The Forum Daily | Thursday July 6, 2023
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THE FORUM DAILY

Four migrants, including an infant girl, drowned in the Rio Grande near
the Texas border this past holiday weekend, reports Chantal Da Silva of
NBC News
<[link removed]>.  

The victims died in separate incidents in which the tactical marine unit
of Texas Department of Public Safety had to assist the U.S. Border
Patrol. 

"Mothers and babies trying to reach safety in the United States should
not face death. The U.S. must implement policies that respect human life
and dignity while preserving family unity. Deterrence alone has never
been the answer, on the contrary, it can lead people to take more
dangerous paths," said Jennie Murray, President and CEO of the National
Immigration Forum in a statement
<[link removed]>.
 

This tragic incident coincides with Texas officials' plans to deploy
marine floating barriers to discourage unauthorized border crossings, Da
Silva notes.  

But the Rio Grande's waters are not the only risk for migrants. The
triple digit heat wave in the southern border region is escalating
migrant fatalities and rescues, reports Jonathan Mejia for News 4 San
Antonio
<[link removed]>.
 

As noted in our statement, the border should not be a lethal place.
Democrats and Republicans should work to make the border more secure
without losing sight of the humanity of those seeking protection. 

Welcome to Thursday's edition of The Forum Daily. I'm Clara
Villatoro, the Forum's strategic communications manager, and the
great Forum Daily team also includes Ashling Lee, Karime Puga, Christian
Blair and Darika Verdugo. If you have a story to share from your own
community, please send it to me at [email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>. 

FLORIDA'S LAW IMPACT - Florida's new immigration law is already
exacerbating labor shortages in construction and agriculture industries
since workers are fleeing the state, reports Deborah Acosta of the Wall
Street Journal
<[link removed]>.
Several construction sites in South Florida say a quarter to half of
their teams are gone, and farms are also seeing a decrease in workers.
"The employee who wants to work on the farm is not available anymore.
How are we going to run the farms?," said Hitesh Kotecha, the owner of a
produce packaging facility. 

**TEMPORARY SITUATION**-The low numbers of border crossings may not
last long, reports Eileen Sullivan of The New York Times.
<[link removed]>
Some officers consider that there are multiple factors that could affect
the crossings at the border beyond the current policies. Some experts
also note that the drivers of migration have not changed, and "the risk
of violence or death outweighs the risk of not getting into the United
States," Sullivan writes. 

CHANGES - Modifications to the U.S. citizenship test have raised
concerns for immigrants with limited English skills, writes Trisha Ahmed
of the Associated Press
<[link removed]>. Proposed
changes include adding a speaking section based on photos and making the
civics section multiple-choice, requiring more knowledge and English
literacy. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services plans to trial
the changes in 2023 and gather public feedback before implementation.
"It's a test that will determine if you are going to be a citizen. So,
there is a lot to lose," said Shai Avny, an Israeli immigrant. 

FOREIGN WORKERS - A bipartisan group of lawmakers has reintroduced
the Farm Workforce Modernization Act that seeks to boost foreign worker
availability in the U.S., reports Cassie Semyon for Spectrum News NY 1
<[link removed]>. In
the past, a similar bill passed twice through the House but failed to
secure enough votes in the Senate. Lawmakers expect this new version
could become law. The bill seeks to update the H-2A worker program;
proponents say it would provide more flexibility for employers and
ensure critical protection for workers, notes Semyon. 

Thanks for reading, 

Clara 

 

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