Republicans drop niceties, go on attack on Sotomayor
POLITICO
Senate Republicans have abandoned the courteous, meet-and-greet phase of the Sonia Sotomayor nomination. They’ve transitioned to full-blown attack mode, talking up “empathy,” gun rights and “judicial activism” three weeks before Sotomayor sits in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation to the Supreme Court.
In the most coordinated attack to date, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and the Judiciary Committee’s top Republican, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, took to the Senate floor Tuesday to start picking apart Sotomayor’s record and her past speeches.
Their effort is unlikely to change any minds on the Democratic side — and there’s no sign that Sotomayor has any serious obstacles in her nomination to the high court so far.
But Republicans are clearly changing their tactics. Senate GOP criticism of Sotomayor has been fairly mild in recent days, but aides said Tuesday that with senators set to head out of town for the weeklong July 4 recess, they wanted to make it clear that they had no intention of lying down in the face of what appears to be an increasingly inevitable confirmation.
“Democrats want to rubber stamp her, but that’s just not going to happen,” vowed a GOP leadership aide. “There’s going to be a constant drumbeat leading up to the confirmation hearings.”
“I think we recognize the importance of highlighting the areas of concern — because there are areas of concern — to put Judge Sotomayor, but also other senators, on notice that these are issues that they may want to look into as we consider her qualifications,” Cornyn told POLITICO on Tuesday.
In their remarks Tuesday, Republicans portrayed Sotomayor as an undisciplined judicial activist run amok.
Cornyn highlighted a speech Sotomayor delivered in 2002, noting that she directly referred to law professors Judith Resnik and Martha Minnow — both of whom, Cornyn said, proposed “theories about judging that are far different from the way that I think most Americans think about these issues.”
“The American people, I don’t think, want judges who believe that they have been endowed with some power to impose their views for what is otherwise the law,” Cornyn said. “Americans believe ... that judges should by definition show self-restraint and respect for the other branches of government.”
McConnell decided to harp on the empathy concept.
“The president has said repeatedly that his criterion for federal judges is their ability to empathize with specific groups,” said McConnell, pointing to Sotomayor’s ruling against a New Haven firefighter protesting that he had been passed over for a promotion in favor of minorities who had scored lower on a placement exam. “And based on a review of Judge Sotomayor’s record, it’s becoming clear to many that this is a trait that he’s found in this nominee.”
Monday, June 29, 2009
Hispanic promise on immigration moving forward
White House Hosts Bipartisan Immigration Talks
By JONATHAN WEISMAN, Wall Street Journal, JUNE 25, 2009
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will meet Thursday with a bipartisan, politically diverse group of lawmakers to begin discussing a rewrite of U.S. immigration laws.
But the effort faces stiff headwinds: a Washington agenda already packed with other priorities; a recession making Americans nervous about the job market; and the sidelining of the most vocal champions of an immigration overhaul.
"Greater presidential leadership is going to be needed," said Clarissa Martinez, director of immigration policy at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group. "It's an absolute necessity."
The White House meeting will bring together lawmakers who were involved in the failed immigration fights of the George W. Bush years, but who weren't the central stars. Gone will be Sen. Edward Kennedy (D., Mass.), suffering from a brain tumor. His Republican partner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, will be at the White House Thursday. But bearing scars from his presidential battle with Mr. Obama and from his own party over his pro-immigration stand, Mr. McCain says he won't lead the fight this time.
Instead, it would be up to a new cast, including Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) and opponents of the last immigration-overhaul efforts, such as Sens. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) and John Cornyn (R., Texas), to forge any bipartisan compromise, lawmakers say.
Mr. Schumer, who took over from Mr. Kennedy this year as chairman of the Senate's immigration subcommittee, said he believes an immigration bill can get done this year, though he admitted he is a lonely voice in Washington. Democratic officials say the passing of the baton has its advantages: The New Yorker is likely to be tougher on stemming illegal immigration, and less prone to support civil liberties for illegal immigrants, a stand of Sen. Kennedy that infuriated some Republicans.
"If you can convince Americans we can and we want to stop future waves of illegal immigration, they will accept a tough but fair path to citizenship and a very rational future flow of legal immigrants," Mr. Schumer said in an interview.
Business groups are ready to get on board, especially the high-technology industry, which faces a shortage of high-skilled workers, even with unemployment nearing 10%, said Ralph Hellman, chief lobbyist for the Information Technology Industry Council.
But business groups worry that Democrats will defer to the AFL-CIO on the issue of legal immigration. The labor confederation has opposed a robust guest-worker program or higher levels of legal immigration, fearing they would depress wages.
A larger labor presence would splinter the coalition of business and pro-immigration groups that embraced past immigration efforts, only to see them falter in the Senate.
The biggest question remains what role the president will play. White House officials, especially Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have repeatedly told supporters in Congress to show them they have the votes to pass an immigration measure. That has infuriated advocates, who say the president has shown no such hesitation with his tough fights for health-care and climate-change bills.
"With this issue, it's 'Do we have the votes?' Hell, if we had the votes, we wouldn't be calling you," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.), a leading advocate of immigration changes, speaking of his talks with White House officials.
Some immigration advocates say the president's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court has alleviated some of the pressure for action from Latinos. Latino voters helped deliver the White House to Mr. Obama in part on his immigration pledges; many are delighted with the nomination of the first Hispanic for the high court.
The White House itself has done much to downplay expectations for this first meeting, which has been twice delayed.
But some immigration advocates remain hopeful. The presence of Mr. Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, at the meeting would be evidence the GOP is trying to make up ground among Latino voters.
Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com
By JONATHAN WEISMAN, Wall Street Journal, JUNE 25, 2009
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama will meet Thursday with a bipartisan, politically diverse group of lawmakers to begin discussing a rewrite of U.S. immigration laws.
But the effort faces stiff headwinds: a Washington agenda already packed with other priorities; a recession making Americans nervous about the job market; and the sidelining of the most vocal champions of an immigration overhaul.
"Greater presidential leadership is going to be needed," said Clarissa Martinez, director of immigration policy at the National Council of La Raza, the largest Latino advocacy group. "It's an absolute necessity."
The White House meeting will bring together lawmakers who were involved in the failed immigration fights of the George W. Bush years, but who weren't the central stars. Gone will be Sen. Edward Kennedy (D., Mass.), suffering from a brain tumor. His Republican partner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, will be at the White House Thursday. But bearing scars from his presidential battle with Mr. Obama and from his own party over his pro-immigration stand, Mr. McCain says he won't lead the fight this time.
Instead, it would be up to a new cast, including Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) and opponents of the last immigration-overhaul efforts, such as Sens. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) and John Cornyn (R., Texas), to forge any bipartisan compromise, lawmakers say.
Mr. Schumer, who took over from Mr. Kennedy this year as chairman of the Senate's immigration subcommittee, said he believes an immigration bill can get done this year, though he admitted he is a lonely voice in Washington. Democratic officials say the passing of the baton has its advantages: The New Yorker is likely to be tougher on stemming illegal immigration, and less prone to support civil liberties for illegal immigrants, a stand of Sen. Kennedy that infuriated some Republicans.
"If you can convince Americans we can and we want to stop future waves of illegal immigration, they will accept a tough but fair path to citizenship and a very rational future flow of legal immigrants," Mr. Schumer said in an interview.
Business groups are ready to get on board, especially the high-technology industry, which faces a shortage of high-skilled workers, even with unemployment nearing 10%, said Ralph Hellman, chief lobbyist for the Information Technology Industry Council.
But business groups worry that Democrats will defer to the AFL-CIO on the issue of legal immigration. The labor confederation has opposed a robust guest-worker program or higher levels of legal immigration, fearing they would depress wages.
A larger labor presence would splinter the coalition of business and pro-immigration groups that embraced past immigration efforts, only to see them falter in the Senate.
The biggest question remains what role the president will play. White House officials, especially Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, have repeatedly told supporters in Congress to show them they have the votes to pass an immigration measure. That has infuriated advocates, who say the president has shown no such hesitation with his tough fights for health-care and climate-change bills.
"With this issue, it's 'Do we have the votes?' Hell, if we had the votes, we wouldn't be calling you," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D., Ill.), a leading advocate of immigration changes, speaking of his talks with White House officials.
Some immigration advocates say the president's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court has alleviated some of the pressure for action from Latinos. Latino voters helped deliver the White House to Mr. Obama in part on his immigration pledges; many are delighted with the nomination of the first Hispanic for the high court.
The White House itself has done much to downplay expectations for this first meeting, which has been twice delayed.
But some immigration advocates remain hopeful. The presence of Mr. Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, at the meeting would be evidence the GOP is trying to make up ground among Latino voters.
Write to Jonathan Weisman at jonathan.weisman@wsj.com
Latinos being sought by AARP
AARP to increase Black, Latino membership
by Pharoh Martin, Chicago Defender
WASHINGTON – As the American population continues to brown, an increasing number of organizations are making calculated strides in an effort to ensure that the diversity of their membership mirrors the diversity of the nation. AARP, the premier advocacy group for older Americans, is such an organization.
The largest of its kind in the country, AARP has a membership base that is 88.5 percent white. Less than 5 percent of its 40 million cardcarrying members are African-American, according to organization officials.
The organization has appointed two executives to reach out to Black and Latino communities and spearhead initiatives that will increase Black membership.
“Last year, our executive team recognized that it was going to take an above and beyond effort to realize the growth in membership that we want. So they restructured and created new positions to be able to accommodate those goals,” said Edna Kane-Williams, vice president in charge of African American outreach. Kane-Williams’ counterpart, Raquel Egusquiza, heads the Latino outreach campaign.
by Pharoh Martin, Chicago Defender
WASHINGTON – As the American population continues to brown, an increasing number of organizations are making calculated strides in an effort to ensure that the diversity of their membership mirrors the diversity of the nation. AARP, the premier advocacy group for older Americans, is such an organization.
The largest of its kind in the country, AARP has a membership base that is 88.5 percent white. Less than 5 percent of its 40 million cardcarrying members are African-American, according to organization officials.
The organization has appointed two executives to reach out to Black and Latino communities and spearhead initiatives that will increase Black membership.
“Last year, our executive team recognized that it was going to take an above and beyond effort to realize the growth in membership that we want. So they restructured and created new positions to be able to accommodate those goals,” said Edna Kane-Williams, vice president in charge of African American outreach. Kane-Williams’ counterpart, Raquel Egusquiza, heads the Latino outreach campaign.
Hispanic population growth threatening GOP
Demography that threatens the GOP
By Chuck Raasch, USA Today
WASHINGTON — Demography is not destiny, or so the Republicans had better hope.
In the aftermath of President Obama's biggest Democratic win in 44 years, population and political trends threaten the future of the Grand Old Party.
Obama has assembled what Atlantic Media political director Ron Brownstein calls a "coalition of the ascendant" — the fastest-growing racial, ethnic and ideological groups in the country. They include Hispanic voters, suburbanites and younger voters.
The one growth area for Republicans has been among what the Center for American Progress' Ruy Teixeira calls the "deeply rural." But they are only about one in 16 voters and are getting disproportionately smaller as populations concentrate in cities and suburbs.
No trend lines are set in stone. Policy fights — over health care, government spending and more — will help determine if the political trends persist. And Republicans may have openings if the president overreaches or missteps.
But the Republicans' challenges are more daunting because the party's image — white, increasingly Southern and disproportionately rural — does not look like the future of the country.
Hispanic growth
Hispanics are not only increasingly voting Democrat, but also growing faster than any other demographic group.
Obama won 67% of Latino voters, up 14 points from John Kerry in 2004.
Republican opposition to Obama's pick for a seat on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, who would be the first Hispanic on the court, could further alienate Hispanic voters.
William Frey, senior fellow for the Brookings Institution's metropolitan policy program, said 2 million more blacks and 2 million more Hispanics voted in 2008 than did in 2004.
Last year, 66% of the electorate was white, 15% Hispanic, 14% black, and 5% Asian. Republican presidential candidate John McCain won 57% of white men and 53% of white women, according to exit polls. But Obama won all other groups by huge margins.
If current trends hold, demographers expect the United States in 2050 to be 46% white, 30% Hispanic, 15% black, and 9% Asian.
Brownstein warned that Republicans risk becoming "dangerously monochromatic" unless they "chip away" at the growing demographic groups. That might force policy changes on issues like immigration reform.
These racial and ethnic trends have already moved formerly solid GOP states into the tossup or Democrat category.
In Florida, an influx of Hispanics along the central Interstate 4 corridor through Orlando has helped Democrats. Solidly Republican Texas could become more fertile Democratic territory as younger voters and Hispanic immigrants move into the voting-age population.
Changing suburbs
In old and new suburbs, Democrats have capitalized on an influx of immigrants and a shifting issues set.
George W. Bush won re-election in 2004 by targeting suburban and exurban voters on personal and national security. But as security worries became economic worries, Democrats reclaimed these population growth centers.
Suburbs delivered the once-red Southern states of North Carolina and Virginia to Obama. Some predict Republican-leaning Georgia will be the next Southern shifter.
Youth vote
Younger voters went 2-1 for Obama over McCain, but Obama would have won the election even if no one under age 29 voted, according to the Pew Research Center's Scott Keeter. He said these "millennial" voters provided the margin of victory for Obama only in North Carolina and Indiana.
"This is really not an Obama phenomena," Keeter said. "Young voters were John Kerry's best age group in 2004."
In 2000, 74% of voters under age 29 were white, but in 2008, 62% were. Keeter said millennials are less religious than other generations and are "the least socially conservative and seem to be less so over time."
They are also both pro-government and pro-business, and some analysts believe that as they age, millennials will be receptive to politicians who can make government more efficient.
They're also accustomed to choice in all aspects of their lives. If coming health care reforms are seen as restricting choice, Obama could face defections.
Contact Churck Raasch at craasch@gannett.com.
By Chuck Raasch, USA Today
WASHINGTON — Demography is not destiny, or so the Republicans had better hope.
In the aftermath of President Obama's biggest Democratic win in 44 years, population and political trends threaten the future of the Grand Old Party.
Obama has assembled what Atlantic Media political director Ron Brownstein calls a "coalition of the ascendant" — the fastest-growing racial, ethnic and ideological groups in the country. They include Hispanic voters, suburbanites and younger voters.
The one growth area for Republicans has been among what the Center for American Progress' Ruy Teixeira calls the "deeply rural." But they are only about one in 16 voters and are getting disproportionately smaller as populations concentrate in cities and suburbs.
No trend lines are set in stone. Policy fights — over health care, government spending and more — will help determine if the political trends persist. And Republicans may have openings if the president overreaches or missteps.
But the Republicans' challenges are more daunting because the party's image — white, increasingly Southern and disproportionately rural — does not look like the future of the country.
Hispanic growth
Hispanics are not only increasingly voting Democrat, but also growing faster than any other demographic group.
Obama won 67% of Latino voters, up 14 points from John Kerry in 2004.
Republican opposition to Obama's pick for a seat on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, who would be the first Hispanic on the court, could further alienate Hispanic voters.
William Frey, senior fellow for the Brookings Institution's metropolitan policy program, said 2 million more blacks and 2 million more Hispanics voted in 2008 than did in 2004.
Last year, 66% of the electorate was white, 15% Hispanic, 14% black, and 5% Asian. Republican presidential candidate John McCain won 57% of white men and 53% of white women, according to exit polls. But Obama won all other groups by huge margins.
If current trends hold, demographers expect the United States in 2050 to be 46% white, 30% Hispanic, 15% black, and 9% Asian.
Brownstein warned that Republicans risk becoming "dangerously monochromatic" unless they "chip away" at the growing demographic groups. That might force policy changes on issues like immigration reform.
These racial and ethnic trends have already moved formerly solid GOP states into the tossup or Democrat category.
In Florida, an influx of Hispanics along the central Interstate 4 corridor through Orlando has helped Democrats. Solidly Republican Texas could become more fertile Democratic territory as younger voters and Hispanic immigrants move into the voting-age population.
Changing suburbs
In old and new suburbs, Democrats have capitalized on an influx of immigrants and a shifting issues set.
George W. Bush won re-election in 2004 by targeting suburban and exurban voters on personal and national security. But as security worries became economic worries, Democrats reclaimed these population growth centers.
Suburbs delivered the once-red Southern states of North Carolina and Virginia to Obama. Some predict Republican-leaning Georgia will be the next Southern shifter.
Youth vote
Younger voters went 2-1 for Obama over McCain, but Obama would have won the election even if no one under age 29 voted, according to the Pew Research Center's Scott Keeter. He said these "millennial" voters provided the margin of victory for Obama only in North Carolina and Indiana.
"This is really not an Obama phenomena," Keeter said. "Young voters were John Kerry's best age group in 2004."
In 2000, 74% of voters under age 29 were white, but in 2008, 62% were. Keeter said millennials are less religious than other generations and are "the least socially conservative and seem to be less so over time."
They are also both pro-government and pro-business, and some analysts believe that as they age, millennials will be receptive to politicians who can make government more efficient.
They're also accustomed to choice in all aspects of their lives. If coming health care reforms are seen as restricting choice, Obama could face defections.
Contact Churck Raasch at craasch@gannett.com.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Latinos split on gay marriage
Poll: Latinos Split on Marriage Equality
By Julie Bolcer, Advocate
A new poll commissioned by The Los Angeles Times shows that while a majority of Los Angeles residents continue to support marriage equality, opinions vary widely among racial and ethnic groups.
Overall, the poll found that voters in Los Angeles support the right of same-sex couples to marry by 56% to 37%, which reflects results from November, when Proposition 8, the proposal to ban same-sex marriage, passed in California but failed in Los Angeles.
Among different racial and ethnic groups of voters, the poll found that whites approved same-sex marriage by 68% to 27%, while African-Americans opposed same-sex marriage by 54% to 37%
Latinos in the poll were split, with 45% supporting same-sex marriage and 46% opposing it. Women, younger voters, and people with a college education among the Latino population offered more support than men, older voters, and the less educated.
As expected, the poll in general found that support for same-sex marriage increased as the age of respondents decreased, with 66% of those ages 18–29 expressing support.
The poll of 1,500 registered voters in Los Angeles was conducted from June 10 to 16 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in conjunction with Public Opinion Strategies. Its margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
By Julie Bolcer, Advocate
A new poll commissioned by The Los Angeles Times shows that while a majority of Los Angeles residents continue to support marriage equality, opinions vary widely among racial and ethnic groups.
Overall, the poll found that voters in Los Angeles support the right of same-sex couples to marry by 56% to 37%, which reflects results from November, when Proposition 8, the proposal to ban same-sex marriage, passed in California but failed in Los Angeles.
Among different racial and ethnic groups of voters, the poll found that whites approved same-sex marriage by 68% to 27%, while African-Americans opposed same-sex marriage by 54% to 37%
Latinos in the poll were split, with 45% supporting same-sex marriage and 46% opposing it. Women, younger voters, and people with a college education among the Latino population offered more support than men, older voters, and the less educated.
As expected, the poll in general found that support for same-sex marriage increased as the age of respondents decreased, with 66% of those ages 18–29 expressing support.
The poll of 1,500 registered voters in Los Angeles was conducted from June 10 to 16 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in conjunction with Public Opinion Strategies. Its margin of error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.
Latino empowerment still lacking
In the Black: Should There Be a Latino Version of the Empowerment Experiment?
The Huffington Post, June 22, 2009
We often measure a group's cultural power by that most base of indicators, the theoretical root of all evil itself: Money.
By that gauge, Hispanics lag far behind the majority culture. However, as befits the largest ethnic-minority group (and the fastest-growing demographic) in America, Latinos are a growing economic powerhouse. In terms of consumer spending, we actually have more clout than African Americans do.
Still, as I've written before, black Americans are more likely than Hispanics are to have their shit together (politically speaking). That's why movements such as the Empowerment Experiment get going.
This project is the brainchild of African Americans who aim to help black-owned businesses thrive. People who join the Empowerment Experiment agree that for a year, and to the best of their ability, they will patronize only African American merchants.
As you can imagine, it's not easy to bypass white-owned businesses. There are also legitimate questions about the ultimate motivation behind this idea.
Is it a display of cultural pride, and a helping hand to struggling entrepreneurs who are often overlooked, especially in these economically dismal times? Or is this, as some critics put it, "ethnic cheerleading" and possibly even reverse racism?
A slew of angry conservatives say, "There would be outrage if a movement developed to make sure that people shopped only at white-owned businesses."
No, that would just be the verbalization of a normal business day. Sticking to white-owned businesses would be the easiest principled stance of all time, like declaring that from now on, I will breath only air that has oxygen in it.
So let's say that the Empowerment Experiment is a well-meaning project that leaves an icky aftertaste, dependent as it is upon picking companies based on the owners' ethnicity.
From a Latino perspective, the issue becomes: "Should we copy this strategy?" Is it a good idea for Latinos to patronize only Hispanic-owned businesses?
Well, adopting this plan creates a few logistical problems. For starters, although it may be easy to find a great place to eat (Mexican restaurants, El Salvadoran pupuserias, etc), buying goods and services beyond that would quickly become a challenge for even the most dedicated Latino.
This fact relates to deeper issues. I've written before about the insecurity complex, or outright jealousy, that Hispanics often feel with regards to our African American brethren. The Empowerment Experiment is another reminder of how we're not quite up to their level of influence. In most of the country, we don't have as many entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, and so on to propel such a movement -- hence the envy.
But the flip side is that Latinos are less likely to push for such a development in the first place. Despite the prevalence of ethnic barrios (which I've written about before), many Hispanics want nothing more than to fit into the majority culture and to be accepted. This can sometimes take the form of self-loathing or ingratiating behavior.
But for the most part, we simply want others to know that we are part of U.S. culture. Any Latino who has ever been told, "You look American" knows what I'm talking about. Even illegal immigrants want their contributions to the American story to be told.
We do not have the security of pointing out that many of us are new to the country. We don't want to offer an opening to those who claim we don't belong here, and saying that we're only going to shop at certain establishments does exactly that.
African Americans have four hundred years of residency in the United States -- most of it, of course, spent as second-class citizens or much worse. But after generations of setting down roots, building families, and influencing the culture, even the most virulent racist would have a hard time saying that blacks are not authentic Americans.
Latinos do not have that sense of hard-won security, not yet at least.
The Huffington Post, June 22, 2009
We often measure a group's cultural power by that most base of indicators, the theoretical root of all evil itself: Money.
By that gauge, Hispanics lag far behind the majority culture. However, as befits the largest ethnic-minority group (and the fastest-growing demographic) in America, Latinos are a growing economic powerhouse. In terms of consumer spending, we actually have more clout than African Americans do.
Still, as I've written before, black Americans are more likely than Hispanics are to have their shit together (politically speaking). That's why movements such as the Empowerment Experiment get going.
This project is the brainchild of African Americans who aim to help black-owned businesses thrive. People who join the Empowerment Experiment agree that for a year, and to the best of their ability, they will patronize only African American merchants.
As you can imagine, it's not easy to bypass white-owned businesses. There are also legitimate questions about the ultimate motivation behind this idea.
Is it a display of cultural pride, and a helping hand to struggling entrepreneurs who are often overlooked, especially in these economically dismal times? Or is this, as some critics put it, "ethnic cheerleading" and possibly even reverse racism?
A slew of angry conservatives say, "There would be outrage if a movement developed to make sure that people shopped only at white-owned businesses."
No, that would just be the verbalization of a normal business day. Sticking to white-owned businesses would be the easiest principled stance of all time, like declaring that from now on, I will breath only air that has oxygen in it.
So let's say that the Empowerment Experiment is a well-meaning project that leaves an icky aftertaste, dependent as it is upon picking companies based on the owners' ethnicity.
From a Latino perspective, the issue becomes: "Should we copy this strategy?" Is it a good idea for Latinos to patronize only Hispanic-owned businesses?
Well, adopting this plan creates a few logistical problems. For starters, although it may be easy to find a great place to eat (Mexican restaurants, El Salvadoran pupuserias, etc), buying goods and services beyond that would quickly become a challenge for even the most dedicated Latino.
This fact relates to deeper issues. I've written before about the insecurity complex, or outright jealousy, that Hispanics often feel with regards to our African American brethren. The Empowerment Experiment is another reminder of how we're not quite up to their level of influence. In most of the country, we don't have as many entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, and so on to propel such a movement -- hence the envy.
But the flip side is that Latinos are less likely to push for such a development in the first place. Despite the prevalence of ethnic barrios (which I've written about before), many Hispanics want nothing more than to fit into the majority culture and to be accepted. This can sometimes take the form of self-loathing or ingratiating behavior.
But for the most part, we simply want others to know that we are part of U.S. culture. Any Latino who has ever been told, "You look American" knows what I'm talking about. Even illegal immigrants want their contributions to the American story to be told.
We do not have the security of pointing out that many of us are new to the country. We don't want to offer an opening to those who claim we don't belong here, and saying that we're only going to shop at certain establishments does exactly that.
African Americans have four hundred years of residency in the United States -- most of it, of course, spent as second-class citizens or much worse. But after generations of setting down roots, building families, and influencing the culture, even the most virulent racist would have a hard time saying that blacks are not authentic Americans.
Latinos do not have that sense of hard-won security, not yet at least.
Hispanic children's education helped through program
Program helps Hispanics get a head start on kindergarten
By Brian Reynolds, Tuscaloosa News, June 23, 2009
Five students who will enter kindergarten in the fall jumped and clapped as they sang about colors and the weather in Tammy Morton’s class at University Place Elementary School.
But unlike the other 39 students in the Tuscaloosa City Schools Jumpstart program, the children spoke little or no English before starting the program five weeks ago.
The Hispanic Jumpstart program was started during summer 2008 by University of Alabama students Wilson Boardman, Laura Dover and Erin Shirley. The program prepares students who speak little English for a school in which English is the primary language.
“The Hispanic dropout rate we found was very high due to the fact that they get so far behind because of the language barrier,” said Shirley, who is leading the program this year. “It’s essential to get them at the 4- and 5-year-old stage because that’s the time in the development that their brain is in the stage where they can learn a new language quickly.
“We’ve already seen a lot of progress in the last three weeks with their English. It’s amazing,” she said.
Shirley, two other UA students, an incoming UA student and a Northridge High School student work with the University’s Blackburn Institute on the project, allowing one-on-one interactions with the students.
“That makes a huge difference because I feel like there’s no time wasted. The entire time they’re with up us, they’re learning,” she said.
The program sprung from Boardman, Dover and Shirley’s shared desire to work with pre-kindergaten students and their interest in Hispanic culture, Boardman said.
During last summer’s program, they saw significant improvement in the students’ reading comprehension and ability to cope in a school setting, said Wilson, who is interning with Goldman Sachs in New York City this summer.
“Even within a month, you could notice a difference in their reading level,” he said. “They’re so much more comfortable with the classroom atmosphere. They were a lot more comfortable interacting with each other, interacting with the teacher.”
Getting the children comfortable in a classroom setting is one of biggest challenges, said Morton, who teaches the class. Many of the students do not have any experience in a setting outside their homes, and going to school can be an adjustment for them.
If the students are unprepared and have a bad kindergarten experience, it can set a bad tone for the rest of their school careers, said Morton, who teaches pre-kindergarten at Skyland Elementary School during the regular school year.
“The biggest barrier, I think more than language, is the lack of experience they have in a formal school setting,” she said. “It gives them a little bit more experience before they hit what we call ‘big school.’
“When the kids get here and we bond as a group through doing hands-on activities and sing and a lot of praise, the language doesn’t become a barrier,” she said.
Morton and the UA students work on basic concepts like colors, the weather and letters in a mixture of Spanish and English to help the children get a grasp on the language.
“I call what I speak ‘school Spanish,’ or maybe I should call it ‘school Spanglish,’ ” she said. “It’s a lot of vocabulary. I’ve found that when I teach Hispanic students, my Spanish gets better and better, just like their English gets better and better the more they’re exposed to it.”
“The first week when they came in, almost no English, and here we are, third week and most of the kids can speak two-to-three word phrases.”
The Jumpstart program consists of three traditional classes and one class for students for whom English is a second language. It is funded by the Tuscaloosa City School System and Success by 6.
By Brian Reynolds, Tuscaloosa News, June 23, 2009
Five students who will enter kindergarten in the fall jumped and clapped as they sang about colors and the weather in Tammy Morton’s class at University Place Elementary School.
But unlike the other 39 students in the Tuscaloosa City Schools Jumpstart program, the children spoke little or no English before starting the program five weeks ago.
The Hispanic Jumpstart program was started during summer 2008 by University of Alabama students Wilson Boardman, Laura Dover and Erin Shirley. The program prepares students who speak little English for a school in which English is the primary language.
“The Hispanic dropout rate we found was very high due to the fact that they get so far behind because of the language barrier,” said Shirley, who is leading the program this year. “It’s essential to get them at the 4- and 5-year-old stage because that’s the time in the development that their brain is in the stage where they can learn a new language quickly.
“We’ve already seen a lot of progress in the last three weeks with their English. It’s amazing,” she said.
Shirley, two other UA students, an incoming UA student and a Northridge High School student work with the University’s Blackburn Institute on the project, allowing one-on-one interactions with the students.
“That makes a huge difference because I feel like there’s no time wasted. The entire time they’re with up us, they’re learning,” she said.
The program sprung from Boardman, Dover and Shirley’s shared desire to work with pre-kindergaten students and their interest in Hispanic culture, Boardman said.
During last summer’s program, they saw significant improvement in the students’ reading comprehension and ability to cope in a school setting, said Wilson, who is interning with Goldman Sachs in New York City this summer.
“Even within a month, you could notice a difference in their reading level,” he said. “They’re so much more comfortable with the classroom atmosphere. They were a lot more comfortable interacting with each other, interacting with the teacher.”
Getting the children comfortable in a classroom setting is one of biggest challenges, said Morton, who teaches the class. Many of the students do not have any experience in a setting outside their homes, and going to school can be an adjustment for them.
If the students are unprepared and have a bad kindergarten experience, it can set a bad tone for the rest of their school careers, said Morton, who teaches pre-kindergarten at Skyland Elementary School during the regular school year.
“The biggest barrier, I think more than language, is the lack of experience they have in a formal school setting,” she said. “It gives them a little bit more experience before they hit what we call ‘big school.’
“When the kids get here and we bond as a group through doing hands-on activities and sing and a lot of praise, the language doesn’t become a barrier,” she said.
Morton and the UA students work on basic concepts like colors, the weather and letters in a mixture of Spanish and English to help the children get a grasp on the language.
“I call what I speak ‘school Spanish,’ or maybe I should call it ‘school Spanglish,’ ” she said. “It’s a lot of vocabulary. I’ve found that when I teach Hispanic students, my Spanish gets better and better, just like their English gets better and better the more they’re exposed to it.”
“The first week when they came in, almost no English, and here we are, third week and most of the kids can speak two-to-three word phrases.”
The Jumpstart program consists of three traditional classes and one class for students for whom English is a second language. It is funded by the Tuscaloosa City School System and Success by 6.
Latinos divided over immigrant rights
Latinos also divided over immigrant rights
Critics say some are asking for too much
By Franco Ordoñez, The Charlotte Observer, Jun. 22, 2009
On Friday, President Barack Obama reiterated his support for immigration reform at a prayer breakfast with members of the Latino community. This week, he will gather with lawmakers at the White House for a working session on immigration reform. They're expected to talk about enforcement, worker verification and penalties for coming to the country illegally.
As the immigration debate heats up across the country, a new study shows Latinos in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are as divided over immigration reform as any other group — and possibly more so.
The Crossroads Social Capital study, which measured social ties in the community, found almost six out of 10 Latinos (58 percent) in Charlotte-Mecklenburg feel immigrants are “too demanding in their push for equal rights.”
“I'm upset at some of the demands I hear some parts of the illegal community making,” said Ricardo Mata, a Venezuelan native who has lived in the country for two decades. “Sometimes, I get fed up at the double standards I see.”
Mata, a Charlotte businessman who was not interviewed in the study, said he's frustrated by what he sees as increasing demands by some immigrants and fewer examples of how the undocumented will contribute to society if legalized. He supports legalizing some undocumented immigrants but feels less than half have demonstrated they really want to be part of America.
Critics of the study's findings say they reflect only a small segment of the community and not the majority of Latinos who do support immigration reform.
“I think the people who were surveyed were mostly established Latinos who are not having to face this issue,” said Angeles Ortega-Moore, executive director of the Latin-American Coalition.
One hundred seven people who identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino participated in the Crossroads study. The full study's margin of error was plus or minus 3.24 percentage points.
While the findings don't appear to track national trends, they do seem to follow economic and generational lines. The longer and more successful Latinos have been in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the more likely they are to think newly arrived immigrants are too pushy.
The study also shows that Latinos are not monolithic thinkers and that some disagree with parts of the immigrant rights movement.
Latinos are diverse
For most of the 20th century, there were few Latinos in Charlotte. By 1990, about 7,000 lived here.
Today, it's the fastest-growing minority community in the state. Latinos make up 10 percent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg population, 7 percent of the state's.
Nearly half of the county's 80,000 Latinos have Mexican roots, but thousands come from all over Central and South America.
Victor Guzman, a business owner and television producer from Puerto Rico, said it's sometimes a fight to clarify that not all Latinos are from Mexico and poor.
Many are businesspeople, doctors and lawyers from Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. Some have multiple degrees — and money.
They are Democrats, Republicans and Independents with wide-ranging views and backgrounds.
“It's not all the same mindset,” Guzman said. “It's like going to the end of Charlotte to Ballantyne and asking questions and then going to West Boulevard and asking the same questions. You're going to get different answers.”
Even in one household, opinions can vary dramatically.
Maria Petrea, whose family is from Panama, doesn't think immigrants are asking too much, but her mother does.
“My mother is now 88,” said Petrea, who is principal of the Collinswood Language Academy, which is 60 percent Latino. “She came to the country when she was 22. She feels immigrants are too demanding. She would tell you they need to become Americanized and at the same time value their own culture. But don't expect people everywhere to speak for them or interpret for them.”
Eric Caratao, a research specialist at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute who authored the Crossroads study, said about half of the Latinos surveyed were longtime residents.
In his 2009 study on Latino views on immigration reform, Latino studies professor Louis DeSipio of University of California, Irvine found opinions depended on several socioeconomic factors.
Support was strongest among immigrants, poor Latinos and Mexican descendants while conservatives, long-term residents, and U.S.-born Latinos were more likely to back restrictions.
Class structure
The middle class is small in Latin America compared with U.S. standards. Wide gaps exist between the upper and lower economic classes. Many Latinos in America live with the same social structures.
Violeta Moser, a research consultant from Peru, said immigrants are more demanding because they're suffering greater levels of discrimination and human-rights violations. But she said some more-established Latinos may not understand the plight poorer immigrants face and others resent being “pulled into the illegal immigrant issue.”
Former Mecklenburg County commissioner Dan Ramirez, who is from Colombia, says that most Latinos support immigration reform but that some don't want illegal immigrants to “force the issue” so much.
Ortega-Moore of the Latin American Coalition, called it “immigration fatigue.”
“It's such a divisive issue and it's really full of emotion,” she said. “One of the fears is the individual, who is here established and legally in the country, is saying ‘I don't want to be compared with those people who are undocumented.'”
When Victor Guzman was more involved with local advocacy in the 1990s, he said the immigrant-rights movement focused more on human rights. But he now feels some groups, particularly on the West Coast, have gone “overboard.”
He questions demands for health benefits for the undocumented or that schools teach in Spanish.
“You sit there and think, ‘Wait a minute, hold on,'” Guzman said. “You want them treated humanely, but then when they go beyond that and want more and more. And the more radical they get, the more they cast a negative light on the whole situation.”
Critics say some are asking for too much
By Franco Ordoñez, The Charlotte Observer, Jun. 22, 2009
On Friday, President Barack Obama reiterated his support for immigration reform at a prayer breakfast with members of the Latino community. This week, he will gather with lawmakers at the White House for a working session on immigration reform. They're expected to talk about enforcement, worker verification and penalties for coming to the country illegally.
As the immigration debate heats up across the country, a new study shows Latinos in Charlotte-Mecklenburg are as divided over immigration reform as any other group — and possibly more so.
The Crossroads Social Capital study, which measured social ties in the community, found almost six out of 10 Latinos (58 percent) in Charlotte-Mecklenburg feel immigrants are “too demanding in their push for equal rights.”
“I'm upset at some of the demands I hear some parts of the illegal community making,” said Ricardo Mata, a Venezuelan native who has lived in the country for two decades. “Sometimes, I get fed up at the double standards I see.”
Mata, a Charlotte businessman who was not interviewed in the study, said he's frustrated by what he sees as increasing demands by some immigrants and fewer examples of how the undocumented will contribute to society if legalized. He supports legalizing some undocumented immigrants but feels less than half have demonstrated they really want to be part of America.
Critics of the study's findings say they reflect only a small segment of the community and not the majority of Latinos who do support immigration reform.
“I think the people who were surveyed were mostly established Latinos who are not having to face this issue,” said Angeles Ortega-Moore, executive director of the Latin-American Coalition.
One hundred seven people who identified themselves as Hispanic or Latino participated in the Crossroads study. The full study's margin of error was plus or minus 3.24 percentage points.
While the findings don't appear to track national trends, they do seem to follow economic and generational lines. The longer and more successful Latinos have been in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, the more likely they are to think newly arrived immigrants are too pushy.
The study also shows that Latinos are not monolithic thinkers and that some disagree with parts of the immigrant rights movement.
Latinos are diverse
For most of the 20th century, there were few Latinos in Charlotte. By 1990, about 7,000 lived here.
Today, it's the fastest-growing minority community in the state. Latinos make up 10 percent of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg population, 7 percent of the state's.
Nearly half of the county's 80,000 Latinos have Mexican roots, but thousands come from all over Central and South America.
Victor Guzman, a business owner and television producer from Puerto Rico, said it's sometimes a fight to clarify that not all Latinos are from Mexico and poor.
Many are businesspeople, doctors and lawyers from Argentina, Colombia and Venezuela. Some have multiple degrees — and money.
They are Democrats, Republicans and Independents with wide-ranging views and backgrounds.
“It's not all the same mindset,” Guzman said. “It's like going to the end of Charlotte to Ballantyne and asking questions and then going to West Boulevard and asking the same questions. You're going to get different answers.”
