Michele Bachmann takes another swipe at Newt Gingrich over illegal immigration

A relatively moderate position on illegal immigration outlined last Tuesday by presidential candidate Newt Gingrich continued to draw fire from Republican rivals this weekend.

The latest volley came Saturday from Michele Bachmann, who released a 2004 letter signed by Gingrich calling for “additional legal avenues” that could allow undocumented workers currently living in the United States to remain here legally.

The fracas began Tuesday when Gingrich said during a candidate debate in Washington D.C. that he supported a process by which illegal immigrants who have lived and worked in the United States for decades could obtain legal status. To judge status appeals from such undocumented workers, he’s suggested creating “review boards” from the workers’ local communities.

In a campaign press release on Saturday, Bachmann held up the letter — which was published in the Wall Street Journal — alongside the more recent comments as evidence that Gingrich is “the most liberal GOP candidate on the issue of immigration reform.”

“This letter is a clear indication that Speaker Gingrich has a deep history of supporting amnesty,” Bachmann said in the release. “I don’t agree that you should make 11 million workers legal because that in effect is amnesty and will only encourage more illegal immigrants to come here.”

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Justice department challenges Utah immigration law

The U.S. Justice Department sued on Tuesday to stop a Utah immigration law that sought to crack down on illegal immigrants in the state and create a guest worker program, arguing that the measure preempted federal authority.

The department said in its complaint that several provisions of the state's law, signed by Republican Governor Gary Herbert in March, were preempted by federal law and could lead to the harassment of those immigrants in the state legally.

"The law creates and mandates immigration enforcement measures that interfere with the immigration priorities and practices of the federal government in a way which is not cooperative with the primary federal role in this area," the department said in a news release.

"The law's mandates on law enforcement could lead to harassment and detention of foreign visitors and legal immigrants who are in the process of having their immigration status reviewed in federal proceedings," it added.

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U.S. makes case against Alabama's immigration law

Alabama's immigration law is unconstitutional and aims to threaten "the most basic human needs," the U.S. Department of Justice said in a court filing.

"The Constitution leaves no room for such a state immigration-enforcement scheme," the department said in a brief filed with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta Monday.

The impact of Alabama's immigration law is "clear and deliberate, designed in the language of the legislation's sponsor, to force aliens to 'deport themselves,'" the department's filing said.

Alabama's law cracking down on illegal immigration is considered the strictest in the nation. The U.S. Justice Department's lawsuit against Alabama over the measure is one of several battles in a nationwide skirmish between state federal officials over who controls immigration enforcement.

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U.S. Immigrant Population at All-Time High: 40 Million

The number of foreign-born residents in the United States — including legal and illegal immigrants — reached 40 million last year, the highest figure in American history, new Census Bureau figures disclose.

Nearly 14 million new immigrants came to America from 2000 to 2010, making it the highest-ever decade for immigration.

The increase came even though there was a net decline of jobs during the decade, showing that immigration remains high even during periods of economic weakness.

“This does not mean that immigration is entirely unconnected to the U.S. job market,” observes Steven A. Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies, who analyzed the new Census figures for the Center.

“But these figures are a reminder that immigration levels are not as tightly linked to the economy as some have imagined. Such factors as the desire to access public services or to enjoy greater political freedom or join relatives in the United States significantly impact migration.”

Of the 40 million foreign-born residents in the country, from 10 million to 12 million are likely illegal aliens, the Bureau reports.


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Immigration Officials Back Away from Deportation Program

Federal immigration officials have quietly backed away from a program in Arizona and other Western states aimed at quickly and efficiently deporting illegal immigrants rather than keeping them in costly detention centers.

Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants, including thousands from Arizona, have been deported under the program over the past several years. Called stipulated removal, it allows the government to quickly deport illegal immigrants held in detention centers as long as they forgo a hearing before a judge to review their legal rights and to determine if they want to fight their case.

The phaseout follows controversies and concerns.

Immigration officials hailed the program as cost-effective deportations for people who wanted to go home. Critics worried that the government was strong-arming immigrants to accept deportation without regard for their due-process rights.

Immigration officials changed course in September 2010 after a federal appellate court ruled that an immigrant held in an Eloy detention center had his rights violated. After that, speedy removals were offered only to illegal immigrants with lawyers, who could help them fight their cases. Lawyers are not provided at taxpayer expense in deportation proceedings.

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