Immigration

NDN/NPI are working to advance efforts to build a diverse and vibrant border economy.  Last week twenty-three leaders from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California joined us in Washington to be honored at the White House for their work in creating economic opportunity on the US side of our common border with Mexico.

Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino talked to Austin Counts of The Nogales International about his trip to D.C.:

Garino said he told administration officials that additional government investment at Arizona's ports of entry anda stronger trade relationship between U.S. and Mexico could play a crucial role in the future of Nogales and the nation.

"What (the officials) are looking for is how they can serve and help the border region," Garino said Monday. "Not everyone understands the problems along the border."

Mayor Ken Miyagishima of Las Cruces, N.M. and Mayor Tony Martinez of Brownsville, Texas also participated in the discussion that came as part of the Champions of Change meeting at the White House on Friday.

The full story can be read here

The anchor on Fox references a shooting of an American in Texas during the above segment, this is factually untrue. The jet ski shooting brought up in the segment occurred on the Mexican side of the border, and to this day authorities are unsure of what actually occurred. Talking Points Memo has a great write up here.

NDN/NPI are working to advance efforts to build a diverse and vibrant border economy.  Last week twenty-three leaders from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California joined us in Washington to be honored at the White House for their work in creating economic opportunity on the US side of our common border with Mexico.

The White House Champions of Change initiative profiles Americans from all walks of life who are helping the country rise to the challenges of the 21st century. These Champions of Change are doing extraordinary things in their communities to innovate, educate and build a better America. Participants included:

Mayor Arturo Garino, Nogales, Arizona
Mayor Tony Martinez, Office of the Mayor, Brownsville, Texas
Mayor Ken Miyagishima, Las Cruces, New Meixco

Miguel Conchas, Laredo Chamber of Commerce, Laredo, Texas
Jose Gonzalez, Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Brokers Association, Laredo, Texas
Akos Kovach, Southeastern Arizona Governments Organization, Bisbee, Arizona
Mark McCausland, Ultramain Systems, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Susan McCausland, Ultramain Systems, Albuquerque, New Mexico
John Munoz, Las Cruces Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Melissa Agudelo, High Tech High, San Diego, California
Clifford Boro, Video Egg/KidZui, San Diego, Caifornia
Carl Colonius, Rocky Mountain Youth Corps, Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico
Suara Naderi, Calit2 at UCSD, Del Mar, California
Brett Peterson, High Tech High, Sand Diego, California
Students from High Tech High, San Diego, California

Department of Transportation Panel and Discussion – Trucking and Public-Private Partnerships
Katie Thomson, Secretary's Counsel; Bill Quade, FMCSA Associate Administrator; Jake Falk, Director of Public-Private Partnerships led a conversation about the importance of commerce along the Southwest Border region and some of the issues that hare facing our ports of entry.

Champions of Change Roundtable
The Champions of Change met with Carlos Monje Jr. Special Assistant to the President, Laura Marquez, Senior Advisor, International Trade Administration and Maria Luisa O'Connell, Senior Advisor for Trade and Public Engagement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. While there the Champions of Change were formally recognized for their efforts to create new jobs, prepare the work force, and build their local economies

Leveraging Community Assets to Drive Investment
Assistant Secretary John Fernandez, Economic Development Administration, US Department of Commerce spoke about the federal government is working to create more public private partnerships to help grow the American economy.

Customs and Border Protection/DHS Discussion – Border Security and Trade/Ports of Entry
Commisioner Alan Bersin, DHS Customs and Border Protection led a discusion on how the border has become safer while delving into issues that still face the border, and the importance of the U.S. Mexico region.

Today, Simon Rosenberg, President of NDN and The New Policy Institute, will speak at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference.  Simon will be talking at a summit on how border economies can be used as a model for the 21st century.

This summit will explore the current strengths and challenges facing the U.S.-Mexico border economies and what is needed to bring economic prosperity and peace to the region.  Ideas, policies, and actions are needed in the U.S. Mexico and Latin American region that have the long term interest of the entire region and its millions of peoples. This discussion will also address the current security and immigration situation in these highly integrated economies and societies.

NDN/NPI believes in promoting the idea of the 21st Century Border, as such we have created a YouTube page and written a report touting a new and more harmonious border region.

YouTube Page  NDN/NPI 21st Century Border YouTube Page
Report The U.S. Mexico Border Strategy Is Working

Again Simon will be speaking on today at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference  from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The conference will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Room 150 A.

On Monday, September 12th, Simon Rosenberg, President of NDN and The New Policy Institute, will be speaking at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference.  Simon will be discussing how border economies can be used as a model for the 21st century.

This summit will explore the current strengths and challenges facing the U.S.-Mexico border economies and what is needed to bring economic prosperity and peace to the region.  Ideas, policies, and actions are needed in the U.S. Mexico and Latin American region that have the long term interest of the entire region and its millions of peoples. This discussion will also address the current security and immigration situation in these highly integrated economies and societies.

NDN/NPI believes in promoting the idea of the 21st Century Border, as such we have created a YouTube page and written a report touting a new and more harmonious border region.

YouTube Page  NDN/NPI 21st Century Border YouTube Page
Report The U.S. Mexico Border Strategy Is Working

Again Simon will be speaking on Monday, September 12, 2011 at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Public Policy Conference  from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The conference will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center Room 150 A.

NDN/NPI was fortunate enough to participate in the Office of Congressman Silvestre Reyes' and The University of Texas at El Paso's (UTEP) eighth annual Border Security Conference, and the Southwest Border Mayors meeting both in El Paso Texas.

While there we sat down to talk with the Mayor of Douglas, AZ Dr. Michael Gomez about the changes he has seen along the border between Mexico and the United States along the Arizona sector.

Mayor Gomez contextualized what is happening in Arizona by talking about how both the San Diego and El Paso border sectors where brought under control and what that has meant for the safety of the Arizona sector.

In the video above Mayor Gomez is referring to Operation Hold The Line and Operation Gatekeeper respectively. Both of these programs were successful in making the El Paso and San Diego sectors safer. In Arizona they are employing Operation SafeGuard and it is showing real results.

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The Los Angeles Times has an article up here which sheds further light on how border safety has been ramped up over the last 20 years. The article notes that the Federal Government spent:

"$206 million this year to bolster the campaign against illegal immigrants all along the border with Mexico. In Arizona, the project is called Operation Safeguard and in Texas and parts of New Mexico it is Operation Hold the Line."

NDN's own recent report on the current Administrations Border strategy, has released $600 million on border safety. Over the past ten years the U.S. has spent $90 billion dollars on border security. Which has actually created record low crime rates along the border. This has led some to call the Southwest Border region the safest place in America.

Kristian Ramos appeared on Fox News Live with Megyn Kelly to debate the merits of the Presidents new deporation guidelines. The video is below:

Kristian Ramos Debates Dan Stein President of F.A.I.R. On Fox News On Alabama Immigration Law

This week the Justice Department filed suit on Alabama's SB1070 copy cat law. Today I was on Fox News debating the merits of the suit the clip is below: