Category Archives: La Migra

Justice Department asks Judge Hanen to reconsider his last order

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Can’t hurt to ask, I guess. The Obama administration has asked a Brownsville-based judge to rethink an order that requires the federal government to turn over the private information of thousands of undocumented immigrants. The May 19 order from U.S. … Continue reading →

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Judge Hanen’s bizarre order

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

WTF? A federal judge with a history of anti-immigrant sentiment ordered the federal government to turn over the names, addresses and “all available contact information” of over 100,000 immigrants living within the United States. He does so in a strange … Continue reading →

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Paxton opines on Syrian refugees

Posted on May 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. Attorney General Ken Paxton sought Tuesday to bolster the state’s thus-far unsuccessful efforts to prevent Syrian refugees from resettling in Texas by issuing a legal opinion that stresses the state’s rights in the matter. His opinion, which doesn’t carry … Continue reading →

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The DAPA arguments at SCOTUS

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Hard to say how this will go. A shorthanded Supreme Court heard a Texas-led challenge against President Barack Obama’s 2014 immigration plan Monday with sharp questions about whether the state could bring the case to begin with and if the … Continue reading →

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DAPA’s day at SCOTUS

Posted on April 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Another day, another huge Supreme Court case involving Texas, a big policy item from President Obama at stake, and the fate of millions of people hanging in the balance. The Supreme Court on Monday will hear the matter, one of … Continue reading →

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Immigrant harboring law blocked

Posted on April 15, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. A federal judge has blocked part of the state’s omnibus border security bill that makes harboring undocumented immigrants a state crime. Under a provision of House Bill 11, which went into effect in September, a person commits a crime … Continue reading →

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Texas AG files SCOTUS brief against Obama immigration plan

Posted on March 31, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s what he does. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court Monday arguing against President Barack Obama’s plan to shield from deportation nearly 5 million people here illegally and give them temporary work permits. … Continue reading →

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More on the rush to naturalization

Posted on March 22, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

The Trib looks at the trend in Texas. Amid a heated presidential election focusing heavily on immigration, a similar uncertainty about the future of immigration policies under a new president appears to be pushing thousands of legal residents in Texas … Continue reading →

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Donald Trump is making more citizens

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

He’s good for something. Over all, naturalization applications increased by 11 percent in the 2015 fiscal year over the year before, and jumped 14 percent during the six months ending in January, according to federal figures. The pace is picking … Continue reading →

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Turner files amicus brief for Obama’s immigration executive action

Posted on March 10, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The city of Houston has added its voice to a friend of the court brief in the looming U.S. Supreme Court showdown over President Obama’s late-2014 executive actions on immigration, Mayor Sylvester Turner said Tuesday. Calling the president’s decisions … Continue reading →

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State strikes out on Syrian refugees again

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Too bad. Now give up already. A federal judge has again denied a bid by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block the federal government from resettling Syrian refugees in the state. Dallas-based U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey on … Continue reading →

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Paxton takes another shot at Syrian refugees

Posted on January 28, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Whatever. In the latest controversy over Syrians seeking refuge in Texas, the state’s top lawyer on Tuesday again asked a federal judge to halt the resettlement of people fleeing the war-torn country. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton told a U.S. … Continue reading →

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MALDEF sues over provision of border bill

Posted on January 27, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Worth watching. The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, or MALDEF, filed suit Sunday against Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw and the Texas Public Safety Commission, which oversees the DPS. The group alleges … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS to hear immigration executive order case

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will decide whether President Obama has the authority to declare that millions of illegal immigrants be allowed to remain and work in the United States without fear of deportation. The court … Continue reading →

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Paxton’s latest Syrian refugee brief

Posted on January 20, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

A bit of a reach, if you ask me. In response to the recent arrest of an Iraqi refugee who is facing charges of attempting to help the Islamic State, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a new court document … Continue reading →

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Syrian refugee litigation update

Posted on January 12, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

From Trail Blazers: The legal jousting continues over Texas’ effort to bar the settlement of Syrian refugees in the state. Attorneys for the federal government and an aid agency this week filed briefs reiterating their opposition to Attorney General Ken … Continue reading →

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Current trends in Texas immigration

Posted on January 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

More Asian, less Latino is the nickel summary. The number of Latin Americans moving to Texas from abroad and other states has dropped by almost a quarter as the amount of Asians coming here doubled, offsetting the decline and echoing … Continue reading →

