jewish roots: AP House Speaker Paul Ryan was surprised and proud to find out he has Jewish roots, according to Vancouver Courier. The Wisconsin Republican discovered his family history while filming a segment for the upcoming season of the PBS series Finding Your Roots With Henry Louis Gates Jr. Her name is Marial Iglesias Utset, not Sharon Adams.A corrected version of the story is below article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Gang activity on the rise in Vancouver Redevelopment of Arbutus Village about to begin House Speaker Paul Ryan uncovers Jewish roots on PBS show House Speaker Paul Ryan was surprised and proud to find out he has Jewish roots By BETH HARRISAssociated PressBEVERLY HILLS, Calif. Gates said Tuesday at a TV critics meeting that he traced Ryan's heritage back to his 10th great-grandfather born in 1531 in Germany. You could have knocked him over with a feather and then he was very proud of it, Gates said of Ryan's reaction. The research showed Ryan is 3 per cent Ashkenazi Jewish. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

policy goals: Congress alone controls spending under the U.S. Constitution, and presidents do not have the power to withhold funding it approves to pursue their policy goals, the court majority said.article continues below Trending Stories Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Gang activity on the rise in Vancouver Redevelopment of Arbutus Village about to begin By its plain terms, the executive order directs the agencies of the executive branch to withhold funds appropriated by Congress in order to further the administration's policy objective of punishing cities and counties that adopt so-called 'sanctuary' policies, wrote Chief Judge Sidney Thomas, joined by Judge Ronald Gould, who both were nominated by Democratic President Bill Clinton, according to Vancouver Courier. The court, however, also said the lower-court judge went too far when he blocked enforcement of Trump's order nationwide after a lawsuit by two California counties San Francisco and Santa Clara. In a 2-1 decision, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court that the order exceeded the president's authority. Thomas said there wasn't enough evidence to support a nationwide ban, limited the injunction to California and sent the case back to the lower court for more arguments on whether a wider ban was warranted. The Justice Department remains committed to the rule of law, to protecting public safety, and to keeping criminal aliens off the streets, he said. Devin O'Malley, a spokesman for the U.S. Justice Department, called the ruling a victory for criminal aliens in California, who can continue to commit crimes knowing that the state's leadership will protect them from federal immigration officers whose job it is to hold them accountable and remove them from the country. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

vancouver: And its findings were limited to 32 apparently fake accounts on Facebook and Instagram, which the company removed because they were involved in co-ordinated and inauthentic political behaviour.article continues below Trending Stories Court orders closure of Vancouver sex shop Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy Strong odor at Granville St. apartment leads to discovery of woman's body Vancouver weather heatwave dissolves into clouds, rain But official Washington connected those dots anyway, not least because the reported activity so closely mirrored Russian influence campaigns during the 2016 presidential election, according to Vancouver Courier. Nearly 300,000 people followed at least one of the newly banned accounts and thousands expressed interest in events they promoted. The company was careful to hedge its announcement; it didn't link the effort directly to Russia or to the midterms, now less than a hundred days away. This is an absolute attack on our democracy, said Virginia Sen. Warner expressed pretty high confidence that Russia was behind the assault.A spokesman for Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley said Facebook had informed his office that that a limited group of Russian actors has attempted to spread disinformation using its platform and that the affected groups are affiliated with the political left. Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, which Facebook had briefed in advance. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

american flag: I'm happy but at the same I'm concerned with, is someone going to pull me out and tell me, 'You can't participate again,' said the former Iraqi translator for U.S. troops, minutes before he took his citizenship oath, according to The Chronicle Herald. That's what happened last year to Al Anbki, who's also member of the Florida National Guard. As he waited for his citizenship ceremony to start Tuesday, Haeder Al Anbki held his breath, half-worried that someone would stop him and tell him to leave. But everything went smoothly at his ceremony Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. It's a dream becoming true, Al Anbki said after the ceremony, holding up an American flag. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance, said the oath of citizenship and sang along to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. He was a citizen at last. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian-born classmates: Local Muslim officials say her family had only moved to the town about two years ago, according to CTV. A 2010 study done for the Lifesaving Society concluded that new Canadians -- particularly those who have lived in the country for less than five years -- are at a higher risk of drowning than people born here. The girl died Sunday after falling into the Magog River in Sherbrooke, east of Montreal. A 2016 study focused on children between the ages 11 and 14 who are new to Canada. Research shows new Canadians face a number of challenges when it comes to learning how to swim. It concluded they are five times more unlikely to be able to swim than their Canadian-born classmates. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

