By BRYAN THOMPSON

President Donald Trump is giving Congress six months to come up with a solution to help unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children, including thousands in Kansas.

U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall, a Republican who represents the 1st District in Kansas, concedes that President Barack Obama’s 2012 executive order that provided a reprieve from deportation through the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program — also known as DACA — may not have been constitutional.

“But that’s not my fault, it’s not these kids’ fault,” Marshall said Tuesday in a phone interview. “I have to deal with the situation today — that we have 15,000 DACA kids in Kansas, and that immigration is a top issue in southwest Kansas. So I need to deal with the problem at hand. We need to do the right thing.”

Marshall says law-abiding young people who are in school or have jobs should be granted some sort of legal residency status, with a two-year renewal process.

 

Congress now has 6 months to legalize DACA (something the Obama Administration was unable to do). If they can’t, I will revisit this issue!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2017

Kansas was one of 26 states that had sued over DACA, charging that Obama did not have the authority to create the program by executive order.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a statement Tuesday that he would now ask for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

“The Trump administration’s actions today return the issue to the only place constitutionally empowered to resolve it: The United States Congress,” Schmidt said.

“The obvious reality is our country is not going to round up and deport 800,000 people who in the past were brought here as children, grew up here, have committed no crimes, and now have relied in good faith on the Obama administration’s false but enticing promises,” he said. “Congress needs to enact immigration law that humanely and responsibly fixes this problem once and for all.”

‘Do it the right way’

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who has advised President Donald Trump on immigration issues, discussed the future of DACA during several media appearances in recent days.

He said Tuesday on MSNBC that Trump’s decision means the thousands of young immigrants are “back into your illegal status.”

“I would suggest, go home and get in line, come into the United States legally, then get a green card, then become a citizen,” Kobach said. “Do it the right way, like so many hundreds of thousands of your countrymen are trying to do.”

Congressman Ron Estes of Kansas’ 4th District applauded the president for giving Congress time to fix the immigration system and secure the nation’s borders, without providing amnesty.

And U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder, from the 3rd District, expressed sympathy for those in DACA, saying he’s not in favor of deporting them. But Yoder said he opposed Obama’s executive order creating DACA and that only Congress has the authority to decide the status of minors brought here illegally.

Rally in Wichita

Trump’s DACA decision sparked a rally in Wichita, where immigration advocates also called on Congress to act.

Carolina Hernandez is the immigrant justice organizer at Sunflower Community Action in Wichita. During the rally outside the Sedgwick County Courthouse, she urged those in the crowd to encourage Congress to protect those in the DACA program.

“We might not know what our future looks like in six months, but we know we have an opportunity to come together,” she said.

After the rally, Hernandez said Trump’s move to rescind DACA is a “wake-up call.”

“We were, you know, pretty comfortable, for these past few years,” she said. “Even myself, I was too.”

Hernandez is originally from Mexico and enrolled in DACA in 2012, when she was 16. When her permit expires in 2019, she won’t be able to reapply.

Leaders of organizations that serve Latino families in the Kansas City area share Hernandez’s concerns.

“These folks have passed background checks, have paid taxes and have done everything they were supposed to do,” said Irene Caudillo, CEO of El Centro in Kansas City, Kansas. “It’s now time for Congress to pass legislation and have the courage to do it.”

El Centro officials and many area educators have been worried about the end of DACA since the election, Caudillo says.

Some local institutions have embraced DACA students. Over the last several years, Kansas State University has been recruiting DACA and other students who are in the country illegally, using privately raised money to provide grants and scholarships.
Bryan Thompson is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. 

 

FINNEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drinking, driving and other charges.

Just before 4p.m. Saturday, police observed a Purple 2006 Chevy HHR driving recklessly in the 300 block of West Mary Street in Garden City, according to a media release. Officers attempted a traffic stop on the vehicle and the driver failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit continued west on Mary Street into a rural area of Finney County. As the pursuit continued, an occupant of the vehicle threw beer cans out of the window. With the assistance of the Finney County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect vehicle was disabled near the area of Railroad and VFW Road.

The suspect came to a stop in the 2200 block of West Kansas Avenue.

Police arrested the driver Jonathan Barboza, 20, Garden City, on requested charges of Fleeing and Eluding (F), DUI, Minor in Consumption, Reckless Driving, No Proof of Insurance, Illegal Tags, and other traffic violations.

Police also arrested the passenger, Victor Espita, 23, of Garden City for a Non-Appearance Warrant for a prior DUI arrest.