Even in one household, opinions can vary dramatically.
Maria Petrea, whose family is from Panama, doesn't think immigrants are asking too much, but her mother does.
“My mother is now 88,” said Petrea, who is principal of the Collinswood Language Academy, which is 60 percent Latino. “She came to the country when she was 22. She feels immigrants are too demanding. She would tell you they need to become Americanized and at the same time value their own culture. But don't expect people everywhere to speak for them or interpret for them.”
Eric Caratao, a research specialist at the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute who authored the Crossroads study, said about half of the Latinos surveyed were longtime residents.
In his 2009 study on Latino views on immigration reform, Latino studies professor Louis DeSipio of University of California, Irvine found opinions depended on several socioeconomic factors.
Support was strongest among immigrants, poor Latinos and Mexican descendants while conservatives, long-term residents, and U.S.-born Latinos were more likely to back restrictions.
Class structure
The middle class is small in Latin America compared with U.S. standards. Wide gaps exist between the upper and lower economic classes. Many Latinos in America live with the same social structures.
Violeta Moser, a research consultant from Peru, said immigrants are more demanding because they're suffering greater levels of discrimination and human-rights violations. But she said some more-established Latinos may not understand the plight poorer immigrants face and others resent being “pulled into the illegal immigrant issue.”
Former Mecklenburg County commissioner Dan Ramirez, who is from Colombia, says that most Latinos support immigration reform but that some don't want illegal immigrants to “force the issue” so much.
Ortega-Moore of the Latin American Coalition, called it “immigration fatigue.”
“It's such a divisive issue and it's really full of emotion,” she said. “One of the fears is the individual, who is here established and legally in the country, is saying ‘I don't want to be compared with those people who are undocumented.'”
When Victor Guzman was more involved with local advocacy in the 1990s, he said the immigrant-rights movement focused more on human rights. But he now feels some groups, particularly on the West Coast, have gone “overboard.”
He questions demands for health benefits for the undocumented or that schools teach in Spanish.
“You sit there and think, ‘Wait a minute, hold on,'” Guzman said. “You want them treated humanely, but then when they go beyond that and want more and more. And the more radical they get, the more they cast a negative light on the whole situation.”
Thursday, June 25, 2009
GOP candidate pitching Hispanics in Spanish
The 2010 race: Campbell pitches Hispanic vote -- en espanol
SFGATE.COM
2010 gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell, a Republican, may be the only candidate in the bunch who's seriously courting Hispanic voters. Appearing Thursday before the San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he addressed 50 business leaders for the first 10 minutes in fluent Spanish -- while explaining his accent was Uruguayan, because that's where he learned the langauge. Then he asked them, "con permiso," to switch to English for a detailed budget discussion -- complete with a nine-page handout.
Whew.
That makes Campbell the only one of the five gubernatorial hopefuls/possibles to speak Spanish fluently -- and in California, where the largest growing voter block is Hispanic, no small thing. Attendees like group leader Olga Enciso Smith gave Campbell high marks for taking questions and talking up issues like trade and small business concerns.
We'll also note -- and continue to remind the other candidates --that Campbell remains so far the only one of the crop who is detailing his own proposals regarding the current state budget meltdown. On Friday, Campbell released a proposal suggesting a basic change in policy to better encourage research and innovation could reap millions for the University of California and CSU systems in the area of intellectual property rights.
So far, deafening silence from the rest: Republicans Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner, and Democrats Gavin Newsom and undeclared (though viewed as likely candidate)State Attorney General Jerry Brown.
SFGATE.COM
2010 gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell, a Republican, may be the only candidate in the bunch who's seriously courting Hispanic voters. Appearing Thursday before the San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he addressed 50 business leaders for the first 10 minutes in fluent Spanish -- while explaining his accent was Uruguayan, because that's where he learned the langauge. Then he asked them, "con permiso," to switch to English for a detailed budget discussion -- complete with a nine-page handout.
Whew.
That makes Campbell the only one of the five gubernatorial hopefuls/possibles to speak Spanish fluently -- and in California, where the largest growing voter block is Hispanic, no small thing. Attendees like group leader Olga Enciso Smith gave Campbell high marks for taking questions and talking up issues like trade and small business concerns.
We'll also note -- and continue to remind the other candidates --that Campbell remains so far the only one of the crop who is detailing his own proposals regarding the current state budget meltdown. On Friday, Campbell released a proposal suggesting a basic change in policy to better encourage research and innovation could reap millions for the University of California and CSU systems in the area of intellectual property rights.
So far, deafening silence from the rest: Republicans Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner, and Democrats Gavin Newsom and undeclared (though viewed as likely candidate)State Attorney General Jerry Brown.
Latino immigration on track, again
Obama Is Committed to Immigration Overhaul
By HENRY J. PULIZZI, Online.wsj.com
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Friday that he wants to push comprehensive immigration reform through Congress before he leaves office, but he didn't elaborate on a timeframe for the politically thorny endeavor.
"I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as president of the United States," Mr. Obama said at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington. "The American people believe in immigration."
The reform effort, which went nowhere during the Bush administration, isn't expected to gain traction this year either as lawmakers struggle with an already heaving workload that includes health care, energy, financial regulatory reform and a Supreme Court confirmation. And it's likely to be a heavy lift next year, as lawmakers head into mid-term elections.
The White House is hosting a meeting of lawmakers next week on immigration. That session has been postponed twice though, an indication that the issue isn't on the front burner.
Nonetheless, dealing with the 12 million illegal residents now in the U.S. and finding ways to handle the flow of foreign workings is a priority for businesses in the high tech and agriculture sectors.
Mr. Obama said the U.S. needs to build on efforts to strengthen border security, and clarify the status of people who have put down roots illegally.
"We can't tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law, nor can we tolerate employers who exploit undocumented workers in order to drive down wages," he said.
Mr. Obama said illegals who want to become citizens should be required to pay a penalty and taxes, then go to the back of the line for eventual citizenship. That's similar to the proposals put forward by the Bush administration.
"That is the fair, practical and promising way forward," Mr. Obama said. "And that's what I'm committed to passing as president of the United States."
Write to Henry J. Pulizzi at henry.pulizzi@dowjones.com
By HENRY J. PULIZZI, Online.wsj.com
WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said Friday that he wants to push comprehensive immigration reform through Congress before he leaves office, but he didn't elaborate on a timeframe for the politically thorny endeavor.
"I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as president of the United States," Mr. Obama said at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast in Washington. "The American people believe in immigration."
The reform effort, which went nowhere during the Bush administration, isn't expected to gain traction this year either as lawmakers struggle with an already heaving workload that includes health care, energy, financial regulatory reform and a Supreme Court confirmation. And it's likely to be a heavy lift next year, as lawmakers head into mid-term elections.
The White House is hosting a meeting of lawmakers next week on immigration. That session has been postponed twice though, an indication that the issue isn't on the front burner.
Nonetheless, dealing with the 12 million illegal residents now in the U.S. and finding ways to handle the flow of foreign workings is a priority for businesses in the high tech and agriculture sectors.
Mr. Obama said the U.S. needs to build on efforts to strengthen border security, and clarify the status of people who have put down roots illegally.
"We can't tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law, nor can we tolerate employers who exploit undocumented workers in order to drive down wages," he said.
Mr. Obama said illegals who want to become citizens should be required to pay a penalty and taxes, then go to the back of the line for eventual citizenship. That's similar to the proposals put forward by the Bush administration.
"That is the fair, practical and promising way forward," Mr. Obama said. "And that's what I'm committed to passing as president of the United States."
Write to Henry J. Pulizzi at henry.pulizzi@dowjones.com
Life of low-income Latinos in the South documented
Under siege: Life for low-income Latinos in the South
Associated Press
(This originally appeared on the Southern Poverty Law Center Web site, www.splcenter.org.)
In Tennessee, a young mother is arrested and jailed when she asks to be paid for her work in a cheese factory.
In Alabama, a migrant bean picker sees his life savings confiscated by police during a traffic stop.
In Georgia, a rapist goes unpunished because his 13-year-old victim is undocumented.
These are just a few examples of the injustices that confront Latino immigrants as they struggle to gain a foothold in the South.
The region now is home to the fastest-growing population of Latinos in the country, many of them lured by the manufacturing and construction jobs created during the economic boom of the 1990s. But many in Dixie aren't treating their new neighbors with any semblance of Southern hospitality.
In fact, Latinos in the South - many of whom came here to escape crushing poverty in their home countries - are encountering widespread hostility, discrimination and exploitation.
They routinely are cheated out of their earnings and denied basic health and safety protections. They are subjected regularly to racial profiling and harassment by law enforcement. They are victimized by criminals who know they are reluctant to report attacks. And they frequently are forced to prove themselves innocent of immigration violations, regardless of their legal status.
This treatment - which many Latinos liken to the oppressive climate of racial subordination that blacks endured during the Jim Crow era - is encouraged by politicians and media figures who scapegoat immigrants and spread false propaganda.
And as a result of relentless vilification in the media, Latinos are targeted for harassment by racist extremist groups, some of which are directly descended from the old guardians of white supremacy.
Instead of acting to prohibit and eliminate systematic exploitation and discrimination against Latinos, state and local governments in much of the South have exacerbated the situation.
A number of Southern communities, for example, have enacted ordinances designed to limit services to undocumented immigrants and make their lives as difficult as possible, with the ultimate goal of driving them away. In addition, many law enforcement agencies in the South, armed with so-called 287(g) agreements with the federal government, are enforcing immigration law in a way that has led to accusations of systematic racial profiling and has made Latino crime victims and witnesses more reluctant to cooperate with police. Such policies have the effect of creating a subclass of people who exist in a shadow economy, beyond the protection of the law.
The South's immigration explosion began in the 1990s. By 2006, six Southern states (Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) had added 1.6 million Latinos.
Latino workers provided cheap labor to fuel the South's economy - building skyscrapers in Charlotte, harvesting onions in Georgia, slaughtering poultry in Alabama and rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina.
Many of these new arrivals left their homes in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and other Latin American countries to escape poverty, which some experts believe has been worsened by U.S. trade policies. Many crossed the border illegally, risking their lives and freedom for opportunity in the United States, while others originally were "imported" by employers under the guest worker system. Many others are legal residents or U.S. citizens, caught in the crossfire of America's war on "illegals."
For this report, Southern Poverty Law Center researchers surveyed 500 low-income Latinos - including legal residents, undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens - at five locations in the South to take the pulse of a community that is being increasingly driven into the shadows by a sweeping anti-immigration movement.
We found a population under siege and living in fear - fear of the police, fear of the government and fear of criminals who prey on immigrants because of their vulnerability.
Many of the difficulties faced by undocumented immigrants are, no doubt, the result of their lack of legal status, which makes them easy prey for unscrupulous employers and puts them at constant risk from law enforcement. But even legal residents and U.S. citizens of Latino descent say that racial profiling, bigotry and myriad other forms of discrimination and injustice are staples of their daily lives.
"The assumption is that every Latino possibly is undocumented," says one immigrant advocate in North Carolina. "So (discrimination) has spread over into the legal population."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, June 21, 2009
Associated Press
(This originally appeared on the Southern Poverty Law Center Web site, www.splcenter.org.)
In Tennessee, a young mother is arrested and jailed when she asks to be paid for her work in a cheese factory.
In Alabama, a migrant bean picker sees his life savings confiscated by police during a traffic stop.
In Georgia, a rapist goes unpunished because his 13-year-old victim is undocumented.
These are just a few examples of the injustices that confront Latino immigrants as they struggle to gain a foothold in the South.
The region now is home to the fastest-growing population of Latinos in the country, many of them lured by the manufacturing and construction jobs created during the economic boom of the 1990s. But many in Dixie aren't treating their new neighbors with any semblance of Southern hospitality.
In fact, Latinos in the South - many of whom came here to escape crushing poverty in their home countries - are encountering widespread hostility, discrimination and exploitation.
They routinely are cheated out of their earnings and denied basic health and safety protections. They are subjected regularly to racial profiling and harassment by law enforcement. They are victimized by criminals who know they are reluctant to report attacks. And they frequently are forced to prove themselves innocent of immigration violations, regardless of their legal status.
This treatment - which many Latinos liken to the oppressive climate of racial subordination that blacks endured during the Jim Crow era - is encouraged by politicians and media figures who scapegoat immigrants and spread false propaganda.
And as a result of relentless vilification in the media, Latinos are targeted for harassment by racist extremist groups, some of which are directly descended from the old guardians of white supremacy.
Instead of acting to prohibit and eliminate systematic exploitation and discrimination against Latinos, state and local governments in much of the South have exacerbated the situation.
A number of Southern communities, for example, have enacted ordinances designed to limit services to undocumented immigrants and make their lives as difficult as possible, with the ultimate goal of driving them away. In addition, many law enforcement agencies in the South, armed with so-called 287(g) agreements with the federal government, are enforcing immigration law in a way that has led to accusations of systematic racial profiling and has made Latino crime victims and witnesses more reluctant to cooperate with police. Such policies have the effect of creating a subclass of people who exist in a shadow economy, beyond the protection of the law.
The South's immigration explosion began in the 1990s. By 2006, six Southern states (Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee) had added 1.6 million Latinos.
Latino workers provided cheap labor to fuel the South's economy - building skyscrapers in Charlotte, harvesting onions in Georgia, slaughtering poultry in Alabama and rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina.
Many of these new arrivals left their homes in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and other Latin American countries to escape poverty, which some experts believe has been worsened by U.S. trade policies. Many crossed the border illegally, risking their lives and freedom for opportunity in the United States, while others originally were "imported" by employers under the guest worker system. Many others are legal residents or U.S. citizens, caught in the crossfire of America's war on "illegals."
For this report, Southern Poverty Law Center researchers surveyed 500 low-income Latinos - including legal residents, undocumented immigrants and U.S. citizens - at five locations in the South to take the pulse of a community that is being increasingly driven into the shadows by a sweeping anti-immigration movement.
We found a population under siege and living in fear - fear of the police, fear of the government and fear of criminals who prey on immigrants because of their vulnerability.
Many of the difficulties faced by undocumented immigrants are, no doubt, the result of their lack of legal status, which makes them easy prey for unscrupulous employers and puts them at constant risk from law enforcement. But even legal residents and U.S. citizens of Latino descent say that racial profiling, bigotry and myriad other forms of discrimination and injustice are staples of their daily lives.
"The assumption is that every Latino possibly is undocumented," says one immigrant advocate in North Carolina. "So (discrimination) has spread over into the legal population."
Originally published in the Athens Banner-Herald on Sunday, June 21, 2009
Hispanic immigration enforcement toughening
Immigration enforcement in Arizona could toughen
By JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — As America's busiest immigrant smuggling hub, Arizona has earned the distinction as a place that's tough on people who sneak across the border.
That reputation would harden if the Legislature and governor approve a proposal that would draw local authorities deeper into immigration enforcement and further reject the notion that immigration is the sole responsibility of the federal government.
The proposal, which has cleared the state Senate and is being considered by the House, would require police to try to determine people's immigration status when they have reasonable suspicions that a person doesn't have legal status.
And, if approved, Arizona would become the only state to criminalize the presence of illegal immigrants through an expansion of its trespassing law.
While the practical effect of such a law is yet unclear, immigrant rights advocates predict it would lead to racial profiling that would target thousands of Latinos who are U.S. citizens.
And the proposal's constitutionality is also a source of contention.
A few years ago, police chiefs in two communities in New Hampshire charged illegal immigrants with trespassing for being in the state. A local judge in 2005 dismissed the charges as an unconstitutional attempt to apply state laws to a federal issue.
But supporters of the proposal say that on top of inadequate federal border efforts, many local police departments have turned a blind eye to illegal immigrants.
Some local politicians "don't have the courage to stand up for their citizens," said state Sen. Russell Pearce of Mesa, the bill's sponsor.
The measure cleared the Senate on a 16-12 vote on June 15 and is being considered by the House. The proposed trespassing provision is similar to proposals vetoed in 2006 by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano, who said she opposed turning all immigrants who sneaked into the state into criminals.
Under this year's proposed trespassing provision, a first offense would be a top-tier misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. Subsequent violations would be a felony that could carry a penalty of up to 2 1/2 years in prison.
Agencies arresting first-time offenders would have the option of prosecuting them or turning them over to federal authorities.
Supporters say the measure wouldn't encourage racial profiling, because officers would still need probable cause to believe that people violated the law before they could arrest them.
But opponents say such a law would detract from officers' traditional roles in combating crimes in their communities. They say officers who aren't schooled in the complexities of immigration law would likely approach people based solely on their appearance.
"It's almost impossible for it to be applied without relying on racial profiling and without committing egregious errors," said Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group based in southern Arizona.
And communities could be stuck with legal bills from any mistakes made by officers who aren't trained in immigration law, said Robert DeVries, who is chief of police in the western Arizona town of Kingman, and also president of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police.
"It exposes the community down the line if mistakes were to occur," said DeVries, whose group opposes the measure.
As for the constitutionality of the proposal, interpretations are mixed.
Linton Joaquin, general counsel for the National Immigration Law Center, an advocacy group for low-income immigrants, said a state can play a part in immigration enforcement — such as calling federal authorities when arresting an illegal immigrant on a state criminal violation — but a state can't have statutes that are, in effect, immigration laws.
But Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, whose office helped draft the bill, said even though the federal government has authority to regulate immigration, states have broad police powers that allow them to contribute to the fight against illegal immigration.
"The argument that the states can't do anything to combat illegal immigration is just wrong," Thomas said.
By JACQUES BILLEAUD, Associated Press
PHOENIX (AP) — As America's busiest immigrant smuggling hub, Arizona has earned the distinction as a place that's tough on people who sneak across the border.
That reputation would harden if the Legislature and governor approve a proposal that would draw local authorities deeper into immigration enforcement and further reject the notion that immigration is the sole responsibility of the federal government.
The proposal, which has cleared the state Senate and is being considered by the House, would require police to try to determine people's immigration status when they have reasonable suspicions that a person doesn't have legal status.
And, if approved, Arizona would become the only state to criminalize the presence of illegal immigrants through an expansion of its trespassing law.
While the practical effect of such a law is yet unclear, immigrant rights advocates predict it would lead to racial profiling that would target thousands of Latinos who are U.S. citizens.
And the proposal's constitutionality is also a source of contention.
A few years ago, police chiefs in two communities in New Hampshire charged illegal immigrants with trespassing for being in the state. A local judge in 2005 dismissed the charges as an unconstitutional attempt to apply state laws to a federal issue.
But supporters of the proposal say that on top of inadequate federal border efforts, many local police departments have turned a blind eye to illegal immigrants.
Some local politicians "don't have the courage to stand up for their citizens," said state Sen. Russell Pearce of Mesa, the bill's sponsor.
The measure cleared the Senate on a 16-12 vote on June 15 and is being considered by the House. The proposed trespassing provision is similar to proposals vetoed in 2006 by then-Gov. Janet Napolitano, who said she opposed turning all immigrants who sneaked into the state into criminals.
Under this year's proposed trespassing provision, a first offense would be a top-tier misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail. Subsequent violations would be a felony that could carry a penalty of up to 2 1/2 years in prison.
Agencies arresting first-time offenders would have the option of prosecuting them or turning them over to federal authorities.
Supporters say the measure wouldn't encourage racial profiling, because officers would still need probable cause to believe that people violated the law before they could arrest them.
But opponents say such a law would detract from officers' traditional roles in combating crimes in their communities. They say officers who aren't schooled in the complexities of immigration law would likely approach people based solely on their appearance.
"It's almost impossible for it to be applied without relying on racial profiling and without committing egregious errors," said Jennifer Allen, director of the Border Action Network, an immigrant rights group based in southern Arizona.
And communities could be stuck with legal bills from any mistakes made by officers who aren't trained in immigration law, said Robert DeVries, who is chief of police in the western Arizona town of Kingman, and also president of the Arizona Association of Chiefs of Police.
"It exposes the community down the line if mistakes were to occur," said DeVries, whose group opposes the measure.
As for the constitutionality of the proposal, interpretations are mixed.
Linton Joaquin, general counsel for the National Immigration Law Center, an advocacy group for low-income immigrants, said a state can play a part in immigration enforcement — such as calling federal authorities when arresting an illegal immigrant on a state criminal violation — but a state can't have statutes that are, in effect, immigration laws.
But Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas, whose office helped draft the bill, said even though the federal government has authority to regulate immigration, states have broad police powers that allow them to contribute to the fight against illegal immigration.
"The argument that the states can't do anything to combat illegal immigration is just wrong," Thomas said.
Chicago Hispanic group on the rise
A rising force in Hispanic Chicago
UNO works within system, gets $98 million for charter schools
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Azam Ahmed | Tribune reporters, June 22, 2009
The recent dedication rally for a new school on Chicago's working-class Southwest Side drew a long list of political heavyweights, including the governor, the Illinois Senate's top Republican and some of the mayor's highest-ranking Latino aides.
The outdoor rally on 47th Street wasn't just about turning a former industrial bakery into a striking, luminous glass school building. It also was a display of political prowess by the people who built it.
The United Neighborhood Organization, the city's largest Latino community group, is poised to become the biggest charter school manager in Illinois after scoring a $98 million state grant to build eight more schools.
How UNO landed all that cash -- believed to be the largest-ever taxpayer windfall in the U.S. for a community-run charter group to build schools -- at a time of massive government budget deficits is a classic Chicago story of awakening immigrant clout and lobbying muscle.
It's also a story of a Latino organization whose leaders unabashedly encourage the state's fastest-growing minority group to assimilate to life in this country and apply that approach to schools that largely educate Hispanic children.
The group's Mexican-American chief executive, Juan Rangel, said the organization makes a conscious effort to copy the century-old, up-by-the-bootstraps approach of white ethnic immigrants like the Irish and Italians. He renounces the more recent fight-the-power style of some African-American and Latino leaders who have sought to expand their political influence.
"Is this community going to see itself as another victimized minority or are they going to be the next successful immigrant group?" Rangel said. "There is an assumption that this community mimics the African-American community -- where it's been and where it's going. That's not the case at all. It has very little in common with the African-American experience."
Rangel also is not shy about touting the group's friends in high places, including Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).
"UNO is very open about what it's trying to do," Rangel said. "It's trying to build power for the Latino community."
But he insisted that the state grant was the result of more than old-fashioned clout, noting that the group builds schools faster and cheaper than Chicago Public Schools. And UNO schools outperform city district averages on tests.
The group began organizing in 1984 in the South Chicago neighborhood and soon spread to other heavily Latino areas. It adopted the approach of noted Chicago community organizer Saul Alinsky, who sought to lift up the poor by working from within the existing power structure.
Rather than fight City Hall, the group has sought to cozy up. Daley has attended its annual banquets and has spoken to its leadership class, where the political ambitions of young Latino professionals are nurtured.
Two graduates of that class sat front row at the recent school opening: new CTA President Richard Rodriguez, who also has headed Daley's buildings and aviation departments; and city Human Resources Commissioner Homero Tristan. Joining them was Ald. Danny Solis (25th), the former UNO leader who now is Daley's chief Latino ally on the City Council.
Also in the crowd of Mexican-American families at the event in the Archer Heights neighborhood was Mike Noonan, the group's Springfield lobbyist and a former top Madigan aide. Noonan's lobbying partner is Victor Reyes, a former top Daley aide who doubled as head of the scandal-scarred Hispanic Democratic Organization, a pro-Daley patronage army.
UNO's ties to Reyes -- and Daley -- have sparked complaints that the group is nothing more than the "new HDO." Rangel caused widespread grumbling among Chicago Latino leaders in 2006 when he wrote an essay in the Tribune defending HDO. Though Reyes has never been charged, another top HDO leader, Al Sanchez, recently was convicted of rewarding campaign workers with city jobs.
Latino critics of HDO say it did not empower Hispanics and merely was used to harness Hispanic clout for white politicians. Detractors note that HDO worked against Latino candidates who were not backed by Daley.
So a small uproar erupted in Springfield when some Hispanic leaders learned how much UNO was set to receive.
"I just felt like $98 million for one entity? What about all these other entities there that deserve some money?" said Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago). "It's kind of hard when all these other schools don't have paid lobbyists."
To appease all sides, legislative leaders gave $50 million to four other charter-school operators.
UNO first got involved in charter schools in the mid-1990s, when Paul Vallas ran the district. The endeavor got off to a rough start, Rangel said, but by the time their charter renewal was up, results had improved.
Among Latinos, the organization is rare for openly using the term "assimilate" to describe the process of getting used to life here. At its charter schools, "bilingual education" are the dirty words. Even a student who speaks only Spanish, freshly arrived from a Mexican village, is placed immediately in an English-language class.
With the new $98 million, the group plans to double its schools to 16, making it the largest charter operator and manager in the state. The organization's schools serve 3,450 students, of which 91 percent are Hispanic. Nearly all qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The new schools also will help address crowding in predominantly Latino areas. The organization has waiting lists for its schools, but hopes to be able to educate 8,340 students when the new buildings open.
As for performance, the schools on the whole perform better on state assessments than city public schools, records show. Attendance rates at the group's schools also are higher.
The recently dedicated three schools in the new building are named after Latinos killed in U.S. military duty. A group of local Latino veterans enjoyed seats of honor at the front during the rally.
After the speeches ended, the time came to drop the scarlet curtain obscuring the building's glass facade. The crowd began to count down as the theme song to "2001: A Space Odyssey" boomed through speakers.
Parents and children held American flags. There was not a single Mexican flag in sight.
dmihalopoulos@tribune.com
aahmed@tribune.com
UNO works within system, gets $98 million for charter schools
By Dan Mihalopoulos and Azam Ahmed | Tribune reporters, June 22, 2009
The recent dedication rally for a new school on Chicago's working-class Southwest Side drew a long list of political heavyweights, including the governor, the Illinois Senate's top Republican and some of the mayor's highest-ranking Latino aides.
The outdoor rally on 47th Street wasn't just about turning a former industrial bakery into a striking, luminous glass school building. It also was a display of political prowess by the people who built it.
The United Neighborhood Organization, the city's largest Latino community group, is poised to become the biggest charter school manager in Illinois after scoring a $98 million state grant to build eight more schools.
How UNO landed all that cash -- believed to be the largest-ever taxpayer windfall in the U.S. for a community-run charter group to build schools -- at a time of massive government budget deficits is a classic Chicago story of awakening immigrant clout and lobbying muscle.
It's also a story of a Latino organization whose leaders unabashedly encourage the state's fastest-growing minority group to assimilate to life in this country and apply that approach to schools that largely educate Hispanic children.
The group's Mexican-American chief executive, Juan Rangel, said the organization makes a conscious effort to copy the century-old, up-by-the-bootstraps approach of white ethnic immigrants like the Irish and Italians. He renounces the more recent fight-the-power style of some African-American and Latino leaders who have sought to expand their political influence.
"Is this community going to see itself as another victimized minority or are they going to be the next successful immigrant group?" Rangel said. "There is an assumption that this community mimics the African-American community -- where it's been and where it's going. That's not the case at all. It has very little in common with the African-American experience."
Rangel also is not shy about touting the group's friends in high places, including Mayor Richard Daley and Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago).
"UNO is very open about what it's trying to do," Rangel said. "It's trying to build power for the Latino community."
But he insisted that the state grant was the result of more than old-fashioned clout, noting that the group builds schools faster and cheaper than Chicago Public Schools. And UNO schools outperform city district averages on tests.
The group began organizing in 1984 in the South Chicago neighborhood and soon spread to other heavily Latino areas. It adopted the approach of noted Chicago community organizer Saul Alinsky, who sought to lift up the poor by working from within the existing power structure.
Rather than fight City Hall, the group has sought to cozy up. Daley has attended its annual banquets and has spoken to its leadership class, where the political ambitions of young Latino professionals are nurtured.
Two graduates of that class sat front row at the recent school opening: new CTA President Richard Rodriguez, who also has headed Daley's buildings and aviation departments; and city Human Resources Commissioner Homero Tristan. Joining them was Ald. Danny Solis (25th), the former UNO leader who now is Daley's chief Latino ally on the City Council.
Also in the crowd of Mexican-American families at the event in the Archer Heights neighborhood was Mike Noonan, the group's Springfield lobbyist and a former top Madigan aide. Noonan's lobbying partner is Victor Reyes, a former top Daley aide who doubled as head of the scandal-scarred Hispanic Democratic Organization, a pro-Daley patronage army.
UNO's ties to Reyes -- and Daley -- have sparked complaints that the group is nothing more than the "new HDO." Rangel caused widespread grumbling among Chicago Latino leaders in 2006 when he wrote an essay in the Tribune defending HDO. Though Reyes has never been charged, another top HDO leader, Al Sanchez, recently was convicted of rewarding campaign workers with city jobs.
Latino critics of HDO say it did not empower Hispanics and merely was used to harness Hispanic clout for white politicians. Detractors note that HDO worked against Latino candidates who were not backed by Daley.
So a small uproar erupted in Springfield when some Hispanic leaders learned how much UNO was set to receive.
"I just felt like $98 million for one entity? What about all these other entities there that deserve some money?" said Sen. Iris Martinez (D-Chicago). "It's kind of hard when all these other schools don't have paid lobbyists."
To appease all sides, legislative leaders gave $50 million to four other charter-school operators.
UNO first got involved in charter schools in the mid-1990s, when Paul Vallas ran the district. The endeavor got off to a rough start, Rangel said, but by the time their charter renewal was up, results had improved.
Among Latinos, the organization is rare for openly using the term "assimilate" to describe the process of getting used to life here. At its charter schools, "bilingual education" are the dirty words. Even a student who speaks only Spanish, freshly arrived from a Mexican village, is placed immediately in an English-language class.
With the new $98 million, the group plans to double its schools to 16, making it the largest charter operator and manager in the state. The organization's schools serve 3,450 students, of which 91 percent are Hispanic. Nearly all qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The new schools also will help address crowding in predominantly Latino areas. The organization has waiting lists for its schools, but hopes to be able to educate 8,340 students when the new buildings open.
As for performance, the schools on the whole perform better on state assessments than city public schools, records show. Attendance rates at the group's schools also are higher.
The recently dedicated three schools in the new building are named after Latinos killed in U.S. military duty. A group of local Latino veterans enjoyed seats of honor at the front during the rally.
After the speeches ended, the time came to drop the scarlet curtain obscuring the building's glass facade. The crowd began to count down as the theme song to "2001: A Space Odyssey" boomed through speakers.
Parents and children held American flags. There was not a single Mexican flag in sight.
dmihalopoulos@tribune.com
aahmed@tribune.com
Monday, June 22, 2009
CBS Report: Extremeists left trail of Hispanic victims
Did Anti-Immigration "Extremists" Leave Long Trail Of Victims?
Ryan Smith, CBS News
First, it was a home invasion by anti-illegal immigration "extremists" that left a 9-year-old girl and her Hispanic father dead last month in order to raise money for their cause.
Now, it is looking like the three people charged in that case have a long history of running on the wrong side of the law and leaving a trail of Hispanic victims in their wake.
Jason Eugene Bush, 34, Shawna Forde, 41, and Albert Robert Gaxiola, 42, have been charged for the deaths of the father and his daughter- with two counts each of first-degree murder, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Office.
A sheriff in Arizona has said the trio wanted to steal money to fund operations of Forde's Minutemen American Defense, an anti-illegal immigration group. The trio dressed as law enforcement officers and forced their way into the home about 10 miles north of the Mexican border in rural Arivaca, authorities allege. Forde has denied involvement in the Arizona home invasion.
Now a second case has emerged. A murder charge was filed Friday in Washington, Superior Court against Jason Eugene Bush in the stabbing death of Hector Lopez Partida, a homeless man that was sleeping under a blanket behind a store in the early morning hours of July 24, 1997. After being stabbed seven times, he managed to walk to a nearby parking lot, then collapsed.
An informant told police that Bush bragged about killing “a Mexican” behind a store and that Bush had ties to white supremacist groups, according to court documents. Prosecutors say he was linked to the death through DNA evidence.
Authorities allege Bush and Forde also had connections to a Washington state anti-illegal immigration group that conducts border watches in Arizona.
The backstory of this trio gets even more interesting. The Seattle Times is reporting that last December, Forde's estranged husband was attacked and shot by a stranger in his Washington residence. “A week later,” the Times reports, “Forde claimed on her Web site that she had been beaten with a bat, cut with a knife and raped by three attackers who spoke Spanish and wrote the number 13 on her floor. A few weeks later, Forde, a self-styled anti-immigration crusader, was found by police in an Everett alleyway, suffering from what she claimed was a gunshot wound to her right forearm. No one was ever arrested in the incidents.”
The Times also reports that police in California also are looking into whether the trio are connected to another home-invasion robbery on June 8 in Shasta Lake, Calif. Apparently, friends of Forde's biological mother, were “robbed at gunpoint by two men in U.S. Marshals uniforms who bound their wrists with cable ties and took a large amount of cash.”
The murdered man in the most recent case, according to Sheriff Dupnik, "...has a history of being involved in narcotics and there was an anticipation that there would be a considerable amount of cash at this location as well as the possibility of drugs.”
Jason Eugene Bush was arrested at a Kingman, Ariz., hospital where he was being treated for a leg wound he reportedly received when the woman who survived the attack managed to get a gun and fire back.
In the Wenatchee, Washington, case, arriving officers asked the victim who had hurt him. He muttered the words: “Gavachos (white guys).” He died minutes later.
A bloodstained shirt was found nearby. In 2005, DNA extracted from the shirt matched Bush's, who had a lengthy criminal record in Washington and had served time in prison there.
The Minutemen American Defense Web site, now taken down, had said Forde, who has been living recently in Arizona, is the group's leader and Bush goes by the nickname “Gunny” is its operations director. She was once associated with the better known and larger Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
The web site has been replaced by a statement attributed to officers of Forde's group. The message disassociates the group from Forde and Bush.
“MAD is not responsible for the independen t actions or the private agenda by Shawna Forde and her cohorts that is not a part of MAD's normal operating procedures,” the message read. “Shawna acted totally on her own person agenda and has caused a lot of pain embarrassment and humiliation to the total Minutemen movement and fellow members of MAD.”
Ryan Smith, CBS News
First, it was a home invasion by anti-illegal immigration "extremists" that left a 9-year-old girl and her Hispanic father dead last month in order to raise money for their cause.
Now, it is looking like the three people charged in that case have a long history of running on the wrong side of the law and leaving a trail of Hispanic victims in their wake.
Jason Eugene Bush, 34, Shawna Forde, 41, and Albert Robert Gaxiola, 42, have been charged for the deaths of the father and his daughter- with two counts each of first-degree murder, according to the Pima County Sheriff's Office.
A sheriff in Arizona has said the trio wanted to steal money to fund operations of Forde's Minutemen American Defense, an anti-illegal immigration group. The trio dressed as law enforcement officers and forced their way into the home about 10 miles north of the Mexican border in rural Arivaca, authorities allege. Forde has denied involvement in the Arizona home invasion.
Now a second case has emerged. A murder charge was filed Friday in Washington, Superior Court against Jason Eugene Bush in the stabbing death of Hector Lopez Partida, a homeless man that was sleeping under a blanket behind a store in the early morning hours of July 24, 1997. After being stabbed seven times, he managed to walk to a nearby parking lot, then collapsed.
An informant told police that Bush bragged about killing “a Mexican” behind a store and that Bush had ties to white supremacist groups, according to court documents. Prosecutors say he was linked to the death through DNA evidence.
Authorities allege Bush and Forde also had connections to a Washington state anti-illegal immigration group that conducts border watches in Arizona.
The backstory of this trio gets even more interesting. The Seattle Times is reporting that last December, Forde's estranged husband was attacked and shot by a stranger in his Washington residence. “A week later,” the Times reports, “Forde claimed on her Web site that she had been beaten with a bat, cut with a knife and raped by three attackers who spoke Spanish and wrote the number 13 on her floor. A few weeks later, Forde, a self-styled anti-immigration crusader, was found by police in an Everett alleyway, suffering from what she claimed was a gunshot wound to her right forearm. No one was ever arrested in the incidents.”
The Times also reports that police in California also are looking into whether the trio are connected to another home-invasion robbery on June 8 in Shasta Lake, Calif. Apparently, friends of Forde's biological mother, were “robbed at gunpoint by two men in U.S. Marshals uniforms who bound their wrists with cable ties and took a large amount of cash.”
The murdered man in the most recent case, according to Sheriff Dupnik, "...has a history of being involved in narcotics and there was an anticipation that there would be a considerable amount of cash at this location as well as the possibility of drugs.”
Jason Eugene Bush was arrested at a Kingman, Ariz., hospital where he was being treated for a leg wound he reportedly received when the woman who survived the attack managed to get a gun and fire back.
In the Wenatchee, Washington, case, arriving officers asked the victim who had hurt him. He muttered the words: “Gavachos (white guys).” He died minutes later.
A bloodstained shirt was found nearby. In 2005, DNA extracted from the shirt matched Bush's, who had a lengthy criminal record in Washington and had served time in prison there.
The Minutemen American Defense Web site, now taken down, had said Forde, who has been living recently in Arizona, is the group's leader and Bush goes by the nickname “Gunny” is its operations director. She was once associated with the better known and larger Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.
The web site has been replaced by a statement attributed to officers of Forde's group. The message disassociates the group from Forde and Bush.
“MAD is not responsible for the independen t actions or the private agenda by Shawna Forde and her cohorts that is not a part of MAD's normal operating procedures,” the message read. “Shawna acted totally on her own person agenda and has caused a lot of pain embarrassment and humiliation to the total Minutemen movement and fellow members of MAD.”
Latino water activists give governor a dry reception
Schwarzenegger gets rough reception in Fresno
By TRACIE CONE Associated Press, 06/18/2009
FRESNO, Calif.—Normally friendly Fresno was a little less so Thursday for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Republican governor came to the conservative-leaning Central Valley to talk about the state's budget crisis but found himself on the defensive about his proposed spending cuts and what farming interests perceive as his inaction in solving the state's water problems.
Schwarzenegger delivered a 25-minute speech designed to convince 500 invited guests and local elected officials that everyone must share the pain as California struggles with a $24.3 billion deficit.
He focused on his ideas for privatizing some prisons, using digital textbooks in schools, eliminating fraud in home health care support services and making electronic the court system's labor-intensive court-reporting system.
