By Texas Public Radio

President Obama brought a message of economic recovery when he visited Austin, the first stop in his “Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Tour.” Latinos in the U.S., however, are trailing behind the national average in unemployment. So how are they’re doing when it comes to finding work in the home of the “Texas miracle?”

The Economic Policy Institute projects Latino unemployment will be at about 8 percent by year’s end in Texas. Employment here has consistently been above the national average. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S., Latino unemployment is still around 9 percent. Doug Hall, director of the Institute’s Economic Analysis and Research Network, said even though that was a drop from last year, there’s little to celebrate.

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Picture by Joshua Jow/Texans for Obama]

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By Kent Hoover, Austin Business Journal

Celebrity advocates are common on Capitol Hill, but actressEva Longoria was more than just a pretty face at a Senate hearing on “Strengthening the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Minority Women.” The “Desperate Housewives” star not only is an entrepreneur herself — Longoria owns two restaurants and manages her own production company — she’s also launched a foundation to help other Latinas start and grow their own businesses.

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[Photo by Barack Obama]

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By David Ferguson, The Raw Story

A group of agricultural workers in southern California lost their jobs last week when they took shelter to escape the ash-filled air blowing down on them ahead of one of the wildfires currently blazing in that state. According to NBC Los Angeles, 15 workers went inside to escape the smoke, which was interfering with their ability to breathe. When they returned to work the next day, they were informed that they had been fired.

“The smoke was very bad. There’s no doubt about that,” said Lauro Barrajas, one of the workers, who are represented by the United Farm Workers union.

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[Photo by dominik.kreutz]

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By Seung Min Kim, Politico

The Senate Gang of Eight’s immigration legislation is likely to be a net boon to the economy and Social Security, a new government report shows.

The Social Security Administration finds that by 2024, the immigration bill would have create 3.22 million jobs, and boost GDP by 1.63 percent.

The study was requested by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), a key Senate immigration negotiator who has touted the economic value of comprehensive reform.

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[Photo by 401(K) 2013]

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By Hector Becerra, Los Angeles Times

About 30 minutes into my job as a picker, the strawberry fairy left her first gift.

On one of the beds of berries that seemed to stretch forever into the Santa Maria marine layer, Elvia Lopez had laid a little bundle of picked fruit.

She and the other three dozen Mexican immigrants in the field were bent at an almost 90-degree angle, using two hands to pack strawberries into plastic containers that they pushed along on ungainly one-wheeled carts.

They moved forward, relentlessly, ever bent, following a hulking machine with a conveyor belt that spirited away their fruit. But Lopez, a 31-year-old immigrant from Baja California, knew I was falling behind.

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[Photo by ah zut]

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By Kelly Chung Dawson, New America Media

The Immigration Act of 1990 introduced the EB-5 visa, an “employment-based” route to legal permanent US residency – a “green card” – for foreigners with enough money to invest.

Working with privately run regional EB-5 centers, investors must be able to prove that their money has gone toward creation of at least 10 jobs for US citizens, through a venture that promotes “economic growth, including increased export sales, improved regional productivity, job creation or increased domestic capital investment,” according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Projects with EB-5 financing include the $172 million Marriott hotel now under construction in downtown Los Angeles. The venture is expected to create 800 temporary construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs.

The program, which sets a minimum investment of $500,000 for projects in high-unemployment or rural areas and a $1 million threshold for other projects, has drawn criticism for creating a system that links the prospect of citizenship to an applicant’s ability to pay. Whether it actually creates jobs or stimulates local economies has also been questioned.

A project involving an EB-5 applicant must demonstrate only that it has “indirectly” created jobs, a loophole that has proven easy to slip through. A recent rash of scams targeting would-be investors has caused new problems for applicants, the private operators of regional EB-5 processing centers that match applicants with suitable business opportunities and federal immigration authorities.

The program’s supporters point to the benefits such investment can bring to local economies, especially at a time when deal financing by US banks remains slow. Reports of fraud and deals falling apart, the proponents argue, are the exception for a program projected to have almost 10,000 participants this year.

The popularity of the EB-5 contrasts with the picture in 2007, when fewer than 800 people applied. That low number was due to “an onerous application process and lengthy adjudication periods”, according to the Government Accountability Office.

But application procedures have since been streamlined, with a heavy push for applicants from China, where growing middle and upper classes have fueled increased immigration to the US.

