Immigration as a global issue

This issue is very important to all nations. One that we are all struggling with. Thus this report is important.

OUT TODAY, per Will Bohlen: The German Marshall Fund releases "Transatlantic Trends: Immigration" at the National Press Club at 9 a.m. The public opinion survey looks at how Americans, Canadians, and Europeans in six countries feel about immigration, integration, and how their governments are faring on immigration policy. From the U.S. results: 73% of Americans think the federal government is doing a poor job in managing immigration. Partisan splits show Republicans and independents favoring states handling immigration policy; Democrat favor the federal government. 67% of Americans said immigration policy would affect their vote. Full report available online after 8 a.m. www.transatlantictrends.org

Immigration

--WashPost Ombudsman Andrew Alexander, "The debate over immigration language": "Many [newsrooms] adhere to the ... guidance of the Associated Press, which prefers 'illegal immigrant.' The Post's internal stylebook says 'undocumented immigrant' also may be used. Discussion was renewed recently when Leo E. Laurence, a San Diego journalist and member of the diversity committee of the Society of Professional Journalists, wrote a column for the organization's magazine urging 'undocumented' rather than 'illegal.' 'Simply put, only a judge, not a journalist, can say that someone is an "illegal,"' he wrote. Laurence ... soon ended up in a spirited on-air disagreement with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, who suggested that refusing to use the term 'illegal' is 'political correctness gone mad.' ... A review of Post terminology in stories during the second half of 2010 shows that 'undocumented immigrant' was used about six times more frequently than 'illegal immigrant.'" http://wapo.st/hkxr5s

Language is important and is a driver in how our culture treats people.

Immigration Update:

--L.A. Times col. 1, 'OBAMA LAWYERS WEIGH ARIZONA OPTIONS,' by Richard A. Serrano and Peter Nicholas: 'A team of top government lawyers has quietly begun studying legal strategies for the Obama administration to mount a challenge to Arizona's new illegal immigration law, including the filing of a federal lawsuit against the state or joining a suit brought by others ... Attorneys from the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security are examining legal options and hope to make suggestions by mid-May, before the Arizona law takes effect sometime in midsummer ... Grounds for a possible U.S. challenge could include charges that the Arizona measure unlawfully preempts the federal government's role in securing the country's borders ... Or federal officials could file a civil rights challenge asserting that the law encourages racial profiling.'

--ASSIGNMENT EDITORS: 'The Los Angeles Police are preparing for as many as 100,000 marchers to rally for immigration rights in downtown Los Angeles during the annual May Day event Saturday.' --L.A. Times