chuck grassley: Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., elevated yet another issue to the administration's list of immigration problems, according to Toronto Star. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, wrote to the inspectors general of the departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services saying the allegations are extremely disturbing and must be addressed. With President Donald Trump already under fire for separating thousands of migrant children from their detained parents, the request for an investigation by Sen. This is not a partisan issue. This is not a partisan issue as reporting suggests many have been occurring for years. J. Scott Applewhite / The Associated Press file photo These allegations of abuse are extremely disturbing and must be addressed, Grassley and Feinstein wrote. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

citizenship test: It's been more than two years since work began on revising the study guide for Canada's citizenship test, but government says it is still working on the new citizenship guide and has no determined timeline for release, according to Toronto Star. Canadiana flank a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II on a maple syrup evaporator during a citizenship ceremony at the Vanier Sugar Shack, in Ottawa on Wednesday, April 11. Internal emails from the Immigration department dating back to 2016 show officials were hoping the launch of the new guide could coincide with Canada 150 celebrations and the 70th anniversary of the Citizenship Act events that took place over a year ago. Justin Tang / THE CANADIAN PRESS file photo But so far, no official guide has immigration critic Michelle Rempel says she believes bureaucrats were sent back to the drawing board after a draft copy of the revised guide, obtained last year by The Canadian Press, revealed the department had removed references to barbaric cultural practices, including female genital mutilation, as being against Canadian law references that were added by the Stephen Harper government in 2011. Article Continued Below I think probably he mishandled that so badly they're delaying any sort of output. The immigration minister's response to the issue around removing the language about female genital mutilation being a very intolerable practice from the citizenship guide, his delay and his response, I would surmise, didn't go well within the prime minister's office, Rempel said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

dianne feinstein: Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., elevated yet another issue to the administration's list of immigration problems, according to CTV. These allegations of abuse are extremely disturbing and must be addressed, Grassley and Feinstein wrote. With U.S. President Donald Trump already under fire for separating thousands of migrant children from their detained parents, the request for an investigation by Sens. This is not a partisan issue as reporting suggests many have been occurring for years. The letter, based on articles by The Associated Press and other news organizations, says the allegations suggest a long-term pattern of mistreatment. Immigrant families and children kept in federal custody deserve to be treated with basic human dignity and respect and should never be subjected to these forms of abuse. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

muslim customers: But the Open to All coalition is launching in a highly charged atmosphere, with florists refusing to provide flowers for gay weddings and stores turning away Muslim customers, according to CTV. On the same June weekend that White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was asked to leave a Virginia restaurant because of her affiliation with U.S. President Donald Trump, a transgender woman was harassed by staff at a Washington restaurant for using the women's restroom. Normally, making a promise to serve every customer might seem like a no-brainer. So it remains to be seen if the Open to All message -- on businesses' Yelp pages or on stickers in their windows -- will calm frayed tempers or anger customers and businesses who might question its motives. She's not worried that it will be a turn-off to some potential patrons. Tia Agnew, co-founder and CEO of New Day Craft, an Indianapolis-based producer of mead and cider, is excited to put up her Open to All window sticker, which she says matches her personal and professional ethos. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

question period: But achieving unity is a politician's most basic task, according to Toronto Star. Canadians are better together, especially as President Trump threatens our economic interests, as forest fires ravage a baking world, as immigrants consider fleeing here. He found it fun, a child's indoor war game on a rainy day, and at the end, everything blows up real good. This is why the prime minister travels constantly, working to bring Canadians together. Ontario Premier Doug Ford takes a bow after bragging about his election victory during Question Period at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Monday. Cooperation and cohesion are the basis of his job, not identity politics and political tribes. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

