NewsTaco

Friday August 10, 2012

Latinos in California seeks council seat in ongoing tension with Anaheim police (CNN):  As tensions roil between Latinos and city officials over accusations of police brutality, Hispanic activists will press the Anaheim City Council for a way to have at least one elected Latino to represent them, leaders said Thursday.

Finding a Spanish tutor for the Democratic convention’s Hispanic keynote speaker (JTA):  In a few weeks, Julian Castro will be basking in the national spotlight as the Democratic National Convention’s keynote speaker. The 37-year-old San Antonio mayor is already seen as a young- up-and-comer in Democratic politics. But while he is one of the nation’s more prominent Hispanic politicians – and the leader of a mostly Latino city — his Spanish apparently wasn’t so great.

#YoSoy132 Joins Occupy to Protest Carlos Slim in New York City (Fox News Latino):  Latino advocacy groups and Occupy Wall Street protesters have begun a four-day protest against Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim. The protesters, who congregated outside the Manhattan department store Saks Fifth Avenue for the first time on Tuesday, say Slim has monopolized telephone service in Mexico and overcharged customers billions of dollars.

Law aims to strengthen bilingual education in Illinois (Fox News Latino):  Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday signed a law to strengthen bilingual education in Illinois and, among other things, it will foster the creation of so-called “parents academies” and cultural programs for immigrants.

Civil Rights Groups Release New Voter Protection App (Huffington Post):  Defenders of the right to vote have a new high-tech weapon in their arsenal. A consortium of civil rights groups unveiled a smartphone application Thursday as part of a comprehensive strategy to combat what it called a nationwide effort to disenfranchise minority and youth voters.

DREAM Act May Become Part of Democratic Party Platform (Fox News Latino):  Support for the DREAM Act may soon become the official stance of the Democratic Party.  In an appeal to Latino voters, three Senate candidates in the Southwest are urging the Democratic National Convention to adopt as part of the party platform support for the bill to help some undocumented immigrants who came here as children attain citizenship.

Federal Appeals Court Backs Supreme Court’s Decision On Ariz. Immigration Law (Associated Press/CBS Las Vegas):  A federal appeals court has sided with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to throw out major parts of Arizona’s tough crackdown on illegal immigrants. A two-page ruling Wednesday by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals backed the high court’s June 25 ruling on Arizona’s SB1070 law.

Anti-Immigration Law Prepped for Next Stage (Courthouse News Service):  The 9th Circuit sent constitutional challenges to Arizona’s tough immigration laws back to the trial court on Wednesday, setting the stage for the next act of one of the nation’s most closely watched cases.

Deferred Action Program May Help 1.8M Young Immigrants (Reuters):  Almost 1.8 million young illegal immigrants may qualify for temporary legal status under President Obama’s deferred action program. This is more than double what experts initially expected when first Obama announced the program.

Wal-Mart beats janitors’ appeal on immigration, lockups (Reuters):  Wal-Mart Stores Inc has defeated an appeal by immigrant janitors who accused the world’s largest retailer in a lawsuit of unfair labor practices, encouraging illegal immigration and locking them inside stores at night and on weekends.

Jan Brewer ‘Not Inclined’ To Endorse Russell Pearce (Huffington Post):  Ousted Arizona state Sen. Russell Pearce, the Republican behind the state’s immigration law, S.B. 1070, isn’t likely to get any help from Gov. Jan Brewer (R) this year, even though she supported him in the past.

Thursday August 9, 2012

 Census Bureau Releases Results From 2010 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Alternative Questionnaire Research (EIN News):  The U.S. Census Bureau released research today from its 2010 Census Race and Hispanic Origin Alternative Questionnaire Experiment, which provides a comparison of different census questionnaire design strategies for collecting census data on race and Hispanic origin.

Census director: One ‘mainstream culture’ doesn’t make much sense (CNN):  My personal experiences as a Census Bureau director have taught me that talking about a “mainstream” culture doesn’t make much sense. It’s hard to go from Manhattan to, you know, Lincoln, Nebraska, without saying, “Gee, I’m in two very different places.”

Census seeks changes in how it measures race (Associated Press/The Seattle Times):  To keep pace with rapidly changing notions of race, the Census Bureau wants to make broad changes to its surveys that would treat “Hispanic” as a distinct category regardless of race, end use of the term “Negro” and offer new ways to identify Middle Easterners.

Latinos prefer Hispanic as a race category, says Census study (NBC Latino):  Latinos are changing the way the U.S. Census is identifying race in America. In an alternative questionnaire experiment done by the Census, many Latinos chose to identify themselves as “Hispanic” under a combined race/ethnicity category. This is significant, explained Census officials in a press conference today, because in traditional forms, many Hispanic households would not answer the “black” or “white” racial category, either leaving it blank or answering “some other race.”

Anaheim City Council rejects voting districts proposal (Los Angeles Times):  The Anaheim City Council on Wednesday night voted down a historic ballot proposal that would have created voting districts to help increase Latino representation in a community that has been riven by two recent fatal police shootings.

