My comments in the Dallas Morning News about the GOP Presidential debate

Donald Trump insisted in Thursday's GOP Presidential debate that he introduced the issue of immigration into the campaign. Once again, he's overstating things, and he's also managed to ensure we don't get a reasonable discussion on the issue with his hateful rhetoric.

Today's Dallas Morning News features a column by Mercedes Olivera, who addressed the lack of real details or solutions coming from GOP candidates during the debate. I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Ms. Olivera, and my comments are featured in the article.

You can read the full column by clicking right here.

Read my comments on ICE's recent hire in The Dallas Morning News

I had the opportunity to discuss the hiring of Dallas immigration attorney Liz Cedillo-Pereira as a senior advisor at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with Mercedes Olivera of The Dallas Morning News. Pereira understands the struggles immigrants encounter, and the shortcomings of ICE in dealing with those foreign nationals. Her hiring is, hopefully, a positive sign that ICE is serious about giving immigrants due process without fear of deportation, a major reason why many undocumented immigrants remain in the shadows, rather than attempt to achieve legal residency.

You can read the column, with my comments, by clicking right here and visiting DallasNews.com.

In defense of in-state college tuition for undocumented students

(Author's note: I was recently asked by columnist Mercedes Olivera of The Dallas Morning News to comment on Texas Lt. Gov.-elect Dan Patrick's initiative to repeal in-state college tuition for undocumented immigrant students. You can click here to read the Morning News column, including my thoughts. I provided The Dallas Morning News with a full statement (excerpts from which were used in Olivera's column), but I have included the complete statement here to explain why in-state tuition makes sense.   

Republicans had previously supported the in-state tuition program, and Gov. Rick Perry signed it into law and continues to support it. Patrick, however, has led a vindictive, anti-immigrant campaign that led to his election as lieutenant governor this fall. Here is why I feel repealing the in-state tuition discount would be a serious mistake.)

Dan Patrick continues to cloud the immigration issue by using words like “invaders” and “criminals” to disparage immigrants, especially using the term “illegal” over the legally correct term of “undocumented.” He fails to grasp the intricacies of the immigration issue, particularly the fact that no immigrant, regardless of entry, is “illegal” until designated as such by an immigration judge. His inability to differentiate the complexities of immigration law makes him wholly unqualified to comment on the issue, much less lead the charge to change a law that could have disastrous consequences on the future of our state.

Dan Patrick

The concept of in-state tuition is based on the idea that those who live in Texas and contribute taxes to fund our college education system should be awarded a discount. These taxes are collected regardless of one’s legal residency status, so undocumented immigrants and their children pay into the system just as much as a documented citizen. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates that undocumented immigrants contribute over $1.6 billion in taxes to the Texas economy, so the contention that immigrants (legal, illegal, or undocumented) do not contribute to the Texas economy is false. They pay in as much as any other citizen, and deserve to partake in the benefits of paying into the system.

The hard truth is most undocumented immigrant children qualify for legal residency and eventual citizenship under current immigration law, and not any special directive from the President, Congress, or ICE. They are going to eventually become legal citizens of Texas. They are in this position because they cannot afford an attorney to help settle their residency status, and ICE offers no help except the option of deportation without due process. It’s a problem I’ve seen over and over in my work with the Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment in Oak Cliff.

By denying these young Texans the chance to earn a college education, we will create a permanent underclass that will have ramifications both for their families and our state, as a whole, in the future. I find it disgusting that Mr. Patrick, in order to score some cheap political points and advance his own career, would sacrifice the futures of kids who want to learn, who want to better themselves, and want to contribute to our great state. These kids have known no other home but Texas. They deserve a fighting chance.

There is a reason in-state tuition was championed by Gov. Rick Perry and other Republicans, as well as Democrats. It is a stand based on principle, not restricted by party.

