Republicans and Democrats are showing interest in finding long-term immigration solutions for Afghan evacuees. Two bills have been introduced aiming to offer certainty to Afghan allies almost two years after the evacuation, reports Suzanne Monyak of Roll Call.  

One bill is strongly bipartisan, the other Republican-led. The latter would curb administrations’ authority to employ humanitarian parole. 

"We’re just hopeful that, given the widespread recognition of a need to provide adjustment of status of Afghans, that supporters of both bills can figure out a way to address this important problem," said Laurence Benenson, the Forum’s Policy and Advocacy VP. 

This past week in local welcome: 

And read about the San Diego students who have connected with counterparts in Afghanistan — and this weekend will be selling a book of essays by Afghan women, with proceeds going to support female Afghan students. Linda Mcintosh of The San Diego Union-Tribune has the story. 

Welcome to Friday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Karime Puga, Clara Villatoro, Christian Blair and Ashling Lee. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected]. 

TEXAS — The lead sums it up: "Texas has spent two years and billions of dollars on the most aggressive attempt by any state to take control over federal border security. There’s no indication it has worked." Read Elizabeth Findell’s report — and look at Sergio Flores’ powerful photos — in The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, two pregnant migrant women say they were denied water last week by Texas National Guard members when they attempted to turn themselves in to U.S. immigration authorities, Rosa Flores and Sara Weisfeldt write for CNN. One waded back into the Rio Grande for relief from triple-digit heat and was met by law enforcement in airboats circling her. In a Fellowship Southwest blog post responding to earlier reports, Stephen Reeves writes, "It is hard to fathom the depth of this cruelty." 

DETERRENT TO CARE — Florida’s new requirement that hospitals accepting Medicaid ask patients whether they are present in the U.S. lawfully has health care workers concerned that undocumented people won’t seek needed care, Yacob Reyes reports for Axios Tampa Bay. "I haven't seen a single undocumented patient this month," said physician Yared Vazquez, whose practice is not included under the new law. " … [T]hey see getting health care as a danger to their American Dream." 

MORE ON LABOR SHORTAGES — A new study by The Perryman Group, a Texas economic firm, reveals the United States has more prime working-age people (25 to 54 years old) than ever, but labor shortages persist, reports Baylee Bates for KCEN TV. Economist Ray Perryman says immigration restrictions, specifically on skilled workers, are contributing. In Illinois, employers and business group leaders are calling for the White House to allow states to sponsor work permits to help businesses meet their labor needs by hiring migrants, report Laura Rodriguez Presa, Talia Soglin and Nell Salzman of the Chicago Tribune.  

PROTECTING YOUTH — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has expressed support for the "Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act," a bill introduced in the House and Senate to aid immigrant children in obtaining permanent legal status, reports John Lavenburg of Crux. The bill aims to expedite the visa process for vulnerable children, exempting them from annual employment-based visa caps and easing case backlogs. 

Thanks for reading, 

Dan