Obama Looks to Women, Latino Voters to Catch Romney in Colorado (Bloomberg):  President Barack Obama, running behind in the latest poll in Colorado, is trying to energize two key constituencies in the swing state, women and Hispanics, as Mitt Romney blames Obama for the U.S.’s slow economic recovery.

D.C. Latino PAC drives up donations for Hispanic candidates (Voxxi):  Franklin Garcia is a Dominican American who is becoming the go-to-person on fundraising for Latino candidates in the nation’s Capitol. The chair of the D.C. Latino Caucus told VOXXI that Hispanic candidates running in local D.C. races are not well represented — financially. Despite this, the city is known as one of the fountains for financing elections in other states.

Democratic candidates pitch DREAM Act for platform (Associated Press/Seattle Times):  In an appeal to Latino voters, three Senate candidates in the Southwest are calling on delegates to the Democratic National Convention to make support of a bill to help young illegal immigrants gain citizenship a part of the party platform.

Opinion: Latinas need to hear from Ann Romney (NBC Latino):  First Lady Michelle Obama has kicked her Latina outreach and mobilization efforts into high gear.  However, the potential first lady to be, Ann Romney has been absent from any high-profile, or even low-profile, outreach to Latinas.  In fact, Latina magazine’s political columnist, Viviana Hurtado, called Mrs. Romney out on this in an open letter.

GOP Convention Names More Latinos To Starring Roles (Fox News Latino):  Just two days after the Republican National Committee announced that New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez will be a featured speaker at the 2012 convention, it released a statement Wednesday saying that U.S. Senate nominee Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican and Tea Party favorite, and Puerto Rico Gov. Luis Fortuño, will also have prominent speaking roles at the event.

Antonio Villaraigosa: Sarah Palin More Qualified Than Marco Rubio (Huffington Post):  Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, one of the most prominent Latino elected officials in the country, said Wednesday that Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) is even less qualified to be vice president than Sarah Palin.

Hispanic voters may be an emerging political force in North Carolina (Greensboro News-Record):  Hispanic voters will have a greater influence on North Carolina politics as their participation in state elections increases. That’s one conclusion you can draw from this report released today byDemocracy North Carolina.

New report suggests Latino vote undercounted in N.C. (News Observer):  A new report estimates that North Carolina’s Latino vote is undercounted by roughly 25,000, with another 100,000 unregistered. The report issued Wednesday by Democracy North Carolina and a group of Latino advocacy organizations analyzes electoral and census data to provide a picture of the growing voting bloc.

Obama Looks to Women, Latino Voters to Catch Romney in Colorado (Bloomberg):  President Barack Obama, running behind in the latest poll in Colorado, is trying to energize two key constituencies in the swing state, women and Hispanics, as Mitt Romney blames Obama for the U.S.’s slow economic recovery.

Air pollution takes heaviest toll on black, Latino communities (SF Public Press):  Monday night’s  large crude-oil fire at the Chevron oil refinery in Richmond, which produced a towering column of acrid black smoke and aroused widespread panic in the area, served as a dramatic backdrop to new research showing that minorities and low-income people believe they bear the brunt of health problems related to air pollution.

States cool even more on immigration bills (Government Security News Magazine):  The number of state legislatures enacting immigration bills declined by 20 percent in the first half of 2012 from a year ago, according to a new report.

Here’s The Real Reason News Corp Wants An Hispanic Channel (Business Insider):  News Corp., the parent company of Fox, recently announced the launch of MundoFOX, a new Spanish language channel. One potential reason for the move: Hispanics hardly watch mainstream broadcast TV.

Undocumented Immigrant Can be Lawyer, Florida Bar Says (Fox News Latino):  The Florida Board of Bar Examiners says that an undocumented immigrant born in Mexico appears to qualify for a law license, but it still wants an advisory opinion from the state Supreme Court before making a final decision.

By Reyna Jacqueline Peña, Gozamos

On Thursday, June 28th, Gozamos joined The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum for “I Define Myself: Undocumented and Unafraid.”  The Museum collaborated with the national Coming Out of the Shadows campaign to create an “Inside Out” inspired group action exhibit. The resulting action known as “I Define Myself: Undocumented and Unafraid” is a courageous public declaration of visibility, identity and community.

Gozamos.com was in attendance on opening night to interview and record young, undocumented students, activists and allies living in Chicago regarding their thoughts on identity, visibility and the movement, in general.  Recordings of the full interviews will be shared with the Rafael Cintron Ortiz Cultural Center at UIC and archived at The Jane Addams Hull-House Museum.

The exhibit at the Hull-House runs through July 29.

Video edited by Wilberto Morales

This video first appeared in Gozamos.

Reyna Jacqueline Peña is former market researcher conducting research studies most recently for Fortune 500 telecommunication and technology companies, now working toward obtaining her doctorate in applied social psychology. Her academic research interests include the self, prejudice and discrimination, social identity, and consumer psychology. To stay current with her daily musings, you can find her compulsively editing her frequent posts and status updates on Facebook and Twitter.

[Screen shot by NewsTaco]

By Victor Landa, NewsTaco Editor

It hasn’t yet been a month and already the scammers have come out.

