Iowa’s Republican Attorney General joined a 16-state lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s “parole in place” program for spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens.
President Joe Biden in June announced a new process that could potentially give approximately half a million immigrants without legal status who are married to U.S. citizens a path to citizenship.
Under the new policy, spouses without legal status who are legally married to a U.S. citizen and who have lived continuously in the country for at least 10 years, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements, can apply for lawful permanent residence — status that they are already eligible for — without leaving the country.
To be eligible, immigrants must not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, pay a $580 application fee and fill out an application, including an explanation of why they deserve humanitarian parole, and submit supporting documents to demonstrate they meet the criteria.
If approved, they have three years to seek permanent residency. During that period, they can get work authorization. The White House estimates about 500,000 spouses of U.S. citizens could be eligible, plus about 50,000 of their children.
Spouses of U.S. citizens already were eligible to apply for green cards, but had to leave the United States and stay away for up to 10 years if they had entered illegally.
The White House has said the new process will promote family unity and strengthen the economy by helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together.
But in an election year where immigration and border security have been a focal issue for conservatives, Republicans have attacked the policy as a form of amnesty for people who broke the law.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird joined a Texas-lead lawsuit to halt the program, arguing that the administration bypassed Congress and broke federal law.
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks July 2 during a news conference at the Cedar Rapids Police Department in southwest Cedar Rapids. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
“The Biden-Harris administration is already responsible for the wide-open borders that have allowed drug cartels, human traffickers, and suspected terrorists into the country,” Bird said in a statement. “ … This amnesty scheme only further dismantles our nation’s immigration system. I am suing to keep our country safe and ensure our nation’s laws are upheld.”
Iowa announces grants to 137 schools to buy local food
Jefferson High School freshman Austin Matheny serves himself from one of several fruit stations in 2015 in the cafeteria during lunch at Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids. (The Gazette)
As a new academic year begins, Iowa schools will receive grants to purchase meat, produce, eggs, dairy and other food from local farmers.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced Monday that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship will provide $2,000 grants to 137 participating school districts or schools to purchase meat, eggs, produce, dairy and other local foods from farmers. Launched in 2022, Local Food for Schools pairs school lunch programs with a local food hub to connect to area farmers.
This latest and final round of the grant program will run through December. The program is funded in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The program has previously awarded $1.7 million to 162 Iowa schools, assisting more than 110 farms and food businesses that have sold food to schools through the program, according to the Iowa Agriculture Department.
Seventeen of the schools awarded funding are new to the program, according to the department.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig discusses appears July 12 on “Iowa Press” at Iowa PBS studios in Johnston. (Photo courtesy of Iowa PBS)
“These grants provide yet another way that we can assist our schools with providing fresh and nutritious meals while also fortifying supply chains and building market demand for Iowa farmers,” Naig said in a statement.
Area school districts receiving funding include:
Center Point-Urbana Community School DistrictClear Creek Amana Community School DistrictIowa City Community School District Iowa Mennonite School Hillcrest Academy (Kalona) Jesup Community School DistrictLaSalle Catholic Schools (Cedar Rapids)Lone Tree Community School District Lutheran Interparish School (Williamsburg)North Linn Community School DistrictRiverside Community School DistrictSolon Community School DistrictSt. Joseph Catholic School (Marion)Trinity Lutheran (Cedar Rapids)Williamsburg Community School District Xavier High School (Cedar Rapids)
For more information on the program, go to iowafarmtoschoolearlycare.org/lfs.
Reynolds names new Iowa Communications Network director
Ryan Mulhall has been promoted to executive director of the Iowa Communications Network, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced. Mulhall has served as the network’s chief information officer since 2016.
The Iowa Communications Network is an independent state agency that administers Iowa’s 3,400-mile fiber-optic telecommunications network.
“The ICN’s critical infrastructure provides connectivity for many essential functions in our state, including health care and 911, and we will continue to find ways to make the network more resilient, reliable, and secure,” Mulhall said in a news release issued by the Governor’s Office.
Mulhall previously led communications for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and on military bases in the United States, according to the Governor’s Office. He also previously worked on IT infrastructure projects with IP Pathways in Urbandale.
“Iowans living in both rural and metro communities rely on connectivity across our state. For more than 30 years, the Iowa Communications Network has provided vital services in all 99 counties,” Reynolds said in a statement. “Ryan is an exceptional leader with impressive experience, and I know he’ll continue to build on the trusted and reliable work ICN has already achieved.”
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Publish date : 2024-08-26 05:22:00
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