summer camp: One official told the Senate Judiciary Committee that while the Trump administration was developing its immigration policies, Health and Human Services officials said they were worried about any policy which would result in family separation due to concerns we had about the best interests of the child, according to The Chronicle Herald. Commander Jonathan D. White of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a branch of HHS, said they were also uncertain their department had enough resources to handle large numbers of detained immigrants. But some of the government's top immigration officials used a Senate hearing to largely defend how the policy has been implemented, with one comparing family detention centres to a summer camp. There's no question that separation of children from parents entails significant potential for traumatic psychological injury to the child, White said. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., what response HHS officials got from administration policymakers, White said, The answer was there was no policy which would result in separation of children from family units. Asked by Sen. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

citizenship guide: The immigration minister's response to the issue around removing the language about female genital mutilation being a very intolerable practice from the citizenship guide, his delay and his response, I would surmise, didn't go well within the prime minister's office, Rempel said, according to Vancouver Courier. I think probably he mishandled that so badly they're delaying any sort of output. Internal emails from the Immigration department dating back to 2016 show officials were hoping the launch of the new guide could coincide with Canada 150 celebrations and the 70th anniversary of the Citizenship Act events that took place over a year ago.article continues below Trending Stories Snowbirds air show part of entertainment lined up for Honda Celebration of Light Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy'Mary is back' Davie Street's iconic Hamburger Mary's revived as 'sassy brunch cafe'But so far, no official guide has immigration critic Michelle Rempel says she believes bureaucrats were sent back to the drawing board after a draft copy of the revised guide, obtained last year by The Canadian Press, revealed the department had removed references to barbaric cultural practices, including female genital mutilation, as being against Canadian law references that were added by the Stephen Harper government in 2011. Rempel notes that public money has been spent on the ongoing work done to revise this document and that Canadians have a right to transparency on its contents. The emails show that departmental directors and communications staff working on the file consulted with a range of government departments seeking input with a sense of diligent urgency, in an effort to try to meet timelines for approvals and final rollout details of which were redacted from the documents. Indeed, the internal emails from 2016, obtained through access to information law, show bureaucrats were working on developing a full refresh of the official citizenship study guide, entitled Discover Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

honda celebration: I'm happy but at the same I'm concerned with, is someone going to pull me out and tell me, 'You can't participate again,' said the former Iraqi translator for U.S. troops, minutes before he took his citizenship oath.article continues below Trending Stories Snowbirds air show part of entertainment lined up for Honda Celebration of Light Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Vancouver High on Life vloggers die in Shannon Falls tragedy'Mary is back' Davie Street's iconic Hamburger Mary's revived as 'sassy brunch cafe'That's what happened last year to Al Anbki, who's also member of the Florida National Guard, according to Vancouver Courier. But everything went smoothly at his ceremony Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. As he waited for his citizenship ceremony to start Tuesday, Haeder Al Anbki held his breath, half-worried that someone would stop him and tell him to leave. He recited the Pledge of Allegiance, said the oath of citizenship and sang along to Lee Greenwood's God Bless the USA. He was a citizen at last. After the long fight, after all these years, that flag is still standing. It's a dream becoming true, Al Anbki said after the ceremony, holding up an American flag. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

county commissioner: As congregants at Silverwood Mennonite Church chatted around a Sunday potluck spread, Yoder, a county commissioner for 13 years and a dairy farmer for much longer, huddled with Pastor Jeremy Shue at the edge of the hall, according to Toronto Star. There was a very good chance, Yoder confided, that the nation's newest immigration detention centre would soon rise from a soybean field north of town. Now, Mike Yoder decided, the time had come to share unsettling news. Mike Yoder recalled tensions stirred by a proposal to build an immigration detention centre in his community. Charles Rex Arbogast / The Associated Press One of the only positives is that it would be less of a drive to protest, Shue said. He said he tried for a dialogue instead of a dispute. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

boy: In days far past, a designated friend of lesser status could be punished in place of a sinful prince, according to The Chronicle Herald. Even lords didn't dare strike a God-appointed future monarch and they knew boy kings grow up and might hold grudges. Whipping boys' fates could be cruel. Still, someone had to be punished, so the whipping boy got it. They are the modern whipping boys and girls, often taking the heat collectively for the acts of a few. That's what is happening now, where multiple wrongs get blamed on immigrants, refugees and people of unpopular ethnic or religious backgrounds. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