While some of his points drew applause, it was clear after his address that several audience members had their own agendas.
During a question-and-answer session afterward, Schwarzenegger faced a flood of frustration from agricultural interests and anger from local officials upset over the possibility that the state may take billions of dollars from local governments.
Tim Salmon, of the Latino Water Coalition, a group that has been an ally of Schwarzenegger's, criticized the governor for coming to the state's agricultural heartland yet "refusing to address the most important issue in this valley."
As agriculture supporters in the audience issued catcalls, Schwarzenegger said water will be his priority after the budget is resolved.
The governor said he had been "fighting for water for four years." He then ceded the floor to Victor Lopez, the mayor of Orange Cove, who launched into a spirited defense of Schwarzenegger as "the best governor this state and this nation has ever had."
Later, Salmon said he wanted to hear Schwarzenegger say "he'd take the 10th Amendment and turn on the pumps to deliver water to the valley that the feds have no right to." The amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, reserves for the states powers not claimed by the federal government.
The majority of water that flows to Central Valley farmers is pumped by the Central Valley Project, which is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and is under federal control.
Outside the art deco-era Tower Theater where Schwarzenegger spoke, protesters shouted "turn on the pumps." Three years of below-normal precipitation in California and periodic reductions in water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to protect the threatened delta smelt have led to thousands of acres of fallowed fields throughout the Central Valley.
Unemployment in the region is so high that some food banks have run short of supplies, prompting an appeal for federal assistance this week from Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Water was not the only issue that proved to be a hot potato for the governor after his address.
Cynthia Sterling, president of the Fresno City Council, stood up from the theater's front row and told the governor she is worried that the state will take gas tax revenue from local governments and not pay it back.
"We hope you will stand behind us. But if not, we will go down and you will go down with us," she said to scattered applause from an audience that appeared somewhat stunned by her challenge to the governor.
Schwarzenegger appeared slightly taken aback, then said: "I totally get it, I totally understand."
He went on to say that "this is the kind of stuff I hear all day." He was referring to earlier remarks when he said he gets a steady parade of visitors to his Capitol office complaining about how looming cuts would affect their programs.
Schwarzenegger has proposed shifting to the state about $980 million in local gas excise taxes and transportation weight fees in the fiscal year that begins in July.
He also has proposed taking $1.9 billion in other local taxes, which the state would have to repay over three years. A plan promoted by majority Democrats does not include that proposal.
After his address, the governor met privately with a dozen mayors from the San Joaquin Valley.
By TRACIE CONE Associated Press, 06/18/2009
FRESNO, Calif.—Normally friendly Fresno was a little less so Thursday for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The Republican governor came to the conservative-leaning Central Valley to talk about the state's budget crisis but found himself on the defensive about his proposed spending cuts and what farming interests perceive as his inaction in solving the state's water problems.
Schwarzenegger delivered a 25-minute speech designed to convince 500 invited guests and local elected officials that everyone must share the pain as California struggles with a $24.3 billion deficit.
He focused on his ideas for privatizing some prisons, using digital textbooks in schools, eliminating fraud in home health care support services and making electronic the court system's labor-intensive court-reporting system.
While some of his points drew applause, it was clear after his address that several audience members had their own agendas.
During a question-and-answer session afterward, Schwarzenegger faced a flood of frustration from agricultural interests and anger from local officials upset over the possibility that the state may take billions of dollars from local governments.
Tim Salmon, of the Latino Water Coalition, a group that has been an ally of Schwarzenegger's, criticized the governor for coming to the state's agricultural heartland yet "refusing to address the most important issue in this valley."
As agriculture supporters in the audience issued catcalls, Schwarzenegger said water will be his priority after the budget is resolved.
The governor said he had been "fighting for water for four years." He then ceded the floor to Victor Lopez, the mayor of Orange Cove, who launched into a spirited defense of Schwarzenegger as "the best governor this state and this nation has ever had."
Later, Salmon said he wanted to hear Schwarzenegger say "he'd take the 10th Amendment and turn on the pumps to deliver water to the valley that the feds have no right to." The amendment, part of the Bill of Rights, reserves for the states powers not claimed by the federal government.
The majority of water that flows to Central Valley farmers is pumped by the Central Valley Project, which is operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and is under federal control.
Outside the art deco-era Tower Theater where Schwarzenegger spoke, protesters shouted "turn on the pumps." Three years of below-normal precipitation in California and periodic reductions in water pumping from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to protect the threatened delta smelt have led to thousands of acres of fallowed fields throughout the Central Valley.
Unemployment in the region is so high that some food banks have run short of supplies, prompting an appeal for federal assistance this week from Democratic U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.
Water was not the only issue that proved to be a hot potato for the governor after his address.
Cynthia Sterling, president of the Fresno City Council, stood up from the theater's front row and told the governor she is worried that the state will take gas tax revenue from local governments and not pay it back.
"We hope you will stand behind us. But if not, we will go down and you will go down with us," she said to scattered applause from an audience that appeared somewhat stunned by her challenge to the governor.
Schwarzenegger appeared slightly taken aback, then said: "I totally get it, I totally understand."
He went on to say that "this is the kind of stuff I hear all day." He was referring to earlier remarks when he said he gets a steady parade of visitors to his Capitol office complaining about how looming cuts would affect their programs.
Schwarzenegger has proposed shifting to the state about $980 million in local gas excise taxes and transportation weight fees in the fiscal year that begins in July.
He also has proposed taking $1.9 billion in other local taxes, which the state would have to repay over three years. A plan promoted by majority Democrats does not include that proposal.
After his address, the governor met privately with a dozen mayors from the San Joaquin Valley.
NY Latino leader calls Dems 'racist'
'That Bronx Guy' Espada Accuses Fellow Dems Of Racism
NY Daily News, June 18, 2009
Sen. Pedro Espada emerged from bipartisan talks with fellow Stalemate State leaders without a power-sharing deal (negotiations are continuing, according to both sides) but something else with which to torture deadlock-weary Capitol reporters:
An alleged apology from his erstwhile Democratic colleagues for what he called their "sophomoric" and "irresponsible" playing of the "Latino race card."
"I have a problem with my Democratic colleagues, the so-called self-proclaimed 'progressives', playing the Latino race card out there," Espada said, referring to the robocalls sent into GOP districts by the DSCC over the past two days.
"There’s no question that when you try to target Sen. (Marty) Golden’s district and indicate to them, in so many words, that what he’s doing is supporting a criminal, someone under indictment, - totally false - but moreover, labeling it 'the Bronx guy,' and we all know what that translates to regrettably."
"I think it’s inappropriate from anyone’s lips, and that’s the point. It’s divisive. But for my own party, for my own party to engage in that, I think is despicable."
"It’s always been their attack line on Republicans, so there’s no need to start borrowing from the gutter to kind of win this kind of contest. It’s sophomoric, it’s irresponsible and the people in that room apologized for it."
Espada noted that last week's coup vote purportedly made him the highest-ranked Latino elected official in New York - an historic event for a community that "has no voice."
He said he holds all the leaders of the party responsible for the calls - he specifically cited Sens. John Sampson and Malcolm Smith, but included all "my New York City Democratic senators" - and also insisted that he had received assurances that they would cease immediately.
The senator also insisted that a Democratic senator who had attended the meeting was "ready" to join him on the GOP side of the aisle. He refused to name this person, saying that would "not help these negotiations."
For what it's worth, the Democrats who attended the meeting included: Sampson, Smith, Liz Carl Kruger, Martin Dilan, Jeff Klein, Hiram Monserrate and Darrel Aubertine.
I highly doubt Espada was referring to Monserrate. If he flipped back at this point, he'd be a dead man.
The speculation at the moment centers on Aubertine, who is not only closer from an ideological standpoint to the Republicans, but also is the first Democrat to represent his GOP-dominated district (the 48th SD) since 1935.
It's no secret that Aubertine has been on the Senate Republicans' pre-coup hit list as they prepared to mount a last-ditch effort to take back the majority in 2010.
It's also no secret that the upstate Democratic dairy farmer has been torn between sticking with his colleagues in Albany and taking what might be a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the soon-to-open House seat that will be vacated by Rep. John McHugh.
Meanwhile, the Senate bells are still ringing.
UPDATE: Apparently, according to Sen. Dean Skelos, Aubertine asked the coalition government to put his Power for Jobs extender onto the agenda for today, which might be what sparked the speculation about him.
According to Aubertine spokesman Drew Mangione, however, the senator "has no plans on joining a sham coalition headed by Pedro Espada."
..which doesn't rule out his joining the other side entirely, but since the GOP appears to be sticking with Espada - Skelos today said: "The election (was) 32-0. He was president pro tem and I’m the majority leader. So we just want to make that clear.
NY Daily News, June 18, 2009
Sen. Pedro Espada emerged from bipartisan talks with fellow Stalemate State leaders without a power-sharing deal (negotiations are continuing, according to both sides) but something else with which to torture deadlock-weary Capitol reporters:
An alleged apology from his erstwhile Democratic colleagues for what he called their "sophomoric" and "irresponsible" playing of the "Latino race card."
"I have a problem with my Democratic colleagues, the so-called self-proclaimed 'progressives', playing the Latino race card out there," Espada said, referring to the robocalls sent into GOP districts by the DSCC over the past two days.
"There’s no question that when you try to target Sen. (Marty) Golden’s district and indicate to them, in so many words, that what he’s doing is supporting a criminal, someone under indictment, - totally false - but moreover, labeling it 'the Bronx guy,' and we all know what that translates to regrettably."
"I think it’s inappropriate from anyone’s lips, and that’s the point. It’s divisive. But for my own party, for my own party to engage in that, I think is despicable."
"It’s always been their attack line on Republicans, so there’s no need to start borrowing from the gutter to kind of win this kind of contest. It’s sophomoric, it’s irresponsible and the people in that room apologized for it."
Espada noted that last week's coup vote purportedly made him the highest-ranked Latino elected official in New York - an historic event for a community that "has no voice."
He said he holds all the leaders of the party responsible for the calls - he specifically cited Sens. John Sampson and Malcolm Smith, but included all "my New York City Democratic senators" - and also insisted that he had received assurances that they would cease immediately.
The senator also insisted that a Democratic senator who had attended the meeting was "ready" to join him on the GOP side of the aisle. He refused to name this person, saying that would "not help these negotiations."
For what it's worth, the Democrats who attended the meeting included: Sampson, Smith, Liz Carl Kruger, Martin Dilan, Jeff Klein, Hiram Monserrate and Darrel Aubertine.
I highly doubt Espada was referring to Monserrate. If he flipped back at this point, he'd be a dead man.
The speculation at the moment centers on Aubertine, who is not only closer from an ideological standpoint to the Republicans, but also is the first Democrat to represent his GOP-dominated district (the 48th SD) since 1935.
It's no secret that Aubertine has been on the Senate Republicans' pre-coup hit list as they prepared to mount a last-ditch effort to take back the majority in 2010.
It's also no secret that the upstate Democratic dairy farmer has been torn between sticking with his colleagues in Albany and taking what might be a once-in-a-lifetime shot at the soon-to-open House seat that will be vacated by Rep. John McHugh.
Meanwhile, the Senate bells are still ringing.
UPDATE: Apparently, according to Sen. Dean Skelos, Aubertine asked the coalition government to put his Power for Jobs extender onto the agenda for today, which might be what sparked the speculation about him.
According to Aubertine spokesman Drew Mangione, however, the senator "has no plans on joining a sham coalition headed by Pedro Espada."
..which doesn't rule out his joining the other side entirely, but since the GOP appears to be sticking with Espada - Skelos today said: "The election (was) 32-0. He was president pro tem and I’m the majority leader. So we just want to make that clear.
Study: Hispanics, minorities would vote for Villaraigosa
Villaraigosa's future, once bright, looks dimmer now
By Phil Willon, LA Times, June 20, 2009
Days from the start of his second term, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has earned tepid job approval ratings from city voters, and a plurality opposes his entrance into the upcoming race for governor, according to a new Los Angeles Times poll.
Los Angeles' brooding electorate, battered by job losses and home foreclosures that rise above national and state trends, feels strongly that the city is on the wrong track. And almost half believes the city needs to move in a direction different from that charted by Villaraigosa, rebuking the policies of a mayor they reelected a little more than three months ago.
Although they consider the city's budget deficit an urgent problem, voters steadfastly oppose raising taxes or fees to stem the deepening fiscal crisis. Even the notion of increasing taxes to improve fire protection, a comparatively easy sell in wildfire-prone Southern California, was rejected handily.
Villaraigosa received a favorable job approval rating from 55% of the registered voters surveyed. The showing is statistically equivalent to the vote he won in the city's March election against a field of little-known and underfunded candidates. He officially begins his second term July 1.
For Villaraigosa, who casts himself as a unifying political force in the mold of five-term Mayor Tom Bradley, the survey also indicated some fraying in the broad ethnic coalition that carried him into office in 2005. Almost three-fourths of Latino voters gave the mayor high marks, as did almost two out of three African Americans, but a narrow plurality of white voters gave him negative grades.
The city's precipitous drop in crime won Villaraigosa his highest praise -- he received a 69% approval rating on handling crime. Voters also approved of his efforts to make Los Angeles a more environmentally friendly city, but scorched him on the city's budget deficit and the quality of the public schools, which ranked higher among their top concerns.
"I've actually been impressed with some of the things they've done with crime, to bring crime down. I've also been impressed because he's been so prolific. . . . He's all over town," Christopher Knudsen of Van Nuys, an unemployed recruiter for financial firms, said in a follow-up interview.
Michael Ortega of Harbor City, who was among the respondents unhappy with the mayor's tenure, said Villaraigosa appears to be more concerned about furthering his political career than serving the people of Los Angeles.
"He's never going to be focused on the business at hand. To run for governor, you have to traverse the state . . . so he won't even be around," said Ortega, 58, a retired Social Security Administration worker. "I've never trusted the guy."
Ortega said his doubts about Villaraigosa deepened after the mayor acknowledged his extramarital affair with a local newscaster, which led to the breakup of his 20-year marriage. However, most of those surveyed -- 70% -- dismissed the affair, saying it would have no effect on whether they vote for Villaraigosa in the future.
The Los Angeles Times survey was conducted by the Democratic polling firm of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in conjunction with Public Opinion Strategies, which surveys for Republican candidates. The findings are based on a citywide telephone survey of 1,500 registered voters conducted from June 10 to June 16. The survey has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points in either direction.
The poll was taken as Villaraigosa not only prepares to begin his final term as mayor, but also comes to a decision on whether to run for governor in 2010. Those close to the process have said they expect a public announcement soon.
Given the nation's economic upheaval and the overall anger that voters harbor as a result, Villaraigosa's 55% job approval rating appears "acceptable," said pollster Stanley Greenberg, one of the poll supervisors. Still, he said, it's clear that Los Angeles voters are not happy with his policies.
"He's going into this term with people very distraught with the direction of the city," Greenberg said. "He's not coming with a big wind at this back. People want something new from him."
Villaraigosa's prospects as a possible gubernatorial candidate, a role that seemed almost preordained after his celebrated 2005 election as Los Angeles' first Latino mayor in more than a century, also appear to be vulnerable in a city that should be the 56-year-old politician's strongest base of support.
Among Los Angeles Democrats, Villaraigosa would only narrowly defeat state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown if the Democratic gubernatorial primary were held today, the survey found.
According to the poll, 38% picked Villaraigosa compared with 32% for former Gov. Brown. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom registered a distant 13%. Newsom has announced his candidacy, while Brown, like Villaraigosa, has demurred when asked his plans.
A Villaraigosa bid for governor would enjoy strong support from Latino and African American voters, as well as voters under age 29. However, voters over 50, who are among the most dependable on election day, favor Brown, as do the city's white voters. Brown is also a more popular choice on the Westside, a former power base for Villaraigosa. The mayor is favored in the San Fernando Valley, and in South and Central Los Angeles, the survey showed.
"He seems pretty fair. All of us make mistakes and do something wrong. At least he's trying to help. He's doing what he can," said Leola Harrison, 74, a retired truck driver and housekeeper from South Los Angeles who said Villaraigosa should run for governor. "His attitude and his demeanor is, to me, on the meek side. What I mean is the poor and the downtrodden. He doesn't just look at the people upstairs."
Larry Bruno of Eagle Rock said he believes Villaraigosa has done well as mayor but that a run for governor would be bad for Los Angeles.
"There is a big enough job here," said Bruno, a 50-year-old telephone technician.
The financial troubles facing Los Angeles are clearly a major concern among voters. Topped only by education, jobs and economic development, they far outranked Angelenos' ubiquitous anxieties about crime and traffic. Three out of four respondents called the deficit a serious problem and blamed it on three main culprits: Sacramento politicians, City Hall politicians and the national recession.
To address the city's $530-million budget gap, the mayor and City Council approved a budget earlier this month that would lay off 1,200 city workers and impose mandatory furlough days. Officials are still negotiating with the city's public employee unions for alternatives, as well as an additional $120 million in wage and benefit concessions necessary to balance the 2009-10 budget.
When asked to consider a list of budget-balancing options, more than 70% of those surveyed said they opposed laying off city workers, but 54% would accept worker furloughs.
Villaraigosa's proposal to auction off city parking garages and meters, which could potentially raise hundreds of millions of dollars in one-time revenue for the city, also won a narrow endorsement from those polled.
Raising money by increasing taxes and fees received little support, even if the money were devoted to popular programs. Six in 10 of those surveyed said they would oppose any attempt to increase sales or property taxes to pay for improving fire services or for basic city services such as parks, libraries and street repair.
"Right now, I think everyone thinks they're overtaxed already. If times were better, it might be different," said David Wong, 47, a healthcare profession from Northridge.
City leaders also don't help themselves when they raise taxes or fees for one purpose and then spend it on something entirely different, Wong said.
For example, the mayor pushed through a plan to triple trash fees to expand the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department. But because of declines in city tax revenue, that effort has been temporarily scaled back to replace only officers who leave through attrition.
"They always do that," Wong said.
Even though crime does not rank as a major concern, respondents were adamant that Villaraigosa's police hiring program remain untouched. Sixty-five percent said they oppose -- most of them strongly -- halting the program.
Strong voter support for the LAPD was among the most telling results of the Times poll, and included Police Chief William J. Bratton. The chief received high marks from 66% of those surveyed, topping Villaraigosa and falling only 6 points shy of President Obama's 72% approval rating.
For California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the numbers weren't so good. Only 29% approved of the job he was doing; close to half of the respondents strongly disapproved. South Los Angeles' Harrison was one of them.
"I think I could make a better governor than what we have right now," she said.
phil.willon@latimes.com
By Phil Willon, LA Times, June 20, 2009
Days from the start of his second term, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has earned tepid job approval ratings from city voters, and a plurality opposes his entrance into the upcoming race for governor, according to a new Los Angeles Times poll.
Los Angeles' brooding electorate, battered by job losses and home foreclosures that rise above national and state trends, feels strongly that the city is on the wrong track. And almost half believes the city needs to move in a direction different from that charted by Villaraigosa, rebuking the policies of a mayor they reelected a little more than three months ago.
Although they consider the city's budget deficit an urgent problem, voters steadfastly oppose raising taxes or fees to stem the deepening fiscal crisis. Even the notion of increasing taxes to improve fire protection, a comparatively easy sell in wildfire-prone Southern California, was rejected handily.
Villaraigosa received a favorable job approval rating from 55% of the registered voters surveyed. The showing is statistically equivalent to the vote he won in the city's March election against a field of little-known and underfunded candidates. He officially begins his second term July 1.
For Villaraigosa, who casts himself as a unifying political force in the mold of five-term Mayor Tom Bradley, the survey also indicated some fraying in the broad ethnic coalition that carried him into office in 2005. Almost three-fourths of Latino voters gave the mayor high marks, as did almost two out of three African Americans, but a narrow plurality of white voters gave him negative grades.
The city's precipitous drop in crime won Villaraigosa his highest praise -- he received a 69% approval rating on handling crime. Voters also approved of his efforts to make Los Angeles a more environmentally friendly city, but scorched him on the city's budget deficit and the quality of the public schools, which ranked higher among their top concerns.
"I've actually been impressed with some of the things they've done with crime, to bring crime down. I've also been impressed because he's been so prolific. . . . He's all over town," Christopher Knudsen of Van Nuys, an unemployed recruiter for financial firms, said in a follow-up interview.
Michael Ortega of Harbor City, who was among the respondents unhappy with the mayor's tenure, said Villaraigosa appears to be more concerned about furthering his political career than serving the people of Los Angeles.
"He's never going to be focused on the business at hand. To run for governor, you have to traverse the state . . . so he won't even be around," said Ortega, 58, a retired Social Security Administration worker. "I've never trusted the guy."
Ortega said his doubts about Villaraigosa deepened after the mayor acknowledged his extramarital affair with a local newscaster, which led to the breakup of his 20-year marriage. However, most of those surveyed -- 70% -- dismissed the affair, saying it would have no effect on whether they vote for Villaraigosa in the future.
The Los Angeles Times survey was conducted by the Democratic polling firm of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research in conjunction with Public Opinion Strategies, which surveys for Republican candidates. The findings are based on a citywide telephone survey of 1,500 registered voters conducted from June 10 to June 16. The survey has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points in either direction.
The poll was taken as Villaraigosa not only prepares to begin his final term as mayor, but also comes to a decision on whether to run for governor in 2010. Those close to the process have said they expect a public announcement soon.
Given the nation's economic upheaval and the overall anger that voters harbor as a result, Villaraigosa's 55% job approval rating appears "acceptable," said pollster Stanley Greenberg, one of the poll supervisors. Still, he said, it's clear that Los Angeles voters are not happy with his policies.
"He's going into this term with people very distraught with the direction of the city," Greenberg said. "He's not coming with a big wind at this back. People want something new from him."
Villaraigosa's prospects as a possible gubernatorial candidate, a role that seemed almost preordained after his celebrated 2005 election as Los Angeles' first Latino mayor in more than a century, also appear to be vulnerable in a city that should be the 56-year-old politician's strongest base of support.
Among Los Angeles Democrats, Villaraigosa would only narrowly defeat state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown if the Democratic gubernatorial primary were held today, the survey found.
According to the poll, 38% picked Villaraigosa compared with 32% for former Gov. Brown. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom registered a distant 13%. Newsom has announced his candidacy, while Brown, like Villaraigosa, has demurred when asked his plans.
A Villaraigosa bid for governor would enjoy strong support from Latino and African American voters, as well as voters under age 29. However, voters over 50, who are among the most dependable on election day, favor Brown, as do the city's white voters. Brown is also a more popular choice on the Westside, a former power base for Villaraigosa. The mayor is favored in the San Fernando Valley, and in South and Central Los Angeles, the survey showed.
"He seems pretty fair. All of us make mistakes and do something wrong. At least he's trying to help. He's doing what he can," said Leola Harrison, 74, a retired truck driver and housekeeper from South Los Angeles who said Villaraigosa should run for governor. "His attitude and his demeanor is, to me, on the meek side. What I mean is the poor and the downtrodden. He doesn't just look at the people upstairs."
Larry Bruno of Eagle Rock said he believes Villaraigosa has done well as mayor but that a run for governor would be bad for Los Angeles.
"There is a big enough job here," said Bruno, a 50-year-old telephone technician.
The financial troubles facing Los Angeles are clearly a major concern among voters. Topped only by education, jobs and economic development, they far outranked Angelenos' ubiquitous anxieties about crime and traffic. Three out of four respondents called the deficit a serious problem and blamed it on three main culprits: Sacramento politicians, City Hall politicians and the national recession.
To address the city's $530-million budget gap, the mayor and City Council approved a budget earlier this month that would lay off 1,200 city workers and impose mandatory furlough days. Officials are still negotiating with the city's public employee unions for alternatives, as well as an additional $120 million in wage and benefit concessions necessary to balance the 2009-10 budget.
When asked to consider a list of budget-balancing options, more than 70% of those surveyed said they opposed laying off city workers, but 54% would accept worker furloughs.
Villaraigosa's proposal to auction off city parking garages and meters, which could potentially raise hundreds of millions of dollars in one-time revenue for the city, also won a narrow endorsement from those polled.
Raising money by increasing taxes and fees received little support, even if the money were devoted to popular programs. Six in 10 of those surveyed said they would oppose any attempt to increase sales or property taxes to pay for improving fire services or for basic city services such as parks, libraries and street repair.
"Right now, I think everyone thinks they're overtaxed already. If times were better, it might be different," said David Wong, 47, a healthcare profession from Northridge.
City leaders also don't help themselves when they raise taxes or fees for one purpose and then spend it on something entirely different, Wong said.
For example, the mayor pushed through a plan to triple trash fees to expand the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department. But because of declines in city tax revenue, that effort has been temporarily scaled back to replace only officers who leave through attrition.
"They always do that," Wong said.
Even though crime does not rank as a major concern, respondents were adamant that Villaraigosa's police hiring program remain untouched. Sixty-five percent said they oppose -- most of them strongly -- halting the program.
Strong voter support for the LAPD was among the most telling results of the Times poll, and included Police Chief William J. Bratton. The chief received high marks from 66% of those surveyed, topping Villaraigosa and falling only 6 points shy of President Obama's 72% approval rating.
For California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the numbers weren't so good. Only 29% approved of the job he was doing; close to half of the respondents strongly disapproved. South Los Angeles' Harrison was one of them.
"I think I could make a better governor than what we have right now," she said.
phil.willon@latimes.com
Colorado GOP at a crossroads with Hispanic voters
Engaging prospect for Latinos, GOP
By Tina Griego, Denver Post, 06/18/2009
The Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Colorado chapter, held a breakfast meeting downtown Tuesday at which state GOP chairman Dick Wadhams told a story.
After the 2008 election, he said, a few people told him he needed to gather some "high-powered" Republicans to select the party's next candidates for governor and U.S. Senate. "I'm not even sure who those high-powered people would be," Wadhams replied and rattled off Republican officeholders and party leaders and the thousands of stateRepublicans who participated in the election. "I asked these folks, 'Where do you want me to draw the line?' "
He said he told them that, in fact, he would be convening meetings to decide upon the state's future Republican leaders and that those meetings are called precinct caucuses and county and state assemblies.
What the party will look like, who will lead it, Wadhams told the Hispanic group, is a debate that must take place across Colorado. This is the time, he said, quoting conservative columnist Bill Kristol, "for a thousand Republicans to bloom."
"Especially in the aftermath of the 2008 election," Wadhams said. "I think it's very important that we have an urgent discussion within the party about the future."
Wadhams is no dummy. He knows how much this group wants to be included in shaping that future. He also knows the Republican Party — or its demagogues — has alienated many Latinos on illegal immigration and, more recently, on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
Should Wadhams have needed a reminder about the work it will take to woo Latinos to the party, the meeting offered one. Take away the few party staffers and guests and, by my count, his audience of Republican Hispanics numbered 12.
All one had to do last year was attend a Republican rally and look at the crowds: white, aging, unrepresentative even of this state's population, which is 70 percent white. That's a house sitting on a shrinking foundation.
Simple numbers tell the story. Latinos are the nation's fastest-growing minority. The Obama/Biden ticket won the national Latino vote by a ratio of more than 2-to-1 and the Latino youth vote by 4-to-1. In Colorado, Latinos chose the Democratic presidential ticket over the Republican, 61 percent to 38 percent.
Hispanics are swing voters, and the 2008 exit polls revealed that too. Take the battleground states of Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico and, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, Colorado is the only place where the Republican presidential ticket fared better among Latino voters than it did in 2004 and the Democratic ticket fared worse.
"There's always been potential, and the potential is still there," former state Rep. Joe Nunez says. "There are a lot more Hispanic Republicans out there than people realize."
The Hispanic Republican of Colorado tends to be viewed as an oddity, a minority among both Republicans and Hispanics, welcomed by each group, but, at times, not embraced by either. This is a fact, not a plea for sympathy, which Republican Hispanics are not seeking and do not want.
They are, despite this, an optimistic group. It is hope that fuels their constant declaration that "most Hispanics are Republicans; they just don't know it, yet." Political philosophy or conservative social values or both draw Latinos to the party, says Frank Tijerina Jr., 40, and RNHA's new state chairman. What Latinos offer in return is "a new perspective of family, hope and inclusiveness."
"Over the years," Tijerina says, "there's been this discussion (among Republican Hispanics): 'We're here. Is that big tent ever going to happen?' Well, that big tent has to happen or the party will become insignificant, and we will become independents."
It's impossible these days to have a discussion about politics and ethnicity without drawing the accusation of pandering and to this Tijerina says, "we have to be part of the equation, part of the dialogue. Our voice needs to be heard. Call it what you want. I call it relationship-building. I call it outreach."
That outreach is already underway. The group is recruiting young Latinos and has a new staffer who will work college campuses. The state party is building and organizing a network of Latinos likely to vote Republican and wants to start RNHA chapters in every county.
"It's not going to be an easy road back," Wadhams told the group, but one way is education. Latinos consistently identify education as a top concern and Democrats, he argued, have dropped the ball on reform.
"I also think we can win Hispanics by returning to our core principles of limited government, personal responsibility and strong national security."
And, Tijerina added later, the debate on illegal immigration "has to be conducted with dignity and respect."
If you meet again next year at the same time, in the same room, what do you hope to see, I asked Tijerina. Seventy-five, maybe 100 Republican Hispanics, he said, and of those at least 40 will be young people. That's the future he sees.
Tina Griego writes Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach her at 303-954-1416 or tgriego@denverpost.com.
By Tina Griego, Denver Post, 06/18/2009
The Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Colorado chapter, held a breakfast meeting downtown Tuesday at which state GOP chairman Dick Wadhams told a story.
After the 2008 election, he said, a few people told him he needed to gather some "high-powered" Republicans to select the party's next candidates for governor and U.S. Senate. "I'm not even sure who those high-powered people would be," Wadhams replied and rattled off Republican officeholders and party leaders and the thousands of stateRepublicans who participated in the election. "I asked these folks, 'Where do you want me to draw the line?' "
He said he told them that, in fact, he would be convening meetings to decide upon the state's future Republican leaders and that those meetings are called precinct caucuses and county and state assemblies.
What the party will look like, who will lead it, Wadhams told the Hispanic group, is a debate that must take place across Colorado. This is the time, he said, quoting conservative columnist Bill Kristol, "for a thousand Republicans to bloom."
"Especially in the aftermath of the 2008 election," Wadhams said. "I think it's very important that we have an urgent discussion within the party about the future."
Wadhams is no dummy. He knows how much this group wants to be included in shaping that future. He also knows the Republican Party — or its demagogues — has alienated many Latinos on illegal immigration and, more recently, on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.
Should Wadhams have needed a reminder about the work it will take to woo Latinos to the party, the meeting offered one. Take away the few party staffers and guests and, by my count, his audience of Republican Hispanics numbered 12.
All one had to do last year was attend a Republican rally and look at the crowds: white, aging, unrepresentative even of this state's population, which is 70 percent white. That's a house sitting on a shrinking foundation.
Simple numbers tell the story. Latinos are the nation's fastest-growing minority. The Obama/Biden ticket won the national Latino vote by a ratio of more than 2-to-1 and the Latino youth vote by 4-to-1. In Colorado, Latinos chose the Democratic presidential ticket over the Republican, 61 percent to 38 percent.
Hispanics are swing voters, and the 2008 exit polls revealed that too. Take the battleground states of Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico and, according to the Pew Hispanic Center, Colorado is the only place where the Republican presidential ticket fared better among Latino voters than it did in 2004 and the Democratic ticket fared worse.
"There's always been potential, and the potential is still there," former state Rep. Joe Nunez says. "There are a lot more Hispanic Republicans out there than people realize."
The Hispanic Republican of Colorado tends to be viewed as an oddity, a minority among both Republicans and Hispanics, welcomed by each group, but, at times, not embraced by either. This is a fact, not a plea for sympathy, which Republican Hispanics are not seeking and do not want.
They are, despite this, an optimistic group. It is hope that fuels their constant declaration that "most Hispanics are Republicans; they just don't know it, yet." Political philosophy or conservative social values or both draw Latinos to the party, says Frank Tijerina Jr., 40, and RNHA's new state chairman. What Latinos offer in return is "a new perspective of family, hope and inclusiveness."
"Over the years," Tijerina says, "there's been this discussion (among Republican Hispanics): 'We're here. Is that big tent ever going to happen?' Well, that big tent has to happen or the party will become insignificant, and we will become independents."
It's impossible these days to have a discussion about politics and ethnicity without drawing the accusation of pandering and to this Tijerina says, "we have to be part of the equation, part of the dialogue. Our voice needs to be heard. Call it what you want. I call it relationship-building. I call it outreach."
That outreach is already underway. The group is recruiting young Latinos and has a new staffer who will work college campuses. The state party is building and organizing a network of Latinos likely to vote Republican and wants to start RNHA chapters in every county.
"It's not going to be an easy road back," Wadhams told the group, but one way is education. Latinos consistently identify education as a top concern and Democrats, he argued, have dropped the ball on reform.
"I also think we can win Hispanics by returning to our core principles of limited government, personal responsibility and strong national security."
And, Tijerina added later, the debate on illegal immigration "has to be conducted with dignity and respect."
If you meet again next year at the same time, in the same room, what do you hope to see, I asked Tijerina. Seventy-five, maybe 100 Republican Hispanics, he said, and of those at least 40 will be young people. That's the future he sees.
Tina Griego writes Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Reach her at 303-954-1416 or tgriego@denverpost.com.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Hispanic immigration reform on top, again
Obama, Congress flirt with tackling immigration reform
By Frank Davies, Mercury News Washington Bureau, 06/14/2009
WASHINGTON — Immigration reform, an intractable issue that has frustrated presidents and Congress for years, is making a comeback as a hot topic here. Whether it makes it into legislation is another matter.
The Obama administration and Congress already have an ambitious to-do list for the next few months, including health care reform, climate change legislation and a Supreme Court confirmation.
But Obama plans to take time from those priorities this month to meet with groups advocating for changes in the immigration system, including a path to legal status for an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. He will be joined by key members of Congress who will handle the issue.
The meeting was supposed to occur Wednesday, but has been postponed because White House officials are scrambling to get a war spending bill through Congress. Immigration advocates Friday were disappointed at the delay, but said they still expect Obama to commit to a major push on the thorny immigration issue.
"So far there's been a serious flirtation but not a marriage proposal," said Angela Kelley, vice president at the Center for American Progress, a think tank closely aligned with Democrats.
Obama won overwhelming Latino support in the 2008 election, in part because he promised to push for an immigration overhaul that would include a legalization plan. Now it's time to deliver, said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the San Jose Democrat who chairs the immigration subcommittee in the House.
"He has to do more than say, 'I'm for it.' It's essential for him to put some personal effort into this," said Lofgren, who will attend the White House meeting.
If nothing gets done on immigration reform this year, "Latino voters will blame him, because the president created the expectation we will see results," she added.
Advocates for various reforms say they are optimistic because of several factors, including Obama's victory and the disarray among Republicans, who worry that they will lose Latino voters for years if they resist changes.
"We sure blew it the last time on immigration reform," Ed Gillespie, former Republican National Committee chairman, told a tech group last week. If Congress takes up the issue in a serious way this year, "that would be an opportunity to make up some lost ground."
Because of the lack of jobs and tighter enforcement, the flow of illegal immigrants has slowed dramatically, U.S. and Mexican officials say. The undocumented immigrant population has not grown since 2006, according to the Pew Hispanic Survey and Doris Meissner, a former top immigration official with the Migration Policy Institute.
That may have taken some heat out of the issue. In a January survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 63 percent of the public — 5 percent higher than in 2007 — favored "providing a way for illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to gain legal citizenship."
A broad coalition of business, labor, church and immigrant groups is pushing hard to get the attention of Congress, as is the Center for American Progress, headed by Obama adviser John Podesta.
Advocates are making an economic pitch that bringing undocumented workers "out of the shadows" and requiring them to learn English and pay fees and fines to gain legal status will add to the rolls of taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that legalization would increase net revenue by $65 billion over 10 years.
Opponents of immigration dispute those arguments, maintaining that the economy can't sustain large numbers of illegal immigrants.
"With the state of the economy it's just ridiculous to hear some employers say they still need foreign labor," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which seeks to limit immigration.
He predicts more "attrition through enforcement," with a growing number of undocumented workers returning to Latin American because of a lack of U.S. jobs and tougher enforcement.
Many in Congress are reluctant to tackle the issue again after three years of failure and debates that turned angry and emotional. In 2006, when thousands of immigrant advocates held street rallies from San Jose to Boston, the Senate passed a comprehensive bill, only to see it die in the House.
The Senate tried again in 2007, but the effort fizzled, and in 2008 no one in Congress wanted to take up the issue during an election year. Lofgren said House Democrats are wary of dealing with immigration unless the Senate grapples with it first.
A comprehensive bill would likely include provisions of great interest to California, such as an increase in visas for highly skilled workers and a guest worker program for farmworkers. Rep. Mike Honda, a Campbell Democrat, is pushing a measure making it easier for legal immigrants to bring in family members, including same-sex partners.
"Any bill would have to include many elements to work," Lofgren said. "At the same time, you don't want to include things that would sink it. It's a tricky balance."
ON THE WEB Reliable data on immigration is often hard to come by. One dependable source is the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute at www.migrationinformation.org.
By Frank Davies, Mercury News Washington Bureau, 06/14/2009
WASHINGTON — Immigration reform, an intractable issue that has frustrated presidents and Congress for years, is making a comeback as a hot topic here. Whether it makes it into legislation is another matter.
The Obama administration and Congress already have an ambitious to-do list for the next few months, including health care reform, climate change legislation and a Supreme Court confirmation.
But Obama plans to take time from those priorities this month to meet with groups advocating for changes in the immigration system, including a path to legal status for an estimated 11 million illegal immigrants. He will be joined by key members of Congress who will handle the issue.
The meeting was supposed to occur Wednesday, but has been postponed because White House officials are scrambling to get a war spending bill through Congress. Immigration advocates Friday were disappointed at the delay, but said they still expect Obama to commit to a major push on the thorny immigration issue.
"So far there's been a serious flirtation but not a marriage proposal," said Angela Kelley, vice president at the Center for American Progress, a think tank closely aligned with Democrats.
