IMMIGRATION

NBC News - NBC News spoke with nearly a half-dozen immigrants’ rights advocates across four states, and they all said they have received an increased number of calls from immigrants asking about their rights. In response, the advocates and groups are conducting know-your-rights trainings and helping vulnerable families prepare plans of action in case an undocumented relative is suddenly detained or deported.For example, Hope CommUnity Center, the nonprofit outside of Orlando which Sousa-Lazaballet leads, is helping immigrant families come up with a “dignity plan” that includes legal plans about who will take care of children left behind if an undocumented parent is picked up by authorities.In Los Angeles, the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights has offered 93 know-your-rights presentations at area schools, businesses and organizations that provide community services. Read the full story here.

NPR -  Scientific research in the U.S. relies heavily of foreign-born scientists, who include more than half a million working under temporary visas. During President-elect Donald Trump’s first term in the White House, those visas became harder to get – and they’re  likely to face renewed scrutiny in his second term. The H-1B visa, the most common for working scientists, has been called a secret weapon because it allows universities and tech companies to hire top talent from around the world, NPR’s Jon Hamilton tells Up First. Three months into Trump’s first term, he unveiled a plan to restrict work visas, specifically H-1B. In 2020, he temporarily suspended new H-1B visas. The Biden administration reversed those changes. Some tech firms like Box are making the case that these visas are good for the economy.