NewsTaco

By John Benson, Voxxi

A brand-new Pew Research Center report reveals not only is the high school dropout rate at a record low but Hispanic high school graduates have surpassed non-Hispanic whites in the college enrollment rate.

“Over the last few years, particularly since the great recession, I’ve been following college-going in general, and Hispanics have made strides,” Pew Hispanic Center Senior Research Associate Rick Fry told VOXXI. “This is the first time we have published on this particular sort of college enrollment rate. In the past we simply said, ‘Okay, let’s take all the 18 to 24 years old out there and sort of ask, are they currently enrolled in college?’ That’s different.”

The new study, which was co-authored by Fry and Director Paul Taylor, focused around the class of 2012, which showed a record 69 percent of Hispanic high school graduates enrolled in college. That figure is two percentage points higher than the rate among their non-Hispanic white counterparts. As recently as the class of 2000, only 49 percent of Hispanic high school graduates immediately enrolled in college the following fall.

Furthermore, the increase is tied directly to 2011 high school dropout data with 14 percent of Hispanics, age 16 to 24, falling into the category. That figure was cut in half compared to 2000 when 28 percent of Hispanics were high school dropouts.

Overall, the data is eye opening.

“Obviously all of that is very encouraging to us,” League of United Latin American Citizens [LULAC] Director of Education Policy Luis A. Torres told VOXXI. “They note there is a strong cultural bias for education among the Latino community more than the average American. That is data we’ve seen for a long time, that 88 percent of students surveyed by ages 16 to 24 say they need college education in order to be successful in life.”

Torres added that another factor listed in the study is the labor market activity has accelerated college enrollment of Hispanics. Basically, the high unemployment rate has pointed Latino youth towards higher education.

Excelencia in Education Co-Founder and Vice President for Policy and Research Deborah Santiago told VOXXI, she agrees a soft job market has played a role in increasing college enrollment for Latinos but she also feels the pipeline is doing a better job of preparing today’s Hispanic youth.

“We still have a lot of progress to do in K-12, but Latinos are more likely to be college ready than they would have been in the past,” Santiago said.

Hispanic high school graduates – where are they going to?

While Hispanic educational leaders are championing the new data, the Pew study leads to more questions, such as what college are Latinos attending and are they graduating?

“What we’re showing is that more young Hispanics are going on to college the following fall, and while most observers would think that’s a good thing, there’s more to it,” Fry said “What is their college experience going to be and how many of them four to six years down the road will have bachelor’s degrees? We do know that Hispanic undergraduates lag in finishing bachelor’s degrees.”

Santiago said Latino undergraduates are 14 percent of undergraduates overall in college, and annually make up 10 percent of graduates. And while the Pew study shows 69 percent of the class of 2012 Hispanic high school graduates are going to college, the current overall graduation rate for Latinos is 47 percent.

The good news is, she said, an upcoming Excelencia in Education study shows that college graduation figure is also on the rise.

“We need to focus a little bit more of our energy on retention and completion as well,” Santiago said. “That means, what are institutions doing to retain them once they enroll? Are they providing academic support services, things that we know work like first year experience and learning communities? Those are ways to retain students to completion.”

Are these findings misleading?

The graduation figure among Hispanics also may be misleading, stressed Torres, who added Latinos are less likely to be enrolled in four-year universities, less likely to be enrolled in selective four-year universities and less likely to be enrolled full-time.

“It may take a student longer to complete a bachelor’s degree if they have a staggered sort of enrollment term that starts at a community college, maybe includes a year off and ends up enrolling at a four-year institution,” Torres said. “That’s a longer enrollment term, which makes college completion rates for Hispanics as a whole much lower because usually those are calculated in four-year increments.”

Considering the momentum experienced around Hispanic college enrollment, Torres said the time is now to reshape public policies. Specifically in his crosshairs is financial aid. He said Hispanics are more likely to apply for financial aid but are the group least likely to receive any.