Obama won overwhelming Latino support in the 2008 election, in part because he promised to push for an immigration overhaul that would include a legalization plan. Now it's time to deliver, said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the San Jose Democrat who chairs the immigration subcommittee in the House.
"He has to do more than say, 'I'm for it.' It's essential for him to put some personal effort into this," said Lofgren, who will attend the White House meeting.
If nothing gets done on immigration reform this year, "Latino voters will blame him, because the president created the expectation we will see results," she added.
Advocates for various reforms say they are optimistic because of several factors, including Obama's victory and the disarray among Republicans, who worry that they will lose Latino voters for years if they resist changes.
"We sure blew it the last time on immigration reform," Ed Gillespie, former Republican National Committee chairman, told a tech group last week. If Congress takes up the issue in a serious way this year, "that would be an opportunity to make up some lost ground."
Because of the lack of jobs and tighter enforcement, the flow of illegal immigrants has slowed dramatically, U.S. and Mexican officials say. The undocumented immigrant population has not grown since 2006, according to the Pew Hispanic Survey and Doris Meissner, a former top immigration official with the Migration Policy Institute.
That may have taken some heat out of the issue. In a January survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 63 percent of the public — 5 percent higher than in 2007 — favored "providing a way for illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to gain legal citizenship."
A broad coalition of business, labor, church and immigrant groups is pushing hard to get the attention of Congress, as is the Center for American Progress, headed by Obama adviser John Podesta.
Advocates are making an economic pitch that bringing undocumented workers "out of the shadows" and requiring them to learn English and pay fees and fines to gain legal status will add to the rolls of taxpayers. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that legalization would increase net revenue by $65 billion over 10 years.
Opponents of immigration dispute those arguments, maintaining that the economy can't sustain large numbers of illegal immigrants.
"With the state of the economy it's just ridiculous to hear some employers say they still need foreign labor," said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which seeks to limit immigration.
He predicts more "attrition through enforcement," with a growing number of undocumented workers returning to Latin American because of a lack of U.S. jobs and tougher enforcement.
Many in Congress are reluctant to tackle the issue again after three years of failure and debates that turned angry and emotional. In 2006, when thousands of immigrant advocates held street rallies from San Jose to Boston, the Senate passed a comprehensive bill, only to see it die in the House.
The Senate tried again in 2007, but the effort fizzled, and in 2008 no one in Congress wanted to take up the issue during an election year. Lofgren said House Democrats are wary of dealing with immigration unless the Senate grapples with it first.
A comprehensive bill would likely include provisions of great interest to California, such as an increase in visas for highly skilled workers and a guest worker program for farmworkers. Rep. Mike Honda, a Campbell Democrat, is pushing a measure making it easier for legal immigrants to bring in family members, including same-sex partners.
"Any bill would have to include many elements to work," Lofgren said. "At the same time, you don't want to include things that would sink it. It's a tricky balance."
ON THE WEB Reliable data on immigration is often hard to come by. One dependable source is the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute at www.migrationinformation.org.
Latinos filling more government jobs
Latinos filling more high-level government jobs
Richard S. Dunham, Hearst Newspapers, June 14, 2009
Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court has focused national attention on her Latino heritage and the history-making nature of her selection.
But the bright spotlight on Sotomayor has obscured a highly significant shift in the ways of Washington: President Obama has selected far more Hispanics for his administration than any previous president in American history.
Latinos comprise 11 percent of the new president's first 300 nominees for senior administration positions requiring Senate confirmation, according to the White House.
That shatters the 5.5 percent mark set by former President George W. Bush during the first 18 months of his presidency, according to Office of Management and Budget statistics. Bush had broken the previous record held by his predecessor, Bill Clinton, who filled 4.5 percent of his confirmable positions with Hispanic nominees.
In addition to 33 positions requiring Senate confirmation, Obama has chosen 26 Latinos for White House staff jobs -more than any of his predecessors.
Obama's Latino wave is a stark reminder of the increasing clout of the nation's fast-growing and largest minority group. But it also reflects a Hispanic power shift from Texas to California. Of the top Latinos in the Obama administration, 21 have connections to the Golden State, while 14 boast Texas ties - a reversal from Bush and Clinton days.
Civil rights advocates hail the rapid increase in Latino employment in the West Wing and beyond.
Reflecting reality
"This is a new America," said Simon Rosenberg, CEO of the Democratic group NDN, which specializes in demographic and technological change. "America is going through one of the most profound demographic transformations in all of its history. The Obama administration is simply reflecting the emerging reality of America in the early 21st century."
But the record-setting pace of appointments reflects more than simple demographics. It also reflects the complexity of a president who proudly calls himself an American "mutt" - a biracial president, the son of an immigrant, a person who has experienced racism and benefited from affirmative action. And it demonstrates the growing political clout of a coveted and pivotal voting bloc that has trended strongly Democratic in the past two national elections.
"Very deliberately, they set out to pull in a very diverse administration," said Brent Wilkes, national executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
But the administration remains sensitive to charges from some conservative commentators that it has elevated diversity over competence.
"None of these people have been chosen for their positions for any reason other than that they were the best person available for that position," said Luis Miranda, a senior White House aide.
Many of Bush's top Hispanic aides had worked for him during his six years as Texas governor, including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza and Assistant Commerce Secretary Israel Hernandez.
Clinton's Latino network included a group of Mexican Americans who worked with him in Texas during the 1972 George McGovern presidential campaign and others who assisted him in his rise to national prominence in neighboring Arkansas.
California shift
But Obama did not have a similar relationship with Texas. As a result, California - a state with 13.2 million Latinos - has become the state with the largest number of Hispanic appointees.
The president's personnel picks were the survivors of an arduous staffing process that began in the early days of the transition. Former Clinton Cabinet member Federico Pena, a Texas native who later became Denver mayor, and Frank Sanchez, who landed a top job at the Commerce Department, reached out to Latino groups and elected officials to seek candidates for administration positions.
But Obama made clear at a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that he wasn't looking for political hacks.
"He said, 'I'm looking for excellence and I'm looking for diversity,' " said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas, vice chairman of the Hispanic Caucus. "He didn't want just 'qualified' people. He wanted people who had distinguished themselves."
Some Latino groups say they will keep pushing until the entire federal workforce mirrors the national population.
"This is only the beginning," said Rafael Fantauzzi, president of the National Puerto Rican Coalition Inc. "Here's our goal: 15 percent of the population of the U.S. is Hispanic. We want our federal agencies to be 15 percent Hispanic.
"We are not yet satisfied."
Richard S. Dunham, Hearst Newspapers, June 14, 2009
Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court has focused national attention on her Latino heritage and the history-making nature of her selection.
But the bright spotlight on Sotomayor has obscured a highly significant shift in the ways of Washington: President Obama has selected far more Hispanics for his administration than any previous president in American history.
Latinos comprise 11 percent of the new president's first 300 nominees for senior administration positions requiring Senate confirmation, according to the White House.
That shatters the 5.5 percent mark set by former President George W. Bush during the first 18 months of his presidency, according to Office of Management and Budget statistics. Bush had broken the previous record held by his predecessor, Bill Clinton, who filled 4.5 percent of his confirmable positions with Hispanic nominees.
In addition to 33 positions requiring Senate confirmation, Obama has chosen 26 Latinos for White House staff jobs -more than any of his predecessors.
Obama's Latino wave is a stark reminder of the increasing clout of the nation's fast-growing and largest minority group. But it also reflects a Hispanic power shift from Texas to California. Of the top Latinos in the Obama administration, 21 have connections to the Golden State, while 14 boast Texas ties - a reversal from Bush and Clinton days.
Civil rights advocates hail the rapid increase in Latino employment in the West Wing and beyond.
Reflecting reality
"This is a new America," said Simon Rosenberg, CEO of the Democratic group NDN, which specializes in demographic and technological change. "America is going through one of the most profound demographic transformations in all of its history. The Obama administration is simply reflecting the emerging reality of America in the early 21st century."
But the record-setting pace of appointments reflects more than simple demographics. It also reflects the complexity of a president who proudly calls himself an American "mutt" - a biracial president, the son of an immigrant, a person who has experienced racism and benefited from affirmative action. And it demonstrates the growing political clout of a coveted and pivotal voting bloc that has trended strongly Democratic in the past two national elections.
"Very deliberately, they set out to pull in a very diverse administration," said Brent Wilkes, national executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
But the administration remains sensitive to charges from some conservative commentators that it has elevated diversity over competence.
"None of these people have been chosen for their positions for any reason other than that they were the best person available for that position," said Luis Miranda, a senior White House aide.
Many of Bush's top Hispanic aides had worked for him during his six years as Texas governor, including Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza and Assistant Commerce Secretary Israel Hernandez.
Clinton's Latino network included a group of Mexican Americans who worked with him in Texas during the 1972 George McGovern presidential campaign and others who assisted him in his rise to national prominence in neighboring Arkansas.
California shift
But Obama did not have a similar relationship with Texas. As a result, California - a state with 13.2 million Latinos - has become the state with the largest number of Hispanic appointees.
The president's personnel picks were the survivors of an arduous staffing process that began in the early days of the transition. Former Clinton Cabinet member Federico Pena, a Texas native who later became Denver mayor, and Frank Sanchez, who landed a top job at the Commerce Department, reached out to Latino groups and elected officials to seek candidates for administration positions.
But Obama made clear at a meeting with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus that he wasn't looking for political hacks.
"He said, 'I'm looking for excellence and I'm looking for diversity,' " said Rep. Charles Gonzalez, D-Texas, vice chairman of the Hispanic Caucus. "He didn't want just 'qualified' people. He wanted people who had distinguished themselves."
Some Latino groups say they will keep pushing until the entire federal workforce mirrors the national population.
"This is only the beginning," said Rafael Fantauzzi, president of the National Puerto Rican Coalition Inc. "Here's our goal: 15 percent of the population of the U.S. is Hispanic. We want our federal agencies to be 15 percent Hispanic.
"We are not yet satisfied."
Latino students could learn better with bilingual ed
Lost in translation: Latinos and the bilingual divide
MSNBC, June 17, 2009
What's best for Latino students who struggle with English? Should they be taught through bilingual education or are English-only programs the way to go? The answer for a school district in Charlotte, N.C., seems to be a strong combination of both.
At the Collinswood Language Academy (kindergarten through sixth grade) students spend half their day learning subjects like math and science in Spanish and the other half being taught history and social studies in English. The program has been around for a decade and in Charlotte, home to a huge influx of Latinos, it is in great demand.
Experts with opposing views will point you to separate research and data that argue whether English-only or bilingual education is the way to go. Although they may never agree, what's clear is that Latino students continue to struggle to even graduate from high school. And while educators continue the debate over English only, Latino numbers in higher education remain dismal.
MSNBC, June 17, 2009
What's best for Latino students who struggle with English? Should they be taught through bilingual education or are English-only programs the way to go? The answer for a school district in Charlotte, N.C., seems to be a strong combination of both.
At the Collinswood Language Academy (kindergarten through sixth grade) students spend half their day learning subjects like math and science in Spanish and the other half being taught history and social studies in English. The program has been around for a decade and in Charlotte, home to a huge influx of Latinos, it is in great demand.
Experts with opposing views will point you to separate research and data that argue whether English-only or bilingual education is the way to go. Although they may never agree, what's clear is that Latino students continue to struggle to even graduate from high school. And while educators continue the debate over English only, Latino numbers in higher education remain dismal.
Latinos offered conservation tips through Audubon
Grant for nature programs in Latino communities
Mnn.com, Jun 17 2009
One of the REI Foundation’s missions is to support conservation efforts aimed at youth and families across the country. The foundation recently awarded a $110,000 grant to the National Audubon Society to fund research and future programs in Latino communities.
The Audubon Center at Debs Park in East Los Angeles, Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center in Seattle, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix will be the recipients of the grant funds.
“Nature centers have a rich history of forging bonds and creating enduring impacts on the people they reach. While Latino traditions enthusiastically embrace the outdoors, many nature-oriented organizations in the country lack the cultural insights, language skills, and community connections to effectively involve Latino individuals and families in experiential and conservation programs.”
Mnn.com, Jun 17 2009
One of the REI Foundation’s missions is to support conservation efforts aimed at youth and families across the country. The foundation recently awarded a $110,000 grant to the National Audubon Society to fund research and future programs in Latino communities.
The Audubon Center at Debs Park in East Los Angeles, Seward Park Environmental and Audubon Center in Seattle, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix will be the recipients of the grant funds.
“Nature centers have a rich history of forging bonds and creating enduring impacts on the people they reach. While Latino traditions enthusiastically embrace the outdoors, many nature-oriented organizations in the country lack the cultural insights, language skills, and community connections to effectively involve Latino individuals and families in experiential and conservation programs.”
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Latino at-risk students receive academic scholarships
OVER $40,000 IN SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED TO NCLR’S ESCALERA PROGRAM GRADUATES IN EAST LOS ANGELES
PRESS RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA—On Friday, June 12, 2009, the NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Escalera Program: Taking Steps to Success will graduate more than 74 students from its AltaMed Services Corporation site in East Los Angeles, California. Created by NCLR, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, and funded by PepsiCo Foundation and PepsiCo Inc., the Escalera Program promotes economic mobility for Latino youth by increasing educational attainment, career planning, and access to information about advanced careers. Before participating in the program, these students were labeled “at risk” of not graduating high school, and now they will receive over $40,000 in academic scholarships to attend institutions of higher learning.
“Escalera is NCLR’s recipe for supporting the personal, social, and leadership development of young Latinos, while effectively cultivating the future talent pipeline and increasing the number of highly-skilled, educated Latino youth,” says Simon Lopez, NCLR’s Senior Director of Workforce and Leadership Development Programs. “NCLR is proud to partner with AltaMed Health Services Corporation, PepsiCo Foundation, and PepsiCo Inc. in delivering an effective, high-quality after-school program that creates a pathway to success for Hispanic youth.”
In East Los Angeles, where high school graduation rates for minority students are low, the Escalera Program challenges young people to aim higher, demand more, and work harder toward achieving their goals. Through the program, young Latinos have the opportunity to access academic support, career planning services, and case management resources; obtain peer-to-peer mentoring; participate in paid internships; and interact with mentors from corporate America.
For more information, visit www.nclr.org
PRESS RELEASE
Los Angeles, CA—On Friday, June 12, 2009, the NCLR (National Council of La Raza) Escalera Program: Taking Steps to Success will graduate more than 74 students from its AltaMed Services Corporation site in East Los Angeles, California. Created by NCLR, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, and funded by PepsiCo Foundation and PepsiCo Inc., the Escalera Program promotes economic mobility for Latino youth by increasing educational attainment, career planning, and access to information about advanced careers. Before participating in the program, these students were labeled “at risk” of not graduating high school, and now they will receive over $40,000 in academic scholarships to attend institutions of higher learning.
“Escalera is NCLR’s recipe for supporting the personal, social, and leadership development of young Latinos, while effectively cultivating the future talent pipeline and increasing the number of highly-skilled, educated Latino youth,” says Simon Lopez, NCLR’s Senior Director of Workforce and Leadership Development Programs. “NCLR is proud to partner with AltaMed Health Services Corporation, PepsiCo Foundation, and PepsiCo Inc. in delivering an effective, high-quality after-school program that creates a pathway to success for Hispanic youth.”
In East Los Angeles, where high school graduation rates for minority students are low, the Escalera Program challenges young people to aim higher, demand more, and work harder toward achieving their goals. Through the program, young Latinos have the opportunity to access academic support, career planning services, and case management resources; obtain peer-to-peer mentoring; participate in paid internships; and interact with mentors from corporate America.
For more information, visit www.nclr.org
Latinos featured in WW II Veterans Museum
Exhibit at Veterans Museum features Latinos, Latinas of World War II
Perham Enterprise Bulletin, June 12, 2009
World War II was a turning point for the United States, and the war had an impact on U.S. Latinos just as much as other groups.
It has been estimated that anywhere from 250,000 to as many as 750,000 Latinos and Latinas served in the armed forces during World War II.
After the war, more Latinos, including veterans, took active political roles to press for crucial improvements. WWII veteran Joe Bernal, whose story is featured in the exhibit, served first in the Texas House and later in the Texas Senate. Bernal was the primary author of a bill that expunged state statues supporting racial segregation and of another that created the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1969.
A new exhibit at the ITOW Veterans features the stories of U.S. Latinos and Latinas who served in World War II. Through images and stories, this twelve-panel exhibition provides a historical overview of U.S. Latino participation in World War II. In addition to historical photographs, “Images of Valor” incorporates contemporary photographs of men and women of the WWII generation by photojournalist Valentino Mauricio and focuses on individual stories that reveal larger themes such as citizenship and civil rights.
This exhibit was developed by the U.S. Latino & Latina World War II Oral History Project, in partnership with the School of Journalism and Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin, and made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Images of Valor will be on display at the ITOW Veterans Museum through July 31. The Museum is located at 805 West Main Perham. For more information call 218 346-7678 or visit www.ITOWmuseum.org.
Perham Enterprise Bulletin, June 12, 2009
World War II was a turning point for the United States, and the war had an impact on U.S. Latinos just as much as other groups.
It has been estimated that anywhere from 250,000 to as many as 750,000 Latinos and Latinas served in the armed forces during World War II.
After the war, more Latinos, including veterans, took active political roles to press for crucial improvements. WWII veteran Joe Bernal, whose story is featured in the exhibit, served first in the Texas House and later in the Texas Senate. Bernal was the primary author of a bill that expunged state statues supporting racial segregation and of another that created the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1969.
A new exhibit at the ITOW Veterans features the stories of U.S. Latinos and Latinas who served in World War II. Through images and stories, this twelve-panel exhibition provides a historical overview of U.S. Latino participation in World War II. In addition to historical photographs, “Images of Valor” incorporates contemporary photographs of men and women of the WWII generation by photojournalist Valentino Mauricio and focuses on individual stories that reveal larger themes such as citizenship and civil rights.
This exhibit was developed by the U.S. Latino & Latina World War II Oral History Project, in partnership with the School of Journalism and Center for Mexican American Studies, University of Texas at Austin, and made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Images of Valor will be on display at the ITOW Veterans Museum through July 31. The Museum is located at 805 West Main Perham. For more information call 218 346-7678 or visit www.ITOWmuseum.org.
Latino students get nearly $1 million in scholarships
180 Latino, LAUSD Seniors Receive Nearly $1 Million in Project GRAD
San Fernando Valley Sun, 10 June 2009
LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines celebrates with 400 supporters to honor the Project GRAD LA college scholarship recipients.
In a time of shrinking budgets and graduation rates, 180 Project GRAD Los Angeles Scholars from the San Fernando High School (SFHS) graduating class of 2009 are not only graduating from high school, but they are also earning a scholarship and enrolling in college. Supporters of the successful program were proud to announce that one third of this year's San Fernando High School's graduating class were Project Grad receipients.
"I am thrilled that so many students will graduate from San Fernando High School with our college scholarship," commented Ford Roosevelt, Project GRAD Los Angeles President and CEO.
"The impact of these students returning from college to their communities and families will be nothing short of profound."
These students were recognized at a banquet at the Odyssey Restaurant Sunday. LAUSD Superintendent, Ramon Cortines congratulated them and praised the program. The luncheon celebrated the Scholars who completed the requirements for Project GRAD Los Angeles college scholarships of up to $6,000 each, totaling nearly $1 million.
The 2009 Project Grad receipients marks the seventh class to graduate from San Fernando High School. Currently, there are over 500 Project GRAD Scholars enrolled in college and nearly 200 who have graduated from college.
Image
Nearly all of the scholars are Latino and many of them have overcome incredible challenges to graduate from high school and earn the scholarship. With the aid of Project GRAD, approximately 90 percent of these students will be the first in their families to go to college. This compares to data reported by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University. In the LAUSD, where 71 percent of students are Latino, only 39 percent of Latino high school students graduate and only 20 percent of Latino students complete California's A-G college prep requirements.
The Project GRAD scholarship program requires that scholars graduate from San Fernando High School within four years with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher, complete college prep courses (A-G requirements), complete two College Institutes, graduate with a "C" or better in Algebra II, and enroll in an accredited college within one year of graduation from high school. In the 9th grade, the scholars and their parents signed a "Scholarship Agreement" with Project GRAD Los Angeles that outlined what they needed to do to earn a college scholarship of up to $6,000.
When students enter San Fernando High School in the 9th grade, every student is eligible to become a Project GRAD Scholar. Over 1,000 volunteers walked to 9th grade homes during the annual "Walk for Success" in October to sign up students for the Project GRAD Los Angeles scholarship program.
Project GRAD Los Angeles is an innovative early college outreach program that works with Kcollege teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders, and businesses to increase the number of students entering and succeeding in college. The mission is to ensure a quality public school education for all at-risk children in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school graduation rates increase and graduates are prepared to enter and be successful in college. The goal of Project GRAD is to create a "college-bound culture" where at least 80 percent of students graduate from high school and 50 percent of graduates enter college.
Project GRAD works with 13 LAUSD schools and has a total student population of nearly 18,000.Approximately 97 percent of students are Latino and 50 percent of these students are Limited English Proficient.
San Fernando Valley Sun, 10 June 2009
LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines celebrates with 400 supporters to honor the Project GRAD LA college scholarship recipients.
In a time of shrinking budgets and graduation rates, 180 Project GRAD Los Angeles Scholars from the San Fernando High School (SFHS) graduating class of 2009 are not only graduating from high school, but they are also earning a scholarship and enrolling in college. Supporters of the successful program were proud to announce that one third of this year's San Fernando High School's graduating class were Project Grad receipients.
"I am thrilled that so many students will graduate from San Fernando High School with our college scholarship," commented Ford Roosevelt, Project GRAD Los Angeles President and CEO.
"The impact of these students returning from college to their communities and families will be nothing short of profound."
These students were recognized at a banquet at the Odyssey Restaurant Sunday. LAUSD Superintendent, Ramon Cortines congratulated them and praised the program. The luncheon celebrated the Scholars who completed the requirements for Project GRAD Los Angeles college scholarships of up to $6,000 each, totaling nearly $1 million.
The 2009 Project Grad receipients marks the seventh class to graduate from San Fernando High School. Currently, there are over 500 Project GRAD Scholars enrolled in college and nearly 200 who have graduated from college.
Image
Nearly all of the scholars are Latino and many of them have overcome incredible challenges to graduate from high school and earn the scholarship. With the aid of Project GRAD, approximately 90 percent of these students will be the first in their families to go to college. This compares to data reported by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University. In the LAUSD, where 71 percent of students are Latino, only 39 percent of Latino high school students graduate and only 20 percent of Latino students complete California's A-G college prep requirements.
The Project GRAD scholarship program requires that scholars graduate from San Fernando High School within four years with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher, complete college prep courses (A-G requirements), complete two College Institutes, graduate with a "C" or better in Algebra II, and enroll in an accredited college within one year of graduation from high school. In the 9th grade, the scholars and their parents signed a "Scholarship Agreement" with Project GRAD Los Angeles that outlined what they needed to do to earn a college scholarship of up to $6,000.
When students enter San Fernando High School in the 9th grade, every student is eligible to become a Project GRAD Scholar. Over 1,000 volunteers walked to 9th grade homes during the annual "Walk for Success" in October to sign up students for the Project GRAD Los Angeles scholarship program.
Project GRAD Los Angeles is an innovative early college outreach program that works with Kcollege teachers, administrators, parents, community leaders, and businesses to increase the number of students entering and succeeding in college. The mission is to ensure a quality public school education for all at-risk children in economically disadvantaged communities so that high school graduation rates increase and graduates are prepared to enter and be successful in college. The goal of Project GRAD is to create a "college-bound culture" where at least 80 percent of students graduate from high school and 50 percent of graduates enter college.
Project GRAD works with 13 LAUSD schools and has a total student population of nearly 18,000.Approximately 97 percent of students are Latino and 50 percent of these students are Limited English Proficient.
RNC hires Hispanic to do outreach
RNC hires Hispanic outreach aide
Politico, June 11, 2009
RNC Chairman Michael Steele faced criticism from Hispanic Republicans, as I wrote last month, in part because the committee hadn't hired a senior Hispanic operative to work on turning around that key constituency.
The Party has now filled the job, an RNC source said, with Manny Rosales, who a former assistant administrator of the Small Business Administration under President George W. Bush who was most recently the director of the Washington office of The Latino Coalition, a right-leaning pro-business Hispanic group. Rosales was born in Nicaragua and had been chairman of the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce while in the private sector.
“I am extremely pleased to announce that Manny Rosales is joining my staff as the new Deputy Director of Coalitions. Manny’s experience in the Hispanic community and his work with small business leaders, veterans and the Catholic community will be exceptionally valuable as the RNC works to communicate our party’s principles and expand the Republican Party to more Americans,” said Chairman Steele in a prepared statement.
Politico, June 11, 2009
RNC Chairman Michael Steele faced criticism from Hispanic Republicans, as I wrote last month, in part because the committee hadn't hired a senior Hispanic operative to work on turning around that key constituency.
The Party has now filled the job, an RNC source said, with Manny Rosales, who a former assistant administrator of the Small Business Administration under President George W. Bush who was most recently the director of the Washington office of The Latino Coalition, a right-leaning pro-business Hispanic group. Rosales was born in Nicaragua and had been chairman of the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce while in the private sector.
“I am extremely pleased to announce that Manny Rosales is joining my staff as the new Deputy Director of Coalitions. Manny’s experience in the Hispanic community and his work with small business leaders, veterans and the Catholic community will be exceptionally valuable as the RNC works to communicate our party’s principles and expand the Republican Party to more Americans,” said Chairman Steele in a prepared statement.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Utah Latino Republicans voice concern
Latino Republican activists buzzing about Herbert team
Politics » Tony Yapias could be a controversial adviser
By Sheena Mcfarland, The Salt Lake Tribune, 06/12/2009
As Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert is starting to piece together his transition team to ease his move to the state's top spot, he is looking to include members from all of Utah's communities.
Among Latinos, though, controversy is brewing as the name of community activist, and life-long Democrat Tony Yapias is being floated as a potential member. Some Latino Republicans say they would refuse to serve on a team with Yapias, a long-time friend of Herbert's. Others question his credibility and political clout with GOP insiders.
"Hopefully, Lieutenant Governor Herbert will choose credible people who have a good reputation, unlike some people who don't have a lot of credibility and are not considered a leader among the community," said Sylvia Haro, who is active in Republican politics.
Haro declined to comment on speculation that she, too, had been asked to serve on the transition team.
Others say that while there are legitimate concerns about Yapias, the carping is premature.
"Why should we get rowdy about this when nothing has been done yet?" asked Joe Reyna, chairman of the Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly. "One of the things I hate about our own community is we're always cutting somebody off or eliminating them because we don't like them. That is a big mistake."
At the same time, Reyna adds that Yapias is "not a team player" and is too eager to place himself in the center of news media coverage.
Yapias said Monday that he is going to officially abandon his Democratic ties and become an independent, which he says is how most Utah Latinos identify themselves. The move, he says, was prompted by recent disagreements with the state party and for heat he took from some Democrats for supporting select Republicans, including former Congressman Chris Cannon.
"All of the work I've done in the public sector has been under Republicans," Yapias said. "And I am a team player when the team is working toward helping our community members."
He was the director of the Office of Hispanic Affairs under Republican Governors Mike Leavitt and Olene Walker, but Gov. Jon Huntsman fired him -- along with about 30 others in the Department of Community and Economic Development -- immediately after taking office in 2005.
"The Republican Party is looked at as the anti-Latino party," Yapias said. "If I were advising the lieutenant governor, I'd tell him he has to bring people from independent and Democrat Latino groups if he wants to really address the issue."
Yapias and Herbert have been friends since Herbert was a Utah County Commissioner and Yapias served on the first Utah County Latino council.
"The Lieutenant Governor is friends with Tony like he's friends with a lot of Utahns," said Joe Demma, Herbert's chief of staff. "But there's no transition team, and there's certainly not any members of the transition team yet."
Reyna acknowledges that Herbert has the right to befriend people from across the political spectrum.
Yet, he says, naming Yapias to his transition team could prove to be a political liability for Herbert with Republican delegates, who will have a large role in deciding who is elected governor in next year's special election.
"Unfortunately, Tony is a liberal Democrat and for a political conservative, that sends the wrong message," said Reyna. "That could really hurt him."
Yapias says Herbert understands Latino issues, and hopes he will pick transition advisers based on more important considerations than currying favor with GOP convention delegates.
"Whomever is chosen," he said, "I hope it's for the right reason: to look out for the best interest of the community."
smcfarland@sltrib.com
Politics » Tony Yapias could be a controversial adviser
By Sheena Mcfarland, The Salt Lake Tribune, 06/12/2009
As Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert is starting to piece together his transition team to ease his move to the state's top spot, he is looking to include members from all of Utah's communities.
Among Latinos, though, controversy is brewing as the name of community activist, and life-long Democrat Tony Yapias is being floated as a potential member. Some Latino Republicans say they would refuse to serve on a team with Yapias, a long-time friend of Herbert's. Others question his credibility and political clout with GOP insiders.
"Hopefully, Lieutenant Governor Herbert will choose credible people who have a good reputation, unlike some people who don't have a lot of credibility and are not considered a leader among the community," said Sylvia Haro, who is active in Republican politics.
Haro declined to comment on speculation that she, too, had been asked to serve on the transition team.
Others say that while there are legitimate concerns about Yapias, the carping is premature.
"Why should we get rowdy about this when nothing has been done yet?" asked Joe Reyna, chairman of the Utah Republican Hispanic Assembly. "One of the things I hate about our own community is we're always cutting somebody off or eliminating them because we don't like them. That is a big mistake."
At the same time, Reyna adds that Yapias is "not a team player" and is too eager to place himself in the center of news media coverage.
Yapias said Monday that he is going to officially abandon his Democratic ties and become an independent, which he says is how most Utah Latinos identify themselves. The move, he says, was prompted by recent disagreements with the state party and for heat he took from some Democrats for supporting select Republicans, including former Congressman Chris Cannon.
"All of the work I've done in the public sector has been under Republicans," Yapias said. "And I am a team player when the team is working toward helping our community members."
He was the director of the Office of Hispanic Affairs under Republican Governors Mike Leavitt and Olene Walker, but Gov. Jon Huntsman fired him -- along with about 30 others in the Department of Community and Economic Development -- immediately after taking office in 2005.
"The Republican Party is looked at as the anti-Latino party," Yapias said. "If I were advising the lieutenant governor, I'd tell him he has to bring people from independent and Democrat Latino groups if he wants to really address the issue."
Yapias and Herbert have been friends since Herbert was a Utah County Commissioner and Yapias served on the first Utah County Latino council.
"The Lieutenant Governor is friends with Tony like he's friends with a lot of Utahns," said Joe Demma, Herbert's chief of staff. "But there's no transition team, and there's certainly not any members of the transition team yet."
Reyna acknowledges that Herbert has the right to befriend people from across the political spectrum.
Yet, he says, naming Yapias to his transition team could prove to be a political liability for Herbert with Republican delegates, who will have a large role in deciding who is elected governor in next year's special election.
"Unfortunately, Tony is a liberal Democrat and for a political conservative, that sends the wrong message," said Reyna. "That could really hurt him."
Yapias says Herbert understands Latino issues, and hopes he will pick transition advisers based on more important considerations than currying favor with GOP convention delegates.
"Whomever is chosen," he said, "I hope it's for the right reason: to look out for the best interest of the community."
smcfarland@sltrib.com
Nevada program helps Latinos students
Latino program founder reports successes
By Teri Vance, Nevada Appeal
What started as a group of volunteers organizing a traditional celebration has now grown into an association focused on increasing parent involvement in education.
Leticia Servin, founder and president of the Association of Latino Families, spoke to the Carson City School Board on Tuesday. She traced the organizations roots from April 20, 2004, when a group got together to observe Dia del Nino, a traditional Latin American holiday recognizing children.
From there, the group went on to form the Comite de Padres Latinos, or the Committee of Latino Parents. The committee's headquarters was a storage closet at Mark Twain Elementary School, where Servin is a teacher's aide.
With the increased membership and increasing roles, the committee is now transforming into the Association of Latino Families.
“We're no longer a committee to do a single thing,” she said. “We do several things, an association is more of what we're about.”
Servin said that in the infancy stages, organizers met with community members, business leaders, youth activists and other committees to determine the needs of Latinos in Carson City.
Among other barriers, like language and lack of experience with the educational system in the United States, Servin said they found a roadblock in some cultural differences.
“In Latin countries, volunteerism falls to the wealthy and well-positioned,” she explained. “It's not part of their history and culture.”
She said it is a mistake to assume that programs will attract Latino participation if offered in Spanish. It's as much about the culture as the language, she said. And that presents its own set of problems, with Latin America being made up of 20 different countries and even more dialects and customs.
“One size does not fit all,” she said. “One program can't fit every Latino family's needs.”
Among the offerings in the association are health programs for families, educational programs for parents and leadership organizations for students.
A youth recognition program, Latinos Hacia Excelencia, has awarded 889 students in the school district for achievements in academics as well as in other areas. More than 2,200 parents have attended the ceremonies.
The association hosted its first Latino Youth Dance this winter, and, Servin said, she was hesitant at first, but it turned out well.
“The kids were very respectful,” she said. “There were no problems whatsoever.”
Servin outlined goals for the upcoming year, including more involvement of parents, students and teachers at the high school level.
Among programs getting started is the Latino Summer Community Project.
Lucia Munoz, 19, a member of the youth leadership organization, will be organizing the project to train youth leaders to tutor younger children to help them retain what they learned in school.
Servin said it is her practice to familiarize the youth with the programs in the association so they can one day take them over.
“I'm always guiding them,” she said.
By Teri Vance, Nevada Appeal
What started as a group of volunteers organizing a traditional celebration has now grown into an association focused on increasing parent involvement in education.
Leticia Servin, founder and president of the Association of Latino Families, spoke to the Carson City School Board on Tuesday. She traced the organizations roots from April 20, 2004, when a group got together to observe Dia del Nino, a traditional Latin American holiday recognizing children.
From there, the group went on to form the Comite de Padres Latinos, or the Committee of Latino Parents. The committee's headquarters was a storage closet at Mark Twain Elementary School, where Servin is a teacher's aide.
With the increased membership and increasing roles, the committee is now transforming into the Association of Latino Families.
“We're no longer a committee to do a single thing,” she said. “We do several things, an association is more of what we're about.”
Servin said that in the infancy stages, organizers met with community members, business leaders, youth activists and other committees to determine the needs of Latinos in Carson City.
Among other barriers, like language and lack of experience with the educational system in the United States, Servin said they found a roadblock in some cultural differences.
“In Latin countries, volunteerism falls to the wealthy and well-positioned,” she explained. “It's not part of their history and culture.”
She said it is a mistake to assume that programs will attract Latino participation if offered in Spanish. It's as much about the culture as the language, she said. And that presents its own set of problems, with Latin America being made up of 20 different countries and even more dialects and customs.
“One size does not fit all,” she said. “One program can't fit every Latino family's needs.”
Among the offerings in the association are health programs for families, educational programs for parents and leadership organizations for students.
A youth recognition program, Latinos Hacia Excelencia, has awarded 889 students in the school district for achievements in academics as well as in other areas. More than 2,200 parents have attended the ceremonies.
The association hosted its first Latino Youth Dance this winter, and, Servin said, she was hesitant at first, but it turned out well.
“The kids were very respectful,” she said. “There were no problems whatsoever.”
Servin outlined goals for the upcoming year, including more involvement of parents, students and teachers at the high school level.
Among programs getting started is the Latino Summer Community Project.
Lucia Munoz, 19, a member of the youth leadership organization, will be organizing the project to train youth leaders to tutor younger children to help them retain what they learned in school.
Servin said it is her practice to familiarize the youth with the programs in the association so they can one day take them over.
“I'm always guiding them,” she said.
Hispanic immigrants targeted by 'Computer Raid'
Computer 'raid' in Vernon leaves factory workers devastated
By Patrick J. McDonnell, LA Times, June 12, 2009
No immigration agents descended on Overhill Farms, a major food-processing plant in Vernon. No one was arrested or deported. There were no frantic scenes of desperate workers fleeing la migra through the gritty streets of the industrial suburb southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
For more than 200 Overhill workers, however, the effect was devastating: All lost steady jobs last month and now find themselves in a precarious employment market, without severance pay or medical insurance. It wasn't a hot tip or an undercover informant that helped seal their fates, but a computer check of Social Security numbers.
"A desktop raid" is how the workers' representative, John M. Grant, vice president of Local 770 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, described the scenario.
Overhill, a $200-million-a-year company that provides frozen meals for clients such as American Airlines, Panda Express, Safeway and Jenny Craig, says it had no choice: An Internal Revenue Service audit found that 260 workers had provided "invalid or fraudulent" Social Security numbers. The government took no action against the workers. But Overhill did: All of the employees were fired May 31.
The dispute underscores some of the complex issues facing President Obama as he tries to make good on his pledge to overhaul the nation's "broken" immigration system. Like agriculture, the food-processing and preparation sectors rely heavily on immigrant labor, much of it illegal.
The White House has already scaled back the Bush administration's controversial practice of work-site raids. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has vowed to shift the emphasis to employers who hire illegal workers. Audits of employers' records are an essential tool in such cases.
But the Overhill case illustrates how desktop raids can ravage immigrant families, even without arrests and deportation. Employers facing stiff fines and potential prison terms for hiring illegal immigrants may decide to fire employees who have suspect paperwork.
"We killed ourselves on the assembly lines for years, many of us have injuries from repetitive motion," said Bohemia Agustiano, 38, a mother of four from Huntington Park. "Now we're worth nothing. We're out on the streets. This is unjust, no one should be treated this way."
Overhill says it gave the workers 30 days to correct the problem with the IRS and provide the company with verification, but none did so.
"This is not something the company planned to do, it's not something the company initiated and it's not something that benefited the company," said Alexander Auerbach, a spokesman for Overhill, which dismissed about a quarter of its 1,000-plus workforce. "Quite the contrary. We lost very good, very loyal employees."
Overhill, whose workforce is largely Latino, says it has no idea of the legal status of the fired employees. No one has formally accused them of being illegal immigrants. Still, the company argues that it risked potential criminal liability under tax and immigration laws if it continued to employ them after the IRS audit.
