Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) is drawing a line when it comes to the immigration status of schoolchildren, reports Nuria Martinez-Keel of the Oklahoma Voice.
"Collecting 6-, 7-, 8-year-old kids’ addresses and immigration status in the state of Oklahoma, that’s not a public safety issue," Stitt said in his weekly news conference. " ... [L]et’s not terrorize and make our kids not show up at school."
Elsewhere around the country, support for immigrant communities is shining through. In Houston last night, advocates gathered to express solidarity with their immigrant neighbors in a rally titled "From Houston with Love," reports Maria Aguilera of KHOU 11.
Across California, hundreds of high school and college students have protested this week in support of immigrant communities, as Jose Franco of KGET.com, Erika Towne of The Silicon Valley Voice and Jennah Pendleton of The Sacramento Bee have reported.
Several local organizations and universities in Scranton, Pennsylvania, will host a prayer vigil for immigrants and refugees Monday, per Royal News at the University of Scranton. And the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) thanked Pope Francis for his support regarding immigration the same day the pontiff posted a letter addressing American immigration policies, reports Kate Scanlon of OSV News.
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio wrote, "I ask for your continued prayers so that we may find the courage as a nation to build a more humane system of immigration, one that protects our communities while safeguarding the dignity of all."
Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s VP of strategic communications, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Soledad Gassó Parker, Broc Murphy, Clara Villatoro and Becka Wall. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].
LAWSUITS — Advocates have sued the Trump administration demanding that migrants moved to Guantánamo Bay have access to legal assistance, reports Camilo Montoya-Galvez of CBS News. The family of one man transferred there say he is not a criminal, as Julie Turkewitz and Hamed Aleaziz of The New York Times report. Meanwhile, yesterday the U.S. Department of Justice sued New York state officials, including the governor, alleging failure to enforce federal immigration law, report Andrew Goudsward and Sarah N. Lynch of Reuters.
BORDER BUDGET — During a closed-door meeting, White House officials sat down with Republican senators and asked for $175 billion to be set aside in the budget for immigration enforcement, reports Alexander Bolton of The Hill. Funding for scaled-up deportation efforts is running out, and how to provide more has divided congressional Republicans, Bolton reports.
‘DEBT OF GRATITUDE’ — A bipartisan bill aims to expedite visas for the children of Filipino World War II veterans, who have spent decades separated from their families because of immigration backlogs, reports Victoria Budiono of the Star Advertiser. "We owe these veterans an immense debt of gratitude, and it is our responsibility to honor their sacrifice," said Rep. Jennifer Kiggans (R-Virginia). Separately, veterans group Common Defense is advocating for the release of an Iraq War veteran who was detained a few weeks ago, reports Jimmy Jenkins of the Arizona Republic.
CONSEQUENCES — The recent executive orders on immigration could affect Ohio’s small businesses, with ripple effects across the country, Robert Ratliff writes in an Akron Beacon Journal op-ed. Immigrant-owned businesses are in every sector of the U.S. economy and provide employment and services, Ratliff writes.
P.S. In the Maryville (Missouri) Forum, Meghann M. Kosman reflects on the "need to humanize ‘others’" and shares her eye-opening experiences during a recent border visit with We Welcome.
