On Wednesday, New York became the second state in the country to announce its withdrawal from the controversial Secure Communities program. Launched in March 2008 under former President Bush, the program screens the fingerprints of anyone in jail with the aim of identifying those who are undocumented immigrants.

But in a statement yesterday, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo called attention to “concerns about the implementation of the program as well as its impact on families, immigrant communities and law enforcement in New York.” He is not the only one. Last month, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn made his state the first to pull out of the program calling it “contrary to what was established.” Department of Homeland Security officials have said they still intend to enforce the program in Illinois. Massachusetts and California have also voiced their objections to the program.
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On the heels of President Obama’s renewed call for immigration reform yesterday, Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Harry Reid (D-NV), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) re-introduced the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act today. The legislation offers undocumented young people who grew up in the United States an earned path to citizenship through military service or two years of college attendance. It is being re-introduced in the House of Representatives by Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA).

The DREAM Act failed in the lame-duck session of Congress last December when it fell five votes short of the 60 needed to invoke cloture and proceed to debate. This vote was a clear sign of the increasing partisan divide on immigration-related issues as the large majority of those voting against the bill were on the Republican side.

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Establishing an environment that welcomes and taps the talents and full economic potential of immigrants requires a greater understanding of the present-day struggles and contributions of immigrants and Latinos overall.

That is the underlying principle for Americas Society’s newly released a compendium of immigration-related articles: New Destinations & Hispanic Immigrants: Promoting Inclusive Policies. Funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, it presents a multifaceted picture of what policymakers, advocates, and the general public face when trying to devise an approach to immigration that responds to the interests and needs of actors across society.

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Managing personal finances—including saving and investing properly—is a challenge for anyone. But this is especially challenging for immigrants of which almost half come from Latin America.

Recognizing the intrinsic link between financial literacy and the socioeconomic prosperity of Hispanic immigrants, Qualitas of Life Foundation was developed in 2004 to provide direct access to financial tools for immigrant families in New York. Its work is particularly unique in that its mission and classes are carried out through partnerships with the business community, other nongovernmental organizations, and a network of professionals dedicated to the organization.

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