There are reports that DREAMers have been targeted by immigration scams; unscrupulous folks who claim to help undocumented students and others eligible under President Obama’s recent immigration deferment directive, for $3000. The trouble is that it’s still too early to know the procedures or the costs of the deferment.

The Rio Grande Guardian reports:

 La Unión del Pueblo Entero is hearing horror stories about unscrupulous immigration attorneys and notary publics telling immigrant students they must pay $4,000 to move ahead with deferred action.

The President’s Administrative Relief initiative was signed on June 15 and since then immigration advocacy agencies across the country have been gearing up for the next steps. But no one is as yet ready to begin any process because the processes have yet to be established.

“That is just terrible because people are being scammed. No one knows how much it will cost. The government has not said. The President said he will issue guidance within 60 days so we will not know anything until August.”

Terrible is putting it lightly. And yet, are we surprised? The undocumented have always been the targets of scams and scammers because, by their own design, they live outside of the reach and boundaries of the law. They’re easy prey. Add to that the excitement over the President’s directive and you get a field ripe for the picking.

So what can you do? Carry the correct information with you and share it when possible or needed:

• The particulars about the forms and fees will not be known until August – any early price quote is misleading and likely a scam
• And as far as the eligibility is concerned, the eligible must:
  • Have come to the United States under the age of 16;
  • Have continuously resided in the United States for at least five years preceding the date of this memorandum and are present in the United States on the date of this memorandum; (June 15, 2012)
  • Currently be in school, have graduated from high school, have obtained a general education development certificate, or are honorably discharged veterans of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States;
  • Have not been convicted of a felony offense, a significant misdemeanor offense, multiple misdemeanor offenses, or otherwise pose a threat to national security or public safety;
  • Not be above the age of 30

And one important thing to keep in mind and repeat as often as it comes up: Notary Public’s are not authorized to practice law and should not be considered authorities on immigration matters.

[Photo by  paulinaclemente]

Monday July 2, 2012

Presidential campaigns missing the mark in advertising to Latinos (Los Angeles Times):  In a race defined by massive spending on television ads, fast-response Internet videos and sophisticated social media efforts, both President Obama and challenger Mitt Romneyhave fallen short thus far when it comes to targeting Latino voters electronically, according to some Spanish-language media experts.

Florida’s other Hispanic vote (Politico):  Around this time last year, President Obama traveled to Puerto Rico in the first “official” visit by an American president in five decades. The political calculus of that trip did not go unnoticed last June — it seemed an obvious nod to the rising importance of the Puerto Rican vote, particularly in Florida.

Political Insiders Poll (National Poll):  Will the recent developments involving immigration prompt higher Latino turnout in 2012 than in 2008?

Latino Voter Diversity Challenges Political Parties ahead of 2012 Elections (Fox News Latino):  In New Mexico, Tomasita Maestas says she will pick the presidential candidate who has the best plan to fix education and the economy. In Arizona, Mexican immigrant Carlos Gomez backs Republican Mitt Romney because he’s more conservative on social issues than his Democratic opponent.

Another Thing Immigrants Do for the Economy: Invent Cool Things (Bloomberg):  Each year the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office awards about 200,000 patents to inventors. Last year a Stanford student built a camera that lets users change what’s in focus after snapping a shot; Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers invented a tiny, foldable car; and a patent was awarded for devising a metal that is as strong as steel but can be molded like plastic.

Hispanic view of immigration complex, still visceral (Austin American Statesman):  I’m a third-generation American who can barely speak Spanish. Yet I can’t tell you how many times in my life that I have been asked, “Why don’t you go back to your own country?” For too many Hispanics, the Supreme Court case involving the Arizona law wasn’t a debate on constitutional law; it was a deliberation on whether Hispanics are welcome in the great American tapestry.

Hispanic First-Time Home Buyers To Dominate Market Within 8 Years (The Mortgage Reports):  Hispanic -Americans harbor different beliefs about homeownership as compared to the American population at-large.

Qualified illegal immigrants seek rights to practice law (USA Today): Illegal immigrants brought to the USA as children, and who later graduated law schools in California, Florida and New York, are trying to gain entry to their state bars so they can work as attorneys.

By Erwin de Leon, Feet in 2 worlds

Our Supreme Court justices have been rather productive this week and their rulings will impact the lives of all of us who live in this country, including those who have chosen the United States as their adopted home, with or without proper documentation.

Yesterday the justices upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act in a 5-4 ruling.

In a statement applauding the move, the Southeast Asian Resource Action Center (SEARAC) released a statement saying the ruling will clear the way for 465,000 Southeast Asian Americans and millions of others currently living without health insurance gain access to coverage.

“Today’s decision is an opportunity for policymakers, state agencies, private insurers, community stakeholders, and consumers to put aside differences and begin the complex and important work of implementing the Affordable Care Act,” stated Doua Thor, SEARAC’s executive director. “There are still far too many families who cannot afford care, far too many elders who must choose between life-saving prescription medication and paying rent, and far too many individuals who suffer from a health system filled with consumer pitfalls and lacking resources for culturally and linguistically appropriate care. Our communities cannot afford to wait.”

