Since the tightening of immigration rules at the beginning of the Trump administration, it has become more difficult for ballroom dance studios in Tennessee and other states to hire the instructors they need. Even when studios have found the right applicants, deportations and other processes have stymied the hiring process. Since the most popular ballroom dance forms are foreign, hiring instructors from overseas is often necessary.
Immigrants unlikely to move for health care, study finds
Immigrants in Tennessee and throughout the country are unlikely to move around based on what states offer them better health care access. This was one of the findings of researchers at Stanford University, who used data from the American Community Survey to determine that expansion of public health care options was unlikely to lead to an influx of immigrants.
Expanded Expedited Removal Temporarily Blocked
Expedited removal is the process of removing a non-citizen from the United States without a hearing before an immigration judge. This is contrasted with normal removal proceedings which involve a hearing before an immigration judge to determine first the non-citizen's removability and then, if removable, any eligibility for relief under the Immigration and Nationality Act ("INA").
Lawmakers propose special visas for Syrian Kurds
Tennessee residents who follow international news will likely be aware that President Trump recently announced that he planned to recall U.S. troops from Syria. A fierce reaction from both sides of the political aisle has prompted the White House to revise its position, but questions still linger about American intentions in the region and what will be done to protect Syrian Kurds who have put themselves in harm's way by working with U.S. troops.
White House proposes collecting DNA from immigrants
Individuals in Tennessee and around the country who are taken into custody by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would be required to provide a sample of their DNA if a measure proposed by the Trump administration on Oct. 21 is implemented. The proposal would allow information derived from the genetic material to be added to a database maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The proposed policy change was published in the Federal Register on Oct. 22. The public has 20 days to submit comments about the measure.
Trump declares immigrants must get health insurance
Tennessee readers might be interested to learn that President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Oct. 4 requiring people immigrating to the U.S. to acquire health insurance. The document states that immigrants should no longer be allowed to "saddle" the U.S. healthcare system.
Lawsuit alleges unfair denial of asylum
Florida residents who have been following immigration developments may have seen that a lawsuit filed on Sept.16th involves mothers and children from nearly 60 families who are suing the Trump Administration over changes in asylum laws. This suit claims that the Trump administration enacted changes to the asylum rule without warning and that, as a result, asylum seekers have been barred entry to the country unfairly. Asylum seekers were allegedly not told which standards would apply to their individual cases, which led to higher rates of rejection.
Judge reinstitutes nationwide asylum rule injunction
Legal experts in Tennessee and around the country have been closely following a case brought by a coalition of civil rights groups on behalf of undocumented immigrants over one of President Trump's controversial asylum rules. The rule, which requires asylum seekers to make their claims in the first safe country they enter, contradicts established U.S. immigration law, and the case is seen as an attempt to place limits on the scope of executive powers.
Can victims of domestic violence get a U visa?
Domestic violence can affect anybody. Victims come from all walks of life, speak any language and live in any country. That includes immigrants living in the United States, who face many challenges when it comes to reporting these types of crimes.
Is birthright citizenship at risk?
Many people in Tennessee have been concerned about President Donald Trump's controversial approach to immigration. People who are immigrants themselves have become worried about their status, even if everything seems to be in place. The Trump administration is now floating a new trial balloon, although experts say it would be impossible to implement. In a press conference, Trump told reporters that his administration was examining the possibility for ending birthright citizenship. In the United States, the children of non-citizens born in the country automatically receive citizenship at birth. Despite birthright citizenship being part of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, Trump labeled it "frankly ridiculous".
