Greg Siskind on Immigration Law and Policy

Buried in the State Department Visa Bulletin I linked to a couple of days ago was an announcement that the bar on Russians using the program would be ended and Kosovo will be listed as an independent country. The entry period will be from October 2, 2008 to December 1, 2008.

The Washington Post reports on a trend that has grown over the last few years as the shortage of teachers around the US has grown more pronounced. A lot of school systems are now depending on international educators to help ensure that teacher-student ratios don't continue to worsen. There are plenty of reasons we should be talking about teachers making more money and how we can make the profession more attractive. But like nursing, people who need teachers TODAY don't have the luxury to think about policies that will take years to bear fruit.

One nice side effect of all of the foreign teachers, particularly those in rural areas, is the international perspective they bring to children who otherwise have little exposure to life beyond the borders of the US.

I found a great web site for those of us who love political history.The site has a rich collection of television commercials from every presidential election since 1952.

Here's one that I stumbled on that reminds us that Latino voters have mattered for a long time in this country. But I can't remember an election where this important voting bloc was more influential. And it makes me nostalgic remembering Jackie O.

I've received a request for assistance from the Mississippi advocacy group working with the 400+ detained immigrants who were arrested during the recent raid at Howard Industries in Laurel, MS. They are being held in Jena, Louisiana. If you're interested, email me at gsiskind@visalaw.com and I'll forward your email on to the folks needing the help.

The Dallas Morning News reports on the Hispanic vote in this year's election. Republicans are hoping Latinos will remember McCain's past support for immigration reform (before he flipped his position and opposed his own bill). But here's why McCain should be worried:Many of the
children of immigrants have watched their parents struggle to improve
the economic health of their families and believe the anti-immigrant
movement has demonized their families unfairly.

That's the main reason state Rep. Rafael Anchía of Dallas says Latinos will end up voting for Democratic candidates.

"Latinos
under 30 are going to break big for Sen. [Barack] Obama this year, and
naturalized citizens are going to respond to Obama's personal story as
the son of immigrants," Mr. Anchía said.

"Most Latinos know how
John McCain abandoned us when it came to voting on his own
comprehensive immigration bill. I do believe the country, in general,
is ready to move in a new direction."