Nearly 2 million college-educated immigrants in the United States, more than half coming with academic and professional credentials, are unable to fully utilize their professional skills and instead are stuck in low-skilled work or are unemployed. This report explores a range of programs and policies that are providing cutting-edge career navigation, relicensing, gap filling, and job search assistance to remedy this brain waste.

Marking the release of a report on the barriers foreign-trained high-skilled immigrants face in the United States, this webinar examines programs and initiatives that assist with credential recognition, employment, and relicensure, as well as recent policy developments. Discussants review recommendations for community-based organizations, employers, and policymakers to expand successful efforts aimed at preventing brain waste. 

The future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is uncertain, amid skepticism from the Trump administration about its merits and the promise of legal challenge from ten state attorneys general. This issue brief presents a profile of young adults eligible for DACA in terms of their educational attainment and labor force participation, as well as what is at stake should the program be terminated.

By winding down DACA over six months, President Trump may have addressed a short-term political dilemma. But this action ensures debate will rage on in search of a lasting solution, as many in Congress and beyond recognize the loss of work authorization and deportation relief will affect not only DACA recipients and their families, but also employers, universities, and communities alike, as this commentary explores.

At a time when the U.S. refugee resettlement system is facing unprecedented challenges, innovative and cost-effective tools for supporting refugee integration are in demand. This report explores how a two-generation approach to service provision could help all members of refugee families—from young children to working-age adults and the elderly—find their footing.

The first bill introduced in the 116th Congress to offer a path to legal status to DREAMers, the American Dream and Promise Act of 2019, could legalize nearly 2.7 million unauthorized immigrants brought to the United States as children, as well as those eligible for Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Enforced Departure, as this commentary explains.

With immigrants and their U.S.-born children poised to be the main source of labor-force growth, these adults are an important target for efforts to build the skills of the U.S. workforce to meet the knowledge-based economy of tomorrow. This fact sheet and state data snapshots explore the characteristics of adults without an academic degree or professional credential, by immigrant generation, race/ethnicity, and more.

At this event, experts from MPI and Southern Methodist University’s Texas-Mexico Center offer an overview of immigration trends and key characteristics of highly skilled Mexican immigrant adults at the national level and for Texas, and engage in a discussion on the causes behind the changing trends in immigration and implications for Texas, its economy, and more broadly for the nation.

At this discussion, experts from MPI and Southern Methodist University’s Texas-Mexico Center offer an overview of trends and key characteristics of highly skilled Mexican adults at the national level and for Texas, including educational levels by legal status and top industries of employment across Texas metro areas. They also discuss the policy implications of these findings.

In Staphylococcus aureus–caused endocarditis, the pathogen secretes staphylocoagulase (SC), thereby activating human prothrombin (ProT) and evading immune clearance. A previous structural comparison of the SC(1–325) fragment bound to thrombin and its inactive precursor prethrombin 2 has indicated that SC activates ProT by inserting its N-terminal dipeptide Ile1-Val2 into the ProT Ile16 pocket, forming a salt bridge with ProT's Asp194, thereby stabilizing the active conformation. We hypothesized that these N-terminal SC residues modulate ProT binding and activation. Here, we generated labeled SC(1–246) as a probe for competitively defining the affinities of N-terminal SC(1–246) variants preselected by modeling. Using ProT(R155Q,R271Q,R284Q) (ProTQQQ), a variant refractory to prothrombinase- or thrombin-mediated cleavage, we observed variant affinities between ∼1 and 650 nm and activation potencies ranging from 1.8-fold that of WT SC(1–246) to complete loss of function. Substrate binding to ProTQQQ caused allosteric tightening of the affinity of most SC(1–246) variants, consistent with zymogen activation through occupation of the specificity pocket. Conservative changes at positions 1 and 2 were well-tolerated, with Val1-Val2, Ile1-Ala2, and Leu1-Val2 variants exhibiting ProTQQQ affinity and activation potency comparable with WT SC(1–246). Weaker binding variants typically had reduced activation rates, although at near-saturating ProTQQQ levels, several variants exhibited limiting rates similar to or higher than that of WT SC(1–246). The Ile16 pocket in ProTQQQ appears to favor nonpolar, nonaromatic residues at SC positions 1 and 2. Our results suggest that SC variants other than WT Ile1-Val2-Thr3 might emerge with similar ProT-activating efficiency.

In his starting section, "Path", Macfarlane admits that not all walkers are benign or appealing. While I think he is a little hard on Morris Dancers and people who walk in sandals (p. 23) he does mention that trampers can have more sinister motives than mere enjoyment of nature and movement. He mentions people who walk because they are delusional or racist.

He also discusses two writers who walked to stave off depression -  19th-century walker George Borrow and poet Edward Thomas, who was killed in World War I. Borrow, who rode around on a black Arab stallion when at home, walked over not only England but also France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, and Morocco. He knew twelve languages and was acquainted with another forty. The activity of walking exposed him to new people and allowed him to exercise his mind as he exercised his body.

