Border Patrol responds to immigrant abuse claims

WASHINGTON — The US Border Patrol recently ordered an investigation into allegations that its agents were mistreating illegal immigrants entering the United States, said Michael Fisher, the agency's chief.   In the Border Patrol, "We do take all those (allegations) very seriously," Fisher said Wednesday at a House of Representatives hearing.   The allegations were made by non-governmental organizations that operate along the US border with Mexico. "We turned all of those...

Could Arpaio’s Endorsement Hurt Perry?

PHOENIX, Arizona—An endorsement from “America’s Toughest Sheriff” may not be worth as much as it used to in the past. A famous hard-liner on illegal immigration, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s endorsement of Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry on Tuesday launched a storm of media coverage nationwide. But locally, members of a citizen group that helped recall one of the sheriff’s closest allies from office say much is to do about nothing. “Sheriff Arpaio’s endorseme...

Russell Pearce Recall Election: Arizona Immigration Law Architect Defeated By Jerry Lewis

Elise Foley elise@huffingtonpost.com State Sen. Russell Pearce, the controversial architect of Arizona's immigration law, was voted out of office on Tuesday evening in a special recall election. He was defeated by Jerry Lewis, a fellow Republican who does not support the immigration crackdown and has vowed to reject gifts from special interest groups and work to ban gifts for legislators. Lewis won with roughly 54 percent of the vote, state officials announced on Tuesday evening. P...

Judge Refuses To Block Key Parts Of Controversial Immigration Law

By Jay Reeves BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — A federal judge refused Wednesday to block key parts of a closely watched Alabama law that is considered the strictest state effort to clamp down on illegal immigration, including a measure that requires immigration checks of public school students. U.S. District Judge Sharon Blackburn wrote in a 115-page opinion finding some parts of the law that conflict with federal statutes, but others that don't. Left standing at least temporarily are several key eleme...

Alabama enacts anti-illegal-immigration law described as nation’s strictest

By Richard Fausset Reporting from Atlanta—Alabama set a new national standard for get-tough immigration policy Thursday with Gov. Robert J. Bentley's signing of a law that surpasses Arizona's SB 1070, with provisions affecting law enforcement, transportation, apartment rentals, employment and education. The new law, combined with legislation passed in May by neighboring Georgia, has arguably made this swath of the Deep South the nation's hottest immigration battleground, with the region'...

U.S. Human Rights Network Announces Plan To Move National Conference If HB 87 Signed

For Immediate Release May 4, 2011 Atlanta, GA - The US Human Rights Network (USHRN), an Atlanta-based coalition of more than 300 organizations from around the country, announced today that it will move its 2011 national conference outside the state of Georgia if Gov. Nathan Deal follows through with his intent to sign controversial anti-immigration bill HB 87. The decision to move the conference, scheduled for December in Atlanta, is part of a groundswell of opposition to the bill ...