Immigration

Maryland report calls immigrant workforce ‘vital,’ Alabama to revise controversial immigration law: Friday, February 10, 2012; Las Vegas Sol:; By Tovin Lapan; Here’s a collection of interesting news in the realm of immigration from coast to coast.

Number of Hispanic voters projected to increase 26 percent: Friday, February 10, 2012; Las Vegas Sol:; By Tovin Lapan; The number of Hispanics who will head to voter booths in November is projected to increase by 26 percent over 2008, a national Latino interest group announced Wednesday.

Lawmaker: ‘Illegal immigrants bilked $4.2 billion from the U.S. taxpayers’: Thursday, February 9, 2012; Las Vegas Sol:; By Tovin Lapan; Republicans have proposed eliminating a provision that allows U.S. workers without a Social Security number but with an individual tax identification number to apply for a federal child tax credit.

Living in the shadows: Immigrants, Hispanics struggle to access domestic violence services: Tuesday, February 7, 2012; By Tovin Lapan; It was Dec. 4, 2010, and Belem Ortega was lying face down on the bedroom floor, blood seeping from the gash on the crown of her head, recalculating the equation she had run in her mind a thousand times before.

GOP candidates court Hispanic vote to varying degrees: Friday, February 3, 2012; By Tovin Lapan; As the race for the Republican presidential nomination has moved west to Nevada, the distinctions between the four candidates’ approaches to courting Hispanic voters have become more clear.

With jobs scarce, immigrants turn to ESL, GED classes: Wednesday, February 1, 2012; EDUCATION: Students strive to meet language, employment requirements; By Tovin Lapan; Adam Melchor did not have trouble finding work in construction when he first arrived in Las Vegas in 2005. The 43-year-old Mexican immigrant, who was sponsored by relatives here, found abundant opportunities in the construction industry even though he could not speak a word of English.

Feds issue scathing report against AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio: Thursday, December 15, 2011; Jacques Billeaud, Associated Press; PHOENIX — A scathing U.S. Justice Department report released Thursday found that Sheriff Joe Arpaio's office carried out a blatant pattern of discrimination against Latinos and held a "systematic disregard" for the Constitution amid a series of immigration crackdowns that have turned the lawman into a prominent national political figure.

Businesses given hand in filtering out illegal hires: Thursday, November 24, 2011; IMMIGRATION: Federal program helps employers verify citizenship status of potential workers; By Dave Berns; Las Vegas restaurateur Justin Micatrotto has embraced a new program linking federal immigration officials with businesses throughout the country to reduce the hiring of undocumented workers. The goal: increase employer verification of the citizenship status of new hires without the heavy hammer of workplace raids conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, or ICE.

ICE pushes compliance program for businesses: Sunday, November 13, 2011; Associated Press; In the past few months, the roster of companies in a revamped, voluntary immigration enforcement program has expanded by nearly one-fifth as the Obama administration steps up employer audits.

NLV Police get $99,000 grant for detaining illegal immigrants: Thursday, November 3, 2011; By Aida Ahmed; The North Las Vegas Police Department is getting a $99,442 federal grant to help pay for detaining undocumented aliens wanted by immigration officials.

Man pleads guilty to using undocumented immigrants to get $4.4 million in unemployment benefits: Monday, October 31, 2011; By Jackie Valley; A man charged with using undocumented immigrants to fraudulently obtain more than $4.4 million in unemployment benefits pleaded guilty Monday, Nevada’s U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden announced.

Rick Perry walks tightrope on immigration issue: Thursday, October 6, 2011; By Anjeanette Damon; The outcome of the conservative skirmish of the moment in the Republican presidential primary — a back-and-forth between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry on immigration — will have implications for either candidate should he make it to the general election, particularly in the battleground state of Nevada.

61 Nevada arrests reported in immigration sweep: Wednesday, September 28, 2011; Associated Press; Federal officials say 61 arrests were made in Nevada as part of a nationwide campaign to catch people who illegally reenter the country after they've been deported. Officials say 45 people were arrested in the Las Vegas area.

Dream Act not enacted in letter of law, but is in spirit: Thursday, August 18, 2011; By Karoun Demirjian; Four months ago, Sens. Harry Reid, Dick Durbin and 20 of their Democratic colleagues sent President Barack Obama a letter imploring him to stop deporting Dream Act students and military personnel. Today, Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano informed Reid that the Obama administration had effectively granted his request.

Las Vegan who escaped Congo is strong advocate for refugees: Saturday, August 13, 2011; By Aida Ahmed; The world Luzau Balowa lives in today is much different from the one he escaped eight years ago.