US Citizenship and Immigration Services reports that of 7,641 EB-5 visas issued in fiscal year 2012, about 80 percent went to Chinese applicant-investors. Hundreds of consulting firms that specialize in EB-5 cases have cropped up in recent years, with advertising on television, radio and the Internet. Some consultants are said to charge as much as $175,000 for handling an application and matching it with a US business seeking investors.

Chinese applicants now have a wide selection of options to choose from, as American companies in various industries compete for EB-5 interest.

The China International Immigration Report found earlier this year that among the country’s wealthiest (citizens with assets of over 100 million yuan, or about $16 million), 47 percent were considering moving abroad and 27 percent had already done so. For Chinese with assets of more than 10 million yuan, 60 percent had applied for an EB-5 or already received one.

The real estate website Soufun.com said that of 5,000 people surveyed, 41.5 percent cited better living conditions as a reason for emigrating, and 35.43 percent emphasized educational opportunities for their children.

Immediate family members of EB-5 investors are also eligible for conditional US residency, which is generally approved nine months after the investment has been initiated. Two years later, residency status becomes permanent; eventually the applicant and close relatives are eligible for US citizenship.

The program’s higher visibility has been accompanied by scandal. The Securities and Exchange Commission in February sued an EB-5 regional center in Chicago and accused its operator, Anshoo Sethi, of defrauding more than 250 investors of about $156 million for a convention center and hotel project. Most of the investors were Chinese, the SEC said. Its lawsuit claims Sethi mismanaged the investors’ money, including $11 million in administrative fees, and falsely marketed the project as a joint project with established hotel companies.

CIS, the nation’s immigration enforcement agency, has responded with closer monitoring of regional centers and adding staff economists to assess the economic-impact claims of the centers and the investment-seeking companies with which they do business.

The program will expire in September 2015 unless Congress reauthorizes it, but its long-term future is uncertain. President Barack Obama said earlier this year that he hopes to make the EB-5 visa permanent.

This article was first published in New America Media.

[Photo by caltiva]

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By Griselda Nevarez, Voxxi

The U.S. employment report released Friday shows the Latino unemployment rate in April dropped to 9.0 percent, down from 9.2 in March.

The latest unemployment rate for Latinos is the lowest it has been since November 2008, when it reached 8.6 percent, though it still trails behind the national average.

Nationwide, the unemployment rate came to a four-year low of 7.5 percent in April after employers added 165,000 jobs. That’s down from 7.6 percent in March, according to data released Friday by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The unemployment rate was 5.1 percent for Asians, 6.7 percent for whites and 13.2 for blacks.

Latest Latino unemployment rate is not all good news

Some would argue that the recent decrease in the Latino unemployment rate indicates Latinos are starting to find jobs again, after being hit hard by the recent recession.

But Alicia Criado, policy associate with the economic and employment policy project at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), warned that the decrease isn’t all good news for Latinos. She said the drop in the unemployment rate for Latinos was a result of 209,000 Latinos who left the labor market, meaning they stopped actively searching for work, compared to the previous month.

“That’s not what we want to see,” Criado told VOXXI. “We want to see as many people who are able to participate in the labor market do so.”

More bad news is the unemployment rate for Latino youth ages 16 to 24. It reached 18 percent, double the overall Latino unemployment rate, according to an NCLR monthly Latino employment report issued Friday.

The good news is that the Latino labor force participation rate continues to be the highest of any demographic group. It stood at 65.7 percent in April.

“Latinos definitely contribute and help to make our economy stronger and are found in many of the industries that help boost our economy,” Criado said, responding to the 65.7 percent Latino labor force participation.

Latinos face obstacles accessing newly created jobs

Job gains were made in several professions in April.

Professional and business services added 73,000 new jobs; food services and drinking places added 38,000; retail trade added 29,000; and health care added 19,000. In the last 12 months, employment growth averaged 169,000 per month.

Criado said though these job gains are good news for people seeking jobs, she pointed to research from the Economic Policy Institution that shows that for every job that is created, there are three people who are seeking a job.

“Clearly there is a gap there,” she said. “For Latinos in particular who face many obstacles and barriers in the labor market, there’s a series of challenges that prevent them from accessing jobs, especially in growth industries.”