Ralph Isenberg responds to the border crisis

Ralph Isenberg, founder of The Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment (ICIE), calls his organization "A Resort of Last Hope." ICIE, whose efforts are personally funded by Isenberg, assists immigrants facing the bureaucratic red tape of the immigration process. Many are already facing deportation due to a lack of proper representation and assistance, and nearly all are parents who only want a better life for their family.

The border crisis may be new to most Americans following the news, but Isenberg has seen this situation building over time. ICIE is currently assisting over a dozen innocent immigrants, mostly from El Salvador, who have a credible fear of death from gang members and drug cartels should they be deported back into their country. Yet, our government continues to put them on the fast track to deportation.

I recently discussed the crisis with Isenberg, who has some pointed opinions on the subject. He rightfully assigns blame at every level, from immigrants who think America will welcome them, to Republicans and Democrats who grandstand and offer no solutions, to President Obama for claiming he wants to help the refugees while changing the law to expedite deportations without due process.

Click the links below to read his thoughts on the matter. Because of length, I've separated them into two parts.

Ralph Isenberg responds to the border crisis, part 1

Ralph Isenberg responds to the border crisis, part 2

The Stories of the Immigrants

I have created a special section collecting my articles on the issue of immigration. Over a year ago, I met Ralph Isenberg of the Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment, located in the north Oak Cliff section of Dallas. He introduced me to the human toll exacted by our broken immigration system by introducing me to the foreign nationals his group assists. I hope you'll take the time to read the stories and discover the truth beyond the rhetoric. You can view the stories by clicking here.

An immigration lesson on St. Patrick's Day

On this St. Patrick's Day, it is important to remember that our current furor over Mexican immigrants is nearly identical to the Irish influx over a century ago. At the time, The Chicago Post wrote, "The Irish fill our prisons, our poor houses...Scratch a convict or a pauper, and the chances are that you tickle the skin of an Irish Catholic. Putting them on a boat and sending them home would end crime in this country." Yet, the Irish assimilated.

It is easy to make crass, ignorant generalizations, but much harder to admit that our country is strong enough, and the willingness of immigrants to succeed and assimilate deep enough, to weather such trends. It is key to remember that studies show that current immigrants are assimilating much quicker than previous generations. America will endure.

To read more about the Irish immigration movement, click right here.

Oak Cliff immigration advocacy group fights ICE abuse

Over the past year or so, I've gotten to know Oak Cliff businessman and philanthropist Ralph Isenberg, and his work through the Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment. Ralph and his staff spend each day helping the most vulnerable among us: foreign nationals trying to navigate our burdensome and bureaucratic immigration system.

I've had the opportunity to write about some of the families his group helps, who are often at the end of their rope when it comes to dealing with our government and their ineptitude. That included Salomon Guevara, who escaped the violence in his home country of El Salvador and lived here legally until a paperwork error and the staff of Dallas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) decided to separate him from his family and deport him. It is a shocking miscarriage of justice and proof our current system is broken. To read more about his story, click right here. To find out more about The Isenberg Center for Immigration Empowerment, click right here.

Sign a petition to help this Dallas mother!

I recently had the opportunity to write about a Dallas mother jailed on charges on illegal entry into the country. It's a story I couldn't believe is happening in America. Her case is proof our country's vague and misguided immigration laws need reform, as she not only entered the country legally, she meets the requirements to live here legally. Despite her claims of innocence, she hasn't even received a bond hearing, thanks to ICE agents who withheld information from the U.S,. attorney.

In an effort to get her out on bond until her trial begins, a petition has been started on Change.org. You can click right here to sign it. I hope you'll add your name, and ask your friends to do so as well.

Is the Dallas Mega March all about money and publicity?

My latest article for Yahoo News details the rift among local immigration rights leaders over the Mega March scheduled for May 5 in downtown Dallas. Ralph Isenberg says the organizers shouldn't profit off the people the march aims to help, namely Domingo Garcia, who has political aspirations and is opening law offices to process immigrant paperwork. To read more about what Isenberg and Mega March organizer Hector Flores told me, click right here to read my full article.