JohnS

About John Sciamanna

John Sciamanna is CWLA's Vice President of Public Policy.

Court to Administration: Reunite Families This Month

On June 26, 2018, Judge Dana M. Sabraw, United States District Court for Southern California directed the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Control to reunite the more than 2000 children that have been separated from their children at the U.S. border. The Judge said that

Senate Appropriators: HHS We Want Reports on Unaccompanied Minors

In the Senate Appropriations Report to the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, the Committee directs HHS to provide monthly data and weekly updates on the status of children in HHS custody. The directive is attached to the $1.3 billion appropriated to the Unaccompanied Alien children line item. In the Committee comments they note the trauma and hardship being

House Collapse on Immigration

On Wednesday, June 27, the House of Representatives put a final nail in the coffin of immigration reform compromise when the Goodlatte-Ryan bill went down to a big defeat by a vote of 121 to 301. There are suggestions that when the House returns from the July 4th break they will take up a narrower

Advocates Call for Congressional Oversight on Child Separation

A joint briefing by the YWCA and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation: A Report Back from the Border on Friday, June 29, provided a platform for advocates to call for congressional action. The panel discussion and remarks included Abel Nunez, CARECEN—Latino Resource and Justice Center, Maria Cardona, Latinovations, Maria Teresa Kumar, Vota Latino, Ranit Mishori, Global

Young Victims of Opioids

Shaquita Ogletree Council for Strong America provided a Capitol Hill briefing on “Caring for the Youngest Victims of Our Nation’s Opioid Crisis.” Congressman Bruce Poliquin (R-ME) discussed the fifty-eight bills that were passed by the House of Representatives in recent days along with an additional $4 billion for states and said the action was in

Health Care Update: Judge Blocks KY Medicaid-Work Waiver

n Friday, the Administration and the state of Kentucky received a blow when a judge struck down the Medicaid work requirement that was set to go into effect on July 1. The ruling by Judge James Boasberg came late on Friday. The Judge directed the state to go back to CMS and HHS to review

Where and How Are the Children?

By Friday there were more questions than answers on the fate of immigrant families crossing the border and the children that have already been separated from those families. First the President issued an executive order that said families would be arrested and kept together. The problem is that there are no placements for those families.

HHS Seeks Comments on Family First Evidence Base

On Friday, June 22, HHS issued their first request for comments on how to approach the issue of defining and listing services and practices that will qualify under the Family First Prevention Services Act. There is a very quick turn-around time with comments due by July 22. Under the Family First Act, HHS is to

Two Steps You Can Do For Children Separated

Before you send that e-mail or make that phone call to an advocacy or other children’s organization demanding action or you post on Facebook your opinions, TELL THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS as a constituent. Go to the CWLA Action Center. Enter your zip code and your two senators and member of Congress will pop up

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