Immigration Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Capito Calls For Border Security, Clarifies Senate Votes

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., delivered a speech in Martinsburg calling for increased security at the U.S.-Mexico border and clarifying her recent votes on the Senate floor.

Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., renewed calls for border security Thursday during a speech in Martinsburg.

At a meeting of the Rotary Club of Martinsburg, Capito addressed her vote against a bipartisan bill in the U.S. Senate that would have added border security jobs and raised standards for asylum claims in the U.S.

These plans – coupled with foreign aid for Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan – were developed in a bill from a group of bipartisan lawmakers over several months.

But a bloc of Republicans voted against the bill, killing it on the Senate floor.

Capito said that immigration reform remains a central concern for her, but that she could not support the bill’s final draft.

According to Capito, lawmakers developed the bill in good faith. But she said “it was not a package that I thought would solve the problem, quite simply.”

Still, Capito said she has pushed fellow lawmakers to consider border security in later discussions.

“The number one problem that I hear about in this state, hands down, is the illegal immigration coming from the southern border,” she said.

When a new bill appeared on the Senate floor that allocated foreign aid without provisions for the U.S.-Mexico border, Capito said she was not fully satisfied.

“I kept saying we need amendments, we need to have border security, we need to have border security, and the end that got stripped out,” she said. “And the only option was to vote for foreign assistance.”

Ultimately, Capito voted in favor of the bill, which passed the Senate and requires a vote from the U.S. House of Delegates to become law.

Capito said she felt border security resources would have strengthened the bill. But she still saw value in supporting U.S. allies abroad and voted alongside 21 other Republicans.

Bolstering security in foreign countries would reduce the need for U.S. military intervention abroad in the future, she said.

During her speech, Capito also criticized President Joe Biden for what she sees as a lack of action on immigration and border security.

While the Biden administration played a part in negotiations for the bipartisan bill that failed in the Senate, Capito said the president still has not used enough of his authority to address immigration issues.

“There are things the president can do. You can turn people back to Mexico. You can do expedited removal. You can do asylum claims quicker,” she said. “This can all be done today, without any legislation.”

Manchin Floats National Emergency Declaration For Border After Bill Failed

Pictured here at the United States Capitol in 2023, Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., called upon President Joe Biden to declare a national emergency over rising migration at the southern border.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., appeared visibly exasperated at a virtual news conference Thursday over congressional inaction at the U.S. border.

During the call, Manchin voiced discontent over Republicans in the U.S. Senate who blocked a bipartisan bill Wednesday. The bill would have increased border security while also extending aid to Israel, Ukraine and Taiwan.

Manchin, like other Senate Democrats, alleged that Republicans voted against the bill to discredit President Joe Biden in advance of the presidential election.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers had developed the bill over four months. Manchin said these Republican lawmakers helped create the bill to earnestly address rapidly growing immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“These are not friends of Democrats or friends of Joe Biden. Take the politics out of it,” he said. “They saw it absolutely would make a big difference in what we can do, and how we do our jobs.”

The bill, which received support from the main union of U.S. border patrol agents, would have added 27,000 new border security jobs and raised standards for claiming asylum in the U.S.

“That was the easiest vote I think anyone could ever make,” Manchin said.

For Manchin, the bill’s failure marked a major blow to bipartisan politics in Washington, and the possibility of addressing immigration before the end of his tenure this year.

“It really reaffirmed why I’m not running again — why I don’t want to run again,” he said.

Manchin urged Biden to declare a national emergency over burgeoning immigration through the southern border, emphasizing the improbability of effective and timely bipartisan action.

Meanwhile, he said immigration issues should figure prominently in how members of the public vote in the upcoming presidential election.

“The damage has been done,” he said. “If you want to use the border as a reason you’re going to vote Joe Biden, you’ve got plenty of reasons to do it.”

Lawmakers Debate Bill To Require Businesses To Check Possible Employee’s Eligibility To Work In The U.S.

After nearly an hour of debate, the House passed House Bill 4759 which requires most business owners to check applicants’ work eligibility immigration status through the E-Verify system.

On Friday the House of Delegates gaveled in at 11 a.m. and passed two bills with minimal discussion. Those were Senate Bill 269, which decriminalized drug testing strips, and House Bill 4205, which would change the process of election litigation.

Delegates also debated House Bill 4759 and its various amendments for nearly an hour. The bill aims to quell the employment of people who are in the country illegally by checking status with the federal E-Verify system.

Del. Geoff Foster, R-Putnam, presented two amendments to the bill he said would make the bill more small-business friendly.

“But what my bill does is my amendment strike and insert amendment is trying to go after who’s the wrongdoers,” Foster said. “That’s the goal of the amendment. Rather than making every business, every business with 15 or more employees goes through a cumbersome government process.”

The first amendment, a strike and insert, failed on a floor vote.

The second amendment introduced by Foster requires employers to keep I-9s on file.

