By MATT ERICKSON, The Lawrence Journal-World
LAWRENCE, Kan. ---- The sweeping immigration bill approved by the U.S. Senate last week might face difficulty in the House of Representatives, but among officials in Kansas University’s International Programs office, it’s being greeted with cheers.
That’s because, alongside a route to citizenship for 11 million unauthorized immigrants and increased border security, the bill also calls for immigration changes that officials say would help KU and other research universities compete for the most talented graduate students and researchers in the world.
“For us to remain viable as a research university, we have to be an international research university,” said Chuck Olcese, KU’s director of international student services. And some of the bill’s provisions would help KU and other American universities keep a global focus, he said.
The bill would give international graduate students in STEM fields — science, technology, engineering and math — a direct, quick path to permanent U.S. residency via a green card after graduation. And foreigners who get Ph.D.s at American universities in any field would have an easier route to a green card than they have now.
That means KU, and other U.S. universities, might have an easier time recruiting talented graduate students and faculty from other countries.
“It’s a very important thing in being able to hire the best and brightest,” said Keeli Nelson, a senior adviser who helps KU faculty and staff with immigration and visa issues in KU’s International Programs office.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Thursday, June 20, 2013
GUEST COLUMN: An apology to the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department
By JOHN ALTEVOGT, Guest Columnist
We now have much more information concerning last Saturday’s home invasion of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s house by a mob of some 200-300 people doing what amounted to a photo op for Univision.
And one thing is clear - Unified Government Mayor/CEO Mark Holland and many of us (me included) owe the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department an apology.
Originally, I had been under the impression that the protest had lasted for an extended period, coming to a halt only when inclement weather forced the protesters back onto their buses. That was incorrect. That led me to confront what appeared to be a paradox between Western Wyandotte County’s stunning record of community policing and what appeared at first blush to be its non-response to the mob at Kobach’s home in Northwest Piper.
At that point my conclusion was that this “non-response” was further evidence of Mayor Holland’s collusion with the mob, given that they had assembled at his church prior to going to Kobach’s home.
Information obtained through news sources and personal interviews with area residents have reinforced Holland’s culpability in giving our community a black eye nationally and internationally while exonerating our Kansas City, Kan., Police Department completely (although the mis-impression concerning police response times that has gone beyond the borders of our community is probably irretrievable).
First, let’s understand the nature of the protest. It was never intended to be a lengthy process. Many among that crowd are in this country illegally and they would have had no desire to stick around and wait for law enforcement to show up. Protesting is one thing, getting deported quite another. Instead, this was purely a photo op for Univision. Get in, get some film for the cameras and get out. The rain simply added a few more dramatic shots.
We now have much more information concerning last Saturday’s home invasion of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s house by a mob of some 200-300 people doing what amounted to a photo op for Univision.
And one thing is clear - Unified Government Mayor/CEO Mark Holland and many of us (me included) owe the Kansas City, Kan., Police Department an apology.
Originally, I had been under the impression that the protest had lasted for an extended period, coming to a halt only when inclement weather forced the protesters back onto their buses. That was incorrect. That led me to confront what appeared to be a paradox between Western Wyandotte County’s stunning record of community policing and what appeared at first blush to be its non-response to the mob at Kobach’s home in Northwest Piper.
At that point my conclusion was that this “non-response” was further evidence of Mayor Holland’s collusion with the mob, given that they had assembled at his church prior to going to Kobach’s home.
Information obtained through news sources and personal interviews with area residents have reinforced Holland’s culpability in giving our community a black eye nationally and internationally while exonerating our Kansas City, Kan., Police Department completely (although the mis-impression concerning police response times that has gone beyond the borders of our community is probably irretrievable).
First, let’s understand the nature of the protest. It was never intended to be a lengthy process. Many among that crowd are in this country illegally and they would have had no desire to stick around and wait for law enforcement to show up. Protesting is one thing, getting deported quite another. Instead, this was purely a photo op for Univision. Get in, get some film for the cameras and get out. The rain simply added a few more dramatic shots.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Kobach considering filing charges against protesters who came to his home
By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said today he is considering filing criminal charges against immigration reform advocates who protested on his home's porch over the weekend.
Those who helped organize and participated in the protest said nothing improper happened.