"Based on the advice of three different law firms, the company's belief was that it was legally compelled to terminate these employees," Auerbach said. Overhill has already rehired workers for most positions.
But the union says Overhill responded rashly. "I think the company acted hastily and unnecessarily," said Peter Schey, a Los Angeles lawyer who represented the union. "Legally, there was nothing that compelled these terminations."
Immigrant advocates who applaud the Obama administration's determination to shift the work-site enforcement focus to employers acknowledge that such an approach still leaves workers vulnerable to losing their jobs.
"At the end of the day, it's the employees or the undocumented workers who are still walking around with a bull's-eye on their backs," said Angela Kelley, vice president for immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank.
"They either get directly caught up in a raid, or they get caught in a ricochet attack by an employer acting preemptively to let them go."
IRS officials declined to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns. Although the federal agency regularly alerts employers about workers with incorrect Social Security or tax identification numbers, it does not mandate that those employees be fired.
"We do not advise employers to fire or hire anybody," said Larry Wright, an IRS spokesman.
All of Overhill's dismissed factory hands were hired before the introduction of the Department of Homeland Security's so-called E-Verify system, which allows employers to confirm the legal working status of new hires electronically, verifying Social Security numbers and other data. The program was designed as a weapon against the vast trade in fraudulent and stolen Social Security numbers. Overhill is now using the system for new hires.
Six of the company's fired workers interviewed at a protest outside the Vernon plant last week insisted that their Social Security numbers were legitimate.
"My Social Security number was good all these years, why is it suddenly no good now?" asked Eva Macias, a 19-year veteran of Overhill Farms. "We left our youth in that plant."
The ousted workers held signs proclaiming that they were not "disposable." Passing truckers honked their horns in solidarity in a heavily industrialized zone where Latino immigrants constitute much of the labor force. Employees in white laboratory coats and hairnets observed from the factory grounds during their breaks from the assembly line, where they fill trays of frozen food that are shipped to supermarkets and fast-food outlets.
One after another, the ex-workers lamented losing a steady job, even if it paid only $10 an hour, the average salary. All spoke of bleak prospects for finding alternative work in a shrinking economy.
Many have been in the United States for a decade or more and have U.S.-born children. They see no option of returning to Mexico and its enduring lack of opportunity and social mobility. They worry about missing rent payments, being unable to pay medical bills and having no money for food.
"I'm already a month behind on the rent," said Gabriel Cruz, 28, a father of two from Compton. "It's not an easy time to find work right now."
Overhill is a rare union shop in an overwhelmingly nonunion industry, but that hasn't made much difference for the fired workers. The plant's union has demanded that an independent arbitrator hear their case. But such a session can take months to arrange.
"We're talking here about hundreds of families that have been denied a gainful wage, denied medical care," said Grant, the union official. "This basically tears apart an entire community."
patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com
By Patrick J. McDonnell, LA Times, June 12, 2009
No immigration agents descended on Overhill Farms, a major food-processing plant in Vernon. No one was arrested or deported. There were no frantic scenes of desperate workers fleeing la migra through the gritty streets of the industrial suburb southeast of downtown Los Angeles.
For more than 200 Overhill workers, however, the effect was devastating: All lost steady jobs last month and now find themselves in a precarious employment market, without severance pay or medical insurance. It wasn't a hot tip or an undercover informant that helped seal their fates, but a computer check of Social Security numbers.
"A desktop raid" is how the workers' representative, John M. Grant, vice president of Local 770 of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, described the scenario.
Overhill, a $200-million-a-year company that provides frozen meals for clients such as American Airlines, Panda Express, Safeway and Jenny Craig, says it had no choice: An Internal Revenue Service audit found that 260 workers had provided "invalid or fraudulent" Social Security numbers. The government took no action against the workers. But Overhill did: All of the employees were fired May 31.
The dispute underscores some of the complex issues facing President Obama as he tries to make good on his pledge to overhaul the nation's "broken" immigration system. Like agriculture, the food-processing and preparation sectors rely heavily on immigrant labor, much of it illegal.
The White House has already scaled back the Bush administration's controversial practice of work-site raids. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has vowed to shift the emphasis to employers who hire illegal workers. Audits of employers' records are an essential tool in such cases.
But the Overhill case illustrates how desktop raids can ravage immigrant families, even without arrests and deportation. Employers facing stiff fines and potential prison terms for hiring illegal immigrants may decide to fire employees who have suspect paperwork.
"We killed ourselves on the assembly lines for years, many of us have injuries from repetitive motion," said Bohemia Agustiano, 38, a mother of four from Huntington Park. "Now we're worth nothing. We're out on the streets. This is unjust, no one should be treated this way."
Overhill says it gave the workers 30 days to correct the problem with the IRS and provide the company with verification, but none did so.
"This is not something the company planned to do, it's not something the company initiated and it's not something that benefited the company," said Alexander Auerbach, a spokesman for Overhill, which dismissed about a quarter of its 1,000-plus workforce. "Quite the contrary. We lost very good, very loyal employees."
Overhill, whose workforce is largely Latino, says it has no idea of the legal status of the fired employees. No one has formally accused them of being illegal immigrants. Still, the company argues that it risked potential criminal liability under tax and immigration laws if it continued to employ them after the IRS audit.
"Based on the advice of three different law firms, the company's belief was that it was legally compelled to terminate these employees," Auerbach said. Overhill has already rehired workers for most positions.
But the union says Overhill responded rashly. "I think the company acted hastily and unnecessarily," said Peter Schey, a Los Angeles lawyer who represented the union. "Legally, there was nothing that compelled these terminations."
Immigrant advocates who applaud the Obama administration's determination to shift the work-site enforcement focus to employers acknowledge that such an approach still leaves workers vulnerable to losing their jobs.
"At the end of the day, it's the employees or the undocumented workers who are still walking around with a bull's-eye on their backs," said Angela Kelley, vice president for immigration policy at the Center for American Progress, a Washington think tank.
"They either get directly caught up in a raid, or they get caught in a ricochet attack by an employer acting preemptively to let them go."
IRS officials declined to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns. Although the federal agency regularly alerts employers about workers with incorrect Social Security or tax identification numbers, it does not mandate that those employees be fired.
"We do not advise employers to fire or hire anybody," said Larry Wright, an IRS spokesman.
All of Overhill's dismissed factory hands were hired before the introduction of the Department of Homeland Security's so-called E-Verify system, which allows employers to confirm the legal working status of new hires electronically, verifying Social Security numbers and other data. The program was designed as a weapon against the vast trade in fraudulent and stolen Social Security numbers. Overhill is now using the system for new hires.
Six of the company's fired workers interviewed at a protest outside the Vernon plant last week insisted that their Social Security numbers were legitimate.
"My Social Security number was good all these years, why is it suddenly no good now?" asked Eva Macias, a 19-year veteran of Overhill Farms. "We left our youth in that plant."
The ousted workers held signs proclaiming that they were not "disposable." Passing truckers honked their horns in solidarity in a heavily industrialized zone where Latino immigrants constitute much of the labor force. Employees in white laboratory coats and hairnets observed from the factory grounds during their breaks from the assembly line, where they fill trays of frozen food that are shipped to supermarkets and fast-food outlets.
One after another, the ex-workers lamented losing a steady job, even if it paid only $10 an hour, the average salary. All spoke of bleak prospects for finding alternative work in a shrinking economy.
Many have been in the United States for a decade or more and have U.S.-born children. They see no option of returning to Mexico and its enduring lack of opportunity and social mobility. They worry about missing rent payments, being unable to pay medical bills and having no money for food.
"I'm already a month behind on the rent," said Gabriel Cruz, 28, a father of two from Compton. "It's not an easy time to find work right now."
Overhill is a rare union shop in an overwhelmingly nonunion industry, but that hasn't made much difference for the fired workers. The plant's union has demanded that an independent arbitrator hear their case. But such a session can take months to arrange.
"We're talking here about hundreds of families that have been denied a gainful wage, denied medical care," said Grant, the union official. "This basically tears apart an entire community."
patrick.mcdonnell@latimes.com
Hispanic group give education donation
School Briefs: Hispanic-American group gives gift
News-Press, June 9, 2009
The Hispanic American Business Alliance recently presented a $200 check to The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida to provide 20 Lee County elementary students with new backpacks and school supplies at the 10th annual Back-To-School Festival & School Supply Giveaway.
The event was part of the new Adopt-A-Student outreach program that was launched to raise money in support of kids in need. This year's goal is to provide support to 2,000 elementary school-aged children at the Annual Back-To-School Festival, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 2 at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.
To make a donation or to learn more about the Adopt-A-Student outreach program, visit multiculturalcentre.org.
News-Press, June 9, 2009
The Hispanic American Business Alliance recently presented a $200 check to The Multicultural Centre of Southwest Florida to provide 20 Lee County elementary students with new backpacks and school supplies at the 10th annual Back-To-School Festival & School Supply Giveaway.
The event was part of the new Adopt-A-Student outreach program that was launched to raise money in support of kids in need. This year's goal is to provide support to 2,000 elementary school-aged children at the Annual Back-To-School Festival, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 2 at Harborside Event Center in Fort Myers.
To make a donation or to learn more about the Adopt-A-Student outreach program, visit multiculturalcentre.org.
Hopeful in a Latino district
Welsh hopes district breaks with tradition
By BRADLEY OLSON HOUSTON CHRONICLE, June 8, 2009
The story is a hard one for Maverick Welsh to tell without growing emotional.
One of the District H candidate’s former students at Jefferson Davis High School came to him several years ago, distraught, because she found out she was pregnant. The young woman was determined to keep the baby but didn’t know what to do with her life.
He remembered telling her that her life wasn’t over and that she might consider becoming a teacher. “You get nights and weekends off, as well as the summer, and it’s a great schedule for someone with children,” he recalled saying.
Years later, he received an e-mail from someone at the Houston Independent School District. The young woman had gone on to become a teacher after all, and tracked the beginning of her course back to that conversation with her history teacher.
“As a teacher, you deal with a lot of the problems of society. It’s frustrating to work with kids and see their potential and do everything you can to help them out,” Welsh said. “To have one letter like that can really make a huge difference. It can make years of teaching worthwhile and all the work that you do worth it, just to hear from one student that you made a difference. All the nights and weekends and blood, sweat and tears makes it completely worth it.”
Brown’s chief of staff
Welsh has lately been invested in another blood, sweat and tears-style quest: seeking to win the Houston City Council seat vacated by Sheriff Adrian Garcia. (For a list of voting locations, go here.)
City Councilwoman Sue Lovell, one of his most enthusiastic supporters, said she got a chance to see Welsh’s abilities and style while he worked as chief of staff to Councilman Peter Brown.
“I was always so impressed with his work ethic,” she said. “He was very methodical about what he was working on, he knew the facts and he was always a very good listener. ... And he knows District H because he’s been working the district very hard.”
Pounding the pavement
From the beginning, as he recounts to everyone, Welsh was not taken seriously.
His opponent, Houston police officer Ed Gonzalez, has run with Garcia’s blessing in a district that was drawn in 1979 with the help of the Department of Justice to ensure the election of a Latino candidate.
But since February, Welsh has personally walked block after block of the district, which includes the Heights, much of the old Second Ward and a wide swath that extends midway between the inner and outer loops around Interstate 45. He has told the story of his triumphs as a teacher in District H public schools, of hard work on civic associations and for historic preservation. And he has told the story of his heritage.
Welsh hails from the Maverick family in San Antonio, from which he earned his first name, a family that has been involved in Democratic politics for 150 years, he said.
The work paid off on May 9, the date of the initial election. In a nine-candidate scrum, Welsh earned about 27 percent of the vote, about eight points ahead of Yolanda Navarro Flores, a Houston Community College board member who is well known in many District H neighborhoods. Gonzalez came out ahead by about 183 votes out of 4,141 cast, a razor-thin margin that political analysts say will only narrow in Saturday’s runoff.
Both candidates have been locked in an all-out blitz all over the district in the past few weeks. Welsh, who lives in Norhill, strongly believes he will prevail.
“I’m working really hard for this district,” he said. “I don’t think that would change if I’m elected. It’s all about hard work.”
bradley.olson@chron.com
By BRADLEY OLSON HOUSTON CHRONICLE, June 8, 2009
The story is a hard one for Maverick Welsh to tell without growing emotional.
One of the District H candidate’s former students at Jefferson Davis High School came to him several years ago, distraught, because she found out she was pregnant. The young woman was determined to keep the baby but didn’t know what to do with her life.
He remembered telling her that her life wasn’t over and that she might consider becoming a teacher. “You get nights and weekends off, as well as the summer, and it’s a great schedule for someone with children,” he recalled saying.
Years later, he received an e-mail from someone at the Houston Independent School District. The young woman had gone on to become a teacher after all, and tracked the beginning of her course back to that conversation with her history teacher.
“As a teacher, you deal with a lot of the problems of society. It’s frustrating to work with kids and see their potential and do everything you can to help them out,” Welsh said. “To have one letter like that can really make a huge difference. It can make years of teaching worthwhile and all the work that you do worth it, just to hear from one student that you made a difference. All the nights and weekends and blood, sweat and tears makes it completely worth it.”
Brown’s chief of staff
Welsh has lately been invested in another blood, sweat and tears-style quest: seeking to win the Houston City Council seat vacated by Sheriff Adrian Garcia. (For a list of voting locations, go here.)
City Councilwoman Sue Lovell, one of his most enthusiastic supporters, said she got a chance to see Welsh’s abilities and style while he worked as chief of staff to Councilman Peter Brown.
“I was always so impressed with his work ethic,” she said. “He was very methodical about what he was working on, he knew the facts and he was always a very good listener. ... And he knows District H because he’s been working the district very hard.”
Pounding the pavement
From the beginning, as he recounts to everyone, Welsh was not taken seriously.
His opponent, Houston police officer Ed Gonzalez, has run with Garcia’s blessing in a district that was drawn in 1979 with the help of the Department of Justice to ensure the election of a Latino candidate.
But since February, Welsh has personally walked block after block of the district, which includes the Heights, much of the old Second Ward and a wide swath that extends midway between the inner and outer loops around Interstate 45. He has told the story of his triumphs as a teacher in District H public schools, of hard work on civic associations and for historic preservation. And he has told the story of his heritage.
Welsh hails from the Maverick family in San Antonio, from which he earned his first name, a family that has been involved in Democratic politics for 150 years, he said.
The work paid off on May 9, the date of the initial election. In a nine-candidate scrum, Welsh earned about 27 percent of the vote, about eight points ahead of Yolanda Navarro Flores, a Houston Community College board member who is well known in many District H neighborhoods. Gonzalez came out ahead by about 183 votes out of 4,141 cast, a razor-thin margin that political analysts say will only narrow in Saturday’s runoff.
Both candidates have been locked in an all-out blitz all over the district in the past few weeks. Welsh, who lives in Norhill, strongly believes he will prevail.
“I’m working really hard for this district,” he said. “I don’t think that would change if I’m elected. It’s all about hard work.”
bradley.olson@chron.com
Hispanic students will be hurt by cuts
Not the time for state education cuts, report says
By DAVID OLSON, The Press-Enterprise, June 9, 2009
Proposed state higher-education cuts will exacerbate a projected shortage of college graduates and imperil California's long-term economic future, a new report says.
The Inland area, already lagging the state average in the percentage of adults with college degrees and in the proportion of high school students attending college, could fall further behind and continue to have difficulty attracting high-paying jobs, said Hans Johnson, author of the study and associate director of research for the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
The report, released last week, predicts that the state will face a shortage of 1 million college graduates by 2025 unless current trends are reversed. Forty-one percent of jobs will demand at least a bachelor's degree by 2025, but only 35 percent of California adults will have one, the report says.
Instead of addressing the problem, the state is going in the other direction, Johnson said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing $2.75 billion in cuts to higher education as a reaction to the failure last month of five budget-related voter initiatives. Even before the May 19 election, the UC and Cal State systems reduced freshman enrollment by more than 12,000 students. Additional enrollment reductions are expected.
If California cannot produce more college graduates, businesses that need highly skilled workers will leave the state and others will not locate here, said David Stewart, dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UC Riverside.
"In my view, this is the most severe economic problem California confronts," he said.
Tax implications
The shortage of college graduates will worsen California's budget problems, because they on average make more money than those without degrees, and pay more taxes, Stewart said.
Only 19 percent of the Inland area's adults had a bachelor's degree in 2005, compared to 31 percent statewide. One way to increase that number would be to expand enrollment at Cal State San Bernardino, said Johnson.
But Cal State San Bernardino has less than 4 percent of the Cal State system's students. The Inland area has more than 11 percent of the state's population.
"There needs to be an expansion of slots" at Cal State San Bernardino, Johnson said. "You're not going to be able to have that if you're cutting back."
Cal State campuses also need to increase their graduation rates, Johnson said. Only about half of Cal State students who enter as freshmen graduate within six years, compared to nearly four of every five UC students.
More academic support, counseling and financial aid is needed to boost graduation rates, he said. Yet the state budget cuts will likely lead to reductions in all three areas, he said.
Cal State San Bernardino President Albert Karnig said no decisions have been made on where cuts will be made.
"We will try as best as we can to protect access for students and the retention of students," he said. "But if you are going to have a 10 to 15 percent cut in expenses, and 85 percent of expenses is personnel, at best we won't be able to do more, and at worst, we'll be doing some divesting when we should be expanding."
The cuts will also hurt K-12 schools, and that may make students even less prepared for college, Johnson said. California already has poorly funded schools and ranks 18th among the 20 largest states in the percentage of high school graduates who go to college, the report says.
Dropout rates are particularly high among Latinos, who are on track to be a majority in the Inland area within a few years. One in three Latino students does not graduate from high school. Reducing Latino dropout rates is vital to increasing the number of college graduates, Johnson said.
Patricia Gándara, a professor of education at UCLA and coauthor of the 2008 book "The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed Social Policies," said the proposed budget cuts will likely worsen the situation for Latino K-12 students.
Latino kids are more likely to be the children of parents with low educational levels. Those parents want their children to graduate from high school and attend college but do not know how to navigate the educational system and prepare their kids for higher education, she said.
That is why good guidance counselors and experienced teachers are so important for many Latino children, Gándara said.
Yet counselors are often among the first school staff laid off during budget crises, she said. The low-income-neighborhood schools that a disproportionate number of Latino kids attend are more likely to have less experienced teachers, and seniority rules mean that these teachers are more likely to be laid off, further disrupting the kids' schooling, she said.
Reach David Olson at 951-368-9462 or dolson@PE.com
By DAVID OLSON, The Press-Enterprise, June 9, 2009
Proposed state higher-education cuts will exacerbate a projected shortage of college graduates and imperil California's long-term economic future, a new report says.
The Inland area, already lagging the state average in the percentage of adults with college degrees and in the proportion of high school students attending college, could fall further behind and continue to have difficulty attracting high-paying jobs, said Hans Johnson, author of the study and associate director of research for the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.
The report, released last week, predicts that the state will face a shortage of 1 million college graduates by 2025 unless current trends are reversed. Forty-one percent of jobs will demand at least a bachelor's degree by 2025, but only 35 percent of California adults will have one, the report says.
Instead of addressing the problem, the state is going in the other direction, Johnson said.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing $2.75 billion in cuts to higher education as a reaction to the failure last month of five budget-related voter initiatives. Even before the May 19 election, the UC and Cal State systems reduced freshman enrollment by more than 12,000 students. Additional enrollment reductions are expected.
If California cannot produce more college graduates, businesses that need highly skilled workers will leave the state and others will not locate here, said David Stewart, dean of the A. Gary Anderson Graduate School of Management at UC Riverside.
"In my view, this is the most severe economic problem California confronts," he said.
Tax implications
The shortage of college graduates will worsen California's budget problems, because they on average make more money than those without degrees, and pay more taxes, Stewart said.
Only 19 percent of the Inland area's adults had a bachelor's degree in 2005, compared to 31 percent statewide. One way to increase that number would be to expand enrollment at Cal State San Bernardino, said Johnson.
But Cal State San Bernardino has less than 4 percent of the Cal State system's students. The Inland area has more than 11 percent of the state's population.
"There needs to be an expansion of slots" at Cal State San Bernardino, Johnson said. "You're not going to be able to have that if you're cutting back."
Cal State campuses also need to increase their graduation rates, Johnson said. Only about half of Cal State students who enter as freshmen graduate within six years, compared to nearly four of every five UC students.
More academic support, counseling and financial aid is needed to boost graduation rates, he said. Yet the state budget cuts will likely lead to reductions in all three areas, he said.
Cal State San Bernardino President Albert Karnig said no decisions have been made on where cuts will be made.
"We will try as best as we can to protect access for students and the retention of students," he said. "But if you are going to have a 10 to 15 percent cut in expenses, and 85 percent of expenses is personnel, at best we won't be able to do more, and at worst, we'll be doing some divesting when we should be expanding."
The cuts will also hurt K-12 schools, and that may make students even less prepared for college, Johnson said. California already has poorly funded schools and ranks 18th among the 20 largest states in the percentage of high school graduates who go to college, the report says.
Dropout rates are particularly high among Latinos, who are on track to be a majority in the Inland area within a few years. One in three Latino students does not graduate from high school. Reducing Latino dropout rates is vital to increasing the number of college graduates, Johnson said.
Patricia Gándara, a professor of education at UCLA and coauthor of the 2008 book "The Latino Education Crisis: The Consequences of Failed Social Policies," said the proposed budget cuts will likely worsen the situation for Latino K-12 students.
Latino kids are more likely to be the children of parents with low educational levels. Those parents want their children to graduate from high school and attend college but do not know how to navigate the educational system and prepare their kids for higher education, she said.
That is why good guidance counselors and experienced teachers are so important for many Latino children, Gándara said.
Yet counselors are often among the first school staff laid off during budget crises, she said. The low-income-neighborhood schools that a disproportionate number of Latino kids attend are more likely to have less experienced teachers, and seniority rules mean that these teachers are more likely to be laid off, further disrupting the kids' schooling, she said.
Reach David Olson at 951-368-9462 or dolson@PE.com
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Latino student explains education investment
Guest column: Why school districts must invest in Latinos
Astoria High School graduate charts future for the Hispanic community
By Reynaldo Goicochea, The Daily Astorian
By the year 2050 Hispanics will make up over one-fourth the United States' population and whites will cease to be the majority.
These are the projections of the Pew Hispanic Center and they may shock many people. The days of WASPs in the majority will begin to recede into the past and the days of brown, Catholic and Latino will begin.
This will be a momentous new era for America, when it embraces a new culture and allows the acculturation of its great nation. However, while this transition could happen with acceptance and without hindrance, I am fearful that we as Americans will miss the ball on this important transition.
There is much work to be done. The preparation for this cultural change begins now, as more emphasis on uniting the Hispanic and Anglo cultures should be made a top priority by school districts nationwide. The underperformance of Latinos, while sickening, shows signs of improving, but more emphasis is needed on this demographic that is so vital to our nation's future. The performance of over one-fourth of America will drastically define the course of the nation as a whole, which is why it's so important to invest in a demographic that is so rapidly growing.
For the rest of this thought-provoking columm, read Monday's edition of The Daily Astorian or log on to this Web site later today.
Reynaldo Goicochea is a senior at Astoria High School and will attend Willamette University next year. He plans to major in politics and economics with a minor in Spanish. He wants to eventually enter public service. His time at Astoria High School was spent in a variety of activities ranging from sports, to theater, to volunteering at Clatsop Care Center, and assisting his local Catholic youth group.
Astoria High School graduate charts future for the Hispanic community
By Reynaldo Goicochea, The Daily Astorian
By the year 2050 Hispanics will make up over one-fourth the United States' population and whites will cease to be the majority.
These are the projections of the Pew Hispanic Center and they may shock many people. The days of WASPs in the majority will begin to recede into the past and the days of brown, Catholic and Latino will begin.
This will be a momentous new era for America, when it embraces a new culture and allows the acculturation of its great nation. However, while this transition could happen with acceptance and without hindrance, I am fearful that we as Americans will miss the ball on this important transition.
There is much work to be done. The preparation for this cultural change begins now, as more emphasis on uniting the Hispanic and Anglo cultures should be made a top priority by school districts nationwide. The underperformance of Latinos, while sickening, shows signs of improving, but more emphasis is needed on this demographic that is so vital to our nation's future. The performance of over one-fourth of America will drastically define the course of the nation as a whole, which is why it's so important to invest in a demographic that is so rapidly growing.
For the rest of this thought-provoking columm, read Monday's edition of The Daily Astorian or log on to this Web site later today.
Reynaldo Goicochea is a senior at Astoria High School and will attend Willamette University next year. He plans to major in politics and economics with a minor in Spanish. He wants to eventually enter public service. His time at Astoria High School was spent in a variety of activities ranging from sports, to theater, to volunteering at Clatsop Care Center, and assisting his local Catholic youth group.
Idaho state leaders look to improve Hispanic education
State leaders work to improve Hispanic education
Associated Press - June 8, 2009
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A lawmaker on a new state task force to improve Hispanic education in Idaho says a 3-year plan should attempt to build on programs already in place and target other groups of students who struggle.
Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, says the state doesn't have money to pour into new initiatives or programs, and the task force will have greater chances of success with a plan that doesn't single out one group of students.
The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs assembled the task force, which met for the first time Monday and includes representatives from schools, community groups, the governor's office and state Department of Education.
The commission released a report in February with more than two dozen recommendations for how Idaho can better educate a growing population of Hispanics and close the stark achievement gap between them and their non-Hispanic classmates.
On the Net:
Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs: http://www2.state.id.us/icha/
Associated Press - June 8, 2009
BOISE, Idaho (AP) - A lawmaker on a new state task force to improve Hispanic education in Idaho says a 3-year plan should attempt to build on programs already in place and target other groups of students who struggle.
Sen. Bert Brackett, R-Rogerson, says the state doesn't have money to pour into new initiatives or programs, and the task force will have greater chances of success with a plan that doesn't single out one group of students.
The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs assembled the task force, which met for the first time Monday and includes representatives from schools, community groups, the governor's office and state Department of Education.
The commission released a report in February with more than two dozen recommendations for how Idaho can better educate a growing population of Hispanics and close the stark achievement gap between them and their non-Hispanic classmates.
On the Net:
Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs: http://www2.state.id.us/icha/
Georgia has chance to appoint an Hispanic judge
State needs more Hispanic judges
By Rick Diguette, AJC, June 06, 2009
DEKALB COUNTY - According to the census, Hispanics and Latinos now account for 10 percent of DeKalb County’s population, which by 2008 had grown to 739,956. I went looking for this information after President Barack Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sotomayor has been roundly criticized for one sentence of a speech she delivered in 2001, expressing the hope that her gender and Hispanic background would provide her as a judge with the wisdom “to reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
If all you know about her speech is that Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich think it proves Sotomayor is a “reverse racist,” then you don’t know much. I’ve read the speech in its entirety, and I learned at least two things about Sotomayor. She is proud of her Hispanic heritage, and she believed in 2001 that Hispanics were underrepresented on the federal bench.
I used to write speeches for a member of Georgia’s judiciary and still follow what goes on in our state courts. So I began to wonder how many Hispanics serve as judges in Georgia. Not many, as it turns out.
There are no Hispanics now, nor have there ever been any, on the Supreme Court of Georgia or on the Georgia Court of Appeals. But this may be the year for that to change. Gov. Sonny Perdue must appoint someone to fill the Supreme Court seat soon to be vacated by Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears. Perhaps a Hispanic will make the governor’s “short list.”
Here in DeKalb there are no Hispanics serving as judges on our superior court bench. There is one —- Judge DelCampo —- on the state court. In neighboring Fulton County, where the estimated population has just topped 1 million, 8.2 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino. As with DeKalb, there are no Hispanics on the Fulton Superior Court. But even worse, there are none on the state court bench either.
Is there something about Georgia’s judiciary that makes it particularly difficult for Hispanics to get a foot in the door? I don’t think so. Even though Hispanics account for 7.8 percent of Georgia’s population, only two of the 236 members of the General Assembly are Hispanic. Also, Georgia has never had a Hispanic governor, lieutenant governor, or secretary of state.
Even though her confirmation hearings may prove to be grueling, I suspect Sotomayor will become the first Hispanic justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. And I hope by then that Limbaugh and Gingrich, who were so quick to vilify her based on one sentence in a speech delivered in 2001, will have lost a little more credibility in the eyes of the American public.
Rick Diguette has lived in DeKalb County for over 20years. He teaches at Georgia Perimeter College.
By Rick Diguette, AJC, June 06, 2009
DEKALB COUNTY - According to the census, Hispanics and Latinos now account for 10 percent of DeKalb County’s population, which by 2008 had grown to 739,956. I went looking for this information after President Barack Obama nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor for a seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.
Sotomayor has been roundly criticized for one sentence of a speech she delivered in 2001, expressing the hope that her gender and Hispanic background would provide her as a judge with the wisdom “to reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life.”
If all you know about her speech is that Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich think it proves Sotomayor is a “reverse racist,” then you don’t know much. I’ve read the speech in its entirety, and I learned at least two things about Sotomayor. She is proud of her Hispanic heritage, and she believed in 2001 that Hispanics were underrepresented on the federal bench.
I used to write speeches for a member of Georgia’s judiciary and still follow what goes on in our state courts. So I began to wonder how many Hispanics serve as judges in Georgia. Not many, as it turns out.
There are no Hispanics now, nor have there ever been any, on the Supreme Court of Georgia or on the Georgia Court of Appeals. But this may be the year for that to change. Gov. Sonny Perdue must appoint someone to fill the Supreme Court seat soon to be vacated by Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears. Perhaps a Hispanic will make the governor’s “short list.”
Here in DeKalb there are no Hispanics serving as judges on our superior court bench. There is one —- Judge DelCampo —- on the state court. In neighboring Fulton County, where the estimated population has just topped 1 million, 8.2 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino. As with DeKalb, there are no Hispanics on the Fulton Superior Court. But even worse, there are none on the state court bench either.
Is there something about Georgia’s judiciary that makes it particularly difficult for Hispanics to get a foot in the door? I don’t think so. Even though Hispanics account for 7.8 percent of Georgia’s population, only two of the 236 members of the General Assembly are Hispanic. Also, Georgia has never had a Hispanic governor, lieutenant governor, or secretary of state.
Even though her confirmation hearings may prove to be grueling, I suspect Sotomayor will become the first Hispanic justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. And I hope by then that Limbaugh and Gingrich, who were so quick to vilify her based on one sentence in a speech delivered in 2001, will have lost a little more credibility in the eyes of the American public.
Rick Diguette has lived in DeKalb County for over 20years. He teaches at Georgia Perimeter College.
Hispanics helped to integrate into community
Hispanic council aids cultural integration
Associated Press, 06/07/2009
The growing Hispanic community on Oregon's north coast and the well-entrenched Anglos are getting pointers in cultural differences intended to help each understand the other better.
For example In Mexico, many arrive late for a doctor's appointment, firm in the knowledge that they would just have to wait if they didn't.
That doesn't work here.
"It's just not knowing these little cultural things," said Norma Hernandez of the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council.
Her job is to help integrate the two communities, economically and socially, in Clatsop and Pacific (Wash.) counties, where even small differences can lead to misunderstandings.
Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population in those counties and even among Hispanics, who come from many countries, there are different customs.
Patricia Morrissey, one of the council's founders, told the Daily Astorian newspaper that they have worked with Hispanics since the early 1990s and have watched the community grow.
In Clatsop County the Hispanic community grew 10 times faster than the county as a whole between 2000 and 2007.
The council conducts activities such as celebrations, cultural events and health clinics and accepts donations of food, furniture and clothes for Hispanic families.
It operates programs providing cheap car loans, migrant programs, immigration attorneys and contact with the Mexican Consulate.
Many Hispanics face a trade-off between earning a living and adapting to the local culture.
Jesus Diego, 28, from the west Mexican state of Michoacan, studies English when he isn't working at a fish-processing plant.
"I study a lot," he said through an interpreter. "When the cannery slows down, I am able to study more."
Some people believe the Hispanic community takes advantage of government services without giving back, Hernandez said. But she says they pay taxes like anybody else.
"They are not taking anything. They are contributing to your pot," Hernandez said.
The community lives frugally, she said, with many fearing deportation and the subsequent loss of their savings.
They just need a level of comfort that some local banks have provided by making a Spanish-speaking teller available, Hernandez said.
"They do the things that the rest of us that are citizens do," she said. "This is something we do to help them integrate. The Hispanic Council helps the Latino community, and helps the rest of the community to understand."
In 1992, there were few Hispanics in the area but those who were there understood the need for unity.
The group became better organized in 1998 under the leadership of Morrissey, when it became the Clatsop Hispanic Council and fell under the umbrella of the Healing Circle. which helps the council raise awareness about the community.
Morrissey realized the council wasn't reaching the entire Hispanic community and approached ShoreBank to see how the nonprofit organization that strives to strengthen communities through consulting, financial and business assistance, could help.
ShoreBank hired Fernando Rodriguez Casillas — a volunteer for the council — who was working in southwest Washington. ShoreBank executives asked him to survey the needs of the Hispanic community.
Small cultural misunderstandings happen in both directions and can be as simple as what people eat.
Rodriguez said he'd had a housewarming party in which he'd served tamales, and had invited guests from outside the Hispanic community.
He said some had the courage to ask, "How do I eat this?'"
Associated Press, 06/07/2009
The growing Hispanic community on Oregon's north coast and the well-entrenched Anglos are getting pointers in cultural differences intended to help each understand the other better.
For example In Mexico, many arrive late for a doctor's appointment, firm in the knowledge that they would just have to wait if they didn't.
That doesn't work here.
"It's just not knowing these little cultural things," said Norma Hernandez of the Lower Columbia Hispanic Council.
Her job is to help integrate the two communities, economically and socially, in Clatsop and Pacific (Wash.) counties, where even small differences can lead to misunderstandings.
Hispanics are the fastest-growing segment of the population in those counties and even among Hispanics, who come from many countries, there are different customs.
Patricia Morrissey, one of the council's founders, told the Daily Astorian newspaper that they have worked with Hispanics since the early 1990s and have watched the community grow.
In Clatsop County the Hispanic community grew 10 times faster than the county as a whole between 2000 and 2007.
The council conducts activities such as celebrations, cultural events and health clinics and accepts donations of food, furniture and clothes for Hispanic families.
It operates programs providing cheap car loans, migrant programs, immigration attorneys and contact with the Mexican Consulate.
Many Hispanics face a trade-off between earning a living and adapting to the local culture.
Jesus Diego, 28, from the west Mexican state of Michoacan, studies English when he isn't working at a fish-processing plant.
"I study a lot," he said through an interpreter. "When the cannery slows down, I am able to study more."
Some people believe the Hispanic community takes advantage of government services without giving back, Hernandez said. But she says they pay taxes like anybody else.
"They are not taking anything. They are contributing to your pot," Hernandez said.
The community lives frugally, she said, with many fearing deportation and the subsequent loss of their savings.
They just need a level of comfort that some local banks have provided by making a Spanish-speaking teller available, Hernandez said.
"They do the things that the rest of us that are citizens do," she said. "This is something we do to help them integrate. The Hispanic Council helps the Latino community, and helps the rest of the community to understand."
In 1992, there were few Hispanics in the area but those who were there understood the need for unity.
The group became better organized in 1998 under the leadership of Morrissey, when it became the Clatsop Hispanic Council and fell under the umbrella of the Healing Circle. which helps the council raise awareness about the community.
Morrissey realized the council wasn't reaching the entire Hispanic community and approached ShoreBank to see how the nonprofit organization that strives to strengthen communities through consulting, financial and business assistance, could help.
ShoreBank hired Fernando Rodriguez Casillas — a volunteer for the council — who was working in southwest Washington. ShoreBank executives asked him to survey the needs of the Hispanic community.
Small cultural misunderstandings happen in both directions and can be as simple as what people eat.
Rodriguez said he'd had a housewarming party in which he'd served tamales, and had invited guests from outside the Hispanic community.
He said some had the courage to ask, "How do I eat this?'"
National Hispani University graduates 100
More than 100 graduate at National Hispanic University commencement Saturday
By Sharon Noguchi, Mercury News, 06/07/2009
At National Hispanic University's commencement ceremonies Saturday, the music could not have been more apt. To the strains of "The Impossible Dream," more than 100 graduates received their diplomas and certificates, their personal stories lending weight and their happiness giving levity to the festivities at the San Jose university.
On an occasion when normally speakers inspire fresh graduates to higher purpose, the rows of black-robed graduates, adorned with gold stoles, were rich with stories of perseverance, determination and triumph over real life obstacles and odds.
National Hispanic University, one of the nation's few dedicated primarily to Latino students, takes college-ready students and works hard with them to ensure their success. The accredited university offers undergraduate degrees, certificates and teaching credentials, to prepare students for careers in business, education and technology. A majority of students juggle work and family with course loads, and few have the luxury of ensconcing themselves for four years in an ivory tower.
Maria Imelda García was graduating at age 26, after taking off a year and a half to work. And having a baby clarified in her mind the importance of earning a degree, she said.
Reinventing herself
Under tents set up on the lawn of the university's Story Road campus, the ceremony reflected the strong NHU themes of family, community and lifelong
Advertisement
learning. Four royal-blue-robed preschoolers, from the university's independent child-care center in Richmond, tickled the audience of 250 people as each confidently thanked university President David López and their teachers, and announced their career aspirations — a pilot, a doctor, a policeman.
Keynote speaker Emmett Carson, president of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, injected a note of sobering reality. The proportion of young Latinos, he said, with at least two years of college has fallen to 16 percent, compared with 18 percent in a previous generation.
But for the graduates, festive in leis of lavender orchids and candy bars, celebrated by families bearing roses and helium balloons, Saturday was all celebration.
At 59, Erica C. Araneda was reinventing herself — again. Twenty-seven years ago, barely knowing English, she was a homeless single mother of two young sons. She worked her way up from an electronics production worker to a senior engineering technician. But last year, four years short of retirement, she lost her job at Intel. So she enrolled at NHU to earn a certificate in interpretation and translation, graduating Saturday at the top of her program.
"I feel I could conquer the world," she said. She's lined up a part-time job and is looking for a full-time one.
