Portside

In an attempt to help fill the knowledge gap, the American Immigration Council is releasing a study today that was conducted by Elizabeth Kennedy, a Fulbright Fellow currently doing research in El Salvador on child and youth migrants returned from Mexico and the United States. This report sheds light on some of the structural conditions that compel minors to migrate to the United States or other countries in the region.

Under the Fourth Amendment, the people of the United States are not supposed to be subject to random and arbitrary stops and searches. But within 100 miles of a U.S. border, these rules don't apply.

By law, a company can’t hire H-2A guest workers if it is in a labor dispute with its US workforce. But that is exactly what this Washington State berry grower is trying to do.

Philadelphia's only Latino City Council member, Maria Quinones-Sanchez, became emotional while talking about the executive order. "This victory is so huge, not only for the city of Philadelphia but for rest of the country," she said. "And for those of you who do immigrant work and know the faces behind the stories, the people who have suffered who we couldn't save before."

Comcast is bad; Comcast is worse; Today Comcast, tomorrow the world; Immigration coverage; US press freedom on the skids; PBS for sale

In a bleak year filled with bad news, people from Edward Snowden to Elizabeth Warren were brave enough to shake up the establishment. "Fighting the power," as people used to say, is no easy task. Victories are hard to come by and can quickly slide away because the power establishment of money, lobbying, lawyers, PR machines and out-and-out corruption are like Neil Young's rust: they never sleep.

"Hopefully, it is not also trying to hide or obscure a distressing system or set of facts.”

New Year's Fireworks: While the statistics prove that the immigrants, their labor, their taxes and their children are actually a boon to the economy, those on the right only increase their ranting about the “continuing misuse of European travel freedom for poverty migration”, helped by all those in the media who stoke fears of “free loaders and criminals”.