Reports indicated that anywhere from 100 to 300 people participated in the protest at Kobach's home in western Wyandotte County on Saturday.
Video of the event showed people standing on Kobach's porch and in the driveway chanting pro-immigration slogans and leaving pairs of shoes that they said represented the shoes of fathers who have been deported because of Kobach's anti-immigration policies.
Kobach, a Republican who has built a national profile pushing tough illegal immigration laws, called the protesters a mob and said they were trying to intimidate him.
Kobach, his wife and their young daughters were not home at the time. "If my daughters had seen 200 people coming up the driveway, it would have been very scary for them," Kobach said.
"We are looking into what charges will be filed," he said. "There are a variety of charges, a number of statutes that apply," he said, mentioning criminal threat, criminal terrorism, and littering.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach said today he is considering filing criminal charges against immigration reform advocates who protested on his home's porch over the weekend.
Those who helped organize and participated in the protest said nothing improper happened.
Video of the event showed people standing on Kobach's porch and in the driveway chanting pro-immigration slogans and leaving pairs of shoes that they said represented the shoes of fathers who have been deported because of Kobach's anti-immigration policies.
Kobach, a Republican who has built a national profile pushing tough illegal immigration laws, called the protesters a mob and said they were trying to intimidate him.
Kobach, his wife and their young daughters were not home at the time. "If my daughters had seen 200 people coming up the driveway, it would have been very scary for them," Kobach said.
"We are looking into what charges will be filed," he said. "There are a variety of charges, a number of statutes that apply," he said, mentioning criminal threat, criminal terrorism, and littering.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
VIDEO: Protestors chant in front of Kris Kobach's home
Video streaming by Ustream
By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com
As political chatter continues on immigration reform in Washington D.C., some of the discussion has hit Kansas City, Kan., in the form of a protest.
On Saturday afternoon, about 300 individuals protested in front of the home of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach.
Kobach, an outspoken critic on legislation that would grant legalization to about 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States, happens to live in Western Wyandotte County.
The protestors were from an organization called the Sunflower Community Action.
Kobach was referred to as the "King of Hate" in multiple tweets from the organization's Twitter account.
No one was injured in the event.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Man found in KCK accused of unlawfully re-entering country
U.S. Department of Justice
Alfredo Muniz-Luna, 37, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported.
He was found March 18, 2013, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting. Muniz-Luna is innocent until proven guilty.
Alfredo Muniz-Luna, 37, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported.
He was found March 18, 2013, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting. Muniz-Luna is innocent until proven guilty.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Kobach testifies against immigration bill before U.S. Senate committee
By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach was in Washington, D.C., yesterday testifying against an immigration bill before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Kobach cited the recent Boston Marathon bombing as one of several reasons he opposed the proposed legislation, saying that the bill provided insufficient background checks to prevent terrorists from gaining amnesty.
According to his written testimony, Kobach said that under the bill "any illegal alien can invent a new name with a totally clean record and present that name when applying for the amnesty.
"In other words, an alien who has a terrorist background can call himself `Rumpelstiltskin' without having to prove that that is his real name."
He said marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who died in a shoot-out with police, was able to travel internationally and gain terrorist training before returning to the United States.
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach was in Washington, D.C., yesterday testifying against an immigration bill before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee.
Kobach cited the recent Boston Marathon bombing as one of several reasons he opposed the proposed legislation, saying that the bill provided insufficient background checks to prevent terrorists from gaining amnesty.
According to his written testimony, Kobach said that under the bill "any illegal alien can invent a new name with a totally clean record and present that name when applying for the amnesty.
"In other words, an alien who has a terrorist background can call himself `Rumpelstiltskin' without having to prove that that is his real name."
He said marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who died in a shoot-out with police, was able to travel internationally and gain terrorist training before returning to the United States.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Sides clash in hearing on bill that would repeal in-state tuition for undocumented students
By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
Two vastly different opinions about undocumented immigrants were displayed Wednesday before a House committee considering a bill that would repeal in-state tuition for some undocumented students.
Rep. Allan Rothlisberg, R-Grandview Plaza, talked about drug cartels filling the prison system and said he was offended when phone messages have a Spanish language option.
"This is an English-speaking country," Rothlisberg said.