Impossible dream
Another graduate, Cheri Elizabeth Romero, 41, earned her bachelor's degree to set an example for her five children. "My dream began 20 years ago," when she quit college after earning an associate degree, said Romero, whose children range from 20 to 8 years old. Juggling a job, family and her oldest son's budding singing career, she found it hard to manage school. But, she said, "My NHU family would not forget about me."
Amid a sea of inspirational stories, the most poignant came from graduate José Antonio Contreras, who received the Sí Se Puede — Yes You Can — award. Five years ago, as he sat in jail, he believed that college was but an impossible dream for him.
On Saturday, he addressed Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Ron Del Pozzo in the audience: "Thank you for putting me where I needed to be: in jail and in a program. Thank you for saving my life."
Instead of state prison for a drug conviction, Contreras got into rehab. While in jail, he said, he was inspired by the story of Pat Tillman, the Leland High graduate and pro football player who volunteered as a U.S. Army Ranger and was killed in 2004 in Iraq.
"Here's a man who gave it all up to fight, and I thought, what a shame, he gave his life for me to make wrong decisions?" Contreras said. "I started thinking about what I should be doing instead of sitting in jail." And he became determined to go to school. He earned an associate degree at San Jose City College, then volunteered with the Salvation Army working with addicts. He enrolled in NHU three years ago, and on Saturday earned his bachelor's in business administration.
After living out his dream, what's next? "I need to find a job, to prove myself in business," he said. "All things are possible, if you are willing to work for them."
Contact Sharon Noguchi at snoguchi@mercurynews.com or 408-271-3775.
By Sharon Noguchi, Mercury News, 06/07/2009
At National Hispanic University's commencement ceremonies Saturday, the music could not have been more apt. To the strains of "The Impossible Dream," more than 100 graduates received their diplomas and certificates, their personal stories lending weight and their happiness giving levity to the festivities at the San Jose university.
On an occasion when normally speakers inspire fresh graduates to higher purpose, the rows of black-robed graduates, adorned with gold stoles, were rich with stories of perseverance, determination and triumph over real life obstacles and odds.
National Hispanic University, one of the nation's few dedicated primarily to Latino students, takes college-ready students and works hard with them to ensure their success. The accredited university offers undergraduate degrees, certificates and teaching credentials, to prepare students for careers in business, education and technology. A majority of students juggle work and family with course loads, and few have the luxury of ensconcing themselves for four years in an ivory tower.
Maria Imelda García was graduating at age 26, after taking off a year and a half to work. And having a baby clarified in her mind the importance of earning a degree, she said.
Reinventing herself
Under tents set up on the lawn of the university's Story Road campus, the ceremony reflected the strong NHU themes of family, community and lifelong
Advertisement
learning. Four royal-blue-robed preschoolers, from the university's independent child-care center in Richmond, tickled the audience of 250 people as each confidently thanked university President David López and their teachers, and announced their career aspirations — a pilot, a doctor, a policeman.
Keynote speaker Emmett Carson, president of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, injected a note of sobering reality. The proportion of young Latinos, he said, with at least two years of college has fallen to 16 percent, compared with 18 percent in a previous generation.
But for the graduates, festive in leis of lavender orchids and candy bars, celebrated by families bearing roses and helium balloons, Saturday was all celebration.
At 59, Erica C. Araneda was reinventing herself — again. Twenty-seven years ago, barely knowing English, she was a homeless single mother of two young sons. She worked her way up from an electronics production worker to a senior engineering technician. But last year, four years short of retirement, she lost her job at Intel. So she enrolled at NHU to earn a certificate in interpretation and translation, graduating Saturday at the top of her program.
"I feel I could conquer the world," she said. She's lined up a part-time job and is looking for a full-time one.
Impossible dream
Another graduate, Cheri Elizabeth Romero, 41, earned her bachelor's degree to set an example for her five children. "My dream began 20 years ago," when she quit college after earning an associate degree, said Romero, whose children range from 20 to 8 years old. Juggling a job, family and her oldest son's budding singing career, she found it hard to manage school. But, she said, "My NHU family would not forget about me."
Amid a sea of inspirational stories, the most poignant came from graduate José Antonio Contreras, who received the Sí Se Puede — Yes You Can — award. Five years ago, as he sat in jail, he believed that college was but an impossible dream for him.
On Saturday, he addressed Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Ron Del Pozzo in the audience: "Thank you for putting me where I needed to be: in jail and in a program. Thank you for saving my life."
Instead of state prison for a drug conviction, Contreras got into rehab. While in jail, he said, he was inspired by the story of Pat Tillman, the Leland High graduate and pro football player who volunteered as a U.S. Army Ranger and was killed in 2004 in Iraq.
"Here's a man who gave it all up to fight, and I thought, what a shame, he gave his life for me to make wrong decisions?" Contreras said. "I started thinking about what I should be doing instead of sitting in jail." And he became determined to go to school. He earned an associate degree at San Jose City College, then volunteered with the Salvation Army working with addicts. He enrolled in NHU three years ago, and on Saturday earned his bachelor's in business administration.
After living out his dream, what's next? "I need to find a job, to prove myself in business," he said. "All things are possible, if you are willing to work for them."
Contact Sharon Noguchi at snoguchi@mercurynews.com or 408-271-3775.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
City to offere ID cards to illegal immigrants
Oakland to offer identification cards for illegal immigrants
The City Council votes in favor of the photo IDs, saying the cards will give illegal immigrants easier access to services, improve their civic participation and encourage them to report crimes.
By Anna Gorman, LA Times, June 4, 2009
Two years after reaffirming its status as a "sanctuary city," the Oakland City Council voted this week to create identification cards for illegal immigrants.
The city's program will be modeled after a similar one in San Francisco, which started giving out cards to illegal immigrants earlier this year.
Council members said the cards will give illegal immigrants easier access to city and business services, improve their civic participation and encourage them to report crimes to police. City leaders also anticipate that the cards will prompt more illegal immigrants to open bank accounts rather than keeping their earnings in cash and becoming targets for robbers.
"It makes sense to provide a municipal ID that would allow people to participate, allow people not to be afraid to provide information about crimes," said Vice Mayor Ignacio De La Fuente.
The council approved the plan Tuesday and now will decide on the specifics, such as how to produce the cards, how much to charge for them and how to ensure that they will be safe from counterfeiting. The photo IDs will be available to anyone within city limits who needs identification, including youths and the homeless. They will not be a substitute for driver's licenses and will not provide any protection from deportation by federal immigration authorities.
Though the cards haven't prompted much opposition in the Bay Area, the matter of government-issued identification cards for illegal immigrants is controversial nationwide. New Haven, Conn., is believed to be the only city outside California to distribute such identification cards.
"The problem is you have cities who are aiding and abetting people who are violating federal immigration laws," said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. "It sends a message that what they are doing is OK."
Mehlman added that cities throughout the state are already facing extreme budget problems and limited services. "This is exacerbating an already bad situation in California," he said.
But De La Fuente said he views the issue in a practical way.
"To me it's not an immigration debate," De La Fuente said. "These people are here and I have to deal with them."
Oakland is considering creating multipurpose ID cards, which could also be used as debit cards, bus passes and library cards. The city is also hoping that cardholders could receive discounts at certain businesses.
In 2007, the City Council adopted a sanctuary city resolution calling for a moratorium on immigration raids and for the passage of fair and humane federal immigration laws. It also declared the city a refuge for immigrants from all countries. The city had earlier passed a resolution that Oakland was a refuge for immigrants from Haiti, South Africa, El Salvador and Guatemala.
Jesse Newmark, a staff attorney with Centro Legal de la Raza, said he was pleased with the council's most recent action, adding that the identification card is "tangible confirmation of Oakland's sanctuary status."
Newmark, who was part of a coalition that started pushing for the cards last year, said he often sees clients who don't report crimes or labor or housing violations because they don't have identification and fear the consequences for being in the United States illegally. The cards will promote public safety citywide, he said.
"It doesn't just hurt these communities when these things don't get reported," he said. "It hurts everybody."
anna.gorman@latimes.com
The City Council votes in favor of the photo IDs, saying the cards will give illegal immigrants easier access to services, improve their civic participation and encourage them to report crimes.
By Anna Gorman, LA Times, June 4, 2009
Two years after reaffirming its status as a "sanctuary city," the Oakland City Council voted this week to create identification cards for illegal immigrants.
The city's program will be modeled after a similar one in San Francisco, which started giving out cards to illegal immigrants earlier this year.
Council members said the cards will give illegal immigrants easier access to city and business services, improve their civic participation and encourage them to report crimes to police. City leaders also anticipate that the cards will prompt more illegal immigrants to open bank accounts rather than keeping their earnings in cash and becoming targets for robbers.
"It makes sense to provide a municipal ID that would allow people to participate, allow people not to be afraid to provide information about crimes," said Vice Mayor Ignacio De La Fuente.
The council approved the plan Tuesday and now will decide on the specifics, such as how to produce the cards, how much to charge for them and how to ensure that they will be safe from counterfeiting. The photo IDs will be available to anyone within city limits who needs identification, including youths and the homeless. They will not be a substitute for driver's licenses and will not provide any protection from deportation by federal immigration authorities.
Though the cards haven't prompted much opposition in the Bay Area, the matter of government-issued identification cards for illegal immigrants is controversial nationwide. New Haven, Conn., is believed to be the only city outside California to distribute such identification cards.
"The problem is you have cities who are aiding and abetting people who are violating federal immigration laws," said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. "It sends a message that what they are doing is OK."
Mehlman added that cities throughout the state are already facing extreme budget problems and limited services. "This is exacerbating an already bad situation in California," he said.
But De La Fuente said he views the issue in a practical way.
"To me it's not an immigration debate," De La Fuente said. "These people are here and I have to deal with them."
Oakland is considering creating multipurpose ID cards, which could also be used as debit cards, bus passes and library cards. The city is also hoping that cardholders could receive discounts at certain businesses.
In 2007, the City Council adopted a sanctuary city resolution calling for a moratorium on immigration raids and for the passage of fair and humane federal immigration laws. It also declared the city a refuge for immigrants from all countries. The city had earlier passed a resolution that Oakland was a refuge for immigrants from Haiti, South Africa, El Salvador and Guatemala.
Jesse Newmark, a staff attorney with Centro Legal de la Raza, said he was pleased with the council's most recent action, adding that the identification card is "tangible confirmation of Oakland's sanctuary status."
Newmark, who was part of a coalition that started pushing for the cards last year, said he often sees clients who don't report crimes or labor or housing violations because they don't have identification and fear the consequences for being in the United States illegally. The cards will promote public safety citywide, he said.
"It doesn't just hurt these communities when these things don't get reported," he said. "It hurts everybody."
anna.gorman@latimes.com
Latino community in New Orleans gets liaison
NOPD announces liaison to Latino community
Chris Miller Reporting, WWL.com
The New Orleans Police Department is reaching out to the city's growing Latino population. The department hopes to foster a partnership with local Hispanics.
Police say there is more than just a language barrier when dealing with the Latino community. Cops say getting Hispanic victims and witnesses to cooperate can be tough when in their native countries, police don't follow the same rules regarding basic rights.
"In a lot of our countries, 'the police' is feared," said Officer Janssen Valencia. "That's something we are trying to change: that we are not like police in other countries."
Police Chief Warren Riley said it is also tough when undocumented immigrants are victims. He says crimes against them often go unreported because the victims fear they will end up arrested and deported if they have any contact with police.
"We want those who have been victims of crime to feel confident about coming forward and speaking to police," Riley said. That's why, says Riley, cops are instructed not to ask Hispanic victims or witnesses where they are from.
"If the person is the perpetrator of a crime, then of course, we will" ask, said Riley.
Chris Miller Reporting, WWL.com
The New Orleans Police Department is reaching out to the city's growing Latino population. The department hopes to foster a partnership with local Hispanics.
Police say there is more than just a language barrier when dealing with the Latino community. Cops say getting Hispanic victims and witnesses to cooperate can be tough when in their native countries, police don't follow the same rules regarding basic rights.
"In a lot of our countries, 'the police' is feared," said Officer Janssen Valencia. "That's something we are trying to change: that we are not like police in other countries."
Police Chief Warren Riley said it is also tough when undocumented immigrants are victims. He says crimes against them often go unreported because the victims fear they will end up arrested and deported if they have any contact with police.
"We want those who have been victims of crime to feel confident about coming forward and speaking to police," Riley said. That's why, says Riley, cops are instructed not to ask Hispanic victims or witnesses where they are from.
"If the person is the perpetrator of a crime, then of course, we will" ask, said Riley.
NC Hispanic leader joins Homeland taskforce
NC leader in Hispanic affairs joins Homeland Security taskforce to combat Mexican drug war
By Associated Press, June 4, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A prominent North Carolina leader for Hispanic affairs has joined a border taskforce for the Department of Homeland Security.
Andrea Bazan, who serves as president of the Triangle Community Foundation, was named Thursday to Homeland Security's Southwest Border Taskforce.
The taskforce will work with the department to prevent an increasingly dangerous drug war in Mexico from spilling into the United States.
Bazan was the first executive director for Raleigh-based advocacy group El Pueblo. She currently serves as the board of directors chair for the National Council of La Raza. The Hispanic civil rights organization is based in Washington, D.C.
By Associated Press, June 4, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — A prominent North Carolina leader for Hispanic affairs has joined a border taskforce for the Department of Homeland Security.
Andrea Bazan, who serves as president of the Triangle Community Foundation, was named Thursday to Homeland Security's Southwest Border Taskforce.
The taskforce will work with the department to prevent an increasingly dangerous drug war in Mexico from spilling into the United States.
Bazan was the first executive director for Raleigh-based advocacy group El Pueblo. She currently serves as the board of directors chair for the National Council of La Raza. The Hispanic civil rights organization is based in Washington, D.C.
Latino immigrant impact on the South told
"Latino Immigrants and the Transformation of the U.S. South"
Edited by Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy
BY J. EDWARD SUMERAU, Metro Spirit.com
AUGUSTA, GA - In recent memory, one of the most pressing political, social, and economic concerns in the United States is the influx of Latino immigrants into the southern sector of the country. Recognizing the salience of this issue and hoping to offer a balanced and thoughtful perspective on the complexity of the matter, Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy offer the release of “Latino Immigrants and the Transformation of the U.S. South.”
Built on a collection of diverse methods, disciplines, perspectives, and even personal backgrounds, this collection of essays provides a wonderful introduction into the complexity inherent in this cultural transformation. Undertaking an examination from a collective perspective, this piece offers a powerful portrait of the wealth of opportunity left in this area of inquiry.
Two talented professors who also contribute essays to the exploration put the collection together. Mary E. Odem is an associate professor of history and women’s studies at Emory University and Elaine Lacy is a professor of history and assistant to the executive vice chancellor at the University of South Carolina, Aiken. Each of these women has offered numerous contributions to the study of Latino cultural processes. As a result, these two scholars offer a collection of formidable experience in the discussion of a complex contemporary socio-political issue.
Building upon each other while complimenting the ability of this issue to be viewed from numerous perspectives, this volume may well serve as a perfect introduction. Whether it’s the pieces using state of the art statistical modeling to overlay the effect of cultural trends or the in-depth qualitative explication of processes seen within the transformation as a whole, these essays combine theoretical and methodological traditions in an attempt to capture the diversity and complexity of the issue. In so doing, the collection as a whole provides a thorough contribution to the field.
Built with academic precision and a focused vision of the material from a variety of viewpoints, this volume may the next item for any aspiring researcher with an eye toward Southern culture in the near future.
Edited by Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy. 2009. “Latino Immigrants and the Transformation of the U.S. South.” Athens, Georgia and London, England: The University of Georgia Press. ISBN: 9780820329680.
Edited by Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy
BY J. EDWARD SUMERAU, Metro Spirit.com
AUGUSTA, GA - In recent memory, one of the most pressing political, social, and economic concerns in the United States is the influx of Latino immigrants into the southern sector of the country. Recognizing the salience of this issue and hoping to offer a balanced and thoughtful perspective on the complexity of the matter, Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy offer the release of “Latino Immigrants and the Transformation of the U.S. South.”
Built on a collection of diverse methods, disciplines, perspectives, and even personal backgrounds, this collection of essays provides a wonderful introduction into the complexity inherent in this cultural transformation. Undertaking an examination from a collective perspective, this piece offers a powerful portrait of the wealth of opportunity left in this area of inquiry.
Two talented professors who also contribute essays to the exploration put the collection together. Mary E. Odem is an associate professor of history and women’s studies at Emory University and Elaine Lacy is a professor of history and assistant to the executive vice chancellor at the University of South Carolina, Aiken. Each of these women has offered numerous contributions to the study of Latino cultural processes. As a result, these two scholars offer a collection of formidable experience in the discussion of a complex contemporary socio-political issue.
Building upon each other while complimenting the ability of this issue to be viewed from numerous perspectives, this volume may well serve as a perfect introduction. Whether it’s the pieces using state of the art statistical modeling to overlay the effect of cultural trends or the in-depth qualitative explication of processes seen within the transformation as a whole, these essays combine theoretical and methodological traditions in an attempt to capture the diversity and complexity of the issue. In so doing, the collection as a whole provides a thorough contribution to the field.
Built with academic precision and a focused vision of the material from a variety of viewpoints, this volume may the next item for any aspiring researcher with an eye toward Southern culture in the near future.
Edited by Mary E. Odem and Elaine Lacy. 2009. “Latino Immigrants and the Transformation of the U.S. South.” Athens, Georgia and London, England: The University of Georgia Press. ISBN: 9780820329680.
New push for Hispanic immigration amnesty
Business, labor, Hispanic groups make new push for immigration amnesty
By Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal - June 3, 2009
Business interests, labor unions and Hispanic activists are launching a summer push for federal immigration reform — including legalization of some illegals already in the U.S.
The Reform Immigration for America effort melds amnesty reform with the ability of immigrants workers to unionize and pans workplace and other raids aimed at picking up those illegally in the U.S.
The National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic activist group, is part of the effort, which backs immigration reform pushed by President Barack Obama.
“For far too long, we have allowed a can’t-do minority to block progress and manipulate this issue to tear our country apart, but the urgency for reform is clear: economically, practically, and morally,” said NCLR president Janet Murguía. “Policies that call for SWAT-like teams to pluck people out of their beds in the middle of the night, lead to racial profiling, separate families, exploit workers, and ignore due process are shamefully un-American.”
Labor unions, including the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union, have joined the campaign as have businesses groups such as the National Immigration Forum. The NIF’s board includes executives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Restaurant Association, American Nursery & Landscape Association and United Food & Commercial Workers Union.
Liberal and Democratic advocacy groups, including the Center for American Progress, also are pushing the campaign. Congress could take up the issue this year.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said the agency will be more targeted in its immigration enforcement with a greater focus on employers that hire illegal immigrants, but not including workplace raids. Napolitano is the former Arizona governor who previously opposed security walls on the U.S.-Mexico border and floated the idea of allowing illegal immigrants to get state driver’s licenses.
Immigration reform failed to gain final passage during the Bush administration despite support from the former president, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and big business
By Mike Sunnucks, Phoenix Business Journal - June 3, 2009
Business interests, labor unions and Hispanic activists are launching a summer push for federal immigration reform — including legalization of some illegals already in the U.S.
The Reform Immigration for America effort melds amnesty reform with the ability of immigrants workers to unionize and pans workplace and other raids aimed at picking up those illegally in the U.S.
The National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic activist group, is part of the effort, which backs immigration reform pushed by President Barack Obama.
“For far too long, we have allowed a can’t-do minority to block progress and manipulate this issue to tear our country apart, but the urgency for reform is clear: economically, practically, and morally,” said NCLR president Janet Murguía. “Policies that call for SWAT-like teams to pluck people out of their beds in the middle of the night, lead to racial profiling, separate families, exploit workers, and ignore due process are shamefully un-American.”
Labor unions, including the AFL-CIO and Service Employees International Union, have joined the campaign as have businesses groups such as the National Immigration Forum. The NIF’s board includes executives from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Restaurant Association, American Nursery & Landscape Association and United Food & Commercial Workers Union.
Liberal and Democratic advocacy groups, including the Center for American Progress, also are pushing the campaign. Congress could take up the issue this year.
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has said the agency will be more targeted in its immigration enforcement with a greater focus on employers that hire illegal immigrants, but not including workplace raids. Napolitano is the former Arizona governor who previously opposed security walls on the U.S.-Mexico border and floated the idea of allowing illegal immigrants to get state driver’s licenses.
Immigration reform failed to gain final passage during the Bush administration despite support from the former president, U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and big business
Hispanic grads find UIW
UIW among top universities for Hispanic grads
By Tamarind Phinisee, San Antonio Business Journal
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) was named one of the top 100 universities serving Hispanics in the U.S. by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine.
Each year, the list highlights the top 100 four-year colleges and universities that confer the most bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degress on Hispanic students.
This year UIW ranked 51st among universities conferring bachelor’s degrees and 42nd among universities awarding master’s degrees to Hispanics.
Data used in the listing is derived from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System program.
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private liberal arts university that offers more than 70 degrees at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.
The UIW system continues to develop internationally and boasts a presence in both China and Mexico, as well as in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Goodyear, Ariz. It has nearly 100 “sister schools” in 30 countries.
By Tamarind Phinisee, San Antonio Business Journal
The University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) was named one of the top 100 universities serving Hispanics in the U.S. by Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine.
Each year, the list highlights the top 100 four-year colleges and universities that confer the most bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degress on Hispanic students.
This year UIW ranked 51st among universities conferring bachelor’s degrees and 42nd among universities awarding master’s degrees to Hispanics.
Data used in the listing is derived from the U.S. Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System program.
The University of the Incarnate Word is a private liberal arts university that offers more than 70 degrees at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.
The UIW system continues to develop internationally and boasts a presence in both China and Mexico, as well as in San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Goodyear, Ariz. It has nearly 100 “sister schools” in 30 countries.
Governor defends Hispanic illegal immigrants
Schwarzenegger: Don't blame state budget deficit on illegal immigrants
By Kevin Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, Jun. 6, 2009
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday disputed claims that illegal immigrants caused California's $24.3 billion deficit, while he praised their economic contributions and said he is "happy" they have access to services.
The Republican governor, answering wide-ranging questions from The Bee's editorial board and its readers, also vented about roadblocks to his authority posed by political foes and warned that government can't sustain the current level of "unbelievable benefits" for public-sector workers.
In response to dozens of questions from readers who say the state ought to wipe out the deficit by eliminating services for illegal immigrants, the governor said it is a "myth" that those immigrants are to blame.
He said the cost of services to illegal immigrants, which has been estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion annually, is a "small percentage" of the deficit California faces.
"Yes, it is something that ought to be dealt with, but the fact of the matter is, I think it's an easy scapegoat for people to point the finger and say, 'Our budget is out of whack because of illegal immigrants.' "
"It's not," he added. "Our budget is out of whack because we have self-inflicted wounds that the Legislature and this state has never really sat down and had the will to go and make the necessary changes that have to be made."
The governor noted that the federal government requires California to provide emergency health care and education to illegal immigrants. Schwarzenegger in 2006 renounced his 1994 vote for Proposition 187, the initiative to block most services for illegal immigrants, which courts deemed unconstitutional.
"You know something, as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy that they can get the services," he said Friday. "Because I would like to have the services if I'm somewhere in another country … if I have an accident with a motorcycle and I go to an emergency room, I don't want someone to say, is he here legally?"
Schwarzenegger also highlighted the economic contributions of illegal immigrants.
"Everything we eat today is picked and created by undocumented immigrants, to a large extent," he said. "And every time we go to a restaurant and every time we go and move into a building, a lot of those buildings are built by undocumented immigrants' hands."
Schwarzenegger has two budget proposals that affect immigrants. He proposed asking the federal government to deport up to 8,000 illegal immigrants in state prisons to save $182 million. He also wants to save $120 million by eliminating benefits for newly legal low-income immigrants who do not yet qualify for federal assistance.
The governor has said he believes the United States should enforce tougher border controls, and he has advocated for immigration changes such as a guest worker program.
A Federation for American Immigration Reform study released in 2004 said illegal immigrants cost the state $9 billion annually, including $7.7 billion on education. But University of Southern California demographer Dowell Myers has disputed that number and said it is difficult to quantify the full economic impact of illegal immigrants.
Jim Gilchrist, president of the Minuteman Project, accused the governor of "pandering to political correctness." He acknowledged that costs of some goods and services could increase without illegal immigrants, but he said that would be outweighed by tax savings.
"The money for services comes from increased sales taxes, increased property taxes, increased DMV fees," he said.
Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, praised the governor for saying immigrants are not to blame.
"Our economy is very, very dependent on the immigrant work force," he said. "They're a very disciplined, very stable, very productive work force. Our economy would collapse without them."
Facing a $24.3 billion deficit after signing a $92 billion spending plan in February, the Republican governor accepted some blame for what has transpired since he was elected on the promise of fiscal rescue.
But he said the world's economic meltdown and the state's unbalanced tax system are largely responsible. He also said he has been unable to overcome the state's governance problems despite trying to use his celebrity status and bully pulpit to convince voters.
"It's not like it's a one-man show where I can make all the decisions," Schwarzenegger said.
Asked whether California could survive with a part-time Legislature, Schwarzenegger said he's sure it could. "If Texas can be governed by a part-time Legislature, so can California." Though he said full-time status is not the problem, he noted it could force lawmakers to focus on serious work rather than "creating a blueberry commission and all those kind of things."
The governor said the state's tax structure, which depends on income and capital gains taxes, is too volatile. He invited a bipartisan commission reviewing the state's tax system to propose something as "radical" as a 15 percent flat tax.
Schwarzenegger said he wished the state's independently elected constitutional officers were instead Cabinet-level positions under the governor's authority.
He said those leaders should be more unified, like "a sports team, let's say the Lakers right now. You would not go and see everyone running off in their own direction and attacking their own people and all of those things. You couldn't win. The only way you can win is if everyone protects everyone, and they can pass off the ball without looking."
Schwarzenegger said he doesn't have a problem with state workers making $63,815 in average base pay, but he does not think the "unbelievable benefits," such as pensions and health care, are sustainable.
"I think that it doesn't bother me as much that a state worker makes $60,000," Schwarzenegger said. "What bothers me more is when you have those unbelievable benefits that cost the state an enormous amount of money on top of that. So at one point or the other, something has to give."
He already has required state workers to take twice monthly furloughs. Last month, he began laying off 5,000 general fund employees and asked the Legislature to cut state worker salaries by 5 percent. Altogether, the salary cut and furloughs would reduce state worker pay by 14.2 percent.
By Kevin Yamamura, Sacramento Bee, Jun. 6, 2009
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday disputed claims that illegal immigrants caused California's $24.3 billion deficit, while he praised their economic contributions and said he is "happy" they have access to services.
The Republican governor, answering wide-ranging questions from The Bee's editorial board and its readers, also vented about roadblocks to his authority posed by political foes and warned that government can't sustain the current level of "unbelievable benefits" for public-sector workers.
In response to dozens of questions from readers who say the state ought to wipe out the deficit by eliminating services for illegal immigrants, the governor said it is a "myth" that those immigrants are to blame.
He said the cost of services to illegal immigrants, which has been estimated at $4 billion to $5 billion annually, is a "small percentage" of the deficit California faces.
"Yes, it is something that ought to be dealt with, but the fact of the matter is, I think it's an easy scapegoat for people to point the finger and say, 'Our budget is out of whack because of illegal immigrants.' "
"It's not," he added. "Our budget is out of whack because we have self-inflicted wounds that the Legislature and this state has never really sat down and had the will to go and make the necessary changes that have to be made."
The governor noted that the federal government requires California to provide emergency health care and education to illegal immigrants. Schwarzenegger in 2006 renounced his 1994 vote for Proposition 187, the initiative to block most services for illegal immigrants, which courts deemed unconstitutional.
"You know something, as far as I'm concerned, I'm happy that they can get the services," he said Friday. "Because I would like to have the services if I'm somewhere in another country … if I have an accident with a motorcycle and I go to an emergency room, I don't want someone to say, is he here legally?"
Schwarzenegger also highlighted the economic contributions of illegal immigrants.
"Everything we eat today is picked and created by undocumented immigrants, to a large extent," he said. "And every time we go to a restaurant and every time we go and move into a building, a lot of those buildings are built by undocumented immigrants' hands."
Schwarzenegger has two budget proposals that affect immigrants. He proposed asking the federal government to deport up to 8,000 illegal immigrants in state prisons to save $182 million. He also wants to save $120 million by eliminating benefits for newly legal low-income immigrants who do not yet qualify for federal assistance.
The governor has said he believes the United States should enforce tougher border controls, and he has advocated for immigration changes such as a guest worker program.
A Federation for American Immigration Reform study released in 2004 said illegal immigrants cost the state $9 billion annually, including $7.7 billion on education. But University of Southern California demographer Dowell Myers has disputed that number and said it is difficult to quantify the full economic impact of illegal immigrants.
Jim Gilchrist, president of the Minuteman Project, accused the governor of "pandering to political correctness." He acknowledged that costs of some goods and services could increase without illegal immigrants, but he said that would be outweighed by tax savings.
"The money for services comes from increased sales taxes, increased property taxes, increased DMV fees," he said.
Sen. Gil Cedillo, D-Los Angeles, praised the governor for saying immigrants are not to blame.
"Our economy is very, very dependent on the immigrant work force," he said. "They're a very disciplined, very stable, very productive work force. Our economy would collapse without them."
Facing a $24.3 billion deficit after signing a $92 billion spending plan in February, the Republican governor accepted some blame for what has transpired since he was elected on the promise of fiscal rescue.
But he said the world's economic meltdown and the state's unbalanced tax system are largely responsible. He also said he has been unable to overcome the state's governance problems despite trying to use his celebrity status and bully pulpit to convince voters.
"It's not like it's a one-man show where I can make all the decisions," Schwarzenegger said.
Asked whether California could survive with a part-time Legislature, Schwarzenegger said he's sure it could. "If Texas can be governed by a part-time Legislature, so can California." Though he said full-time status is not the problem, he noted it could force lawmakers to focus on serious work rather than "creating a blueberry commission and all those kind of things."
The governor said the state's tax structure, which depends on income and capital gains taxes, is too volatile. He invited a bipartisan commission reviewing the state's tax system to propose something as "radical" as a 15 percent flat tax.
Schwarzenegger said he wished the state's independently elected constitutional officers were instead Cabinet-level positions under the governor's authority.
He said those leaders should be more unified, like "a sports team, let's say the Lakers right now. You would not go and see everyone running off in their own direction and attacking their own people and all of those things. You couldn't win. The only way you can win is if everyone protects everyone, and they can pass off the ball without looking."
Schwarzenegger said he doesn't have a problem with state workers making $63,815 in average base pay, but he does not think the "unbelievable benefits," such as pensions and health care, are sustainable.
"I think that it doesn't bother me as much that a state worker makes $60,000," Schwarzenegger said. "What bothers me more is when you have those unbelievable benefits that cost the state an enormous amount of money on top of that. So at one point or the other, something has to give."
He already has required state workers to take twice monthly furloughs. Last month, he began laying off 5,000 general fund employees and asked the Legislature to cut state worker salaries by 5 percent. Altogether, the salary cut and furloughs would reduce state worker pay by 14.2 percent.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
North Carolina Latino leaders to hold summit
Latino Leadership Summit to address community issues
By Josh Humphries, The Daily Reflector, June 02, 2009
The Association of Mexicans of North Carolina wants to address the issues facing the Latino community.
AMEXCAN (Association of Mexicans of North Carolina) is hosting the second Latino Leadership Summit from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday at East Carolina University's Murphy Center.
The event will feature a series of breakout sessions on various issues, including immigration, health, business and community participation, said Juvencio Rocha Peralta, president of AMEXCAN.
The keynote speaker for the event is Juana Watson, the first female Latino senior adviser on Latino affairs for the state of Indiana.
“This will help us put a frame around what we are facing as issues in everyday life,” Peralta said.
“It will also help other institutes to address the needs and the issues of the communities that they serve.”
Peralta said that many organizations want to involve the Latino community but they do not know how.
This summit will be the first step in helping them integrate what they are doing with the Latino community in North Carolina, Peralta said.
Organizers are expecting about 250 people to attend the summit.
“We will talk about good models and better practices to provide for the needs of the Latino community in North Carolina,” Peralta said.
AMEXCAN is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001. The organization was formed to support people in North Carolina who are Latinos.
The summit is open to the public but attendees must register in advance.
For more information or to register contact Peralta at 328-9967 or jrrocha@embarqmail.com.
By Josh Humphries, The Daily Reflector, June 02, 2009
The Association of Mexicans of North Carolina wants to address the issues facing the Latino community.
AMEXCAN (Association of Mexicans of North Carolina) is hosting the second Latino Leadership Summit from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday at East Carolina University's Murphy Center.
The event will feature a series of breakout sessions on various issues, including immigration, health, business and community participation, said Juvencio Rocha Peralta, president of AMEXCAN.
The keynote speaker for the event is Juana Watson, the first female Latino senior adviser on Latino affairs for the state of Indiana.
“This will help us put a frame around what we are facing as issues in everyday life,” Peralta said.
“It will also help other institutes to address the needs and the issues of the communities that they serve.”
Peralta said that many organizations want to involve the Latino community but they do not know how.
This summit will be the first step in helping them integrate what they are doing with the Latino community in North Carolina, Peralta said.
Organizers are expecting about 250 people to attend the summit.
“We will talk about good models and better practices to provide for the needs of the Latino community in North Carolina,” Peralta said.
AMEXCAN is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001. The organization was formed to support people in North Carolina who are Latinos.
The summit is open to the public but attendees must register in advance.
For more information or to register contact Peralta at 328-9967 or jrrocha@embarqmail.com.
Latino Elected Officials group to hold conference
Latino Elected Officials to Meet As Community Shifts Focus From Ballot Box to Public Policy
PRESS RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, June 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Latino Americans assume roles at the highest levels of the Obama Administration, Congress and perhaps the U.S. Supreme Court, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) will assemble nearly eight hundred Latino officials to prepare to help craft the nation's public policy at all levels of government. The NALEO 26th Annual Conference will take place in Los Angeles, California from June 25-27, 2009.
The three-day event, which has long served as the nation's Latino political convention, will bring together officials from across the nation, at every level of elected office, with leading policy experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors to address a broad public policy agenda, including the 2010 Census, sustainability, education, health care and immigration reform.
Sessions at the Conference are designed to enhance the governance skills of participants and deepen their understanding of critical policy issues so they are able to translate their knowledge into strategies for building stronger and healthier communities. Conference participants will be joined by U.S. Representatives Joe Baca, Xavier Becerra, and Lucille Roybal-Allard; California Latino Caucus Chair and State Senator Gil Cedillo; California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass; Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; and His Excellency Arturo Sarukhan, Mexican Ambassador to the United States.
Last year's NALEO conference in Washington, D.C. featured appearances by then-Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other national, state and local leaders.
To view a full conference agenda and registration info, please visit: http://www.naleo.org/annualconference.html
PRESS RELEASE
LOS ANGELES, June 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As Latino Americans assume roles at the highest levels of the Obama Administration, Congress and perhaps the U.S. Supreme Court, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) will assemble nearly eight hundred Latino officials to prepare to help craft the nation's public policy at all levels of government. The NALEO 26th Annual Conference will take place in Los Angeles, California from June 25-27, 2009.
The three-day event, which has long served as the nation's Latino political convention, will bring together officials from across the nation, at every level of elected office, with leading policy experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors to address a broad public policy agenda, including the 2010 Census, sustainability, education, health care and immigration reform.
Sessions at the Conference are designed to enhance the governance skills of participants and deepen their understanding of critical policy issues so they are able to translate their knowledge into strategies for building stronger and healthier communities. Conference participants will be joined by U.S. Representatives Joe Baca, Xavier Becerra, and Lucille Roybal-Allard; California Latino Caucus Chair and State Senator Gil Cedillo; California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass; Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; and His Excellency Arturo Sarukhan, Mexican Ambassador to the United States.
Last year's NALEO conference in Washington, D.C. featured appearances by then-Senator Barack Obama, Senator John McCain, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many other national, state and local leaders.
To view a full conference agenda and registration info, please visit: http://www.naleo.org/annualconference.html
Census uses Spanish to reach Latinos
Census uses foreign language to get numbers, ease fears
By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY
What could be a more fitting character to weave into the plot of a steamy Spanish-language soap opera than a … Census worker?
Anything goes this year as companies such as the U.S. Spanish-language network Telemundo and groups across the nation work with the Census Bureau to cook up creative and quirky ways to get the word out about the 2010 Census.
"It's one of the most important game-changing events in our history," says Don Browne, president of Telemundo, about the count of every person in the USA every 10 years. "There are enormous demographic shifts in our country … driven primarily by the growth in the Latino population."
The network began airing Mas Sabe el Diablo (loosely translated as "The Devil Knows More") last week. It's a tale of a professional thief who falls in love with his lawyer, who happens to be engaged to the man he wants to destroy. In the fall, the character of a single mother who gets a job as a Census worker will be added.
"She will be interacting with people who are confused by the process," Browne says. "This character will help people understand why the system works … to try to really make it clear that this is something positive and constructive."
Efforts target primarily immigrants and poorer, inner-city residents but try to reach anyone distrustful of government:
• In South Florida, Census partners are considering repeating an approach they used in 2000: distributing fortune cookies with "Make Yourself Count" fortunes in Chinese. Census messages may be attached to Chinese menus, too.
"We focus on very specific target groups that are language-isolated," says Juanita Mainster, a Census partnership coordinator based in Miami.
• American Indian youths in a training program at Fox Entertainment Diversity Development Group in Los Angeles this summer will write, shoot and produce public service announcements about the Census. "We're trying to reach the younger population," says Sandra Alvarado, a Census media specialist based in Los Angeles.
• Local Census offices are setting up Facebook and Twitter accounts. The U.S. Census Bureau already is on Facebook.
• In the Chicago region, the Census Bureau has recruited 10 former National Football League stars to visit classrooms. They will give out autographed photos that carry a Census message on the back.
"We all know the kids will take the message home," says Ellisa Johnson, national partnership coordinator.
• In some of the poorest areas along the Mexican border in Webb County, Texas, local partners are developing Bingo cards with a 2010 Census logo and slogans in Spanish.
• Kids visiting the new "Kidtropolis, USA" exhibit at the Children's Museum of Houston become citizens of this fictitious city.