“This amendment has much less to do with the bills as like my policy decision of what should be done and more to do with can this bill operate,” Foster said. “Because right now as the bill is written, section four is not included in the bill. But the employer is defined as 15 or more employees. So section four is your records requirement for your I-9.”

The House approved a second amendment.

The bill itself was the topic of discussion as the debate wore on. Some lawmakers thought the bill added cumbersome paperwork to small business owners across the state.

“We want to make sure we have legal people working in the state but also have concerns as a small business owner myself,” Del. Jim Butler, R-Mason said. “What additional burdens were added to small employers?”

Other lawmakers, like Del. Pat McGeehan, R-Hancock, cited an “immigration crisis” as the reasoning behind the bill and blamed President Joe Biden’s administration.

“We have created a country that makes it very, very easy that once you get across the border, you can migrate throughout this country so easily at this point, that we have to start paying attention to this stuff, we have to start paying attention to making sure that these documents get verified, because it’s so easy to create counterfeit documents,” McGeehan said.

The bill, as amended, was passed by the House and now heads to the Senate for consideration.

Us & Them: Larry Bellorín’s Unwritten Song

Larry Bellorín is a musician from Venezuela, who is seeking asylum in the U.S. He thought his musical career was in the past until he met Joe Troop, a GRAMMY-nominated musician and North Carolina native who introduced Larry to the folk music and traditions of Appalachia, which seemed quite similar to the joropo he played in Venezuela. Their duo, Larry & Joe, is the realization of a dream for both musicians. It’s also a reminder for Larry of what — and who — he had to leave behind.

Larry Bellorín began making his living as a musician and music teacher when he was a teenager in Venezuela. His career was interrupted abruptly in 2013 when Venezuela’s state-run economy crashed and socialist President Nicholas Maduro cracked down on opponents and folks like Larry, who refused to choose sides. He and his family fled to Raleigh, North Carolina and have added their names to a huge backlog of asylum applicants.

Larry worked construction and thought his musical career was behind him until he met Joe Troop, a GRAMMY-nominated musician and North Carolina native who introduced him to the folk music and traditions of Appalachia, which Larry found eerily similar to the joropo he played in Venezuela.

Their duo, Larry & Joe, is the realization of a dream for both musicians. It’s also a reminder for Larry of what – and who – he had to leave behind.

Us & Them host Trey Kay tells the story of Larry Bellorín’s musical beginnings, his “magical” kinship and duo with Joe Troop and the song he can’t yet bring himself to sing.

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the West Virginia Humanities Council and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond.

Larry Bellorín is a musical prodigy who said he’s been making his living performing and teaching music since he was a 13-year-old kid.

Larry grew up in a little country town in the eastern state of Monagas, Venezuela. To make money, he’d head into the nearby city of Punta de Mata and shine shoes, singing while he worked.

“I was about ten or 11 years old, and I would go to where people were playing billiards. I’d go to the plaza where people already knew me,” Larry said. Larry speaks only Spanish and Joe Troop, who performs with Larry as Larry & Joe, translated with *Us & Them* host Trey Kay.

*Credit: Amy Eddings*

When Larry Bellorín and his family settled in Raleigh, North Carolina, he quickly found work in construction. It was hard on his body, especially his hands and Larry wondered whether he’d ever play music again.

Enter Joe Troop, who introduced Larry to Bluegrass.

“He didn’t even realize where he was in the United States. He thought that this music was played in the ‘Wild, Wild West,’” Troop explained to *Us & Them* host Trey Kay. “He imagined it was played in Texas because since he was in the United States, all he had done was lift cinder blocks and work, and work and work and work. He had never been off a construction site. And I was like, ‘I cannot wait to show him he’s in the heart of string band country! He’s a string musician!’ And then, I was just like, ‘I know this is gonna blow his mind.’”

*Credit: Billie Wheeler*

Larry Bellorín and Athaís Cipriani on their wedding day, Aug. 20, 2011.

*Credit: Gustavo Rattia*

Larry Bellorín says he never considered himself a political person. However, after the “revolution” of self-proclaimed socialist Hugo Chávez, Venezuelans quickly became divided into two camps: chavistas, supporters of Hugo Chávez, and escualidos, a word Chávez used to belittle his opponents. It means “scrawny.” Bellorín was neither, and it got him into trouble with local chavistas who wanted to know where he stood.

In this video clip, Bellorín explains how everything — even culture — became politicized under Chávez and his successor Nicholás Maduro.

Credit: Amy Eddings

Trace Carter is 27 years old and is a big fan of “Old-time” Appalachian music. She has been going to the Appalachian String Band Music Festival in Clifftop, West Virginia for most of her life. That’s because her dad, Will Carter, helped start the festival in 1990, several years before she was born.