Yet the justices ruled that states can opt out of the Medicaid expansion stipulated in the law without risking their funding for their existing Medicaid programs. The expansion offers coverage to anyone with an income at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, expanding eligibility to mainly children, pregnant women, elderly and disabled adults.

Many immigrants, particularly those who are naturalized or have permanent legal residency (green cards), could potentially benefit from the expansion of Medicaid. It remains to be seen what insurance will be offered to those who live in states that opt out of the expansion. (Read Victor Landa’s breakdown of how the ruling will impact the Latino community).

One must not forget that the ruling has absolutely no bearing on the welfare of unauthorized immigrants, who are ineligible to participate in federal programs. Even if they are willing to pay out of pocket they will not have access to the health exchanges mandated by the law.

Earlier in the week, the justices handed down a split decision on Arizona’s controversial immigration law, SB 1070. They blocked the implementation of three parts of the law, which opens the door for courts to strike down similar measures in states like Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Indiana and Utah that have endeavored to make it a state crime for undocumented immigrants to live and work in the U.S. The Court did sustain the “show me your papers” provision of SB 1070, which requires state law enforcement officials to determine the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest if there is reason to suspect that the individual might be an undocumented immigrant.

Immigrant communities, their advocates and fair-minded Americans have decried the provision’s survival, rightfully fearing that it could lead to racial profiling. The justices did suggest that the law would be open to new challenges based on civil rights violations. The ACLU immediately took up the gauntlet and vowed to fight the “papers please” provision in the courts with its $9 million war chest.

It will take time to feel the tangible effects of the Supreme Court rulings. But it shouldn’t take much time for anyone to realize how these nine individuals make such a tremendous impact in our lives. It is likely that at least one new justice will be nominated to join the Court in the next four years. Who will be the man who choosing the next Supreme Court justice? Will it be President Obama, who will try to balance the scale of the Court, which currently tilts to the right? Or will it be President Romney, who will tilt it further to the right?

Immigrant communities can have a say on who that president will be. They need to organize, mobilize and get those who can vote to the polls.

Erwin de Leon is a Policy Researcher andwriter based in Washington, DC. He writes on immigration, LGBT, and nonprofit issues. You can follow him on Twitter at @ErwindeLeon or read his blog.

Fi2W is supported by the New York Community Trust and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation with additional support from the Ralph E. Odgen Foundation and the Sirus Fund.

[Photo by  SEIU International]

Thursday June 28, 2012

Swing-state Latinos could end Mitt Romney’s White House dream (Los Angeles Times):  It is becoming increasingly difficult for Mitt Romney to climb out of the hole he has dug for himself with Latino voters, and, as a result, that hole could turn into a grave for his presidential campaign.

First Latino justice set to be confirmed to 6th District Court of Appeals (San Jose Mercury News):  It is surprising no one that Miguel Marquez, Santa Clara County’s chief lawyer, is about to make history. The son of Mexican immigrants, Marquez has been on the fast track since his youth, transforming himself from an elementary school student who battled with mastering English to accumulating degrees from Stanford, Harvard and UC Berkeley.

Hispanics looking for November gains in US House (Associated Press/Newsday):  The 2012 election is shaping up as a big one in the House for Hispanics. There are currently 29 in the House — including a Pacific islands delegate and Puerto Rico’s resident commissioner — according to the Congressional Research Service. That number is virtually guaranteed to increase by at least three or four seats because of once-a-decade redistricting that’s created new Hispanic-majority districts in California and Texas. On top of that, Hispanics could win more seats in New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and Florida.

Dropouts down, graduates up, state reports (The Los Angeles Times):  State officials Wednesday reported modest improvements in dropout and graduation rates and said they were especially heartened with gains made by such groups as Latino and African American students.

Supreme Court Ruling Fuels Fear in Arizona Hispanics as Challenges Loom (The Washington Post):  As police prepare to begin enforcing the sole provision of Arizona’s first-of-its-kind immigration law to withstand the high court’s scrutiny, supporters and opponents agreed on one thing: The statute will face more legal challenges, especially if concerns over profiling or prolonged detentions materialize.

Obama’s immigration decision turns off voters in three swing states (The Washington Post):  President Obama’s decision to exempt young illegal immigrants from deportation may not be the electoral boon it’s cracked up to be. And in fact, it appears to be turning off more voters than it mobilizes in three key states, according to new polling from Quinnipiac University.

Poll: Obama, immigration policy winning battleground voters (The Los Angeles Times):  President Obama’s shift on immigration has boosted the president’s support in a few key battleground states, with a new poll placing the president and his revised policy ahead of Mitt Romney in Pennsylvania and Ohio, while Obama holds a slight advantage in a neck-and-neck battle in Florida.

Did Justice Antonin Scalia go too far this time? (The Los Angeles Times):  Justice Antonin Scalia has never been shy about saying what he thinks and never reluctant to criticize those he disagrees with. For more than a quarter-century, the high court’s term has nearly always ended with a rush of opinions in late June and a fiery dissent from Scalia.

By Suevon Lee, ProPublica

Last week, the White House announced what could be a big shift in immigration policy, exempting many young illegal immigrants from deportation in the short run.