They vote, run businesses and government and, this year, will fill out mock Census questionnaires.
How statistics are applied
Getting everyone to participate in the Census — required by the Constitution — has benefits for both government and citizens. The Census Bureau saves up to $90 million for every percentage-point increase in the number of households that mail back forms before Census workers show up at the door to prompt them.
The better the count, the bigger the numbers and the greater the clout. Political representation in Congress, district boundaries and federal funding all are determined by the Census.
"Being counted has empowering aspects," says Browne, whose network in April launched the year-long "Hazte Contar!" (Be Counted!) campaign.
"There's a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of fear about cooperating with government agencies," he says.
By Haya El Nasser, USA TODAY
What could be a more fitting character to weave into the plot of a steamy Spanish-language soap opera than a … Census worker?
Anything goes this year as companies such as the U.S. Spanish-language network Telemundo and groups across the nation work with the Census Bureau to cook up creative and quirky ways to get the word out about the 2010 Census.
"It's one of the most important game-changing events in our history," says Don Browne, president of Telemundo, about the count of every person in the USA every 10 years. "There are enormous demographic shifts in our country … driven primarily by the growth in the Latino population."
The network began airing Mas Sabe el Diablo (loosely translated as "The Devil Knows More") last week. It's a tale of a professional thief who falls in love with his lawyer, who happens to be engaged to the man he wants to destroy. In the fall, the character of a single mother who gets a job as a Census worker will be added.
"She will be interacting with people who are confused by the process," Browne says. "This character will help people understand why the system works … to try to really make it clear that this is something positive and constructive."
Efforts target primarily immigrants and poorer, inner-city residents but try to reach anyone distrustful of government:
• In South Florida, Census partners are considering repeating an approach they used in 2000: distributing fortune cookies with "Make Yourself Count" fortunes in Chinese. Census messages may be attached to Chinese menus, too.
"We focus on very specific target groups that are language-isolated," says Juanita Mainster, a Census partnership coordinator based in Miami.
• American Indian youths in a training program at Fox Entertainment Diversity Development Group in Los Angeles this summer will write, shoot and produce public service announcements about the Census. "We're trying to reach the younger population," says Sandra Alvarado, a Census media specialist based in Los Angeles.
• Local Census offices are setting up Facebook and Twitter accounts. The U.S. Census Bureau already is on Facebook.
• In the Chicago region, the Census Bureau has recruited 10 former National Football League stars to visit classrooms. They will give out autographed photos that carry a Census message on the back.
"We all know the kids will take the message home," says Ellisa Johnson, national partnership coordinator.
• In some of the poorest areas along the Mexican border in Webb County, Texas, local partners are developing Bingo cards with a 2010 Census logo and slogans in Spanish.
• Kids visiting the new "Kidtropolis, USA" exhibit at the Children's Museum of Houston become citizens of this fictitious city.
They vote, run businesses and government and, this year, will fill out mock Census questionnaires.
How statistics are applied
Getting everyone to participate in the Census — required by the Constitution — has benefits for both government and citizens. The Census Bureau saves up to $90 million for every percentage-point increase in the number of households that mail back forms before Census workers show up at the door to prompt them.
The better the count, the bigger the numbers and the greater the clout. Political representation in Congress, district boundaries and federal funding all are determined by the Census.
"Being counted has empowering aspects," says Browne, whose network in April launched the year-long "Hazte Contar!" (Be Counted!) campaign.
"There's a lot of misunderstanding and a lot of fear about cooperating with government agencies," he says.
Latino immigrants need to assimilate
Too many immigrants
Latinos who fail to assimilate are undermining American values
By Lawrence Harrison, Baltimore Sun, June 1, 2009
Palo Alto, Calif. - President Barack Obama has encouraged Americans to start laying a new foundation for the country - on a number of fronts. He has stressed that we'll need to have the courage to make some hard choices. One of those hard choices is how to handle immigration. The U.S. must get serious about the tide of legal and illegal immigrants, above all from Latin America.
It's not just a short-run issue of immigrants competing with citizens for jobs as unemployment approaches 10 percent, or the number of uninsured straining the quality of healthcare. Heavy immigration from Latin America threatens our cohesiveness as a nation.
Do I sound like a right-wing "nativist"? I'm not. I'm a lifelong Democrat, an early and avid supporter of Mr. Obama. I'm gratified by his nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. I'm also the grandson of Eastern European Jewish immigrants and a member, along with several other Democrats, of the advisory boards of the Federation for American Immigration Reform and Pro English.
The principal beneficiaries of our current immigration policy are affluent Americans who hire immigrants at substandard wages for low-end work. Harvard economist George Borjas estimates that American workers lose $190 billion annually in depressed wages caused by the constant flooding of the labor market at the low-wage end.
The health-care cost of the illegal work force is especially burdensome and is subsidized by taxpayers. To claim Medicaid, you must be legal, but as the Health and Human Services inspector general found, 47 states allow self-declaration of status for Medicaid. Many hospitals and clinics are going broke because of the constant stream of uninsured, many of whom are among the estimated 12 million to 15 million illegal immigrants. This translates into reduced services, particularly for lower-income citizens.
The U.S. population totaled 281 million in 2000. About 35 million, or 12.5 percent, were Latino. The Census Bureau projects that our population will reach 439 million in 2050. The Hispanic population in 2050 is projected at 133 million - 30 percent of the total and almost quadruple the 2000 level.
Latinos have contributed some positive cultural attributes to U.S. society, such as multigenerational family bonds. But the same traditional values that lie behind Latin America's difficulties in achieving democratic stability, social justice and prosperity are being substantially perpetuated among Hispanic-Americans.
Prominent Latin Americans have concluded that traditional values are at the root of the region's development problems. Among those expressing that opinion: Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa; Nobelist author Octavio Paz, a Mexican; Teodoro Moscoso, a Puerto Rican politician and U.S. ambassador to Venezuela; and Ecuador's former president, Osvaldo Hurtado.
Latin America's cultural problem is apparent in the persistent Latino high school dropout rate - 40 percent in California, according to a recent study - and the high incidence of teenage pregnancy, single mothers and crime. The perpetuation of Latino culture is facilitated by the Spanish language's growing challenge to English as our national language. It makes it easier for Latinos to avoid the melting pot and for education to remain a low priority, as it is in Latin America - a problem highlighted in recent books by former New York City deputy mayor Herman Badillo, a Puerto Rican, and Mexican-Americans Lionel Sosa and Ernesto Caravantes.
Mr. Obama should confront the challenges by enforcing immigration laws on employment to help end illegal immigration. We should calibrate legal immigration annually to (1) the needs of the economy, and (2) past performance of immigrant groups with respect to acculturation.
We must declare our national language to be English and discourage the proliferation of Spanish-language media. We should limit citizenship by birth to the offspring of citizens. And we should provide immigrants with easy-to-access educational services that facilitate acculturation, including English language, citizenship and American values.
Lawrence Harrison directs the Cultural Change Institute at the Fletcher School, Tufts University. He is the author of "The Central Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change A Culture And Save It From Itself." This article originally appeared in The Christian Science Monitor.
Latinos who fail to assimilate are undermining American values
By Lawrence Harrison, Baltimore Sun, June 1, 2009
Palo Alto, Calif. - President Barack Obama has encouraged Americans to start laying a new foundation for the country - on a number of fronts. He has stressed that we'll need to have the courage to make some hard choices. One of those hard choices is how to handle immigration. The U.S. must get serious about the tide of legal and illegal immigrants, above all from Latin America.
It's not just a short-run issue of immigrants competing with citizens for jobs as unemployment approaches 10 percent, or the number of uninsured straining the quality of healthcare. Heavy immigration from Latin America threatens our cohesiveness as a nation.
Do I sound like a right-wing "nativist"? I'm not. I'm a lifelong Democrat, an early and avid supporter of Mr. Obama. I'm gratified by his nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court. I'm also the grandson of Eastern European Jewish immigrants and a member, along with several other Democrats, of the advisory boards of the Federation for American Immigration Reform and Pro English.
The principal beneficiaries of our current immigration policy are affluent Americans who hire immigrants at substandard wages for low-end work. Harvard economist George Borjas estimates that American workers lose $190 billion annually in depressed wages caused by the constant flooding of the labor market at the low-wage end.
The health-care cost of the illegal work force is especially burdensome and is subsidized by taxpayers. To claim Medicaid, you must be legal, but as the Health and Human Services inspector general found, 47 states allow self-declaration of status for Medicaid. Many hospitals and clinics are going broke because of the constant stream of uninsured, many of whom are among the estimated 12 million to 15 million illegal immigrants. This translates into reduced services, particularly for lower-income citizens.
The U.S. population totaled 281 million in 2000. About 35 million, or 12.5 percent, were Latino. The Census Bureau projects that our population will reach 439 million in 2050. The Hispanic population in 2050 is projected at 133 million - 30 percent of the total and almost quadruple the 2000 level.
Latinos have contributed some positive cultural attributes to U.S. society, such as multigenerational family bonds. But the same traditional values that lie behind Latin America's difficulties in achieving democratic stability, social justice and prosperity are being substantially perpetuated among Hispanic-Americans.
Prominent Latin Americans have concluded that traditional values are at the root of the region's development problems. Among those expressing that opinion: Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa; Nobelist author Octavio Paz, a Mexican; Teodoro Moscoso, a Puerto Rican politician and U.S. ambassador to Venezuela; and Ecuador's former president, Osvaldo Hurtado.
Latin America's cultural problem is apparent in the persistent Latino high school dropout rate - 40 percent in California, according to a recent study - and the high incidence of teenage pregnancy, single mothers and crime. The perpetuation of Latino culture is facilitated by the Spanish language's growing challenge to English as our national language. It makes it easier for Latinos to avoid the melting pot and for education to remain a low priority, as it is in Latin America - a problem highlighted in recent books by former New York City deputy mayor Herman Badillo, a Puerto Rican, and Mexican-Americans Lionel Sosa and Ernesto Caravantes.
Mr. Obama should confront the challenges by enforcing immigration laws on employment to help end illegal immigration. We should calibrate legal immigration annually to (1) the needs of the economy, and (2) past performance of immigrant groups with respect to acculturation.
We must declare our national language to be English and discourage the proliferation of Spanish-language media. We should limit citizenship by birth to the offspring of citizens. And we should provide immigrants with easy-to-access educational services that facilitate acculturation, including English language, citizenship and American values.
Lawrence Harrison directs the Cultural Change Institute at the Fletcher School, Tufts University. He is the author of "The Central Liberal Truth: How Politics Can Change A Culture And Save It From Itself." This article originally appeared in The Christian Science Monitor.
Latino officers recruited by Dover police
Dover police recruit Latino officers
Town leads the way in minority representation on force
By Abbott Koloff • Daily Record • June 1, 2009
Dover police Chief Butch Valentine says he sends Latino officers to local schools to talk about law enforcement as a career, hoping to spark an interest in young people who someday might apply to the department.
"I want to send a role model into the schools," Valentine said. "I want to show that cops are regular people and that being a police officer is an employment opportunity."
Those efforts have been going on for years, he said, and have resulted in Dover getting a significant number of Latino applicants to become police officers. Eight of his 35 officers are Latino in a town with a 57 percent Latino population.
Reflect community
Half the civil service applicants for the most recent opening are Latino. Valentine said it's important for police departments to reflect their communities.
"If not, it builds distrust," Valentine said. "I don't know how other departments operate without having people who reflect the community. ... People will disclose more when you talk to them in their native tongue. They don't have that fear. I have no doubt it has contributed to specific arrests."
Dover tops Morris County towns with 26 percent minority representation among protective services workers.
That category includes police officers, but not those considered administrative, along with other town officials such as code enforcement officers. Wharton is next at 18 percent, followed by Rockaway Township's 14 percent and Morristown's 11 percent.
Minorities make up 4.9 percent of municipal protective services workers across Morris County and 14.8 percent in county agencies.
Morristown police Chief Peter Demnitz said he doesn't have money in his budget to recruit minorities in schools, that he would prefer officers to spend their time walking beats.
'A benefit'
His 56-person department has four African-American officers and just one Latino in a town that's 27 percent Latino. Demnitz said he "absolutely" would like more Latino officers.
"It's frustrating when you can't get info you need," Demnitz said. "There's a benefit to having familiarity with the community. It's the same with the African-American community. But if you get a good police officer with good communication skills, their ethnicity is not as important. I think it's important to reflect the population, but it's not the only criteria. You don't hire someone just to reflect your population."
Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello said civil service requirements are partly to blame. Civil service towns are limited to hiring one of three top-scoring candidates on the civil service test.
"If we didn't have civil service, I can assure you we'd have more black officers," Cresitello said.
There are ways to get around some civil service requirements, said Richard Rivera, a spokesman with New Jersey chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association.
Civil service towns are allowed to ask for bilingual applicants, he said. They also have the option of hiring officers from other agencies, a procedure called a lateral transfer, as long as those agencies agree.
Lateral transfers
Lateral transfers bypass typical civil service requirements, Valentine said, and allow towns with residency requirements to hire from elsewhere.
Dover, Morristown and many other civil service towns require applicants to live in town.
However, state law allows police officers to move out after working there for a year.
Dover hired four Latino officers from Paterson over the past three years to replace Latino officers who left the department. Valentine said he wants to maintain a steady number of officers who speak Spanish.
"If we fall below a level we feel is needed to reflect the community, I would have a need to recruit a bilingual officer," Valentine said.
Abbott Koloff can be reached at (973) 428-6636 or akoloff@gannett.com
Town leads the way in minority representation on force
By Abbott Koloff • Daily Record • June 1, 2009
Dover police Chief Butch Valentine says he sends Latino officers to local schools to talk about law enforcement as a career, hoping to spark an interest in young people who someday might apply to the department.
"I want to send a role model into the schools," Valentine said. "I want to show that cops are regular people and that being a police officer is an employment opportunity."
Those efforts have been going on for years, he said, and have resulted in Dover getting a significant number of Latino applicants to become police officers. Eight of his 35 officers are Latino in a town with a 57 percent Latino population.
Reflect community
Half the civil service applicants for the most recent opening are Latino. Valentine said it's important for police departments to reflect their communities.
"If not, it builds distrust," Valentine said. "I don't know how other departments operate without having people who reflect the community. ... People will disclose more when you talk to them in their native tongue. They don't have that fear. I have no doubt it has contributed to specific arrests."
Dover tops Morris County towns with 26 percent minority representation among protective services workers.
That category includes police officers, but not those considered administrative, along with other town officials such as code enforcement officers. Wharton is next at 18 percent, followed by Rockaway Township's 14 percent and Morristown's 11 percent.
Minorities make up 4.9 percent of municipal protective services workers across Morris County and 14.8 percent in county agencies.
Morristown police Chief Peter Demnitz said he doesn't have money in his budget to recruit minorities in schools, that he would prefer officers to spend their time walking beats.
'A benefit'
His 56-person department has four African-American officers and just one Latino in a town that's 27 percent Latino. Demnitz said he "absolutely" would like more Latino officers.
"It's frustrating when you can't get info you need," Demnitz said. "There's a benefit to having familiarity with the community. It's the same with the African-American community. But if you get a good police officer with good communication skills, their ethnicity is not as important. I think it's important to reflect the population, but it's not the only criteria. You don't hire someone just to reflect your population."
Morristown Mayor Donald Cresitello said civil service requirements are partly to blame. Civil service towns are limited to hiring one of three top-scoring candidates on the civil service test.
"If we didn't have civil service, I can assure you we'd have more black officers," Cresitello said.
There are ways to get around some civil service requirements, said Richard Rivera, a spokesman with New Jersey chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association.
Civil service towns are allowed to ask for bilingual applicants, he said. They also have the option of hiring officers from other agencies, a procedure called a lateral transfer, as long as those agencies agree.
Lateral transfers
Lateral transfers bypass typical civil service requirements, Valentine said, and allow towns with residency requirements to hire from elsewhere.
Dover, Morristown and many other civil service towns require applicants to live in town.
However, state law allows police officers to move out after working there for a year.
Dover hired four Latino officers from Paterson over the past three years to replace Latino officers who left the department. Valentine said he wants to maintain a steady number of officers who speak Spanish.
"If we fall below a level we feel is needed to reflect the community, I would have a need to recruit a bilingual officer," Valentine said.
Abbott Koloff can be reached at (973) 428-6636 or akoloff@gannett.com
Latino candidate slate could change county's politics
Latinos, Asians explore Morris' political landscape
By Abbott Koloff • Daily Record • June 1, 2009
When Ed Correa runs for Dover alderman next year, his candidacy could mark a change in the way Latinos approach politics in the town and elsewhere.
He won't be the first Latino to run for Dover office; the town had a Latino mayor a few years ago. But Correa is not simply running on his own. He's expected to be part of a slate of Latino candidates across the state, perhaps one of several running in Morris County.
"We are developing a grassroots base in the county and then we'll start running -- and not just in Dover and Morristown," said Correa, 32, director of development for the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey.
A Daily Record survey found minorities are underrepresented in government across Morris County compared to their population numbers -- especially Latinos and Asians, the county's largest and fastest-growing minorities. There are no Latino elected officials in the county's two largest Latino communities, Dover and Morristown. And while Asian-Americans make up at least 26 percent of Parsippany's population, they have no elected officials there.
Members of the Latino and Asian communities say their lack of participation stems at least partly from a large number of first-generation immigrants too busy working and learning about American culture to run for office. Their children and grandchildren probably won't feel the same way, they say.
Milin Shah, 22, a recent Drew University graduate, said he plans to make a second run for a Parsippany council seat two years from now. He finished fourth for three seats two years ago, when he was a college sophomore.
He said an Indian-American on the council would help members of his community relate to their government. Some believed public opposition to permits for religious functions in the past few years stemmed from bigotry, he said, even if that wasn't the case.
"If a minority is on the council, they would be more inclined to understand what's going on," Shah said. "I would talk to people about the process."
Correa is part of a larger movement being coordinated by the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey.
He plans to run in the Democratic primary for alderman in the 3rd Ward of Dover, a town that was 57 percent Latino in 2000. Correa says half of all registered voters have Latino surnames. Among them, Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3 to 1, based on a line-by-line examination of voter registrations, he said. Correa does not claim Latinos have been kept out of the political process. He said local politicians haven't done enough to include them.
"They haven't developed a strategy to attract Latinos," he said, adding that applies to both Democrats and Republicans.
John Sette, chairman of the Morris County Republican committee, said his party doesn't single out any particular group, but welcomes more participation by all groups.
"We reach out to everyone," Sette said. "I don't care what ethnicity a person is as long as they do a good job. ... The more people who get involved, the better."
Lew Candura, chairman of the Morris County Democratic Committee, said he plans to hold meetings in Dover, and later in Morristown, with members of the Latino community to attempt to increase their political participation. He wants to create a Democratic club in Dover to be a feeder for the town's 24-member party committee, which has just one Latino member.
"We're trying to make sure more is done," he said.
Correa said other candidates are preparing to run in Morristown, which is at least 27 percent Latino, and Wharton, where Latinos made up 23 percent of the population in 2000. But they are not ready to announce candidacies, he said.
Raline Smith-Reid, one of two African-American town council members from Morristown, said she expects to be challenged in coming years in the 2nd Ward. Morristown's Latino population doubled between 1990 and 2000 while the black population decreased by 25 percent. African-Americans comprised 16.5 percent of the population, according to the 2000 Census.
"You'll start seeing second-generation Latinos getting involved," Smith-Reid said. "They are citizens and were born here. Things are going to change."
Correa said he plans to run as a Democrat in Dover -- but that his group also includes Republicans and independents. He said it has plans to run candidates in other Morris towns someday, mentioning Parsippany, Rockaway Township and Rockaway Borough as possibilities.
In Dover, he said wants to start an "assimilation program" for new residents. Some homeowners, even those who speak English, don't understand town ordinances and end up paying fines for violations, he said. Correa wants those fines used to fund a program to educate people about their rights and responsibilities.
The Latino Leadership Alliance also plans to create a Latino Leadership Academy in New Brunswick. It's looking for private funding for the academy, which would offer classes on running political campaigns, public speaking, and on issues important to the Latino community.
"We don't want people just to run for office," said Martin Perez, president of the Alliance. "We want to make sure they have the ability to develop as leaders of the community."
He said candidates supported by the Alliance are preparing to run for elected office in Morris, Monmouth, Middlesex, Camden, Passaic, Bergen and Essex counties -- although he would not say how many.
In Parsippany, members of the Indian-American community said they also expect to get more involved in local politics, although they are not as organized as Correa's group.
The township's land-use boards have two Indian-American members, and the board of education had an Indian-American president years ago. Jim Ghandi, an Indian-American, ran unsuccessfully for the school board this year but said he expects other members of his community to follow.
"There's talk among people at the (Hindu) temples to see if we can get more involved," said Ghandi, 38. "Indian people are interested in education and that's one place they can play a more active role."
Shah said his parents, who came from India 25 years ago, at first didn't understand why he wanted to get involved in politics. They thought it was dirty, he said, because that was their impression of politics in India.
"But they understood it was a passion of mine," Shah said.
He said his interest in government began at Parsippany Hills High School, where was president the Class of 2005. He said his candidacy two years ago generated excitement in the Indian community.
"People thanked me for doing this," he said. "They were happy that someone was stepping up to be a voice for them."
Those were mostly first-generation Indian-Americans, he said, adding that their children are more likely to get involved in politics. That's where he said he found help for his campaign, young people who put up signs, made phone calls, and knocked on doors to get their first experience in local politics.
Abbott Koloff can be reached at (973) 428-6636 or akoloff@gannett.com
By Abbott Koloff • Daily Record • June 1, 2009
When Ed Correa runs for Dover alderman next year, his candidacy could mark a change in the way Latinos approach politics in the town and elsewhere.
He won't be the first Latino to run for Dover office; the town had a Latino mayor a few years ago. But Correa is not simply running on his own. He's expected to be part of a slate of Latino candidates across the state, perhaps one of several running in Morris County.
"We are developing a grassroots base in the county and then we'll start running -- and not just in Dover and Morristown," said Correa, 32, director of development for the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey.
A Daily Record survey found minorities are underrepresented in government across Morris County compared to their population numbers -- especially Latinos and Asians, the county's largest and fastest-growing minorities. There are no Latino elected officials in the county's two largest Latino communities, Dover and Morristown. And while Asian-Americans make up at least 26 percent of Parsippany's population, they have no elected officials there.
Members of the Latino and Asian communities say their lack of participation stems at least partly from a large number of first-generation immigrants too busy working and learning about American culture to run for office. Their children and grandchildren probably won't feel the same way, they say.
Milin Shah, 22, a recent Drew University graduate, said he plans to make a second run for a Parsippany council seat two years from now. He finished fourth for three seats two years ago, when he was a college sophomore.
He said an Indian-American on the council would help members of his community relate to their government. Some believed public opposition to permits for religious functions in the past few years stemmed from bigotry, he said, even if that wasn't the case.
"If a minority is on the council, they would be more inclined to understand what's going on," Shah said. "I would talk to people about the process."
Correa is part of a larger movement being coordinated by the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey.
He plans to run in the Democratic primary for alderman in the 3rd Ward of Dover, a town that was 57 percent Latino in 2000. Correa says half of all registered voters have Latino surnames. Among them, Democrats outnumber Republicans by 3 to 1, based on a line-by-line examination of voter registrations, he said. Correa does not claim Latinos have been kept out of the political process. He said local politicians haven't done enough to include them.
"They haven't developed a strategy to attract Latinos," he said, adding that applies to both Democrats and Republicans.
John Sette, chairman of the Morris County Republican committee, said his party doesn't single out any particular group, but welcomes more participation by all groups.
"We reach out to everyone," Sette said. "I don't care what ethnicity a person is as long as they do a good job. ... The more people who get involved, the better."
Lew Candura, chairman of the Morris County Democratic Committee, said he plans to hold meetings in Dover, and later in Morristown, with members of the Latino community to attempt to increase their political participation. He wants to create a Democratic club in Dover to be a feeder for the town's 24-member party committee, which has just one Latino member.
"We're trying to make sure more is done," he said.
Correa said other candidates are preparing to run in Morristown, which is at least 27 percent Latino, and Wharton, where Latinos made up 23 percent of the population in 2000. But they are not ready to announce candidacies, he said.
Raline Smith-Reid, one of two African-American town council members from Morristown, said she expects to be challenged in coming years in the 2nd Ward. Morristown's Latino population doubled between 1990 and 2000 while the black population decreased by 25 percent. African-Americans comprised 16.5 percent of the population, according to the 2000 Census.
"You'll start seeing second-generation Latinos getting involved," Smith-Reid said. "They are citizens and were born here. Things are going to change."
Correa said he plans to run as a Democrat in Dover -- but that his group also includes Republicans and independents. He said it has plans to run candidates in other Morris towns someday, mentioning Parsippany, Rockaway Township and Rockaway Borough as possibilities.
In Dover, he said wants to start an "assimilation program" for new residents. Some homeowners, even those who speak English, don't understand town ordinances and end up paying fines for violations, he said. Correa wants those fines used to fund a program to educate people about their rights and responsibilities.
The Latino Leadership Alliance also plans to create a Latino Leadership Academy in New Brunswick. It's looking for private funding for the academy, which would offer classes on running political campaigns, public speaking, and on issues important to the Latino community.
"We don't want people just to run for office," said Martin Perez, president of the Alliance. "We want to make sure they have the ability to develop as leaders of the community."
He said candidates supported by the Alliance are preparing to run for elected office in Morris, Monmouth, Middlesex, Camden, Passaic, Bergen and Essex counties -- although he would not say how many.
In Parsippany, members of the Indian-American community said they also expect to get more involved in local politics, although they are not as organized as Correa's group.
The township's land-use boards have two Indian-American members, and the board of education had an Indian-American president years ago. Jim Ghandi, an Indian-American, ran unsuccessfully for the school board this year but said he expects other members of his community to follow.
"There's talk among people at the (Hindu) temples to see if we can get more involved," said Ghandi, 38. "Indian people are interested in education and that's one place they can play a more active role."
Shah said his parents, who came from India 25 years ago, at first didn't understand why he wanted to get involved in politics. They thought it was dirty, he said, because that was their impression of politics in India.
"But they understood it was a passion of mine," Shah said.
He said his interest in government began at Parsippany Hills High School, where was president the Class of 2005. He said his candidacy two years ago generated excitement in the Indian community.
"People thanked me for doing this," he said. "They were happy that someone was stepping up to be a voice for them."
Those were mostly first-generation Indian-Americans, he said, adding that their children are more likely to get involved in politics. That's where he said he found help for his campaign, young people who put up signs, made phone calls, and knocked on doors to get their first experience in local politics.
Abbott Koloff can be reached at (973) 428-6636 or akoloff@gannett.com
Latino student math scores up in middle school
NY middle school math scores on the rise
By MICHAEL GORMLEY | News Day, June 1, 2009
ALBANY, N.Y. - New York middle school students are scoring better on state math tests, yet education officials are more concerned than pleased.
The percentage of students who meet the state standard rose five points in one year, to 86 percent from 81 percent, according to results released by the Board of Regents on Monday.
Despite the spike in middle school math scores, the Board of Regents cited a continued disparity between state and national performance and said it wanted to test the tests.
"Just because scores have gone up dramatically does not mean that our youngsters are ready to go to college," said state schools Chancellor Merryl Tisch, in a tough-talking news conference two months after taking the job.
In 2007, tests showed only half as many fourth graders nationally were proficient in math as were considered proficient in state tests, Tisch said.
In New York's largest cities, Tisch said of students who scored a low "3" on the scale in which "4" is the highest mark, only about half will graduate from high school. And those who do graduate will need remedial help in math in college.
"This is not a victory," Tisch cautioned. "Even where we appear to be making real gains, I again want to caution there are troubling gaps between student performance on our state and national tests.
"Make no mistake, we are testing and expecting a minimum standard. It is the board's intention to raise standards in defining proficiency over the next several years so that our children will be properly prepared to excel in this global economy."
Data released Monday on test results for students in third through eighth grade this year also showed:
_86 percent of students statewide met the state's standard, compared to just under 81 percent last year. That's up from 66 percent in 2006.
_The students posted small, but steady gains during those years, outperforming their older siblings in most cases.
_75 percent of black students met the standard, compared to 66 percent a year ago.
_78 percent of Hispanic students met the standard, compared to 71 percent a year ago.
_82 percent of New York City students met the standards, compared to 74 percent last year and 57 percent in 2006.
_63 percent of Buffalo students met the standard, compared to 28 percent in 2006.
By MICHAEL GORMLEY | News Day, June 1, 2009
ALBANY, N.Y. - New York middle school students are scoring better on state math tests, yet education officials are more concerned than pleased.
The percentage of students who meet the state standard rose five points in one year, to 86 percent from 81 percent, according to results released by the Board of Regents on Monday.
Despite the spike in middle school math scores, the Board of Regents cited a continued disparity between state and national performance and said it wanted to test the tests.
"Just because scores have gone up dramatically does not mean that our youngsters are ready to go to college," said state schools Chancellor Merryl Tisch, in a tough-talking news conference two months after taking the job.
In 2007, tests showed only half as many fourth graders nationally were proficient in math as were considered proficient in state tests, Tisch said.
In New York's largest cities, Tisch said of students who scored a low "3" on the scale in which "4" is the highest mark, only about half will graduate from high school. And those who do graduate will need remedial help in math in college.
"This is not a victory," Tisch cautioned. "Even where we appear to be making real gains, I again want to caution there are troubling gaps between student performance on our state and national tests.
"Make no mistake, we are testing and expecting a minimum standard. It is the board's intention to raise standards in defining proficiency over the next several years so that our children will be properly prepared to excel in this global economy."
Data released Monday on test results for students in third through eighth grade this year also showed:
_86 percent of students statewide met the state's standard, compared to just under 81 percent last year. That's up from 66 percent in 2006.
_The students posted small, but steady gains during those years, outperforming their older siblings in most cases.
_75 percent of black students met the standard, compared to 66 percent a year ago.
_78 percent of Hispanic students met the standard, compared to 71 percent a year ago.
_82 percent of New York City students met the standards, compared to 74 percent last year and 57 percent in 2006.
_63 percent of Buffalo students met the standard, compared to 28 percent in 2006.
Austin Hispanic quality of life recommendations made
Firm delivers Hispanic quality-of-life recommendations
By Juan Castillo | Statesman, June 1, 2009
A consulting firm is making about 25 recommendations to improve the quality of life of Hispanic residents in Austin.
The recommendations were gleaned from comments generated at the recent Hispanic Quality of Life public forums. They are contained in a 135-page draft report the firm delivered over the weekend to Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza.
About 1,000 people attended the four forums on education, health, economic development and cultural arts, said Paul Saldaña of Adelánte Communications, the firm hired by the city to coordinate the events. In addition, about 700 people completed a city quality of life survey.
Saldaña said the report summarizes “everything we heard at the forums and read in the surveys … They’re merely recommendations and the city has not accepted them.”
Saldaña declined to elaborate on the report’s findings because he said city officials had not yet read it.
The forums generated lively discussions on the subjects they addressed but also branched out into other areas. For example, participants at several forums said the city needs a district system of electing City Council members, in order to better represent Austin’s growing diversity.
Austin’s six council members are now elected citywide. The city is the largest in Texas which elects its representatives this way. Six times, Austin voters have rejected switching to some form of single-member districts.
After meeting with City Manager Marc Ott, Garza and other city staffers, Adelánte is scheduled to present a report to the City Council on June 18.
The city is conducting a quality-of-life study of Hispanic residents, a booming population responsible for an overwhelming share of Austin’s growth this decade. An underlying challenge, officials say, is what to do about urgent educational, economic and social challenges that confront an expanding Hispanic underclass. If not addressed those concerns threaten to cause problems for all Austinites in the future, officials have said.
By Juan Castillo | Statesman, June 1, 2009
A consulting firm is making about 25 recommendations to improve the quality of life of Hispanic residents in Austin.
The recommendations were gleaned from comments generated at the recent Hispanic Quality of Life public forums. They are contained in a 135-page draft report the firm delivered over the weekend to Assistant City Manager Rudy Garza.
About 1,000 people attended the four forums on education, health, economic development and cultural arts, said Paul Saldaña of Adelánte Communications, the firm hired by the city to coordinate the events. In addition, about 700 people completed a city quality of life survey.
Saldaña said the report summarizes “everything we heard at the forums and read in the surveys … They’re merely recommendations and the city has not accepted them.”
Saldaña declined to elaborate on the report’s findings because he said city officials had not yet read it.
The forums generated lively discussions on the subjects they addressed but also branched out into other areas. For example, participants at several forums said the city needs a district system of electing City Council members, in order to better represent Austin’s growing diversity.
Austin’s six council members are now elected citywide. The city is the largest in Texas which elects its representatives this way. Six times, Austin voters have rejected switching to some form of single-member districts.
After meeting with City Manager Marc Ott, Garza and other city staffers, Adelánte is scheduled to present a report to the City Council on June 18.
The city is conducting a quality-of-life study of Hispanic residents, a booming population responsible for an overwhelming share of Austin’s growth this decade. An underlying challenge, officials say, is what to do about urgent educational, economic and social challenges that confront an expanding Hispanic underclass. If not addressed those concerns threaten to cause problems for all Austinites in the future, officials have said.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Central Oregon sees Hispanic population growth
Hispanic population rising in Central Oregon, OR
By NICOLE SANTA CRUZ, Associated Press, May 31, 2009
BEND, Ore. (AP) — When Luz Reyes moved to Central Oregon last year from Salem, she was surprised at the lack of diversity in the area.
"Wow, I'm the only bean in a field of rice," she said.
Though she found everyone welcoming at Central Oregon Community College where she studies nursing, she still felt a little left out.
"You're pretty much on your own in terms of diversity," she said.
Reyes, 20, is part of a growing population of Hispanics in Deschutes County who are changing the fabric of the area. From libraries to police, agencies are adapting to more diversity in the area and an influx of Spanish speakers.
According to U.S. census data released this month, the number of Hispanics in Deschutes County has more than doubled since 2000, jumping from 4,396 to 10,338.
The number of Hispanics is growing faster than the general population of Deschutes County, which grew by 41,843, or 36 percent, from 2000 to 2008.
The Deschutes Public Library system has seen an increase in the Latino community visiting its branches mainly in Redmond and Bend, said Todd Dunkelberg, the library system director. As a result, the library has a selection of Spanish-language books, videos, magazines and newspapers for users.
But there are some challenges to adapting to a growing Spanish-speaking population.
"It's not about letting them know we have resources, but letting them know there are free resources available to them in their own language," Dunkelberg said.
Along with information, people want to feel welcome at the library, Dunkelberg said.
"The biggest challenge is being able to have enough bilingual people on staff to be able to greet them and make them feel welcome when they come in," Dunkelberg said.
In 2007, the library received a Library Services and Technology Grant. Some of the money was used to add a half-time position largely focused on expanding outreach to the Latino population, and as a result, the system has gotten computer classes in Spanish going for residents.
The library also offers story times in Spanish and also conducts an annual "Dia de los ninos," a book day that advocates literacy for all backgrounds.
Deschutes County agencies are also reaching out to the Spanish-speaking population by printing a Spanish brochure with important listings such as police, fire, schools and health care, said Andie Lindgren, marketing manager with the Bend Park & Recreation District.
"We have kind of gotten to the point where we have seen that we need to do more," she said.
Lindgren said she hopes to get more bilingual people at the park district to communicate with Spanish-speakers.
Other agencies such as the police department and the justice system have either added more Spanish-speaking personnel or added incentives for Spanish classes.
Capt. Jim Porter with the Bend Police Department said the department started offering pay incentives in 2003 for officers to take classes to get them comfortable with conversational Spanish. Porter, who supervises the patrol division, said officers take classes or training on their own time and are offered a pay incentive when they pass a test.
Porter said he hasn't noticed a jump in the Hispanic population that's significant enough to impact the Police Department's operations, but he said the department is aware of the need to meet the growth.
"We're trying to get ahead of the trend," he said. "We're getting prepared for even more people from Spanish-speaking countries moving here."
The Police Department's staff members aren't the only ones trying to buff up their Spanish skills.
Anna Johnson, the communications director for Deschutes County, said the county offers free Spanish classes for its employees, and they are very popular. The classes started about a year ago.
"They usually have waiting lists," Johnson, who has taken the beginning Spanish class, said. "It's like survival Spanish for the workplace."
Carol Garibay, the court coordinator for Deschutes County, said that in 2004, as arraignments grew, the justice court started conducting two arraignment sessions per month where a Spanish interpreter is present.
If someone who speaks Spanish violates the law, they are assigned to the Redmond court offices.
"It's great," she said.
Garibay said that now people can enter into diversion plans to keep charges off their record, or enter into payment agreements.
"Before they didn't really understand what was going on, so they might pay the ticket or might not pay the ticket and leave the area," she said.
The Redmond offices also have a bilingual part-time judge who can help the Spanish-speaking population.
Garibay said the next step is to get the telephone greetings and forms in both languages.
Although Joaquin Rodriguez, 21, isn't a newcomer to Central Oregon he moved here when he was a toddler he does think that the region is becoming more friendly to Spanish-speaking cultures.
Rodriguez, who is president of Latino club at COCC, said he remembers a time when he would go to the hospitals with his mother and be the only one capable of translating for her.
When he was about 7 years old, he remembered a family friend fell down and he had to talk to the dispatcher on the 911 call, but didn't speak English well.
"Now in hospitals they've hired translators, but they are just on call," he said.
While growing up, Rodriguez and his mother would rarely see Latinos out shopping at grocery stores. It's different now.
"I've noticed there's a lot more Hispanics," Rodriguez said. He added with a laugh that there's even a "Hispanic food section" at grocery stores now.
Monica Tapia, a 21-year-old who is studying criminal justice and is active in the Latino club, said she participates in other Latino mentoring programs such as Oregon Leadership Institute because she wants to make a difference in her community, along with her club members.
"We want to send out a positive message that Latinos are contributing in a positive way," she said. "The positive's not out there."
Reyes, who has found friends and a sense of belonging in the Latino club, said it's open to everyone regardless of race, and it's a great way to network for students. The club, which wasn't active until Rodriguez and Reyes took it over, has about 10 members.
"I want the Latino club to be something that any Hispanic can know about," Reyes said.