Edward Thomas and his poetry had the most influence over Macfarlane. The author admits that Thomas is the guiding spirit of his book (p. 24) and his first walk in The Old Ways is one that Thomas took a hundred years earlier. Macfarlane says that while Thomas

"was drawn to the romantic figure of the self-confident solitary walker, he was more interestingly alert to how we are scattered, as well as affirmed, by the places through which we move" (p. 25).

Thomas appears throughout The Old Ways, and Macfarlane gradually tells the story of Thomas's life in the "Ghost" section of the book. Thomas suffered badly from depression and moved frequently in the hopes that his new house would help him battle it; walking was a similar way to stave it off.

Interestingly enough, American poet Robert Frost knew Thomas. The famous Frost poem, "The Road Not Taken", was inspired by a walk that Frost and Thomas took together. When Frost sent Thomas a draft of the poem, Thomas decided that it was a sign that he should enlist in the British army. He was later killed in France in 1917.

WASHINGTON — Latinos and immigrants are at least twice as likely to lack health insurance coverage as the overall population in three central Kansas City metro counties, a new Migration Policy Institute (MPI) study reveals. In fact, they are four times as likely to be uninsured in Johnson County, Kansas. 

BRUSSELS — Even as the number of refugees in need of protection has reached an all-time high, the resettlement spots offered by countries in 2018 were less than half the level in 2016—and future commitments may shrink further. With refugee needs high and generosity dimming, there is increasing urgency for humanitarian actors to find new ways to bring refugees to safety as well as to rebuild public interest and consensus around the importance of protection.

WASHINGTON – A pesar de que los gobiernos de América Latina y el Caribe han tomado medidas generosas e innovadoras para lidiar con el desplazamiento forzado desde Venezuela y más recientemente desde Nicaragua, la cálida bienvenida se ha enfriado en algunos lugares a medida que el número de entradas, la presión sobre los servicios públicos y la preocupación del público aumenta.

WASHINGTON – Four years since the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law, all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico have developed accountability plans that include blueprints for serving English Learners (ELs), as well as measuring these students’ progress and being accountable for their outcomes. This marked a significant development, as EL performance was previously not well integrated with factors that determined whether a school was performing well or poorly.

Findings will be discussed during 25 February MPI Europe – SVR webinar

WASHINGTON — Six million immigrant workers are at the frontlines of keeping U.S. residents healthy, safe and fed during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a Migration Policy Institute (MPI) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data issued today. While the foreign born represented 17 percent of the 156 million civilians working in 2018, they account for larger shares in pandemic-response frontline occupations: 29 percent of all physicians in the United States, 38 percent of home health aides and 23 percent of retail-store pharmacists, for example.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. immigration system was dramatically reshaped by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which shone a harsh spotlight on weaknesses in visa and immigration screening processes. From the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expanded national security protections in immigration and tourism policies, countless changes in the immigration arena have unfolded over the past 19 years.

This MPI webinar marks the release of a policy brief that explores program and policy opportunities to improve home visiting services for immigrant and DLL families currently underparticipating in these programs due to a lack of culturally and linguistically responsive programming and other barriers

India is the world's largest source for immigrant physicians, and for Indian-trained doctors and nurses the allure of working abroad is strong despite an acute domestic shortage of health-care workers. Against this pull, the Indian government has enacted a number of policies to limit and regulate the emigration of health-care professionals, though these have been more ad hoc in nature and not part of a fully realized strategy.

Experts share how states have approached Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) implementation, and areas where the law and state efforts to support English Learners can be improved.

A BBQ meal you can whip up in a jiffy.

This recipe was featured on 774 ABC Melbourne Drive's Foodie Tuesday segment.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment with Raf Epstein on Drive , 774, 3.30pm, courtesy of Alice Zaslavsky.

A spicy Thai take on fried chicken, perfect as an entree to get the taste-buds sizzling or part of a main meal with rice and vegetables.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, courtesy of Tony Tan

75g butter 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour 500ml (2 cups) milk 75g finely grated parmesan 1 small red onion, finely diced 200g prosciutto, finely chopped 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 3 eggs, lightly whisked 1 cup plain flour 270g (3 cups) dried breadcrumbs Vegetable oil, to deep-fry

Four of my favourite ingredients combined into one dish!

Always something nice about discovering new dishes by utilising left overs from the night before . Seriously who doesn't love a bowl of pasta with a rich ragout of slow braised meat . Add a fresh twist with sweet seasonal peas from the markets .

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, shared by Hetty McKinnon, founder of Surry Hills community kitchen Arthur Street Kitchen and author of 'Neighbourhood'.