Rothlisberg said he didn't support immigrants with children entering the country illegally. "Parents are using their children as pawns in this effort," he said.
But students, religious leaders and educators, including the Lawrence school board, said the current state law that allows certain undocumented students to pay the less expensive in-state college tuition is helping the state and helping those students fulfill their dreams.
"They came here because their parents brought them here," said Fred Logan, vice chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. "They are innocent. They are great Kansans," Logan said of the students.
Logan said 630 students, most of whom are attending community and technical colleges, benefit from the in-state tuition law.
Two vastly different opinions about undocumented immigrants were displayed Wednesday before a House committee considering a bill that would repeal in-state tuition for some undocumented students.
Rep. Allan Rothlisberg, R-Grandview Plaza, talked about drug cartels filling the prison system and said he was offended when phone messages have a Spanish language option.
"This is an English-speaking country," Rothlisberg said.
Rothlisberg said he didn't support immigrants with children entering the country illegally. "Parents are using their children as pawns in this effort," he said.
But students, religious leaders and educators, including the Lawrence school board, said the current state law that allows certain undocumented students to pay the less expensive in-state college tuition is helping the state and helping those students fulfill their dreams.
"They came here because their parents brought them here," said Fred Logan, vice chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. "They are innocent. They are great Kansans," Logan said of the students.
Logan said 630 students, most of whom are attending community and technical colleges, benefit from the in-state tuition law.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
Man found in Wyandotte County charged with unlawfully entering the country
U.S. Department of Justice
Carin Leon-Pacheco, 38, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony an deported.
He was found Sept. 25, 2012, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
Carin Leon-Pacheco, 38, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony an deported.
He was found Sept. 25, 2012, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Supporters of DREAM Act rally against Kobach
By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World
Children of undocumented immigrants rallied on Tuesday, calling on Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to resign and drop a lawsuit that seeks to end a program established by President Barack Obama that allows them to stay in the country.
In an interview with the Lawrence Journal-World, Kobach said he has no intention of doing either.
He described the group's demands as "insane."
"The audacity of some people who are illegally in the country is amazing," Kobach said. "First they demand we don't enforce our laws and then they demand that a public official who wants to enforce the laws should resign."
Several in the group tried to meet with Kobach, a Republican who has been active in passing stringent anti-illegal immigration laws in several states, but Kobach's spokeswoman met them downstairs from his office and told them that Kobach wouldn't meet with them because his schedule was full and he doesn't conduct immigration-related business while in his state office.
"We don't do any immigration issues here in this office, the secretary of state's office," said V. Kay Curtis, who took a letter from the group and said she would give it to Kobach.
Children of undocumented immigrants rallied on Tuesday, calling on Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to resign and drop a lawsuit that seeks to end a program established by President Barack Obama that allows them to stay in the country.
In an interview with the Lawrence Journal-World, Kobach said he has no intention of doing either.
He described the group's demands as "insane."
"The audacity of some people who are illegally in the country is amazing," Kobach said. "First they demand we don't enforce our laws and then they demand that a public official who wants to enforce the laws should resign."
Several in the group tried to meet with Kobach, a Republican who has been active in passing stringent anti-illegal immigration laws in several states, but Kobach's spokeswoman met them downstairs from his office and told them that Kobach wouldn't meet with them because his schedule was full and he doesn't conduct immigration-related business while in his state office.
"We don't do any immigration issues here in this office, the secretary of state's office," said V. Kay Curtis, who took a letter from the group and said she would give it to Kobach.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
KCK man charged with illegally re-entering the country
U.S. Department of Justice
Alfredo Gomez-Granados, 60, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported.
He was found July 24, 2012, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Department of Homeland Security investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
He is innocent until proven guilty.
Alfredo Gomez-Granados, 60, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported.
He was found July 24, 2012, in Kansas City, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Department of Homeland Security investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble is prosecuting.
He is innocent until proven guilty.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Man charged with illegally entering the country in Wyandotte County case
Rigoberto Gamboa-Vasquez, 36, who is not a citizen of the United States, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being convicted of a felony and deported.
He was found April 19, 2012, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
He's innocent until proven guilty.
He was found April 19, 2012, in Wyandotte County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.
He's innocent until proven guilty.
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