She said she hopes to inspire other Latinos to go to college some day and make it easier for them to overcome language or cultural barriers.
"Little by little we're making a big difference in the community," she said.
By NICOLE SANTA CRUZ, Associated Press, May 31, 2009
BEND, Ore. (AP) — When Luz Reyes moved to Central Oregon last year from Salem, she was surprised at the lack of diversity in the area.
"Wow, I'm the only bean in a field of rice," she said.
Though she found everyone welcoming at Central Oregon Community College where she studies nursing, she still felt a little left out.
"You're pretty much on your own in terms of diversity," she said.
Reyes, 20, is part of a growing population of Hispanics in Deschutes County who are changing the fabric of the area. From libraries to police, agencies are adapting to more diversity in the area and an influx of Spanish speakers.
According to U.S. census data released this month, the number of Hispanics in Deschutes County has more than doubled since 2000, jumping from 4,396 to 10,338.
The number of Hispanics is growing faster than the general population of Deschutes County, which grew by 41,843, or 36 percent, from 2000 to 2008.
The Deschutes Public Library system has seen an increase in the Latino community visiting its branches mainly in Redmond and Bend, said Todd Dunkelberg, the library system director. As a result, the library has a selection of Spanish-language books, videos, magazines and newspapers for users.
But there are some challenges to adapting to a growing Spanish-speaking population.
"It's not about letting them know we have resources, but letting them know there are free resources available to them in their own language," Dunkelberg said.
Along with information, people want to feel welcome at the library, Dunkelberg said.
"The biggest challenge is being able to have enough bilingual people on staff to be able to greet them and make them feel welcome when they come in," Dunkelberg said.
In 2007, the library received a Library Services and Technology Grant. Some of the money was used to add a half-time position largely focused on expanding outreach to the Latino population, and as a result, the system has gotten computer classes in Spanish going for residents.
The library also offers story times in Spanish and also conducts an annual "Dia de los ninos," a book day that advocates literacy for all backgrounds.
Deschutes County agencies are also reaching out to the Spanish-speaking population by printing a Spanish brochure with important listings such as police, fire, schools and health care, said Andie Lindgren, marketing manager with the Bend Park & Recreation District.
"We have kind of gotten to the point where we have seen that we need to do more," she said.
Lindgren said she hopes to get more bilingual people at the park district to communicate with Spanish-speakers.
Other agencies such as the police department and the justice system have either added more Spanish-speaking personnel or added incentives for Spanish classes.
Capt. Jim Porter with the Bend Police Department said the department started offering pay incentives in 2003 for officers to take classes to get them comfortable with conversational Spanish. Porter, who supervises the patrol division, said officers take classes or training on their own time and are offered a pay incentive when they pass a test.
Porter said he hasn't noticed a jump in the Hispanic population that's significant enough to impact the Police Department's operations, but he said the department is aware of the need to meet the growth.
"We're trying to get ahead of the trend," he said. "We're getting prepared for even more people from Spanish-speaking countries moving here."
The Police Department's staff members aren't the only ones trying to buff up their Spanish skills.
Anna Johnson, the communications director for Deschutes County, said the county offers free Spanish classes for its employees, and they are very popular. The classes started about a year ago.
"They usually have waiting lists," Johnson, who has taken the beginning Spanish class, said. "It's like survival Spanish for the workplace."
Carol Garibay, the court coordinator for Deschutes County, said that in 2004, as arraignments grew, the justice court started conducting two arraignment sessions per month where a Spanish interpreter is present.
If someone who speaks Spanish violates the law, they are assigned to the Redmond court offices.
"It's great," she said.
Garibay said that now people can enter into diversion plans to keep charges off their record, or enter into payment agreements.
"Before they didn't really understand what was going on, so they might pay the ticket or might not pay the ticket and leave the area," she said.
The Redmond offices also have a bilingual part-time judge who can help the Spanish-speaking population.
Garibay said the next step is to get the telephone greetings and forms in both languages.
Although Joaquin Rodriguez, 21, isn't a newcomer to Central Oregon he moved here when he was a toddler he does think that the region is becoming more friendly to Spanish-speaking cultures.
Rodriguez, who is president of Latino club at COCC, said he remembers a time when he would go to the hospitals with his mother and be the only one capable of translating for her.
When he was about 7 years old, he remembered a family friend fell down and he had to talk to the dispatcher on the 911 call, but didn't speak English well.
"Now in hospitals they've hired translators, but they are just on call," he said.
While growing up, Rodriguez and his mother would rarely see Latinos out shopping at grocery stores. It's different now.
"I've noticed there's a lot more Hispanics," Rodriguez said. He added with a laugh that there's even a "Hispanic food section" at grocery stores now.
Monica Tapia, a 21-year-old who is studying criminal justice and is active in the Latino club, said she participates in other Latino mentoring programs such as Oregon Leadership Institute because she wants to make a difference in her community, along with her club members.
"We want to send out a positive message that Latinos are contributing in a positive way," she said. "The positive's not out there."
Reyes, who has found friends and a sense of belonging in the Latino club, said it's open to everyone regardless of race, and it's a great way to network for students. The club, which wasn't active until Rodriguez and Reyes took it over, has about 10 members.
"I want the Latino club to be something that any Hispanic can know about," Reyes said.
She said she hopes to inspire other Latinos to go to college some day and make it easier for them to overcome language or cultural barriers.
"Little by little we're making a big difference in the community," she said.
"Be Respectful" of Latina nominee says GOP leader
Hutchison cautions GOP: Take "a respectful tone" on Sotomayor
Wayne Slater, Dallas Morning News, May 31, 2009
Kay Bailey Hutchison cautioned Sunday that Republicans "need to have a respectful tone" in tackling the nomination of Sonya Sotomayor. The senator was on CNN, where she was specifically asked about her upcoming race for governor in Texas, a state with a large and growing Hispanic population.
"We need to look at the record. And we need to have the responsibilities that have put on us buy the Constitution taken very seriously. And I think having a solid respectful tone, arguing the facts, not trying to label someone, is important. And going forward, I think that's what you will see from the senators who are involve in this process."
Sotomayor has come under harsh criticism by some Republicans for comments suggesting her life experience as Latina woman would allow her to make better decisions than a white man. King noted than on her own website, Hutchison says her experience as a working mother gives her "a unique insight" to make better public policy. The Republican rejected the comparison.
"It is very important in the Senate or the congress or for governors, anyone elcted and who is accountable to the people, should be a part of America and the American experience. Now that's also important for Supreme Court justices, but their role is very different."
Wayne Slater, Dallas Morning News, May 31, 2009
Kay Bailey Hutchison cautioned Sunday that Republicans "need to have a respectful tone" in tackling the nomination of Sonya Sotomayor. The senator was on CNN, where she was specifically asked about her upcoming race for governor in Texas, a state with a large and growing Hispanic population.
"We need to look at the record. And we need to have the responsibilities that have put on us buy the Constitution taken very seriously. And I think having a solid respectful tone, arguing the facts, not trying to label someone, is important. And going forward, I think that's what you will see from the senators who are involve in this process."
Sotomayor has come under harsh criticism by some Republicans for comments suggesting her life experience as Latina woman would allow her to make better decisions than a white man. King noted than on her own website, Hutchison says her experience as a working mother gives her "a unique insight" to make better public policy. The Republican rejected the comparison.
"It is very important in the Senate or the congress or for governors, anyone elcted and who is accountable to the people, should be a part of America and the American experience. Now that's also important for Supreme Court justices, but their role is very different."
Latino clergy want 1 million to boycott census
U.S. census sparks feud over the counting of illegal immigrants
A national Latino clergy group wants 1 million to boycott the count in an effort to press for legalization. But immigrant activists decry the plan.
By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times, May 31, 2009
In a high-stakes battle that could affect California's share of federal funding and political representation, immigrant activists are vowing to combat efforts by a national Latino clergy group to persuade 1 million illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 U.S. census.
The Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, which says it represents 20,000 Latino churches in 34 states, recently announced that a quarter of its 4 million members were prepared to join the boycott as a way to intensify pressure for legalization and to protect themselves from government scrutiny.
"Before being counted, we need to be legalized," said the Rev. Miguel Rivera, the coalition's chairman and founder.
But the boycott call has infuriated many Latino organizations. La Opinión, in a recent editorial, denounced it as a "dangerous mistake" that "verges on political suicide" while an official with the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials called it "wildly irresponsible."
"This is a phenomenal step backward in the strides we have made to make sure we are equal," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Latino officials group.
The decennial census, which counts all people regardless of immigration status, is used to allocate federal funds for education, housing, healthcare, transportation and other local needs. By some estimates, every person counted results in $1,000 in federal funds.
The census is also used to apportion the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, which are based on a state's population.
According to a study in 2003, California's sizable illegal immigrant population allowed it to gain three House seats it might otherwise not have received. The state's illegal immigrant population also caused Indiana, Michigan and Mississippi to each lose one of their seats and prevented Montana from gaining a seat.
The study by the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based research group that promotes immigration restrictions, also argued that the illegal immigrant population skewed the "one man, one vote" principle in elections.
In 2002, the study found, it took almost 100,000 votes to win the typical congressional race in the four states that lost or failed to gain a seat, compared with 35,000 votes to win in immigrant-rich districts in California.
Back in 1988, the effect on apportionment, which also affects the Electoral College, prompted a lawsuit by 40 members of Congress, Pennsylvania and the Federation for American Immigration Reform to prevent the Census Bureau from counting illegal immigrants. The complaint was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court for lack of standing.
"People who have no right to be in this country should not be counted," said federation President Dan Stein. "It's awfully hard to explain to U.S. citizens why they keep losing political representation to states like California because of people who broke immigration laws."
Vargas and others questioned the boycott organizers' political motivations, noting that most of them were conservative.
Rivera acknowledged that his coalition endorsed George W. Bush in 2004 and slightly favored Republican presidential nominee John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a vote of 52% to 48% last year. But he denied that the boycott was aimed at aiding Republicans.
He said his group was concerned that federal funds obtained in part through the counting of illegal immigrants would be used against them to increase arrests and harassment by local law enforcement.
Rivera also said he wanted to use the boycott as a way to pressure Congress to pass legislation offering legalization to illegal immigrants.
So far, his group appears to have gained little traction in California. A group of affiliated Latino pastors plans to meet in the next week or two to discuss the boycott call but has made no decision yet, according to Jose Caballero, a Camarillo minister.
But other Latino leaders say they are nervous about the boycott.
"The fact that they are getting a lot of media attention concerns us that they could do a lot of damage," said Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington, D.C.
Using the same slogan as their successful citizenship campaigns -- "Ya es Hora," or "It's Time" -- Spanish-language media, community groups, labor unions and churches plan to launch a far-reaching campaign urging mass participation in the census.
Boycott or not, they have their work cut out for them. Although the Census Bureau by law must keep information confidential, that message has not entirely gotten through.
At Our Lady Queen of Angels Church near Olvera Street, migrant farm worker Juan Garcia said he would not participate because of fears of how the information might be used.
Another illegal immigrant, Julian Chavez, also voiced concern that census workers would contact him at work, go to his home and ask nosy questions. Asked if he would participate, Chavez hedged his answer.
"Will there be consequences?" he asked. "I have my family to think about."
teresa.watanabe@latimes.com
A national Latino clergy group wants 1 million to boycott the count in an effort to press for legalization. But immigrant activists decry the plan.
By Teresa Watanabe, LA Times, May 31, 2009
In a high-stakes battle that could affect California's share of federal funding and political representation, immigrant activists are vowing to combat efforts by a national Latino clergy group to persuade 1 million illegal immigrants to boycott the 2010 U.S. census.
The Washington, D.C.-based National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, which says it represents 20,000 Latino churches in 34 states, recently announced that a quarter of its 4 million members were prepared to join the boycott as a way to intensify pressure for legalization and to protect themselves from government scrutiny.
"Before being counted, we need to be legalized," said the Rev. Miguel Rivera, the coalition's chairman and founder.
But the boycott call has infuriated many Latino organizations. La Opinión, in a recent editorial, denounced it as a "dangerous mistake" that "verges on political suicide" while an official with the National Assn. of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials called it "wildly irresponsible."
"This is a phenomenal step backward in the strides we have made to make sure we are equal," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Latino officials group.
The decennial census, which counts all people regardless of immigration status, is used to allocate federal funds for education, housing, healthcare, transportation and other local needs. By some estimates, every person counted results in $1,000 in federal funds.
The census is also used to apportion the 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, which are based on a state's population.
According to a study in 2003, California's sizable illegal immigrant population allowed it to gain three House seats it might otherwise not have received. The state's illegal immigrant population also caused Indiana, Michigan and Mississippi to each lose one of their seats and prevented Montana from gaining a seat.
The study by the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based research group that promotes immigration restrictions, also argued that the illegal immigrant population skewed the "one man, one vote" principle in elections.
In 2002, the study found, it took almost 100,000 votes to win the typical congressional race in the four states that lost or failed to gain a seat, compared with 35,000 votes to win in immigrant-rich districts in California.
Back in 1988, the effect on apportionment, which also affects the Electoral College, prompted a lawsuit by 40 members of Congress, Pennsylvania and the Federation for American Immigration Reform to prevent the Census Bureau from counting illegal immigrants. The complaint was dismissed by the U.S. Supreme Court for lack of standing.
"People who have no right to be in this country should not be counted," said federation President Dan Stein. "It's awfully hard to explain to U.S. citizens why they keep losing political representation to states like California because of people who broke immigration laws."
Vargas and others questioned the boycott organizers' political motivations, noting that most of them were conservative.
Rivera acknowledged that his coalition endorsed George W. Bush in 2004 and slightly favored Republican presidential nominee John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama by a vote of 52% to 48% last year. But he denied that the boycott was aimed at aiding Republicans.
He said his group was concerned that federal funds obtained in part through the counting of illegal immigrants would be used against them to increase arrests and harassment by local law enforcement.
Rivera also said he wanted to use the boycott as a way to pressure Congress to pass legislation offering legalization to illegal immigrants.
So far, his group appears to have gained little traction in California. A group of affiliated Latino pastors plans to meet in the next week or two to discuss the boycott call but has made no decision yet, according to Jose Caballero, a Camarillo minister.
But other Latino leaders say they are nervous about the boycott.
"The fact that they are getting a lot of media attention concerns us that they could do a lot of damage," said Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens in Washington, D.C.
Using the same slogan as their successful citizenship campaigns -- "Ya es Hora," or "It's Time" -- Spanish-language media, community groups, labor unions and churches plan to launch a far-reaching campaign urging mass participation in the census.
Boycott or not, they have their work cut out for them. Although the Census Bureau by law must keep information confidential, that message has not entirely gotten through.
At Our Lady Queen of Angels Church near Olvera Street, migrant farm worker Juan Garcia said he would not participate because of fears of how the information might be used.
Another illegal immigrant, Julian Chavez, also voiced concern that census workers would contact him at work, go to his home and ask nosy questions. Asked if he would participate, Chavez hedged his answer.
"Will there be consequences?" he asked. "I have my family to think about."
teresa.watanabe@latimes.com
More Latino children born in the U.S.
More Latino kids born here, report says
Stephen Wall, San Bernardino Sun, 05/30/2009
More than half of the nation's Latino children are now "second generation," meaning they were born in this country to at least one immigrant parent, according to a new report.
In 1980, only three-in-10 Latino children were second generation, according to the analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center.
The increase has important implications for the country's economic and political future, educators say.
As citizens, these children will have more educational and employment opportunities and will be able to vote when they turn 18, said Latino activist Gil Navarro.
"There's more children that will able to participate in the American Dream," said Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education.
Latinos make up nearly one-fourth of all children under 18 in the United States, up from 9 percent in 1980.
By 2025, nearly three-in-10 children in this country will be of Latino ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The shift grew out of the large immigration wave from Mexico and Latin America that began around 1980, the report says.
According to the report, 52 percent of the nation's 16 million Latino children are second generation.
Eleven percent of Latino children are first generation, meaning they were born outside the United States. Thirty-seven percent are third generation or higher, meaning the children and their parents were born in this country, the report says.
The Pew Center estimates that 7 percent of the nation's Latino children are illegal immigrants, compared to about one-fourth of Latino adults.
In many respects, the report reaffirms the classic pattern of socioeconomic gains for immigrant families from one generation to the next. English fluency and educational achievement improve with succeeding generations, while poverty levels decline, the report says.
But the report reveals some contrary trends.
For example, the chances of being raised by a single parent are much greater among Latino children in the third generation or higher than among first- or second-generation Latino kids.
The growth of a younger Latino population, combined with an aging white majority, presents a challenge for the country, educators say.
"(Latinos) are going to be the foundation of the new workforce," said Jose Zapata Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College. "We need to ensure we're putting enough resources into education and job training to prepare them."
Calderon said he is concerned that state budget cuts will devastate education programs such as summer school, leaving children to spend more time on the streets.
"The future doesn't look good unless we make the necessary investments," Calderon said.
Mel Albiso, a board member for the Colton Joint Unified School District, said English learner programs must be fully funded to help students bridge the achievement gap. State and federal labor laws must be enforced to ensure equal employment opportunities, he added.
"It's not going to improve our situation simply because the immigration status of our young people changes," Albiso said. "There's a lot of other changes that need to occur to give full access to our community."
Stephen Wall, San Bernardino Sun, 05/30/2009
More than half of the nation's Latino children are now "second generation," meaning they were born in this country to at least one immigrant parent, according to a new report.
In 1980, only three-in-10 Latino children were second generation, according to the analysis by the Pew Hispanic Center.
The increase has important implications for the country's economic and political future, educators say.
As citizens, these children will have more educational and employment opportunities and will be able to vote when they turn 18, said Latino activist Gil Navarro.
"There's more children that will able to participate in the American Dream," said Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education.
Latinos make up nearly one-fourth of all children under 18 in the United States, up from 9 percent in 1980.
By 2025, nearly three-in-10 children in this country will be of Latino ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The shift grew out of the large immigration wave from Mexico and Latin America that began around 1980, the report says.
According to the report, 52 percent of the nation's 16 million Latino children are second generation.
Eleven percent of Latino children are first generation, meaning they were born outside the United States. Thirty-seven percent are third generation or higher, meaning the children and their parents were born in this country, the report says.
The Pew Center estimates that 7 percent of the nation's Latino children are illegal immigrants, compared to about one-fourth of Latino adults.
In many respects, the report reaffirms the classic pattern of socioeconomic gains for immigrant families from one generation to the next. English fluency and educational achievement improve with succeeding generations, while poverty levels decline, the report says.
But the report reveals some contrary trends.
For example, the chances of being raised by a single parent are much greater among Latino children in the third generation or higher than among first- or second-generation Latino kids.
The growth of a younger Latino population, combined with an aging white majority, presents a challenge for the country, educators say.
"(Latinos) are going to be the foundation of the new workforce," said Jose Zapata Calderon, a professor of sociology and Chicano studies at Pitzer College. "We need to ensure we're putting enough resources into education and job training to prepare them."
Calderon said he is concerned that state budget cuts will devastate education programs such as summer school, leaving children to spend more time on the streets.
"The future doesn't look good unless we make the necessary investments," Calderon said.
Mel Albiso, a board member for the Colton Joint Unified School District, said English learner programs must be fully funded to help students bridge the achievement gap. State and federal labor laws must be enforced to ensure equal employment opportunities, he added.
"It's not going to improve our situation simply because the immigration status of our young people changes," Albiso said. "There's a lot of other changes that need to occur to give full access to our community."
Latinos angered by County official's comments
Mielke's comments draw ire of Latinos
BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN, COLUMBIAN, May 29, 2009
“We’re killing ourselves being politically correct. Somebody needs to step up and talk about these tough issues.” Tom Mielke Clark County Commissioner
A proposal by County Commissioner Tom Mielke that Clark County should withhold some public health services from people without valid Social Security numbers has inflamed some Latino civil rights advocates.
At a hearing Wednesday, Mielke said he was "concerned about the service that we give to illegals, and the cost."
"If we don’t have those Social Security numbers, I would like to know who those individuals are who we are serving that are here illegally, and why we serve them and help them in their health," said Mielke, a Battle Ground Republican. "I think Sheriff Lucas is very interested in who they are."
Though Mielke didn’t explicitly mention race, Maria Rodriguez-Salazar, a Vancouver resident in the League of United Latin American Citizens, contacted local media Friday to say his comments were implicitly racist and threaten to provoke violence against Latinos.
"People are using immigration as a front, as a code word, for being anti-Latino," she said. "Immigration has become a racist issue."
Clark County’s other two commissioners rejected Mielke’s proposal in interviews Friday.
Collecting Social Security numbers at the county’s health office would be a "harassing tactic" that would "intimidate people who need service," Commissioner Steve Stuart said.
Legality questioned
County officials, including a representative for Sheriff Garry Lucas, said Friday that they aren’t sure if Mielke’s proposal would be legal.
"We haven’t done a program-by-program evaluation of that, so I don’t know," said Marni Storey, the county’s public health services manager.
Storey predicted that Clark County would save little money by refusing non-emergency service to undocumented residents, as Mielke proposed.
The county health department is in the midst of a year-long effort to recruit local nonprofits to provide several services the county can’t afford, including a food-stamp-like program for young children and two child-abuse prevention programs.
But Storey said Friday that the county’s "fairly insignificant" population of illegal immigrants is too small to account for the programs’ unprofitability.
She said she didn’t know of any other public health office with such a requirement.
In an e-mail to Rodriguez-Salazar and Mielke Friday, Lucas wrote that despite Mielke’s comment, "the sheriff’s office has no interest in who the county health department serves."
"I don’t know what his reference to the sheriff was about," wrote Lucas, a Republican.
Lucas said the one public health committee he sits on has "never discussed anything remotely connected with Commissioner Mielke’s question, nor do I anticipate such a discussion."
Undersheriff Joe Dunegan said Friday that the sheriff’s office must notify federal immigration authorities if there’s "reasonable suspicion" that a local criminal is an illegal immigrant.
But if the county health department started sending the sheriff’s office a list of people whose names didn’t match their Social Security numbers, Dunegan said, that probably wouldn’t give the office "reasonable suspicion" to report them.
"Immigration status is a federal responsibility, not a local law enforcement responsibility," Dunegan said.
Boldt, Stuart say no
Even if Mielke’s proposal were legal, the county’s other two commissioners said Friday, they’d oppose it.
"We as a board are not seriously considering this, and I as a board member am absolutely opposed," said Steve Stuart, a Vancouver Democrat. "I’m not interested in exclusionary or harassing tactics to intimidate people who need service."
Stuart said he’d be open to talking about the issue if he saw evidence that illegal immigrants create a "huge problem" for the county budget.
"I have seen no factual, numeric, quantifiable evidence that backs up that concern," Stuart said. "We have plenty of financial issues in the county that we have quantified that I would prefer to deal with."
Commissioner Marc Boldt, a Hockinson Republican, said he doesn’t think Mielke is motivated by racism.
But he said he wouldn’t support Mielke’s idea, either.
"I personally have a problem with giving my Social Security number out to people, and I think a lot of people are like that," Boldt said.
Health care for illegal immigrants does cost money, he said. But people worried about that cost should talk to Congress, Boldt said, not the county government.
"I think we should be concerned about it, but it’s an issue that I think should be handled at our borders," Boldt said. "It’s not an issue that I think even can be resolved here. …If the federal boys and girls don’t have enough guts to decide the question, please don’t ask us local folks to do it."
Both Stuart and Boldt had let Mielke’s statement pass without comment during Wednesday’s meeting.
Mielke said Friday that he had expected the other commissioners to support his proposal.
"We’re killing ourselves being politically correct," Mielke said. "Somebody needs to step up and talk about these tough issues."
Is race involved?
Mielke said he wants a discussion about illegal immigrants from all countries, not just the Americas.
"Latinos aren’t the only problem we have," Mielke said. "We have people from eastern India and Russia and everything else."
Some state services already require Social Security numbers, Mielke said. He thinks the county should do the same.
Anyone who wants non-emergency health services, Mielke said, should have to provide a Social Security number. The county would then check it against a federal database, and report anyone using an invalid number to the sheriff’s office.
"We can’t serve the citizens if we run out of money serving those who are illegal," Mielke said. "This is a very unpopular place to go, but it has to be addressed."
Two members of the League of United Latin American Citizens said Friday that after watching a video of Mielke’s comments, they’re certain he was motivated by anti-Latino sentiment.
Words like Mielke’s "put fear into the rest of the community that we’re basically going to take over, we’re going to take this away from American citizens," said Rodriguez-Salazar, a native of Texas.
"We are part of this community," said Vancouver attorney Eulalia Soto-Esquivel, who opened an immigration and family law office on East 13th Street last year.
Soto-Esquivel said she’d entered the United States illegally, but gained legal status during the 1987 amnesty program.
"During school, I received financial aid because I needed it," Soto-Esquivel said. "Now I am a business owner. I am giving back."
Mielke said there was no racial angle behind his words.
"I look forward to having a meeting with them," he said of his critics.
Soto-Esquivel said the Latino group is planning to start sending a representative to county meetings.
"Mielke is playing with fire," Rodriguez-Salazar said. "We know where this is coming from. This is nothing new to us. He is one of many other individuals in various communities that we have had to deal with. He’s no different."
BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN, COLUMBIAN, May 29, 2009
“We’re killing ourselves being politically correct. Somebody needs to step up and talk about these tough issues.” Tom Mielke Clark County Commissioner
A proposal by County Commissioner Tom Mielke that Clark County should withhold some public health services from people without valid Social Security numbers has inflamed some Latino civil rights advocates.
At a hearing Wednesday, Mielke said he was "concerned about the service that we give to illegals, and the cost."
"If we don’t have those Social Security numbers, I would like to know who those individuals are who we are serving that are here illegally, and why we serve them and help them in their health," said Mielke, a Battle Ground Republican. "I think Sheriff Lucas is very interested in who they are."
Though Mielke didn’t explicitly mention race, Maria Rodriguez-Salazar, a Vancouver resident in the League of United Latin American Citizens, contacted local media Friday to say his comments were implicitly racist and threaten to provoke violence against Latinos.
"People are using immigration as a front, as a code word, for being anti-Latino," she said. "Immigration has become a racist issue."
Clark County’s other two commissioners rejected Mielke’s proposal in interviews Friday.
Collecting Social Security numbers at the county’s health office would be a "harassing tactic" that would "intimidate people who need service," Commissioner Steve Stuart said.
Legality questioned
County officials, including a representative for Sheriff Garry Lucas, said Friday that they aren’t sure if Mielke’s proposal would be legal.
"We haven’t done a program-by-program evaluation of that, so I don’t know," said Marni Storey, the county’s public health services manager.
Storey predicted that Clark County would save little money by refusing non-emergency service to undocumented residents, as Mielke proposed.
The county health department is in the midst of a year-long effort to recruit local nonprofits to provide several services the county can’t afford, including a food-stamp-like program for young children and two child-abuse prevention programs.
But Storey said Friday that the county’s "fairly insignificant" population of illegal immigrants is too small to account for the programs’ unprofitability.
She said she didn’t know of any other public health office with such a requirement.
In an e-mail to Rodriguez-Salazar and Mielke Friday, Lucas wrote that despite Mielke’s comment, "the sheriff’s office has no interest in who the county health department serves."
"I don’t know what his reference to the sheriff was about," wrote Lucas, a Republican.
Lucas said the one public health committee he sits on has "never discussed anything remotely connected with Commissioner Mielke’s question, nor do I anticipate such a discussion."
Undersheriff Joe Dunegan said Friday that the sheriff’s office must notify federal immigration authorities if there’s "reasonable suspicion" that a local criminal is an illegal immigrant.
But if the county health department started sending the sheriff’s office a list of people whose names didn’t match their Social Security numbers, Dunegan said, that probably wouldn’t give the office "reasonable suspicion" to report them.
"Immigration status is a federal responsibility, not a local law enforcement responsibility," Dunegan said.
Boldt, Stuart say no
Even if Mielke’s proposal were legal, the county’s other two commissioners said Friday, they’d oppose it.
"We as a board are not seriously considering this, and I as a board member am absolutely opposed," said Steve Stuart, a Vancouver Democrat. "I’m not interested in exclusionary or harassing tactics to intimidate people who need service."
Stuart said he’d be open to talking about the issue if he saw evidence that illegal immigrants create a "huge problem" for the county budget.
"I have seen no factual, numeric, quantifiable evidence that backs up that concern," Stuart said. "We have plenty of financial issues in the county that we have quantified that I would prefer to deal with."
Commissioner Marc Boldt, a Hockinson Republican, said he doesn’t think Mielke is motivated by racism.
But he said he wouldn’t support Mielke’s idea, either.
"I personally have a problem with giving my Social Security number out to people, and I think a lot of people are like that," Boldt said.
Health care for illegal immigrants does cost money, he said. But people worried about that cost should talk to Congress, Boldt said, not the county government.
"I think we should be concerned about it, but it’s an issue that I think should be handled at our borders," Boldt said. "It’s not an issue that I think even can be resolved here. …If the federal boys and girls don’t have enough guts to decide the question, please don’t ask us local folks to do it."
Both Stuart and Boldt had let Mielke’s statement pass without comment during Wednesday’s meeting.
Mielke said Friday that he had expected the other commissioners to support his proposal.
"We’re killing ourselves being politically correct," Mielke said. "Somebody needs to step up and talk about these tough issues."
Is race involved?
Mielke said he wants a discussion about illegal immigrants from all countries, not just the Americas.
"Latinos aren’t the only problem we have," Mielke said. "We have people from eastern India and Russia and everything else."
Some state services already require Social Security numbers, Mielke said. He thinks the county should do the same.
Anyone who wants non-emergency health services, Mielke said, should have to provide a Social Security number. The county would then check it against a federal database, and report anyone using an invalid number to the sheriff’s office.
"We can’t serve the citizens if we run out of money serving those who are illegal," Mielke said. "This is a very unpopular place to go, but it has to be addressed."
Two members of the League of United Latin American Citizens said Friday that after watching a video of Mielke’s comments, they’re certain he was motivated by anti-Latino sentiment.
Words like Mielke’s "put fear into the rest of the community that we’re basically going to take over, we’re going to take this away from American citizens," said Rodriguez-Salazar, a native of Texas.
"We are part of this community," said Vancouver attorney Eulalia Soto-Esquivel, who opened an immigration and family law office on East 13th Street last year.
Soto-Esquivel said she’d entered the United States illegally, but gained legal status during the 1987 amnesty program.
"During school, I received financial aid because I needed it," Soto-Esquivel said. "Now I am a business owner. I am giving back."
Mielke said there was no racial angle behind his words.
"I look forward to having a meeting with them," he said of his critics.
Soto-Esquivel said the Latino group is planning to start sending a representative to county meetings.
"Mielke is playing with fire," Rodriguez-Salazar said. "We know where this is coming from. This is nothing new to us. He is one of many other individuals in various communities that we have had to deal with. He’s no different."
Latino Christians spilt on Obama pick for judge
Latino Christians divided on Obama's Supreme Court pick
By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service, 05/29/2009
Washington - For the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the May 26 announcement of the first Latina nominee to the nation's highest court was cause for equal parts celebration and caution.
"I'm caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place," said Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
"As a Puerto Rican American, as a Latino, I do commend President Obama for making a very practical strategic, political nomination. ... As a Christian leader, which I am first and foremost, I have concerns."
With President Barack Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, a judge in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, conservatives and liberals are lining up on their predictable sides of either criticism or support. But for Latino Christians, especially some evangelicals, the choice may be a mixed blessing.
While liberals are hopeful that Sotomayor would support their positions on matters such as gay marriage, conservatives worry that she may reflect "judicial activism" and the creation of policy, rather than interpretation of laws, from the high court.
As leading conservative Christian groups label Sotomayor a liberal, Rodriguez said he has to research her history before his group can make its own verdict about her.
"What does that mean for religious liberty?" he wonders. "What does that mean for the child in the womb? What does that mean for traditional marriage? What does that mean for limited government?"
The Rev. Daniel Delgado, pastor of Third Day Missions Church on Staten Island, N.Y., shares Rodriguez's concerns.
"I know Latinos are very excited," said Delgado, the New York/New Jersey director of Rodriguez's organization. "But I'd just like to hear some more about her and her positions."
While some Hispanic clergy are sitting on the fence for now about Obama's pick, others are forging ahead with support.
"I am very hopeful that some of the issues that affect the Hispanic community directly or indirectly can be addressed a lot more than in the present," said the Rev. Jesse Miranda, who runs a leadership institute at Vanguard University, an evangelical school in Southern California.
While he is aware of the conflicts felt by leaders such as Rodriguez, Miranda said "nothing is perfect" and he expects Hispanic Christians will support a judicial nominee who reflects their ethnic and cultural heritage.
In her brief remarks after Obama announced her nomination, Sotomayor described her modest upbringing in a public housing project in the Bronx, her studies at Princeton and Yale, and work in private and public legal sectors.
"I hope that as the Senate and the American people learn more about me they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences," said Sotomayor.
The White House said Sotomayor was raised Catholic and continues to attend Catholic churches for important events, including family celebrations. If confirmed, she would be the sixth Catholic on the nine-member court.
The Rev. Miguel Rivera, chairman of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, said his organization has sent a letter asking Republicans involved in the confirmation process to strenuously question her positions.
"We support strong, conservative, non-activist judges for the Supreme Court," he said of his conservative evangelical group. "We're commending the choice, but we're not totally behind her until we evaluate her experience."
Some evangelicals, meanwhile, are expressing no reservations at all.
"It's totally amazing," said the Rev. Marcos Miranda, pastor of Action in Christ International Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I think it's great. I think she's brilliant."
Marcos Miranda, who said he is unusual as an evangelical who supports abortion rights, said he doesn't consider Sotomayor to be an extreme choice.
"I think that her being where she's at, where she's not far left but she's also not far right, is exactly where this country needs to go," he said.
Some conservative organizations, while generally criticizing the choice of Sotomayor, noted that she wrote an opinion that upheld a ban that prohibited federal funding of overseas abortion, a policy that Obama has since overturned.
The Rev. Daniel de Leon, pastor of Templo Calvario, a megachurch in Santa Ana, Calif., said he would welcome Sotomayor as the first Hispanic on the bench.
"I think it's long overdue," he said. "We're the largest minority in this country and I think we have a lot to contribute. I hope and pray that she will not only be nominated but accepted and passed."
But de Leon, who noted that Hispanics -- both Catholic and Protestant -- tend to be conservative, expressed concern about how much her choice may reflect future nominees to the court.
"If this is an indicator of what Obama is going to be doing," he said, "it's going to take off to a real liberal left."
By Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service, 05/29/2009
Washington - For the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, the May 26 announcement of the first Latina nominee to the nation's highest court was cause for equal parts celebration and caution.
"I'm caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place," said Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
"As a Puerto Rican American, as a Latino, I do commend President Obama for making a very practical strategic, political nomination. ... As a Christian leader, which I am first and foremost, I have concerns."
With President Barack Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor, a judge in the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, conservatives and liberals are lining up on their predictable sides of either criticism or support. But for Latino Christians, especially some evangelicals, the choice may be a mixed blessing.
While liberals are hopeful that Sotomayor would support their positions on matters such as gay marriage, conservatives worry that she may reflect "judicial activism" and the creation of policy, rather than interpretation of laws, from the high court.
As leading conservative Christian groups label Sotomayor a liberal, Rodriguez said he has to research her history before his group can make its own verdict about her.
"What does that mean for religious liberty?" he wonders. "What does that mean for the child in the womb? What does that mean for traditional marriage? What does that mean for limited government?"
The Rev. Daniel Delgado, pastor of Third Day Missions Church on Staten Island, N.Y., shares Rodriguez's concerns.
"I know Latinos are very excited," said Delgado, the New York/New Jersey director of Rodriguez's organization. "But I'd just like to hear some more about her and her positions."
While some Hispanic clergy are sitting on the fence for now about Obama's pick, others are forging ahead with support.
"I am very hopeful that some of the issues that affect the Hispanic community directly or indirectly can be addressed a lot more than in the present," said the Rev. Jesse Miranda, who runs a leadership institute at Vanguard University, an evangelical school in Southern California.
While he is aware of the conflicts felt by leaders such as Rodriguez, Miranda said "nothing is perfect" and he expects Hispanic Christians will support a judicial nominee who reflects their ethnic and cultural heritage.
In her brief remarks after Obama announced her nomination, Sotomayor described her modest upbringing in a public housing project in the Bronx, her studies at Princeton and Yale, and work in private and public legal sectors.
"I hope that as the Senate and the American people learn more about me they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences," said Sotomayor.
The White House said Sotomayor was raised Catholic and continues to attend Catholic churches for important events, including family celebrations. If confirmed, she would be the sixth Catholic on the nine-member court.
The Rev. Miguel Rivera, chairman of the National Coalition of Latino Clergy & Christian Leaders, said his organization has sent a letter asking Republicans involved in the confirmation process to strenuously question her positions.
"We support strong, conservative, non-activist judges for the Supreme Court," he said of his conservative evangelical group. "We're commending the choice, but we're not totally behind her until we evaluate her experience."
Some evangelicals, meanwhile, are expressing no reservations at all.
"It's totally amazing," said the Rev. Marcos Miranda, pastor of Action in Christ International Church in Brooklyn, N.Y. "I think it's great. I think she's brilliant."
Marcos Miranda, who said he is unusual as an evangelical who supports abortion rights, said he doesn't consider Sotomayor to be an extreme choice.
"I think that her being where she's at, where she's not far left but she's also not far right, is exactly where this country needs to go," he said.
Some conservative organizations, while generally criticizing the choice of Sotomayor, noted that she wrote an opinion that upheld a ban that prohibited federal funding of overseas abortion, a policy that Obama has since overturned.
The Rev. Daniel de Leon, pastor of Templo Calvario, a megachurch in Santa Ana, Calif., said he would welcome Sotomayor as the first Hispanic on the bench.
"I think it's long overdue," he said. "We're the largest minority in this country and I think we have a lot to contribute. I hope and pray that she will not only be nominated but accepted and passed."
But de Leon, who noted that Hispanics -- both Catholic and Protestant -- tend to be conservative, expressed concern about how much her choice may reflect future nominees to the court.
"If this is an indicator of what Obama is going to be doing," he said, "it's going to take off to a real liberal left."
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