The CNN article also quoted Mary Bauer, the legal director of the Southern Poverty Law Center, as stating,”It [the new law] makes it a crime for the U.S. citizens to give people a ride if they turn out to be undocumented. It doesn’t even have an exception for churches that are providing shelter for food or rides.”
Proponents of the new Alabama law believe that it will increase the number of jobs available for U.S. citizens, pointing out that Alabama’s unemployment rate currently stands at 9.3%. However, proponents of the new law fail to recognize that the jobs most illegal immigrants hold are positions that most U.S. citizens are not so eager to take - farm work, chicken processing plants, and heavy labor.
The Alabama law will take effect on September 1st of this year. Once the new law is in effect, Alabama will join Georgia and Arizona in the latest attempt by states to crackdown on illegal immigration.
