In immigration news: California's new laws, the immigrant detention 'bed mandate,' diversity and TV ratings, more

In immigration news: California's new laws, the immigrant detention 'bed mandate,' diversity and TV ratings, more

Leslie Berestein Rojas | October 14th, 2013, 10:50am

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

California Gov. Jerry Brown (C) signs bill AB 60 as Democratic State Senator Kevin de Leon (2nd L), state assemblyman Luis Alejo (L) and councilman Gil Cedillo (3rd L) watch on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall. The bill allows unauthorized immigrants to apply for a permit to legally drive in California.

Immigration bills benefited from a more engaged Gov. Brown - Los Angeles Times More on how California Gov. Jerry Brown shifted course this year on immigration-related bills, signing a long list of them when just a year ago he vetoed a key immigration proposal. From the story: "...with the fiscal crisis behind him, legislators describe the governor as more approachable and engaged. Instead of being handed off to his staffers, they hashed out differences with him face to face."
Controversial quota drives immigration detention boom - Washington Post On the so-called “bed mandate,” a congressional directive that requires U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fill an average of 34,000 detainee beds in immigrant detention centers per day. Established in 2006, the quota has risen steadily, even as illegal immigration has fallen off.
States back off from enacting immigration laws - Los Angeles Times While California's governor recently signed a list immigration-related laws, other states are holding back, as outlined in a recent report: "It's a far cry from 2011, when states enacted 162 immigration laws, many following Arizona's controversial SB 1070...This year, 146 immigration laws have been enacted in 43 states and the District of Columbia."
Northern Colorado immigrants still without homes after the flood - Denver Post More than 300 immigrants lost trailer homes and apartments in the flooding that struck Colorado last month. Many are still "living in warehouses, churches or hotels or are crammed into the spare rooms of friends and relatives because there are so few rentals available. The flood ruined their vehicles, so they have difficulty getting to jobs."
Diversity on TV may be good for the ratings - Southern California Public Radio A UCLA study "looked at 67 scripted shows on cable and broadcast television during the 2011-2012 television season, and found that shows with larger minority casts posted above-average ratings." But non-white performers account for only 15 percent of lead roles on cable television, and 11 percent of those on broadcast shows.

Leslie Berestein Rojas, Immigration and Emerging Communities Reporter

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