“From this study we know Hispanics are less likely to enroll in a four-year university, yet our financial aid system is designed for a traditional student at a four-year university that is likely full-time,” Torres said. “So our financial aid system is designed to reward that type of traditional student and Hispanics aren’t that. Many are post-traditional students, go to community college, work 30 to 35 hours, are enrolled part-time and may take longer to finish a bachelor’s degree.”

So while Latinos may go to college, they are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to be enrolled full-time. In October 2011, only 78 percent of Hispanic 18- to 24-year-old college students were enrolled full-time compared to 85 percent of non-Hispanic whites.

Another area where Santiago said the Pew study could lead to changes is in the number of Latinos receiving associate’s degrees.

While 20 percent of Hispanic adults have an associate’s degree, the figure is doubled for non-Hispanic whites.

“We have every opportunity to close that gap and build on these enrollment numbers,” Santiago said. “These are real opportunities for people to make an investment and support the population. We see pockets of that happening all over the country.”

Overall, Fry feels his Pew study is possibly the tip of the iceberg that the Latino community has been waiting for and working towards. However, he points out the future remains uncertain.

“The findings are an optimistic, encouraging educational indicator,” Fry said. “It’s good that we’re finding that Hispanic high school dropout rates are narrowing and diminishing because in today’s job market the opportunities, if you don’t at least have a high school education, are very limited. So the notion that immediately following commencement or high school graduation that they’re going through the steps to get themselves on college campuses, that’s generally a positive sign, but you have to remember those are steps in a wider process.”

Figures at a glance

• 69 percent of Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, which is higher than 67 percent of non-Hispanic white counterparts. As recently as the class of 2000, only 49 percent of Hispanic high school graduates immediately enrolled in college the following fall. The class of 2012 finds 67 percent of non-Hispanic whites, 63 percent of non-Hispanic blacks and 84 percent of non-Hispanic Asians enrolled in college in October.

• 14 percent of Hispanics aged 16 to 24 were high school dropouts in 2011 compared to 28 percent in 2000. During that same time frame, non-Hispanic white high school dropouts declined from 7 percent to 5 percent.

• Hispanic college students are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to enroll in a four-year college (that’s 56 percent versus 72 percent).

• When young Latinos go to college, they are less likely than their non-Hispanic white counterparts to be enrolled full-time. In October 2011, only 78 percent of Hispanic 18- to 24-year-old college students were enrolled full-time. By comparison, 85 percent of similar non-Hispanic whites were enrolled full-time.

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

…and just like that, another week – done!

OK, give yourself a hand, a pat on the back, a reason to kick-back and chill. It’s Friday.

It’s Jazz de México day at NewsTaco, so click and enjoy.

It’s the best Latino jazz musicians and composers, brought to you by San Antonio KRTU 91.7′s Jorge Canavati, recorded in the studios at Trinity University.

This program was first broadcast on KRTU.

[Photo by malojavio. El Saucejo]

Victor Landa, NewsTaco

The U. S. Supreme Court will be handing down its decisions on two important civil rights cases soon, one possibly as soon as Monday, May 13. Both cases could have a lasting impact in the fight for civil rights that began in the decade of the 50′s and 60′s.

On Monday the Court could decide on Fischer v. University of Texas, in which the Justices are deliberating whether the University of Texas’ manner of attracting minority students is unconstitutional. The University’s main campus, in Autsin, Texas, accepts the top 10% of every high school class then uses race as one factor in attaining a balance of racial and ethnic diversity in its student body. The case was brought by a white student who claimed she was passed up for admission because of her race – implying that her place was given to a less deserving minority. In this case Justice Elena Kagan has recused herself because she served as U. S. solicitor general, so only eight justices will decide the outcome.

The other case is Shelby v Holder, which is expected to be decided in June. In this case the Court will decide whether section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which was last updated in 1972 but has been reauthorized several times since, is in violation of the Constitution. The main question, as has been reported, is if the Justices believe that the blatant and vast discrimination that existed in the 1960′s still exists, and whether the states covered by Section 5 continue to be the  most damaging offenders. Section 5 of the VRA requires that certain Jurisdictions (most of them southern states) pre-clear any election related change with the federal government. Opponents of the requirement argue that the discrimination of the past no longer exists and therefore pre-clearance is no longer needed.  Proponents maintain the opposite and emphasize that Section 5 has been successfully used in the very recent past to thwart blatant voter discrimination practices.