Delicious Australian dish with fresh Lilly Pilly and finger lime spritzer.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, shared by Dan Hunter, chef and owner of Otways' restaurant Brae.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, shared by Alice Zaslavsky.

This recipe features on Foodie Tuesday, a weekly segment on 774 Drive with Raf Epstein, 3.30PM, shared by Matt Purbrick author of Grown & Gathered.

Love this time of year where our makers are abundant with the sweet aroma of fresh basil . Here is my take on a fancy potato salad of macadamia pesto , crispy prosciutto, sweet cherry tomatoes

honeycomb 40 g (11/2 oz) honey 70 g (21/2 oz) glucose syrup 200 g (7 oz) caster (superfine) sugar 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), sifted mousse 200 g (7 oz/11/3 cups) chopped good-quality dark chocolate, such as couverture (see note, page 235) 40 g (11/2 oz) unsalted butter, chopped 4 eggs, separated 150 g (51/2 oz/2/3 heaped cup) sugar espresso sauce 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) espresso coffee 100 g (31/2 oz/1/2 cup) sugar 2 tablespoons kahlua

Fresh, summer BBQ staple.

Green king prawns in a delish summer dish.

It's Christmas, the middle of summer, and the outdoors beckons. For me, on a hot day, the traditional Christmas fare of roast turkey, baked potatoes and gravy, with plum pudding and custard for dessert, is about as tempting as a dental appointment. With a little planning and preparation you can impress your family and friends with a beautiful and healthy menu perfectly suited to our climate - and which allows maximum time for the more important tasks of socialising, opening presents and enjoying the spirit of Christmas. King prawns, fresh fish, salads and seasonal fruit are ideal for Christmas lunch. Cooking time is minimal, the aromas of the char-grill enticing, everything is light and fresh. Combine this with some pre-prepared zesty dressings and sauces and perhaps a platter of leg ham and Christmas 2001 will take on a whole new flavour. For dessert, look to cherries served on ice or perhaps plums, paw-paw, apricots, pineapple, strawberries or blueberries. Goat's cheese, cheddar or blue cheese would be an ideal finale, especially when teamed with a sticky dessert wine. Lash out on handmade chocolates to go with coffee. A summer juice of melon, lime and mint is health-giving and goes well with seafood. However, I will start with a sparkling shiraz or Champagne and enjoy a fruity riesling or pinot with the barbecued fish. Merry Christmas.

Turmeric is a wonderful spice, it's loud in colour (and stains big-time) but it's mild in flavour; exquisite complex and peppery. Make sure you use fresh turmeric - powdered turmeric is the equivalent of canned asparagus!

Preserved lemons are exotic, easily prepared at home and impart a flavour and perfume like no other - they are the next best thing to a holiday in Morocco, transforming any dish from the ho-hum to the sublime. When using them cooking, only use the yellow zest, discarding any white pith, pulp and juice. It is best to preserve lemons during autumn and spring when they are in season and have maximum aroma and juice. Any lemon worth its salt can be preserved, although having preserved a number of different varieties I can report most success with the thin-skinned Meyer lemon. I also think organic lemons give the best results. When choosing lemons for preserving, ensure you choose fully ripe, very yellow fragrant fruit with unblemished skin. In the case of store-bought lemons, wash well to remove the wax that is used to make them shiny.

Easy weekend entertaining featuring another great recipe from Geoff Jansz

Beets have strong detoxifying properties, as they are high in chlorine, which assists in the cleansing of the liver, kidneys and bloodstream. They are also rich in potassium, which balances the metabolism. The mighty beets nourish the blood, tonify the heart, calm the spirit and nervousness, and they lubricate the intestines and cleanse the liver! Oh my giddy Aunt!

From Argentina to New Zealand and points beyond, a growing number of countries have begun exploring refugee sponsorship as a way to expand protection capacity at a time of rising need, involving individuals and communities more directly in resettlement. This brief takes stock of what both new and well-established programs need to succeed, and outlines opportunities for private philanthropic actors to support them.

Ricky Ponting believes South Africa could suffer from a lack of first-class preparation in the opening Test in Cape Town on Wednesday.

OBJECTIVE

Prevalence and prognostic impact of cardiovascular disease differ between patients with or without diabetes. We aimed to explore differences in the prevalence and prognosis of myocardial ischemia by automated quantification of total perfusion deficit (TPD) among patients with and without diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

HbA_1c levels are increasingly measured in screening for diabetes; we investigated whether HbA_1c may simultaneously improve cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment, using QRISK3, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA), and Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) scoring systems.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of cognitive deficits and traditional diabetic complications and the association between metabolic factors and these outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of fitness on the association between BMI and mortality among patients with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE

Plasma protein N-glycan profiling integrates information on enzymatic protein glycosylation, which is a highly controlled ubiquitous posttranslational modification. Here we investigate the ability of the plasma N-glycome to predict incidence of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs; i.e., myocardial infarction and stroke).