MANHATTAN —The Latest on reaction to the Trump administration’s decision to end a program protecting young immigrants from deportation.

Kansas State University released a statement addressing students who may be impacted by possible upcoming changes the status of DACA.

In December 2016, Kansas State University was informed of possible changes to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status. With today’s announcement by the executive branch of the federal government, there understandably are concerns by those who will be affected by this action.

The university joins with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in their statement calling for swift congressional action. DACA was initiated by the Obama Administration in 2012. Under the policy, certain undocumented immigrants to the United States who entered the country as minors can receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for employment.

Affected students with questions should contact the Office of Student Life. The university is not aware of any changes that would affect enrollment, admission, student employment or merit scholarship status at this time. There are numerous university resources, such as academic advising, student financial assistance, counseling and health services.

University policies regarding disclosure of student records remain the same under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA. We do not release student records without written consent from the student or a lawfully issued subpoena, warrant or judicial order. It remains our policy to require the necessary legal documents before disclosing student records or information derived from student records.

K-State is committed to providing educational opportunities for all qualified students. We are committed to our Principles of Community, which affirm the inherent dignity and value of every person. We affirm the value of human diversity for community.

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal Monday farm accident in Pottawatomie County.

Just after 11a.m. a tractor pulling a hay trailer driven by Loren Deters, 50, Westmoreland, overturned near Kansas 13 and Bigelow Road, according to Sheriff Greg Riat.

Deters was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

 

 

Kansas City (AP) — A suburban Kansas City fire department is calling out a burglar who broke into a station while firefighters were raising money for charity.

The Raytown Fire Protection District described the burglar as a “special kind of person” in a message posted on Facebook. Police responded around 2:30 p.m. on Labor Day after an employee discovered that his wallet and other items were taken from his bedroom at the station. The theft happened while the employee had been participating in a Muscular Dystrophy Association fundraiser.

A surveillance camera caught an image of a suspect with a thin build and red facial hair wearing a Seattle Seahawks hat, white T-shirt and brown shorts. The fire district is asking anyone with information to call police.

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help to identify suspects.

Just before 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, a business in the 800 Block of Mississippi in Lawrence reported an armed robbery. Two suspects described as white men brandishing firearms entered the business and left with an undisclosed amount of cash from the register. They fled on foot northeast from the building.  Responding officers did not find the suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City man has admitted to driving under the influence in a crash that killed a woman who worked with special needs children.

The Kansas City Star reports that 28-year-old James McAllister, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of 24-year-old Caitlin Vogel of Stilwell. He also pleaded guilty to driving without a court-ordered ignition interlock device.

Authorities say McAllister ran a stop sign in May 2016, causing his sport utility vehicle to broad-side the sedan Vogel was driving. Vogel worked with special needs children as an autism instructional assistant for the Olathe school district.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 18. The plea agreement calls for a prison sentence of nine years and seven months.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — University of Kansas police have found a stolen, loaded gun in a bathroom stall in an academic building on campus.

Deputy Police Chief James Anguiano said the .38-caliber revolver was discovered Tuesday morning in Wescoe Hall. He said both a student and a graduate teaching assistant had seen the firearm.

Anguiano said a check of the serial number showed the gun was stolen in Olathe, Kansas. He did not have more details.

It was the second report in two months of an unattended gun being found in a university bathroom. A Wichita State University employee left one behind in July.

A Kansas law that took effect in July requires state universities to allow concealed guns on their campuses.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged sex crimes.

On August 22, police received a report of possible sex crimes involving three young children, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The victims, three boys ages five, nine and eleven, told police Harold Weis, 33, Salina, sexually assaulted them, according to Forrester.

The encounters are said to have occurred at Weis’s Salina apartment, 1265 Faith Drive, between 2012 and August of 2017.

Police arrested Weis and booked him into the Saline County Jail on 20 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, 21 counts of criminal sodomy, four counts of aggravated solicitation and one count of criminal threat.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House has voted to give the Congressional Gold Medal to former Sen. Bob Dole for his service to the nation as a soldier, legislator and statesman.

The medal represents Congress’ highest expression of appreciation for distinguished contributions to the nation.

The Senate has already passed the legislation. Tuesday’s voice vote approval sends the measure to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Dole, 94, represented Kansas in the House for eight years and in the Senate for more than 27 years. He led Republicans in the Senate for more than a decade before resigning in 1996 to focus on his campaign for the presidency. That campaign ended with a loss to Bill Clinton.

Dole was seriously wounded in World War II and never regained full use of his right arm.