Criado is part of a team at NCLR that works through a number of channels — including research, policy and advocacy — to address the need to create more jobs. They also work to ensure Latinos “are strong candidates” and can actually access those newly created jobs.

What it would take to lower Latino unemployment rate

Former Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis spoke in February during the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund’s (MALDEF) Latino State of the Union event about how Latinos were hit extra hard by the recent recession.

Solis said one of the ways to get more Latinos employed is by ensuring they get a college education and and the training they need to get higher-paying jobs.

Criado agreed, saying, “There is definitely a correlation between the more education you attain, the better the prospects will be in the labor market and the better career paths that you’ll have access to.”

In March, President Barack Obama nominated Thomas E. Perez to succeed Solis and become the new Secretary of Labor. He awaits confirmation from Congress — a committee vote is scheduled for next week. For now, the acting Secretary of Labor is Seth D. Harris.

Criado said she hopes the next Secretary of Labor will work to lower the Latino unemployment rate. She also hopes the new leader will prioritize investment in job training as well as in worker health and safety, two areas she said are critical for Latino workers.

This article was first published in Voxxi.

Griselda Nevarez, a native of Mexico, has a journalism degree from Arizona State University. Previously, she was sponsored by the Scripps Howard Foundation to intern with Hispanic Link News Service in Washington, D.C. She has contributed to various news outlets across the country.

[Photo by Bytemarks]

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Verónica de Lafuente will serve as Associate State Director of Outreach for the Rio Grande Valley

With a membership of over two million and offices located in Austin, Houston, Dallas and San Antonio, AARP Texas proudly serves Texans 50+ as an advocate on the various issues that affect their communities. The newest addition to the team, Veronica de Lafuente, will extend AARP Texas’ reach into the Rio Grande Valley, bringing invaluable resources and partnerships to this work.

Ms. de Lafuente comes to AARP with extensive experience working with state agencies in various capacities. She has worked on behalf of county governments for years on critical issues such as indigent health care, transportation, corrections and development. In 2009, Ms. de Lafuente served as the South Texas Political director for former Houston Mayor Bill White as he campaigned for U.S. Senator and Texas Governor. Later, she founded a public strategies company that focused on public affairs and grassroots political campaigns in South Texas.

In her new role, Ms. de Lafuente will bring her 10 years of experience in government affairs to work closely with local Valley officials, non-profits and senior groups in the area. She will serve as the voice to champion issues important to older Americans in the community, such as health and long term care, transportation, Social Security and Medicare.

“My father was diagnosed with sarcoma cancer two years ago and I’ve fought hard to ensure he had the best medical care possible. Having to deal with the complexities of health care, Social Security, and Medicare has really made me more aware of how many other families encountered similar challenges and how many of those families slipped through the cracks. I feel like it’s really come full circle for me, because these issues hit close to home – they affect my family and my community. I want to work as an advocate for people who need a voice to help them through, and I think I can do that here in the Valley,” she says.

Based in Harlingen, Ms. de Lafuente will work within the community to develop partnerships that will help serve seniors in McAllen, Harlingen, Brownsville, Laredo and Corpus Christi.

“We’re proud to welcome Ms. de Lafuente to the team,” says Bob Jackson, AARP Texas State Director. “We look forward to working hand-in-hand with local groups and leaders in an effort to improve the lives of the 50+ population in the Rio Grande Valley.”

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By Fox News Latino

U.S. employers added 165,000 jobs in April and hiring was much stronger in the previous two months than the government had first estimated, according to the Department of Labor report released on Friday

And the unemployment rate fell from 7.6 percent to 7.5 percent, fueled in part by a 52-month low in Latino unemployment — 9.0 percent, down from 9.2 percent in March. This puts the Hispanic jobless rate at its the lowest level since Nov. 2008, when it stood at 8.6 percent.

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[Photo by Skyline College PR & Marketing]

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By Annie Lowrey, New York Times

WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans suffered a loss of wealth during the recession and the sluggish recovery that followed. But the last half-decade has proved far worse for black and Hispanic families than for white families, starkly widening the already large gulf in wealth between non-Hispanic white Americans and most minority groups, according to a new study from the Urban Institute.

“It was already dismal,” Darrick Hamilton, a professor at the New School in New York, said of the wealth gap between black and white households. “It got even worse.”

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[Photo by Francesco Rachello]

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