But this wasn’t Obama’s first directive to extend protection to this group. A year ago, the administration ordered broader discretion in the prosecution of illegal immigrants. Among the factors to consider were age and manner of entry into the country, education status, military service, criminal history and family circumstances.

This article was first published in ProPublica.

Suevon Lee has previously worked as a reporter for the Ocala Star-Banner where she covered courts and legal issues. She earned a master of studies in law degree from Yale Law School in 2012 and master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism in 2006.

[Photo by The White House]

By Manuel Ramírez

Like many college students this summer I have an internship; others would be excited about the opportunity. I on the other hand had to be worried. I had to fly to half way around the country for my internship, and am undocumented.

I was petrified at the idea of flying and risking deportation. My Mexican passport surely looked suspicious to TSA and I knew that at any minute they could ask to see my ‘other” visa, which I do not have. Any minute I could be detained.

I’m a straight A student, I graduated third  in my high school class, and made it into one of the best universities in the country, but I had to worry about whether I would even be able to stay in this country if I were detained.

As I waited to be checked by TSA I glanced at the television to my right only to see reports about President Obama’s decision to stop deporting undocumented students. Constant text messages and Facebook notifications about the President’s political announcement half-filled me with happiness and a sense accomplishment – accomplishment because the immigrant community had finally received an opportunity for undocumented students to legalize their status. However, I have mixed emotions about the President’s decision to give administrative relief to undocumented students, an action that would immediately affect individuals that are in deportation proceedings or have ever had contact with ICE. The decision would allow undocumented students to gain a two-year work permit, but only after meeting certain requirements which include having been here since the age of 16 and not be over the age of 30; have graduated high school, have a GED, or served in the military.

While this was a courageous step by President Obama to fix a piece of our country’s broken immigration system, it is only a temporary solution. But why did he choose to use his presidential power now? With elections being held in five months, he knows he needs the Latino vote, the fastest and largest growing ethnic group in the US, to win the upcoming presidential election. Call me cynical, but to me it is clear that making a bold decision is only a political one. The same happened when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, Lincoln withheld it only for political reasons. These political chess moves that play with the lives of real people have been carried out by many of our presidents. Politicians only appeal to the common folk when reelections are on the line and later forget about us after being reelected. It reminds me of growing up in Mexico, during elections the PRI and PAN parties handed out rice and beans in exchange for votes.

I guess I should be happy to have such a “progressive” president, I mean he does support the idea of gay marriage and is now offering a temporary relief for undocumented students to legalize their status, right? But I know all of these decisions are part of the reelection show. I feel this is short-term solution to fix the broken immigration system. The President’s decision bypassed review from courts and has little chance of being implemented as proposed. For now, I am happy that this opportunity has been given to the immigrant community, but we will continue to organize until something is done permanently.

Personally, I may benefit from this decision, but the immigrant community as a whole is still struggling. I will still be heartbroken the day my parents are deported because of their immigration status. While this is a step forward to get to our end goal of legalizing the status of 11 million undocumented immigrants, our plight isn’t finished.

For sure, this decision will help some students, however, this is only a short-term solution and it is unclear that this decision will extend past the Obama administration. I know this decision will help place me in a stronger position to win broader change for the immigrant community, then piecemeal policies that still allow my parents, friends, and family to be deported and divided.  This may be a game of politics, but I for one will not simply be a pawn in this game of chess and we as a community will hold those in power accountable by rallying and pressuring until something is done permanently.

Manuel Ramírez is a student at the University of Texas at Austin and an organizer for social justice in the central Texas area.

[Photo By Jobs with Justice]

Monday June 18, 2012

Henry Cisneros fighting prostate cancer (San Antonio Express-News): “But these days, the former San Antonio mayor and U.S. housing secretary also talks a lot about RADs, or radiation absorbed dosages, speaking in the same energetic, enthusiastic tone, as if explaining a new pension fund in which his company is investing. It’s almost like he’s not talking about cancer. His cancer.”

Cocaine, Inc.: How A Mexican Drug Cartel Makes its Billions (New York Times Magazine): A pretty amazing insight into the Sinaloa cartel. It’s a definite longread, but it’s absolutely worth it. “It’s a curious rivalry between these two organizations, because their business models are really very different. The Zetas have diversified beyond drugs to extortion, kidnapping and human trafficking, blossoming into what officials call a ‘polycriminal organization.’ Sinaloa, by contrast, has mostly tended to stick to its core competence of trafficking. ”

“El Paso Times” to El Paso ISD trustees: Resign (TM Daily Post | Texas Monthly): “But anyone who picked up an El Paso Times on Sunday was reminded that the city’s problem isn’t misconceptions about safety in the border city, but rather, government corruption. As part of the fallout from the latest scandal, the newspaper published a rare front-page editorial calling for the resignation of five school board members. ”

Who is Marco Rubio? Life Story Revealed in Manuel Roig-Franzia’s Biography (The Daily Beast): “Like Bill Clinton, he is a young man in a hurry, accumulating power by leveraging personal relationships. And, as was once said of Nixon during his VP years with Ike, he is an old person’s idea of what a young person should be like. But rather than being a plastic young conservative who spends his youth fantasizing about coat-and-tie cocktails with William F. Buckley, Rubio is a relatable member of his generation. He does not listen to patriotic hymns on road trips, but rap, spitting along to the sounds of Snoop Dogg.”

