Homeland Security, Public Safety and Immigration
Common Sense Police Reform
Time and time again as a nation, we’ve witnessed Black people being unjustly killed at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve. Now, we must face head-on the long-standing, deep racial inequities that too many Black Americans face. There is a broad coalition within North Texas, and across the country, calling out for real change. This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. It is time we implemented common-sense reforms that will restore trust in our law enforcement and ensure justice.
Allred supports The Justice in Policing Act, a bill led by the Congressional Black Caucus that is a first-ever, bold, comprehensive approach to police reform. It will hold police accountable, end racial profiling, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives. This bill reinvests in our communities by supporting critical community-based programs to change the culture of law enforcement and empower our communities to reimagine public safety in an equitable and just way. Learn more about the bill here.
Homeland Security and Immigration
Congressman Allred will take a pragmatic approach to reforming our broken immigration system. He is fighting to ensure we secure our border, and our ports of entry using 21st century technology to tackle the complicated problems we face. Congressman Allred is working toward ending the piecemeal approach and passing comprehensive reform that would create a path to citizenship for longtime residents who have paid their taxes and obeyed our laws. He believes strongly that people who were brought here as children and are covered by DACA should be protected.
Gun Violence Prevention
There is so much we agree on as a nation to address gun violence. Too many lives have been taken from us and Congress must act. Congressman Allred supports keeping our neighborhoods and schools safe with common-sense gun safety measures such as universal, instant background checks, keeping weapons of war out of local communities and closing loopholes to keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals and domestic abusers.
More on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Immigration
Earlier this year, Jane, a PhD student at Southern Methodist University, applied for an Exchange Visitor Visa waiver through the State Department’s Waiver Review Division. This waiver would exempt her from the requirement that she reside in her home country for two years following the completion of her exchange program. To complete her application, Jane submitted a No Objection Statement (NOS) from her home country’s embassy to the State Department.
After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, Neha applied for a work permit from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pursue Optional Practical Training (OPT), a program that allows international students to gain more work experience after their student visas expire. Though her application was approved, her work permit was lost in the mail, and Neha was forced to apply for a replacement card after waiting for months.
After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, John received a job offer to start work in mid-July. John knew he would need a work permit before he could start working, so he sent an application to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in April, requesting expedited processing. Unfortunately, his request was denied by USCIS, leaving John concerned he would not be able to begin work on his designated start date. That’s when John turned to Rep. Allred for help.
After receiving a job offer to work as a visiting assistant professor, Priyanka contacted United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to request an expedited application to receive her work permit. Priyanka’s visa was set to expire in early August, just under two weeks before she was set to start work. She feared that if her application was not expedited, her case would not be processed by the time she would start her new job. That’s when Priyanka turned to Rep.
Washington, D.C. -- Congressman Colin Allred (TX-32), today announced that at his urging, the House Appropriations Committee has included $3.2 million in funding for the new Tornado Warning Improvement and Extension Program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
When Greg accepted a teaching position at an international school in Thailand, he sent in his passport for renewal to the State Department. Greg’s passport was received and his money order was cashed within a week, but he was not given any updates regarding the status of his passport renewal. Once the COVID-19 pandemic began, the passport agency closed operations and Greg feared he would lose his teaching position because he didn’t have a valid passport. That’s when Greg turned to Rep.
Early this year, Xinhui submitted an expedited request for a work permit from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Xinhui waited for months and even sent USCIS a letter of support from his employer, but he did not receive any update on his case. Xinhui became concerned, as his current work permit was expiring in June, and he would be unable to work until he received a new one. That’s when Xinhui turned to Rep. Allred for help.
After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas, Andy submitted an expedited request for a work permit from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to pursue Optional Practical Training (OPT), a program that allows international students to gain more work experience after their student visas expire. Months passed by with no word from USCIS, and Andy received a job offer but could not start without his work permit.
After immigrating to the United States from China, Lan enrolled at the University of Texas at Dallas to further her education and pursue the American dream. This year, she graduated with her PhD and was excited to receive a job offer starting in May. Lan knew that she would need a work permit before she could start working, so she sent an application to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) months before her scheduled start date.