Border & Immigration

Fronteras: Gay and lesbian activists are fighting to be included as U.S. immigration reform takes shape. The new Somali president has called for Somali refugees in the U.S. to return to their homeland and help rebuild the nation. Will young Somalis heed his call? We look at a new university housing model in New Mexico for student veterans. Also, we get the scoop on this year's CineFestival, which spotlights Latino films in San Antonio.

Fronteras: The immigration proposal senators are crafting calls for an expanded use of border drones, we look at how effective they have been along the border so far. We hear the story of an American veteran's two-year quest to get an Iraqi family to the safety of U.S. soil. Finally, a San Antonio surgery resident talks about his immigration experience so far, and the hurdles immigrant doctors face to work in the U.S. even though there are doctor shortages.

While President Barack Obama covered a lot of territory in last night’s State-of-the-Union, one topic that’s being scrutinized is immigration reform. 

It took President Obama almost exactly an hour to deliver the annual address and 2 minutes and 18 seconds of it was dedicated to immigration reform.

“And right now, leaders from the business, labor, law enforcement, and faith communities all agree that the time has come to pass comprehensive immigration reform,” he said.  

A round of applause

On Fronteras: The legacy of the 1986 immigration reform bill is playing a big role in the current debate over how to overhaul the nation's immigration system. You may have heard about sending immigrants to "the back of the line" when it comes to a path to citizenship, but what does that line actually look like? We hear about Navajo singer Radmilla Cody, who has been nominated for her first Grammy, and a powerful profile of a Havasupai medicine woman and her gift for healing.

During the first hearing on immigration of the 113th Congress, House Republicans honed in on seeking a middle ground  between “mass deportation” of undocumented immigrants and providing a path to citizenship. 

The Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Virginia, called it the question of the day.

“Are there options that we should consider between the extremes of mass deportation and a pathway to citizenship?" Goodlatte asked San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro.

Fronteras: What are the prospects for an overhaul to the nation's guest worker program? Arizona has plenty of experience using a mandatory employment verification system known as E-Verify; a look at how that program is working. Finally, a reaction on the current immigration reform proposals from two national organizations with very different ideas for a path forward.