Hats Off to the Soft Drink Industry for Giving Attention to Hispanics and Blacks (Ad Age): This was an interesting column, to say the least. The original column complimented marketers for recognizing the minority market and not ignoring it. The thing is, many marketers don’t give a damn where their money comes from. The only color they care about is green. Also, I learned about it from Gawker, which went after the original column’s author’s claims with their signature snark. It also caught my attention because of a conversation I had with our publisher, Gilberto Ocañas, last week about how companies market to Latinos. I appreciated Gawker noting the flaw in David Morse’s argument about Hispanics choosing sugary over diet drinks. Also, a disclosure: I’m a fat guy who consumes more sugary drinks than I should.

A Waiting Game for Homeowners Trying to Sell Short (NPR): How many of you have homes in financial paperwork hell trying to sell your homes or purchase one? “Banks are often accused of dragging their feet when a homeowner wants to sell for less than the balance on the mortgage. A lot of those “short sales” might be better dubbed “really long and drawn out” sales. New federal guidelines, though, could now push lenders to approve short sales faster.”

Playing a Video Game to Remember an Historic Day — Or to Forget It (Kotaku): I thought this was a pretty cool column, especially the sheer numbers to come out of people playing immediately after last month’s insane EPL final minutes (for the life of me, I can’t find the link, but I will and post it here). How many of you have tried to recreate something in the World Cup, Primera Division or the NFL via your video games? I know I have.

Lens on Immigration: ‘Adolescence Deported’ (CNN): This photo essay of a family broken apart when their mother was deported is interesting. There’s also some background on the family in words as well as an audio interview. An interesting stat from the copy. “Nearly 50,000 children had parents who were removed from the country during the first half of 2011, according to a report that Immigration and Customs Enforcement presented to Congress in March.”

Bill Richardson: Latino Presidential Candidate Coming Soon (Fox News Latino): The former governor of New Mexico passes along his insight into the next Latino presidential candidate, essentially saying a strong, viable candidacy is two or three election cycles away. During the interview, he cites San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval and U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio. I notice he didn’t (at least in the transcript summary, he may have said it in the video) mention his successor, Susana Martinez.

Rising Republican Star (Latino USA): Don’t say I can’t segue. Latino USA has an audio profile of New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez and how she’s risen in the ranks of the Republican party and tried to deal with a contentious legislature in her state.

Is Hispanic the New Black? (Bloomberg): As a 2010 LatinoMetrics survey found, 30 percent of Hispanic voters considered racism to be a factor in anti-immigrant views. After calls for electric fences and the like in this year’s Republican presidential primary, it’s doubtful that number has declined. If Republicans opt for a continued stonewall on immigration, they risk alienating Hispanic voters for the long haul.

President Obama made a political decision on immigration. So what? (Washington Post):  In the immediate aftermath of President Obama’s decision to stop deporting young illegal immigrants on Friday, Republicans stayed silent as they sought to calculate the right response — one that would walk the fine line between alienating their political base and sending (another) negative signal to the Hispanic community they badly need to court.

Spanish-Language Talk Show Icon Cristina Saralegui Gets Political, Endorses Obama In Campaign Ad (Media Bistro):  One of the most famous faces ever to appear on Spanish-language TV is getting political. Journalist Cristina Saralegui, who for 21 years hosted “El Show de Cristina” on Univision, is endorsing President Obama in a new campaign commercial.

Is it time for the term ‘minority’ to be replaced? (Albany Times Union): Statistically, racial groups that have come to be known as minorities (African American, Latino, Asian, mixed race and others) are becoming less of a ‘minority’ in America. As this shift continues,  should there be a new term to replace “minority”?

Obama’s immigration move wins support in battleground states (Los Angeles Times):  President Obama’s decision to extend administrative relief to an estimated 800,000 young illegal immigrants has won favor with Latino voters in key battleground states, according to a new poll.

Arizona’s Immigration Law: Police Agencies Prepare for New Lawsuits (Fox News Latino):  As the nation awaits the Supreme Court’s decision on Arizona’s controversial 2010 immigration law, opponents of SB1070 are preparing to sue police departments on claims that officers racially profile, while supporters are set to sue police agencies for failure to enforce the law.

Jose Luis Zelaya

En lo que escribo esta nota las lágrimas caen de mis ojos por la felicidad de saber que podré ser maestro y que miles de estudiantes indocumentados podrán ejercer sus profesiones. La idea que seré maestro de matemáticas y que enseñaré a los estudiantes más que números, porque les voy a enseñar valores como respeto, liderazgo, e integridad con el fin de que sean mujeres y hombres de valor para nuestra sociedad, ha hecho de este día el más feliz de mi vida.

El presidente Obama ha puesto un alto a las deportaciones de los estudiantes indocumentados conocidos como los Soñadores, los DREAMers, siempre que cumplan ciertos requisitos. Los requisitos son graduarse de la escuela secundaria en Estados Unidos, tener buen carácter moral, haber entrado al país antes de los 16 años y ser menor de 30 años. Gracias a Dios yo lleno todos los requisitos y podré usar mi educación para mejorar mi comunidad y contribuir a la economía del país.