court challenges: We were both counsel in the court challenges that led to the audit, and have also been involved in many of the cases cited in the audit, according to Toronto Star. The auditor's findings thus come as no surprise. It confirms complaints that have been advanced for years by current and former detainees, who brought attention to the issues with a hunger strike by 191 detainees in 2013. Ebrahim Toure has never been charged with a crime but has been held at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont. since February 2013. It is also hard to argue against the auditor's recommendations for a shift in institutional culture and the implementation of better practice standards. Anne-Marie Jackson/ Toronto Star / Toronto Star The officials who were involved or complicit in the injustices set out in painstaking detail in the audit should resign. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

turkish descent: The hashtag, which echoes the MeToo movement against sexual harassment, was created by Ali Can, a 24-year-old journalist of Turkish descent, following the furor over Turkish-German soccer star Mesut Ozil's recent resignation from the German national team, according to The Chronicle Herald. Ozil, the son of Turkish immigrants, quit earlier this month after fierce criticism of his decision to pose for a picture with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The hashtag has become a rallying point for scores of second- and third-generation immigrants in Germany, who have taken to Twitter to share their accounts of everyday racism and how they still struggle to be accepted as Germans. In reaction, Ozil attacked the German soccer federation, its president, fans and the media, criticizing what he said was racism and double standards in the treatment of people with Turkish roots. Can used the MeTwo hashtag because he wanted to show that ethnic minorities in Germany often feel connected to two cultures or places at the same time Germany and the country of their or their ancestors' origin. I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose, he said. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

corentin tolisso: Blaise Matuidi, Thomas Lemar, Steven Nzonzi, Kylian Mbapp Nabil Fekir, Paul Pogba, Samuel Umtiti, Steve Mandanda and Corentin Tolisso are the children of African immigrants who found a new home in France, according to NOW Magazine. There are others among the team, like Olivier Giroud and Antoine Griezmann, whose parents emigrated from other parts of Europe to France. In the face of growing anti-immigrant sentiment in the United States and parts of Europe, France's national team triumphed in the recently concluded World Cup with a squad composed mostly of players whose families are originally from Africa. In fact, only two in the starting lineup Benjamin Pavard and Florian Thauvin can lay claim to being full-blooded Frenchmen. Zidane's background is Algerian. It's the second time France has won the World Cup with a similar composition of immigrants' sons having raised the trophy with the great Zinedine Zidane as captain in 1998. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

county commissioner: Now, Mike Yoder decided, the time had come to share unsettling news, according to Vancouver Courier. As congregants at Silverwood Mennonite Church chatted around a Sunday potluck spread, Yoder, a county commissioner for 13 years and a dairy farmer for much longer, huddled with Pastor Jeremy Shue at the edge of the hall. The sermon had been preached, the last prayers offered. There was a very good chance, Yoder confided, that the nation's newest immigration detention centre would soon rise from a soybean field north of town.article continues below Trending Stories Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Minimum wage increases go into effect June 1 across B.C. Amanda Tapping on coping with miscarriage Support group targets Vancouver mistresses One of the only positives is that it would be less of a drive to protest, Shue said. The Republican had paid close attention when nearly two-thirds of Elkhart County's voters backed Donald Trump for president after a campaign in which he lambasted immigrants. Yoder needed no reminder of the potential for conflict. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

effect june: Ozil, the son of Turkish immigrants, quit earlier this month after fierce criticism of his decision to pose for a picture with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to Vancouver Courier. In reaction, Ozil attacked the German soccer federation, its president, fans and the media, criticizing what he said was racism and double standards in the treatment of people with Turkish roots. The hashtag has become a rallying point for scores of second- and third-generation immigrants in Germany, who have taken to Twitter to share their accounts of everyday racism and how they still struggle to be accepted as Germans.article continues below Trending Stories Savethe Rio is officially a done deal Minimum wage increases go into effect June 1 across B.C. Amanda Tapping on coping with miscarriage Support group targets Vancouver mistresses The hashtag, which echoes the MeToo movement against sexual harassment, was created by Ali Can, a 24-year-old journalist of Turkish descent, following the furor over Turkish-German soccer star Mesut Ozil's recent resignation from the German national team. I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose, he said. By Monday, some 153,000 tweets recounting instances of discrimination had been posted to Twitter, according to the German news agency dpa. Can used the MeTwo hashtag because he wanted to show that ethnic minorities in Germany often feel connected to two cultures or places at the same time Germany and the country of their or their ancestors' origin. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