In both of these cases the court is evenly divided with Justice Anthony Kennedy seen as the swing vote.

[Photo courtesy c-span]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

It took more than 200 years for the United States to allow women to serve in the front lines of military combat. It might not take that long to require women to register for the Selective Service. The ban on women in combat was lifted last January, and with it the question of women being eligible for a possible draft was opened as well.

Truth be told the notion hasn’t occurred to too many people, at least not in public. But it’s a logical next step – that now that women can serve in combat they should also be required to register for the Selective Service. In fact it isn’t a new idea, in 2003 the Selective Service was sued in a Boston District Court for alleged discrimination because it only required men to register.

If it were to happen it would require a congressional act. I spoke recently to Lawrence Romo, Director of the U. S. Selective Service about a possible requirement for women to register with the Selective Service.

[Photo by United States Marine Corps Official Page]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

At first glance, yeah, Latino voters are “punching below their weight,” as a Pew press release succinctly put it. The Latino voter turn-out rate in the past presidential election was a paltry 48% – to quote Pew again – ,”far below that of whites (64.1%) or blacks (66.2%).”

And if that were the simple malady then the logical prescription would be more gym time and a change of diet to add some bulk. But there’s more to it than that.

Lets switch metaphors, abruptly, and reach for the proverbial glass to see if it’s half-empty or half-full.

First, turn away from percentages and look at real numbers. A record 11.2 million Latinos voted in 2012, an increase of 1.2 million over the 2008 presidential election.

Now, get a little closer to the glass and look at this: every month, according to Voto Latino, 50 thousand Latinos turn 18 years of age. Do the math, that’s 2.4 million new eligible Latino voters between 2008 and 2012. Hold that thought, and consider this:

• According to Census Bureau data the number of eligible Latinos who chose not to vote in 2012 was 2.3 million.
• 24% of the U.S. population under 18 years of age is Latino.
• According to the Census Bureau report, the turnout rate among 18- to 24-year-olds fell to 41.2% in 2012 from 48.5% in 2008.

Now step back and look at the glass again.

The problem isn’t that it’s half-anything. The problem is that the glass is the wrong size. The Latinos that didn’t bother to vote are young, so they belong in two bins and their voter behavior responds more to their youth than to their ethnicity. With time, as the 50 thousand a month accumulate birthdays, and jobs and families they’ll see the value in casting a vote and the 1.2 million voter participation increase that we saw between 2008 and 2012 will increase even more and astonish people.

It’s going to take a while – time at the gym, carbo-loading. And when it happens the headlines will yell about the incredible jump in voters. But between you and me, we know they’ve been here all along. And we know it’ll take work to get them all registered and plugged-in.

The first wave should be primed and ready by 2016…

[Photo by whatatravisty]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

Of course not. Bill Richardson is not a Latino King, Khan or Potentate.

So does Bill Richardson get to decide who is Latino and who isn’t? Not at all.

So why all the buzz over his statement on ABC News, in which he said that Texas Senator Ted Cruz should not be considered “Hispanic.”

That’s because the buzz is about as ridiculous as my headline. It’s also because media loves conflict, it plays well and gets people’s attention. And because now that we’re all media – connected and producing through personal devices – we all get a say as to what stands out in the buzz.

In this sense Bill Richardson is just a guy on TV with an opinion. The fact that he was on ABC means that he’s a pretty well known guy on TV. He also self identifies as Latino, or Hispanic, or whatever word he chooses to use. In that context, and in the political context of immigration reform, he was asked his opinion of Sen. Cruz. Here’s what he said, verbatim:

“I’m not a fan. I know [Ted Cruz is] sort of the Republican latest flavor. He’s articulate. He seems to be charismatic, but I don’t like his politics. I think he introduces a measure of incivility in the political process. Insulting people is not the way to go. But I guess he’s a force in the Republican political system, but I’m not a fan.”

So he was asked his opinion, and he gave it.

