According to a Human Rights First report released last week, since 2001, over 18,000 refugees and asylum seekers who pose no threat to U.S. security have not received protection from the U.S. government due to the overly broad provisions of Immigration law, and the expansive way that they have been interpreted by Federal Immigration agencies.

On Wednesday, November 18th, supporters of immigration reform from all across the country are getting together for a nation-wide dialogue about the steps necessary for immigration reform.

One immigrant rights activist going by the name of Robert Erickson even tricked the anti-immigrant rally organizers into letting him speak at their rally. He began his speech with what sounded like the usual hateful anti-immigrant message. But as he continued, it became clear he was not criticizing Latin American immigrants coming across the Mexican border. Instead he was condemning the European colonizers who came here starting 500 years ago and stole the land from Native Americans while committing genocide against them. At first the anti-immigrant crowd cheered for him until they slowly realized he was not giving their message. Then they fell into silent confusion, as immigrant rights protesters shouted their approval.

Children of undocumented immigrants separated from families

While the national debate over immigration may be a ways off, an assortment of evangelical Christian organizations are already at odds over the issue. In early October, the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) -- which has over 40 member organizations and is made up of nearly 30 million U.S. evangelicals -- passed a resolution endorsing "comprehensive" immigration reform. In no time, Mark Tooley of the Institute on Religion & Democracy pounced.... "The Bible does not offer a blueprint for modern legislation, but it can serve as a moral compass and shape the attitudes of those who believe in God," the NEA resolution stated....IRD's Tooley later told OneNewsNews -- the news service of Rev. Donald Wildmon's American Family Association, that "The NAE has in the recent past become outspoken on environmentalism and global warming, and then condemn[ed] the U.S. for what it calls 'torture' in its interrogation of terror detainees. And next, [the NAE] plans to adopt a petition regarding nuclear disarmament."

Let Veterans Day remind us of army men who have been denied justice

After facing intense pressure for his anti-immigration rhetoric, Lou Dobbs announced his resignation last night to his viewers. He will be replaced by John King.

Lou Dobbs, the longtime CNN anchor whose anti-immigration views have made him a TV lightning rod, said Wednesday that he is leaving the cable news channel effective immediately. Sitting before an image of an American flag on his television set, he said “some leaders in media, politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem solving as well as to contribute positively to the great understanding of the issues of our day.” “I’m considering a number of options and directions,” Mr. Dobbs added.lo

New Video: Courage comes in many different forms. For Esmeralda a transgender asylum seeker from Mexico, who faced horrific circumstances in immigration detention, it came in the form of seeking justice. Kept in a segregated cell with other transgender detainees, Esmeralda never realized that her experience in detention would match the trauma of discrimination she had faced back home. But her video story is also one of hope for change.

November 7th 2009 marked one year from the day that Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant, was killed in the Long Island suburb of Patchogue. But rather than act as a stand-alone instance, the act of violence put a national spotlight on race relations and has emerged as one among dozens of cases of violence against Latinos in Suffolk County over the past ten years.

Immigration detention is a profit making business with little transparency to a rapidly growing patchwork of holding centers. Even though the Obama administration has promised reform, it is not fundamentally addressing an overemphasis on the use of detention. And its coming a little too late for Pedro Tavarez, whose sudden death in detention stunned his family and who are demanding an investigation.

In October, the restrictionist group Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) released a report singing the praises of the 287(g) program, which arms state and local enforcement with immigration authority, ignoring the evidence and arguments put forward by law enforcement experts.

Police officers giving tickets for not speaking English. An American marathon win being questioned as not being American enough. What does it mean to be American? Are you an authentic American?

President Nicolas Sarkozy's government started a 'what is French?' website today. Critics say the national identity debate is intended to stir up anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of national elections in the spring. As part of a long-simmering question over France's direction, the government of Nicolas Sarkozy today started a website asking citizens to give input on French values, patriotism, and their thoughts on the rise of minorities here.It's Step 1 of an ambitious national "grand debate" on "identity" that aims to span tiny French hamlets and city districts over the next four months, ending just ahead of a national by-election next spring. Critics worry about an official debate on identity taking place in government buildings, organized by a ruling political party, with official conclusions arriving just ahead of an important national by-election. It may be a way to manufacture consensus in France for tougher strictures on minorities, they say."For several years, immigrants and the children of immigrants have been targeted as threats to the French national identity," says Pap Ndiaye of the School for Advanced Studies in Social Science. "This may be a way to suggest they are not French or are not as French as they should be. There are so many ways to be French, and I think it will be sad if the government tells you how to be French. I worry about authoritarianism hidden behind debates on identity."

Government programs that arm state and local enforcement with federal immigration responsibilities require knowledge of complicated immigration laws, are costly, but most importantly, lose the faith of communities. And who better to testify to this than policing professionals.