border security: Trump, however, isn't backing away from the idea, according to CTV. I would be willing to 'shut down' government if the Democrats do not give us the votes for Border Security, which includes the Wall! Trump tweeted. Republicans, trying to protect their majority in Congress, are playing down the chance of a shutdown as the November election nears. Must get rid of Lottery, Catch & Release etc. and finally go to system of Immigration based on MERIT! We need great people coming into our Country! Trump said. McConnell, asked about a shutdown during a Kentucky radio interview, said it was not going to happen. Trump returned to the idea of shutting down the government over the border wall after meeting at the White House last week with House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to discuss the fall legislative agenda. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

mali branch: Results are expected within the week, according to CTV. If no candidate wins more than 50 per cent in the first round, Malians will vote in a second round on Aug. 12. Polls closed Sunday and officials began counting the votes. Voters have expressed concern about being targeted after al-Qaida's Mali branch have warned for months against going to the polls. The 73-year-old, who was elected in 2013, faces 23 candidates in the first round. Deadly communal clashes between ethnic groups and accusations of heavy-handed counterterror operations have complicated what President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita hopes will be an election victory leading him to a second term. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

immigration system: Starting Tuesday, travellers from many countries will have to provide fingerprints and photos when they apply to visit, work or study in Canada, if they don't want to be turned away at the border, according to Toronto Star. Rick Madonik / Toronto Star file photo Biometric screening has proven effective in protecting the safety and security of Canadians and the integrity of the immigration system. Currently, foreign nationals are required to obtain pre-authorization to travel to Canada by air, and the biometric check on arrival is an extra step to confirm a person seeking admission is really the same pre-screened individual on the travel documents. Systematic fingerprint verification allows border service officers to confirm a traveller's identity, said Immigration Department spokesperson Shannon Kerr. It has made it more difficult for others to forge, steal or use another person's identity to gain access to Canada, Kerr added. Biometric screening has also made it easier to identify known criminals at the earliest opportunity in order to prevent them from coming to Canada. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

canadian: Many petitions are circulating asking for action from a temporary suspension of the agreement to a complete overhaul of the immigrant detention system, according to Rabble. This month the Canadian Council for Refugees CCR Amnesty International AI and the Canadian Council of Churches CCC completed filing extensive evidence in Federal Court to support a legal challenge, in conjunction with a family from El Salvador, of the designation of the United States as a safe third country for refugees. We were further disturbed by the fact that the Canadian federal government continued to stand by the 'Safe Third Country' agreement. Sign the petition supporting this initiative and donate to these organizations because a legal precedent could help provide additional ways to support people being harmed by this agreement. It basically means a person claiming refugee status in the United States or Canada must apply in the first safe country in which they arrive. What is the Safe Third Country Agreement'The Safe Third Country Agreement was signed by the US and Canada in 2002 and came into effect in 2004. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

ontario mp: Van Loan was first elected in the riding of York-Simcoe in 2004, according to CTV. He became a cabinet minister in 2006 and remained in Harper's inner circle until 2015, when the Conservatives were defeated by the Trudeau Liberals. Ontario MP Peter Van Loan told a gathering of supporters at his farm on Sunday that he will retire from the House of Commons, effective Sept. 30. While he also held portfolios in international trade, public safety, intergovernmental affairs and sports, it was as House Leader that Van Loan spent most of his time. Van Loan also caused a near brawl in 2012 when he stormed across the floor of the House of Commons to confront New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen over an attempt by the NDP to have a vote on the then-Tory government's omnibus budget bill ruled invalid. It's also where he helped introduce some of the former government's most controversial legislation, including an ill-fated bill designed to ban women from wearing a niqab at citizenship ceremonies. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.

root cause: British Columbia and Ontario battling forest fires that rage out of control, according to Toronto Star. The extreme weather list goes on. Wildfires in Greece destroying villages and taking lives. The summer of 2018 is demonstrating that the consequences of climate change are devastatingly real. The root cause of much of the migration from sub-Saharan Africa is climate change; many who leave failing farms in Niger wind up in Algeria, hoping to reach Europe, or just begging for money to send back home. Migrants collect water after they had been forcibly expelled from Algeria and returned to Agadez, Niger, via a long drive across the desert in 2016. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.