Then came this, from the ABC interviewer:

Do you think he represents most Hispanics with his politics?

That’s a very specific solicitation about a very specific issue. So Richardson answered:

“No, no. He’s anti-immigration. Almost every Hispanic in the country wants to see immigration reform. No, I don’t think he should be defined as a Hispanic. He’s a politician from Texas. A conservative state. And I respect Texas’ choice. But what I don’t like is… when you try to get things done, it’s okay to be strong and state your views, your ideology.  But I’ve seen him demean the office, be rude to other senators, not be part of, I think, the civility that is really needed in Washington.”

Here’s the problem with that statement – not having the same political views as the majority of people in a group does not exclude you from the group.

Ted Cruz does not have the same opinion on immigration as the vast majority of Latinos in the U.S. Also, Ted Cruz is a U. S. Senator, so his political opinion matters, in this case, much more than Richardson’s or yours or mine, because he has one of 100 votes in the outcome. So let’s say that Cruz self-identifies as a Latino, and let’s say that in that context he is one of three Latinos in the U.S. Senate. His opinion, then, would carry weight in the Latino community. But if you parse his constituency, you’ll find that he was elected by a majority of non-Latinos in Texas. So his ethnicity, self identified or not, is irrelevant. He wasn’t elected as a Latino, he was elected as a conservative, Tea Party Republican.

Richardson went on to say that he doesn’t like Cruz’s behavior, that he thinks Cruz is rude and demeaning. And I’m sure I could get many Latinos to line-up on Richardson’s side of that argument. So maybe what Richardson was trying to say is that Cruz shouldn’t be defined as representing a majority Hispanic political sentiment. No one could argue with that.

But that’s obvious. And had Richardson said that, in that way, there would have been no buzz and we wouldn’t be talking about it today. Ted Cruz was not elected by Latinos, so he can’t be defined as a Latino politician in the strict constituency sense.

The thing is that  Ted Cruz embodies what we all strive for as Americans: to be able to call ourselves what we want, believe what we want and vote for whoever we want. And in that very same context, Bill Richardson, the guy on TV, was asked his opinion.

We may not like his politics and think he’s rude, but the voters who elected Cruz define him in political terms. Anything else is just louder noise in the buzz.

[Photo by MikeSchinkel]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

The week in a nutshell: snow in Denver, brush fires in California.

Whaaaat?

As you try to figure that one out…might as well listen to some Friday Jazz.

It’s the best Latino jazz musicians and composers, brought to you by San Antonio KRTU 91.7′s Jorge Canavati, recorded in the studios at Trinity University.

This program was first broadcast on KRTU.

[Photo by malojavio. El Saucejo]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

One of the reasons I love doing what I do is that it gives me the chance to make things better.

Case in point: a post about the celebration of the birthday of an Aztec chief. I though it was the kind of story that Taquistas would want to read, and it was. Lots of people read it.

I was also drawn to the story because of a book I’ve been reading (in fits and starts) titled “Mexicas, El Pueblo Elegido” by Jamie Montell. It’s an historical fiction about the founding of the city of Tenochtitlán. I bring that up because I should have known better… The book mentions Nezahualcoyotl, the subject of the news story. But the news story headline tagged the chief as an Aztec, which he wasn’t.

Six hundred years later we have the expedient habit of labeling all south-of-the-border pre-columbian things as “Aztec,” and that’s what happened with the story I posted here. I should have known better. Luckily one NewsTaco reader did know better.

Taquista Juan Carlos Cutiño wrote this email:

Nezathualcoytotl was not an Aztec, he was am Acolhuan or in today’s nomenclature a Texcocan, although allied to the Mexica, forming with Itzcoatl, the Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan the Triple Alliance. And they are not Aztecs, they are Mexica or more proper Mexica/Azteca, established  on an island on the West side of the Lake Meztliapan in 1325. (Today’s Lake Texcoco, practically has disappeared), and Nezathualcoyotl was on Acolhuacan on the East side of the Lake.  And by the way Nezathualcoyotl was probably the greatest of the native intellectuals of pre-hispanic Mexico, Hidraulic Engineer, Jurist, Poet, Civil Engineer/Road Builder, Legislator and Tlatoanir. Regards, Juan-Carlos.