“I’ve seen trumpets and saxophones and keyboards and cellos and electric guitars and steel guitars. I mean, just everything mixed in with ‘Old-time.’ Why not the maracas and the harp?” Trace Carter pondered this while reflecting on *Larry & Joe*‘s performance at the Clifftop Festival in the summer of 2022. “I mean, why haven’t we seen these before? And it was such a wonderful addition… Everyone was in awe of their music. No one wanted them to stop. If they had played all night long, I don’t think anyone would have left.”

*Credit: Mauro Ruiz*

To better understand the challenges that Larry Bellorín and his family face, *Us & Them* host Trey Kay reached out to immigration attorney Ruby Powers. Her law firm, Powers Law Group, is based in Houston and represents many asylum seekers.

*Credit: Ruby Lichte Powers*

*Us & Them* host Trey Kay saw Larry & Joe perform in January 2023 at the Public Library in Port Washington, New York.

*Credit: Trey Kay/West Virginia Public Broadcasting*

*Us & Them* host Trey Kay perched in the front row with a shotgun microphone at a *Larry & Joe* concert in January 2023 at the Public Library in Port Washington, New York.

*Credit: Amy Eddings*

Larry Bellorín says he has found the Appalachian folk music festivals to be incredibly welcoming — “Todo con todos” or “Everyone with everyone.” He says the experience isn’t so much about one’s musical prowess, but rather more about harmonizing with the community. Mostly, he says that he can feel the warmth of the people and that they invite him into their circle to play music without judging him as Hispanic.

However, in this video clip, Bellorín recalls a time when his immersion into Appalachia’s Bluegrass and Old-time scene wasn’t so easy or pleasant. The Venezuelan immigrant does stand out at festivals, which are overwhelmingly white. And there are traditionalists who aren’t as thrilled to hear Latin American instruments playing alongside fiddles and banjos.

Credit: Amy Eddings

*Larry & Joe*’s first album, “Nuevo South Train,” dropped in March 2023. They’re touring this year and have concert dates in California, New England and Arizona this summer.

Click here for a list of upcoming concert dates.

Click here to hear their single, “Nuevo South Train.”

*Credit: Tommy Coyote*

Editor’s note, June 8, 2023: The initial version of this story incorrectly stated the ages of Larry Bellorin and Joe Troop. That error has been corrected.

Reporter Roundtable Explores Health Legislation

On this episode of The Legislature Today, there have been a number of health-related issues discussed this legislative session – from gender-affirming care, to PEIA coverage and foster care. For this week’s reporter roundtable, Chris Schulz speaks with WVPB’s Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice and Allen Siegler from Mountain State Spotlight.

On this episode of The Legislature Today, there have been a number of health-related issues discussed this legislative session – from gender-affirming care, to PEIA coverage and foster care. For this week’s reporter roundtable, Chris Schulz speaks with WVPB’s Appalachia Health News Reporter Emily Rice and Allen Siegler from Mountain State Spotlight.

Also, the West Virginia House of Delegates approved House Bill 2007 on Friday. The legislation would limit gender-affirming medical treatments and surgeries for transgender youth. HB 2007 passed on a vote of 84 to 10. It now goes to the Senate.

The Senate took up two bills Friday relating to gambling in the state, and two of the bills considered on third reading in the House dealt with immigration laws and county financial transparency.

Finally, the Senate Finance Committee spent the first several weeks of the session hearing budgetary presentations from every department of state government. But Friday morning, the committee turned its attention to how the last of the state’s coronavirus relief funds were spent. Chris Schulz has this story.

Having trouble viewing the video below? Click here to watch it on YouTube.

The Legislature Today is West Virginia’s only television/radio simulcast devoted to covering the state’s 60-day regular legislative session.

Watch or listen to new episodes Monday through Friday at 6 p.m. on West Virginia Public Broadcasting.

Immigrant Children Fighting for the Right to Learn and the American Dream

America is seen as a land of opportunities and education for all, but a group of young refugees in Pennsylvania had to challenge the local school district to access their schooling.

Lancaster, Pennsylvania, school officials first said the six refugees, aged 17 to 21, were too old for public school programs. Only after a lawsuit and protracted negotiations, were the students placed in classes for English language learners.

Us & Them host Trey Kay speaks with Jo Napolitano the author of a new book, “The School I Deserve,” which follows this case. He also has a conversation with Khadidja Isaa, one of the refugees who fought for her education.

For more information about Jo Napolitano’s book The School I Deserve — Six Young Refugees and Their Fight for Equality in America.

Also, check out Napolitano’s web site at: https://www.jonapolitano.com

This episode of Us & Them is presented with support from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, the West Virginia Humanities Council and the CRC Foundation.

Subscribe to Us & Them on Apple Podcasts, NPR One, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher and beyond. You also can listen to Us & Them on WVPB Radio — tune in on the fourth Thursday of every month at 8 p.m., with an encore presentation on the following Saturday at 3 p.m.