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Nothing says “holiday season” like immigration raids

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

How festive. Immigration agents are planning to round up Central American families that have been ordered deported by a judge in response to an unexpected surge in children and families crossing the border in South Texas, a former high-ranking immigration … Continue reading →

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Birth certificate denials only started happening recently

Posted on December 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Funny how these things work, isn’t it? Texas has for seven years said it won’t accept Mexican identification cards when issuing birth certificates for children of people in the United States illegally. But it doesn’t appear to have stepped up … Continue reading →

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Cruz to help Abbott give refugees a kick

Posted on December 15, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

If at first you don’t succeed… U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas introduced legislation Tuesday to give governors the power to opt out of refugee replacements if they believe there are security risks. Cruz introduced the bill at a news … Continue reading →

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State strikes out again on Syrian refugees

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

0 for 2 and counting. A judge on Wednesday denied a renewed attempt by Texas officials to block nine Syrian refugees from entering the state, describing the state’s safety concerns as “largely speculative hearsay.” “The (state) has failed to show … Continue reading →

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No hearing on request to bar refugees till January

Posted on December 8, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

So much for that. A Dallas-based federal judge has denied a request by Texas state officials for an expedited hearing regarding Syrian refugees and will not rule on the case until mid-January at the earliest. Judge David Godbey informed lawyers … Continue reading →

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Texas drops request for emergency order on Syrian refugees

Posted on December 5, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s something. Texas officials have withdrawn their request for an emergency order blocking a group of Syrian refugees from entering the state and instead are seeking a broader hearing next week on how closely the federal government coordinates with the … Continue reading →

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Texas files its lawsuit against International Rescue Committee

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

I am at a loss for words. Texas has gone to federal court in its efforts to keep Syrian refugees out of the state, filing suit against the federal government and a refugee resettlement nonprofit. In a lawsuit filed Wednesday … Continue reading →

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SCOTUS denies 30-Day Extension in Immigration Case

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good. The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted twenty-six states an extra eight days to file their response to the Obama administration’s appeal in defense of its broad new immigration policy. That extension — considerably less than the added thirty days … Continue reading →

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Refugee group defies Abbott

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

It’s on. A nonprofit organization that resettles refugees in the United States says it will move forward with the placement of Syrian refugees in Texas, despite warnings from officials in the Lone Star State not to do so. The New … Continue reading →

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Texas threatens to sue religious groups over refugees

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Amazing. Texas officials are escalating their opposition to Syrian refugees with a new order aimed specifically at resettlement groups that have indicated they will accept people fleeing the war-torn country: change your mind or risk getting sued by the state. … Continue reading →

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Feds respond to request for delay of immigration appeal

Posted on November 29, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Counterpoint: It was the federal government’s move Tuesday, and the U.S. Department of Justice asked the court to reject Texas’ request for a 30-day extension to file its brief in the case, but says it is open to an eight-day … Continue reading →

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State wants delay on immigration appeal

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Of course it does. The Texas Attorney General’s office is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for an extra 30 days to respond to the Obama Administration’s appeal of lower court rulings that have blocked controversial changes in immigration enforcement. The … Continue reading →

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Obama appeals immigration order ruling to SCOTUS

Posted on November 21, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

As expected. The Obama administration on Friday asked the United States Supreme Court to review a federal appellate court’s ruling that struck down the president’s controversial immigration program. The request comes exactly one year after the program, called Deferred Action … Continue reading →

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Fifth Circuit denies Obama immigration executive order appeal

Posted on November 11, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Alas. A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has once again ruled against the Obama administration’s controversial immigration program, upholding a lower court’s injunction barring the plan from taking effect while awaiting the outcome of a … Continue reading →

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What about LGBT asylum seekers?

Posted on July 3, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Good question. As millions waited this week for a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, dozens of LGBT immigrants sat in American detention centers after fleeing what they say is persecution in their homelands because of their sexual … Continue reading →

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First hearing in Abbott’s immigration lawsuit

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

No clue what will happen with this. Saying South Texas is where the “rubber meets the road” on immigration issues, a federal judge used a folksy reference Thursday to note his court is the right place to decide whether to … Continue reading →

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More on revamping Secure Communities

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

Stace responds to me. The involvement of local law enforcement has always been a sticking point for me. I’ve never been a fan of the federalization of local cops for the purpose of rounding non-criminal working brown people; I don’t … Continue reading →

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