La felicidad de saber que podré usar la educación que Texas A&M University me ha dado, me llenó de felicidad. En la mañana llamé a mi madre para darle las buenas noticias y ella llorando oró y agradeció a Dios por el Presidente Obama y su decisión. Como estudiante indocumentado ha sido difícil poder servir a mi comunidad como maestro, pero no fue un impedimento para ser voluntario en escuelas locales como tutor. Ahora el saber que podré trabajar como maestro y poder dar clases a mis estudiantes me llena de alegría porque ser maestro ha sido mi pasión por muchos años. Mi deseo de dar clases me ha llevado a ser un estudiante de maestría en Educación en Texas A&M.

A estudiantes alrededor del país se les había negado el derecho de servir a la comunidad, pero hoy es un día donde podremos usar nuestros talentos para mejorar la economía de Estados Unidos. Hemos sufrido mucho porque se nos negaba servir a nuestra patria. Estudiantes alrededor del país se regocijan este día sabiendo que hemos alcanzado un gran logro en la historia de Estados Unidos. Es importante saber que ésta no es la meta final y que todavía queda mucho trabajo por hacer.

Tenemos que luchar por los derechos de nuestras comunidades y familias inmigrantes y pasar una reforma migratoria. Los Soñadores han luchado con vehemencia aún con la falta de documentación, y ahora que tenemos la oportunidad de trabajar me da esperanza al simplemente imaginarme lo mucho que lograremos siendo documentados.

Ahora esta oportunidad se nos ha dado y tenemos que tomar ventaja de ella al educarnos, graduarnos de la escuela y seguir los estudios a un nivel universitario. Gracias a todos los que han apoyado esta causa hoy es un día de felicidad y alegría ya que las cadenas que nos impedían servir han sido rotas, y ahora podemos servir a nuestra Nación y hogar.

José Luis Zelaya, quien fue traido a los EE.UU. por su madre desde Honduras cuando tenía 14 años de edad, acaba de terminar su primer semestre como estudiante de posgrado de Texas A & M, con un promedio de 4.0. NewsTaco escribió acerca de Zelaya cuando se postuló para presidente del cuerpo estudiantil de Texas A & M University.

By Jose Luis Zelaya

I am literally in tears as I write, but they are tears of joy and happiness. The idea that I will be able to work as a teacher and have a classroom of my own truly makes me the happiest man alive.

This morning when I listened to the news, my body started feeling weak, like if I was going to faint. I called my mother while crying. I gave her the news and she started praying and thanking God for the news.

DREAMers across the nation have been waiting for this day for a very long time, the day where we are recognized by society and are given the opportunity to serve and give back to our home. There are over 800,000 students who will benefit from this announcement.

Students who want to serve their nation and give back to the country we love so much. Today is a day of celebration, a victory for DREAMers who have worked hard, organized and put pressure on both parties for this day to come. DREAMers are Americans who want to stay in this country and serve their communities. This brave step from president Obama is a right step in the right direction.

I am very honored to be a DREAMer. Things have not being easy, but our hard work organizing, and sleepless nights working and motivating students to go to college is paying off.

As a teacher, I am very happy, because I have the opportunity to teach now. As a DREAMer, I am very joyful to know that my friends and DREAM family are rejoicing across the nation with this great news.

DREAMers are students who were brought to the United States at a young age, and they have done nothing wrong but seek the American DREAM through obtaining an education.

I was the president of the Council for Minority Student Affairs where we helped DREAMers stay motivated to go to college. Many times we felt hopeless and weak, but we knew that we had to keep on fighting to justice. I had the honor to run for student body president at Texas A&M University, and I was discriminated against because of my immigration status. The fact that I now have the ability to become a legal resident gives me the honor and pride to be able to serve without prejudice.

Today DREAMers across the nation rejoice because justice has being done, but we must remember that the fight is not over, in fact, it has just started.

Our communities, families and nation need our service, and if there is one thing DREAMers do well, it is to serve.

Jose Luis Zelaya who was brought to the U.S. by his mother from Honduras when he was 14-years-old, just completed his first semester as a graduate student at Texas A&M with a 4.0 grade point average. NewsTaco wrote about Zelaya when he ran for Student body President at Texas A&M University.

By Peter Malof, Texas News Service

AUSTIN, Texas – With the Obama administration’s decision Friday to defer the threat of deportation for hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented U.S. residents, immigration is fast emerging as the sleeper issue this election season. Texas border-community advocates are predicting an increase in political activity by so-called “DREAMers” – individuals brought to the U.S. by their parents when they were children – as they feel more free to speak out without fear of revealing their legal status.

Esther Reyes, a member of the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance, says risk-taking DREAMers who have been occupying Obama campaign offices around the country in recent weeks deserve much of the credit for the new policy.

“This is a result of the work of the students, more than anything. It was certainly a testament to their hard work and their boldness and courage to stand up for their rights and justice.”

