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GOP bristles over Obama pressure on immigration

By WTOP Staff

ALICIA A. CALDWELL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama’s latest attempt to pressure House Republicans to act on immigration legislation will backfire and make action harder, a House chairman said Thursday.

Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., criticized Obama’s move this week to delay the results of a review of the nation’s deportations policy until late summer. White House officials said they wanted to allow House Republicans opportunity to act before Congress’ August recess and November midterm elections.

If they don’t, Obama is expected to take steps on his own to curb deportations, which have reached record highs on his watch.

“When the president says he’s going to set a time limit and then consider taking actions himself … that makes doing immigration reform harder not easier,” Goodlatte said during an oversight hearing with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.

Legislation is stalled in the House 11 months after the Senate passed a sweeping bill dealing with border security, workplace enforcement and eventual citizenship for millions. Action is looking increasingly unlikely even on narrow measures, such as one offering citizenship to immigrants here illegally to serve in the military.

The House did vote on one immigration-related measure Thursday. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an immigration hardliner, offered an amendment to an annual spending bill aimed at encouraging the Justice Department to spend $5 million investigating the release of convicted criminal immigrants.

The measure passed 218-193. Immigration advocates complained that the House should not be voting on punitive measures by King when votes on overhauling the immigration system haven’t gone forward.

Johnson was in the midst of the administration’s review of the government’s deportation policies when the White House announced the delay.

Johnson has given little indication about what he will recommend. He said Thursday, as he’s indicated in the past, that a program to identify immigrants in the country illegally who are booked into local jails should get a “fresh start.”

But he told lawmakers the program known as “Secure Communities,” which uses fingerprints submitted to the FBI to identify potentially deportable immigrants, should not be eliminated.

“I don’t believe we should scrap Secure Communities,” Johnson said. “I believe, given the reality of where we are with this program in this country, that we need a fresh start … I think the goal of the program is a very worthy one that needs to continue.”

The program has drawn complaints from local law enforcement, and an increasing number of counties, cities and states are opting not to participate in the wake of recent court decisions raising questions about the program. Goodlatte called the program “one of the most efficient mechanisms for removing dangerous aliens from the United States.”

Johnson also confirmed Thursday that his review is looking at refocusing priorities for who is deported. Priorities should include people who are threats to national security, public safety and border security, he said. Advocates are pushing for broad action to shield large groups of people from deportation.

The secretary faced strong criticism from Republicans on both the review and the administration’s use of discretion enforcing immigration laws.

Federal data published this month showed that the Homeland Security Department released 36,007 convicted criminal immigrants last year who are facing deportation, including those accounting for 193 homicide and 426 sexual assault convictions. The immigrants nearly all still face deportation and are required to check in with immigration authorities while their deportation cases are pending.

Goodlatte said Johnson isn’t responsible for decisions he described as “dangerous and irresponsible” made before Johnson was hired as Homeland Security secretary in December. But Goodlatte said Americans have lost confidence in the administration’s enforcement of immigration laws. Johnson said he has asked for a “deeper understanding” of why the department released the immigrants, and he pledged to continue to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to ensure public safety.

Johnson said many of the releases were directed by an immigration judge or were prompted by other legal requirements.

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Associated Press writers Erica Werner and Josh Lederman contributed to this report.

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Follow Alicia A. Caldwell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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