Weekend Reading: Highlights from this week’s immigration news (April 25-29)
Date: April 30, 2016
On Tuesday, Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan signed into law the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy Act. The law establishes a program to recognize high school graduates who have attained proficiency in at least one language in addition to English. The Seal of Biliteracy is an important initiative to promote foreign language learning and greater cultural understanding for students.
Various articles this week highlighted the achievements of immigrants or their children. One notable piece by Tatiana Sanchez for The San Diego Union-Tribune told the story of an undocumented veteran who became a U.S. citizen on Thursday thanks to his military service. Daniel Torres, who served in the Iraq War was eligible for citizenship under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act that waives the usual requirements for citizenship for those who served in the military during times of conflict.
Meanwhile, ABC7 highlighted the story of Cesar Arevalo, the child of immigrants from El Salvador. When Arevalo first moved to the United States, he couldn’t speak any English. Today, he’s received offers from 11 colleges, including six Ivy Leagues.
Finally, Arielle Pardes, an Associate Editor at VICE News, wrote this excellent piece explaining why America’s immigration system is in desperate need of a digital makeover. Pardes describes the archaic visa application process that involves, among other things, unwieldy amounts of paperwork. Thankfully, in recent years steps have been taken towards improving the system, starting with moving paper forms online. The article is the first in a series that will explore how technology is reshaping the immigration experience.
In case you missed it:
Thursday was the much-anticipated NFL Draft Day. We profiled Mackensie Alexander—a top cornerback prospect and the son of Haitian immigrants—on our blog. Read the piece here.