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

True Story: my father, who passed away late last year at the age of 92, said he remembered watching silent movies. He said he and his buddies giggled nervously thinking there were actors behind the screen. This is the same man who, years later, would call me over to the house telephone (the rotary one attached to the wall) and ask me to dial his brother’s number – “comunícame con tu tio Júlio.”

In my father’s lifetime communications technology has transformed as if from Jules Verne’s imagination; from silent movies to mobile devices we carry in our back pocket. And as I write this we’re on the cusp of even greater transformation.

Anther true story: when the United States was first formed, one of the first laws that the very first congress approved was the formation of the postal service, and special rates for newspapers. The postal service was not intended, as such, for the delivery of mail as much as for the delivery of information – an informed citizenry being a pillar of a democratic society and all…

Government regulation of the communications industry – with the excuse of regulating commerce and the scarcity of the channels on the radio and TV dial, among other reasons – has been around as long as the U.S. has been…pretty much since Ben Franklin, et al.

Through the years the two – the advance of communications technologies and government regulations – have gone forward in step (there have been hiccups and fights and nastiness). But the most recent advances in communications technologies have come at such a rapid pace that government, through no fault other than its own nature, has been left swimming upstream in a torrent. Technology advances at an increasingly fast rate, and government is designed to act slowly – we want it this way, we want to make sure that government goes slow so we can keep it in check for the same reason Franklin and Co. set up a postal service to keep the citizens informed.

The problem is that we’re at an impasse. Tech is biting at the bit to move forward and government needs to step up.  The old copper line telephone system was once a novelty to my Dad, but it hardly fits the need of today’s communications. In fact, hardly one third of all communications is done via those old copper voice lines. Most of us use our wireless and mobile phones, internet pipes, chats and hangouts and such. The transition from the old infrastructure to the newer way, across the country from rural to urban areas, is over due, and so is an organized way to get it done.

This is what’s known in communications technology circles as the IP Transition (IP stands for internet protocol, which is technical jargon, but means all the stuff that makes the new technology work), and it’s incredibly important for the Latino community. The way IP Transition is carried out will have an enormous impact among Latinos.

In this regard there’s an idea for an IP roll-out called the All IP – Pilot Program. It calls for a region specific roll out where phone companies would switch off the old lines and test new IP technology. This “pilot” way would allow for wrinkles in the process to be found and ironed out, but most importantly it would give an opportunity to find how the new technology will affect all consumers.

It’s a good marriage of the open and free-wheeling advance of technological discovery and the deliberate nature of the governmental process.

The All IP – Pilot Program is a good idea, but only if Latinos are included, front and center, from the very beginning.  Latinos lag 19% behind whites in in-home computer use. Most of the lag has to do with affordability. So the Pilot Program should include Latinos and affordability in it’s fundamental set-up.

It’s exactly what the revered founding fathers had in mind back in the late 18th century: access to information, educated citizens, vibrant democracy. Nothing’s changed since then, since the days of silent movies and rotary telephones – except the technology. And that’s where we need to catch up, with deliberate equity.

[Photo by ABC Archives]

By Yesica Lopez,  NBCLatino

Friends of the American Latino Museum are letting you decide what their 2013 will look like.

The second annual Campaign Design Contest has announced the five finalists. “We are proud to unveil the 2013 Campaign Design Contest finalists and we want our supporters to pick the winner. Their votes will determine our next design, so I encourage everyone to go to AmericanLatinoMuseum.org and pick for their favorite,” said the Chairman of the board, Cid Wilson.

Anyone can vote for their favorite design until April 25th.

The winning design will be the feature image of Friends’ national campaign 2013; the winning artist will travel to Washington D.C. to expose their work and take a role in the historic campaign to build a National Museum of the American Latino in the Capitol.

The National American Latino Museum is still years away from being built and there is plenty of work to be done, but the campaign will help to raise awareness about the museum.