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says the decision was just the latest step in the administration’s year-old commitment to focus deportation efforts on unsavory criminals. Eligible immigrants can request deportation relief in two-year increments, as well as apply for work permits.

While Reyes applauds the move, she says groups like the Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition – which she directs – will be monitoring its implementation to be sure applicants and their families aren’t exposed to unexpected legal risks. She adds that the effect of the policy shift will be limited, unless Congress bolsters it with legislation.

“We also need full, permanent relief for our undocumented students, because this does not provide a path to citizenship. That is what all undocumented immigrants in this country really are fighting for: to be recognized.”

In 2010, “DREAM Act” legislation won majority support in both houses of Congress, but did not survive a filibuster. Reyes hopes the renewed political focus on immigration issues will eventually lead to comprehensive reform of the nation’s entire immigration system.

Critics call the Obama policy a politically motivated overreach of authority and backdoor amnesty. Texas Congressman Lamar Smith says it will have “horrible consequences” for unemployed Americans. HoweReyes counters that bringing immigrants out of the shadows will allow them to contribute more fully to the economy.

“These undocumented youths have demonstrated their commitment to this country. We have to recognize what they’re actually doing.”

The government has set up a hotline, 1-800-375-5283, for questions about eligibility and how to request “deferred action status.”

The Public News Service (PNS) provides reporting on a wide range of social, community, and environmental issues for mainstream and alternative media that amplifies progressive voices, is easy to use and has a proven track record of success. Supported by over 400 nonprofit organizations and other contributors, PNS provides high-quality news on public issues and current affairs.

[Photo by Dreamer Movement]

Deb Courson Smith, Texas News Service

AUSTIN, Texas – Vuelven los problemas de migracion por el posible cambio de juego en esta epoca de elecciones. Mientras la Suprema Corte evalua la controversial aplicacion de la ley de inmigracion de Arizona, los detractores acusan al Presidente Obama de extralimitar su labor ejecutiva por su decision del viernes pasado de permitir a muchos inmigrantes sin documentos solicitar el estatus de deportacion diferida. Mientras tanto en Texas, los defensores del inmigrante predicen que la jugada de la administracion sera envalentonar a los jovenes “DREAMers” – individuos traidos a los Estados Unidos cuando eran ninos – para que se vuelvan politicamente mas activos.

Con la decision de la administracion Obama, la inmigracion esta surgiendo rapidamente como el problema dormido de esta epoca de elecciones. Los defensores de la comunidad fronteriza de Texas predicen un incremento en la actividad politica por parte de los “DREAMers” porque ya se sienten libres para expresarse sin miedo de revelar su estatus legal. Esther Reyes, Directora Ejecutiva de la Coalicion de los Derechos del Inmigrante en Austin y miembro de Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (Reforma Migratoria en la Alianza de Texas), dice que el riesgo que asumen los “DREAMers” que han estado ocupando las oficinas de campana de Obama en todo el pais durante las semanas pasadas, merece gran parte del credito por la nueva politica.

“Esto es resultado del trabajo de los estudiantes, mas que nada. Sin duda fue un testamento de su arduo trabajo y su audacia y valor para luchar por sus derechos y por la justicia.”

La Secretaria de Seguridad Interior, Janet Napolitano, declaro que la decision fue el ultimo paso del compromiso que hizo la administracion hace un ano para enfocar los esfuerzos de deportacion en quienes cometen algun delito. Los inmigrantes elegibles pueden solicitar la prorroga de deportacion en incrementos de dos anos, asi como solicitar permisos para trabajar.

Si bien Reyes aplaude la medida, opina que los grupos como la Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition (Coalicion pro Derechos del Inmigrante de Austin), que ella dirige, estaran monitoreando su aplicacion para asegurarse de que los solicitantes y sus familias no corran riesgos legales. Agrega que el impacto del cambio de politica sera limitado, a menos que el Congreso lo refuerce con leyes.

“Tambien necesitamos un alivio completo, permanente, para nuestros estudiantes sin documentos, porque esto no significa un camino a la ciudadania. Y eso es por lo que todos los indocumentados de este pais luchan: por ser reconocidos.”

La legislacion “DREAM Act” gano el apoyo mayoritario en ambos Congresos, pero cedio ante un opositor filibustero. Reyes tiene la esperanza de que una revision con otro enfoque a los problemas migratorios eventualmente llevara a una reforma integral de todo el sistema migratorio nacional.

Los detractores dicen que la politica de Obama es un exceso de autoridad con motivos politicos y que oculta una amnistia. El Congresista por Texas Lamar Smith dijo que tendra “consecuencias horribles” para los desempleados estadounidenses. Reyes opina que sacar a los migrantes de la sombra les permitira contribuir mas abiertamente a la economia.

“Estas juventudes indocumentadas han demostrado su compromiso con este pais, asi que tenemos que reconocerles lo que realmente estan haciendo.”

El Gobierno abrio una linea para preguntas sobre elegibilidad y como solicitar la prorroga de su estatus. El numero es 800-375-5283.

Debbie Courson Smith es editora de Noticias de Public News Service con amplia experiencia en la entrega tradicional y multi-plataforma de noticias e información.

[Foto cortesia de Dreamer Movement]