Jose Villegas lives in Hartford, safe from the dangers of El Salvador but without the peace of a permanent resident.
Dreamers
Posted inPolitics
DeLauro: Republicans are ‘cowards’ for postponing bill to address immigrant family separations
WASHINGTON — Rep. Rosa DeLauro on Tuesday accused Republican members of an appropriations committee of “cowardice” because they postponed consideration of a bill Democrats planned to amend with provisions targeting the separation of immigrant families at the border. A GOP spokeswoman said there just hasn’t been enough time to consider the bill.
Posted inPolitics
CT Dems pan Trump’s move to end separations, but keep immigrant kids in detention
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump’s reversal of his administration’s policy of separating immigrant families at the border was panned Wednesday by Connecticut Democrats and immigration advocates in the state. “Family separation cannot be replaced by family incarceration and imprisonment,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Posted inPolitics
GOP immigration bill would allow lawsuits against ‘sanctuaries’ like Connecticut
WASHINGTON – A House Republican immigration bill adopts a new tactic to punish “sanctuary” cities and states – making it easier to sue them. The legislation aims to punish states like Connecticut that fail to respond to some requests from federal immigration authorities to hold prisoners past their release date so they can be picked up and deported.
Posted inPolitics
Poll: Strong opposition to Trump policy of separating immigrant children from parents
WASHINGTON – Americans voters oppose the Trump administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents by a large margin — 66 to 27 percent — a new Quinnipiac University poll shows. The same poll, released Monday, indicated American voters also support, 79 – 15 percent, allowing immigrants who were brought to the United States as children, known as “dreamers,” to remain here and ultimately to apply for citizenship.
Posted inPolitics
House set to vote on GOP immigration bills that CT Dems are likely to oppose
WASHINGTON– The U.S. House plans to vote on two immigration bills this week aimed at helping young immigrants known as “dreamers” and ending the practice of separating children at the border from their undocumented parents.. But there’s no guarantee either bill will pass, and neither is expected to win the support of Connecticut’s Democratic U.S. House members.
Posted inEducation
Connecticut advocates blast DeVos for saying schools can welcome ICE
WASHINGTON – Immigration advocates in the state and the Connecticut office of the ACLU blasted Education Secretary Betsy DeVos for saying that a school can chose to call Immigration and Customs Enforcement on students believed to be undocumented.
Posted inPolitics
DeLauro: Cut farm bill handouts to the wealthy, not food stamps
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House is about to vote on a farm bill that will reduce eligibility for food stamps, a move that has caused a partisan split, with most Democratic lawmakers opposing the legislation. If the changes become law, they could impact tens of thousands of food stamp recipients in the state.
Posted inPolitics
Malloy signs Dreamer bill, antidote to ‘toxic environment’
With a jab at the president’s views on immigration, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed legislation Friday that opens limited financial aid at public colleges in Connecticut to the undocumented “dreamers,” saying the new law was good policy and its bipartisan passage was positive politics.
Posted inEducation, Justice
Financial aid for ‘dreamers’ becomes a reality in Connecticut
The Connecticut House of Representatives gave final passage Wednesday night to legislation that opens financial aid in the state to “dreamers,” the undocumented immigrants brought here as children, only to find themselves priced out of higher education as they come of age. The bipartisan vote was 91-59.
Posted inMoney, News, Politics
CT lawmakers help pass massive spending bill
Updated at 12:55 a.m. Friday
WASHINGTON — Connecticut’s entire congressional delegation voted for a massive, $1.3 trillion federal budget bill that will provide the state with millions of additional dollars for education, health care and transportation and boost production in the state’s defense industry.
Posted inHealth, News, Politics
Massive spending plan boosts defense, includes Murphy’s gun bill
Updated at 10:48 p.m.
WASHINGTON — Congress late Wednesday reached final agreement on a massive spending bill that will boost spending on both defense and domestic programs and also make a number of policy changes, including some to federal gun laws. But the nation’s “Dreamers” are among the losers.
Posted inPolitics
U.S. Senate fails to protect ‘dreamers’
WASHINGTON — Congress proved it is as stalemated on immigration as it is on gun control Thursday, as the Senate failed to advance any of three bills that would protect young immigrants known as “dreamers” from deportation. Sen. Chris Murphy blamed his Republican colleagues for the failure to prevent a looming immigration crisis.
Posted inJustice, Politics
Trump says he seeks bipartisanship, CT lawmakers skeptical
WASHINGTON — In his first State of the Union address President Donald Trump sought to send Americans a upbeat message – and Connecticut lawmakers showed up to make their points, too. Trump also said he is seeking bipartisanship, but Connecticut Democrats are skeptical.
Posted inPolitics
CT lawmakers say Trump immigration plan is DOA
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s latest immigration proposal, which would give thousands of young undocumented immigrants in the state an eventual path to citizenship, landed with a thud among congressional Democrats, including those from Connecticut.