In 2008, supported by both Democrats and Republicans, the former president George W. Bush signed the act of commission to study the potential creation of a National Museum of the American Latino and since 2009 the commission has been working hard, traveling around raising awareness on the importance of creating a museum to celebrate the history of the Latino community in the United States, a museum by and for the people that will showcase American Latino art and culture.

This article was first published in NBCLatino.

[Image by  Gene Jimenez]

By Veronica Villafañe, Media Moves

Javier Manzano has won the 2013 Pulitzer prize for feature photography.  He is the first freelance photographer to win a Pulitzer in 17 years.

Described by the jury as an “extraordinary picture,” Javier’s winning photo, distributed by Agence France-Presse, shows two Syrian rebel soldiers tensely guarding their position as beams of light stream through bullet holes in a nearby metal wall.

Javier, who worked for The Rocky Mountain News until it shut down its doors in February of 2009, is currently a freelance photojournalist and documentary filmmaker based in Istanbul, Turkey.  He has been covering the wars in Mexico, Afghanistan and Syria.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post and TIME magazine, among others.

Born in Mexico, Javier immigrated to the U.S. when he was 18. A great portion of his work has focused on cross-border issues.

Javier began his career in the newspaper industry as a photo and videojournalist, later expanding into television and electronic media.

2013 Pulitzer prize-winner for feature photography. Two rebel soldiers stand guard in the Karmel Jabl neighborhood of Aleppo as over a dozen holes made by bullets and shrapnel peppered the tin wall behind them. © Javier Manzano/AFP

You can see more of Javier’s amazing photos on his website: www.javiermanzano.com.

This article was first published in Media Moves.

[Photos courtesy Media Moves]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco

By far the best compilation and rendering of the events of the Boston Marathon Bombing, and the unfolding drama of the days after, has been put together by the Washington Post.

It’s an interactive timeline that you can search by date, or by theme – “The Manhunt”: “The Suspects”; “The Investigation”; “The Scene.”

It’s got pictures, maps, satellite images, links…

Check it out HERE, or by clicking on the image above.

[Image courtesy Washington Post]

By Melissa del Bosque, Texas Observer

The so-called “Gang of Eight,” a bipartisan group of U.S. senators, released their much-awaited comprehensive immigration reform bill late Tuesday. It’s thrilling to finally see a reform bill which looks like it has some momentum come out of Congress—until you see the first section devoted to border security, which is like a kick in the gut for border communities.

Get ready for more fences, more invasive surveillance and more “boots on the ground.”

The bill appropriates $1.5 billion for the “Southern Border Fencing Strategy” to identify where fencing, including double-layer fencing, infrastructure, and technology would be deployed along the Southern border.

Here we go again. For anyone who has closely followed the building of the border fence in Texas, this is an immediate red flag. Landowners like Brownsville resident Eloisa Tamez have been fighting the condemnation of their land since 2008. Much of the unfenced land left along the southern border is in Texas and it is owned by private landowners.

The proposed fencing means another round of land condemnations and costly court battles for landowners and business owners. Since 2007—when the Department of Homeland Security first started land condemnations under the 2006 Secure Fence Act in Texas—the agency has never adequately explained the decision-making process that determines where the fencing is built. And border residents say DHS seldom confers with communities before they start building.

Even worse, the immigration status of millions will hinge on the building of these border fences by the National Guard, as well as adding more drone surveillance to the border. And then finally a determination by a hyper-partisan Congress on whether the border is secure.

The bill creates a new class of immigrant called the “Registered Provisional Immigrant.” The bill says “RPIs” can travel outside of the country for up to 180 days a year and they can work. But it is a provisional status, presumably with even less rights than a Legal Permanent Resident status. According to the bill, immigrants cannot begin the process of becoming Legal Permanent Residents, (aka securing a green card) until the Homeland Security secretary submits a notice to Congress and the president that the Comprehensive Southern Border Security Strategy is “substantially deployed and substantially operational,” and that the Secure Fence Strategy is implemented and “substantially completed.”

