an alliance of university, community, and government partners dedicated to fostering welcoming communities and promoting the integration of immigrants and minorities across Canada
The Media Roundup provides links to recent and archived articles, in both English and French, on immigration and diversity appearing in the national and local news. Some international content is also included. Articles are updated weekly.
New York Times – Companies Use Immigration Crackdown To Turn A Profit
The men showed up in a small town in Australia’s outback early last year, offering top dollar for all available lodgings. Within days, their company, Serco, was flying in recruits from as far away as London, and bussing them from trailers to work 12-hour shifts as guards in a remote camp where immigrants seeking asylum are indefinitely detained. It was just a small part of a pattern on three continents where a handful of multinational security companies have been turning crackdowns on immigration into a growing global industry. Especially in Britain, the United States and Australia, governments of different stripes have increasingly looked to such companies to expand detention and show voters they are enforcing tougher immigration laws.
Hamilton Spectator – Multicultural Council Gets New Executive Director
The Halton Multicultural Council has appointed a new executive director. Valerie Martin moved to the council this month after working with the Welcome Centre Project in York Region. She has also worked with the United Church of Canada and other faith-based organizations. “We are extremely pleased to have Valerie join our team,” said Trivi Mehendale, president of the HMC board of directors.
The Guardian – US Cracks Down On Illegal Immigrants
Authorities arrested about 2,900 illegal immigrants with prior criminal convictions in the United States in a seven-day nationwide operation, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Wednesday. “You are going to see a sustained focus on criminal offenders from this agency,” ICE director John Morton told reporters. “These are not the kind of people we want walking our streets.” Authorities arrested 2,901 people in the week-long Cross Check operation, described by the agency as the biggest of its kind, officials said. Arrests were made in all 50 US states and in four US territories. Those arrested included citizens of Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Honduras andNigeria.
The New York Times – Alabama Wins In Ruling On Its Immigration Law
A federal judge on Wednesday upheld most of the sections of Alabama’s far-reaching immigration law that had been challenged by the Obama administration, including portions that had been blocked in other states. The decision, by Judge Sharon Lovelace Blackburn of Federal District Court in Birmingham, makes it much more likely that the fate of the recent flurry of state laws against illegal immigration will eventually be decided by the Supreme Court. It also means that Alabama now has by far the strictest such law of any state.
London Free Press – Immigration, Jobs Hot London West Issues
The riding with the greatest diversity in the London area poses one of the greatest challenges for its candidates — if you want to win London West, you can’t be a one-issue wonder. This is a community that demands a well-rounded view, say political observers. “The biggest thing about London West is the split between established families, new Canadian families and empty nesters,” said Stephen Turner, past chairperson of the Urban League, and a London West resident living in Old South. “There is quite a range of different people living here and one of the challenges for the riding and for candidates is to address all the constituents.”
This article is no longer available online. Please contact the media source directly for more information. Original Source: http://www.lfpress.com/news/ontarioelection/2011/09/27/18748951.html#/news/ontarioelection/2011/09/27/pf-18748946.html
The Guardian – A Test Case For Europe’s Creaking Asylum System
The state of Greece’s economy is not the only issue that is causing a problem for other European states. In late 2008, Saeedi, an Afghan asylum seeker, arrived in the EU via Greece before making his way to the UK to seek refuge. Under the Dublin regulation it is for the EU country of first entry to consider the asylum claim, so the UK sought to return Saeedi to Greece. Saeedi challenged his transfer by claiming that Greece was unable to process his case and that return would violate his fundamental rights. If he is successful, no asylum seeker could be returned to Greece under current conditions. Given the human rights claim, Saeedi’s case also affords the European court of justice the opportunity to decide on the legal status of the EU charter of fundamental rights in the UK. If the ECJ follows the lead of its advocate general, Verica Trstenjak whose opinion was handed down last week, Europe’s creaking asylum system will be put under critical pressure.