This could take years. Government officials have been trying to form a coherent border security strategy ever since 9/11 with little success. The past decade is littered with ideas and technologies that were once touted as the latest and greatest only to be later scrapped because they didn’t work and cost taxpayers too much. For instance, the virtual fence project was canceled in 2011 because of cost overruns and technical glitches. The radar sometimes mistook desert brush for border crossers when it was windy. And when it rained, the radar often didn’t work at all. The whole experiment cost taxpayers $1 billion.

Kathleen Campbell Walker, an El Paso immigration attorney with the law firm Cox Smith, says she was disappointed to see the fence provision in the bill. “A lot of communities—like El Paso where I live—have found the border fence to be a very offensive symbol,” says  “I’m sorry to see the building of a fence used as a prerequisite for immigration reform.”

Rio Grande Valley resident Scott Nicol, chair of the Sierra Club Borderlands Team, has been a steadfast opponent of building more fence, which he sees as environmentally destructive and an ultimately ineffective security tool. “If they’re talking about basing immigrant adjustment on the completion of the wall it’s going to take years because of the condemnations that will have to take place,” says Nicol. “The walls have already been built where it’s easy to condemn properties. They can destroy nature refuges without blinking because they’re on federal lands. But what’s left now is private property and most of it is in Texas.”

Even worse, he says, is that the walls are often ineffective. They clog with debris and flood communities or they fall over in flash floods. People can scale them with relative ease. “When the Gang of Eight was visiting Nogales they watched a woman climb the fence,” says Nicol.

For those already weary from fighting the U.S. government for their land for the past five years, the specter of another round of land condemnations is frightening. “My sense is that the government is plowing ahead on a security plan and the indigenous people in this community are still in the dark,” says Dr. Margo Tamez, daughter of Eloisa Tamez, who are of members of the Lipan Apache tribe.

As we spoke Tuesday, Margo said her mother was in federal court in Brownsville, still fighting to hold onto their property in El Calaboz, a tiny border community outside of Brownsville. The U.S. government is trying to take the land underneath the 18-foot border fence it already built in the middle of her property. They are offering the family $100. “We are subjected to decisions made from far away and not consulted about the things being done to our land,” says Margo, who now works as an assistant professor in Indigenous Studies at the University of British Columbia.

The comprehensive immigration reform bill is a hefty 844 pages. Many border residents are anxious to examine it in greater depth and weigh its impacts on their communities. “I’m still digesting this,” says Campbell Walker of the bill. “It’s going to be controversial and it still has a long way to go before it’s signed by the president.”

This article was first published in The Texas Observer.

Victor Landa, NewsTaco

It’s 844 pages long. It’s been a long time coming. And it’s a compromise.

So it’s a daunting read, a sigh of relief and…better than nothing.

I’m not a big fan of compromises, because both sides lose something in the process. I’m a fan of innovative thinking, where two opposing sides see a common goal and invent a new way to achieve it that wasn’t there before; that honors and understands both sides and helps each side grow.

The immigration bill presented in the U.S. Senate by the fabled “gang of eight” is not that.

Still, it’s the best we could hope for, given the present political circumstances. So in that sense one step, in compromise, is better than no step at all.  But because it’s a compromise there will be folks on both sides who will find things to hate about it. You can take that to the bank.

Make no mistake, this bill is not about immigrants, it’s about politics, and votes – it’s easier to understand what’s written in the 844 pages if we go into it from that point of view. Republicans see the demographic trend and want to soften their image among Latinos, and Democrats see a potential blue wave rising across the country. They both think that immigration reform is the key to their aspiration – straight to the heart of the Latino voter.

And if the issue were that simple congress would vote on it soon and we’d be done with it, and that would be that. If the problem were that easy to resolve, it would have been fixed long ago. It happened today because the political atmosphere was right – that’s just the way Washington politics works.

But this political compromise will have economic and cultural repercussions for generations to come. Latinos have known this all along.

So if the votes are ever cast and counted on this thing, if we’re able to get passed the argument that is sure to erupt in the next days, politics will be changed in a definite way.

In the mean time, we have a bill that’s 844 pages long. You can click HERE or on the image above to read it. Have at it.