Join the July 1 rally in Chicago--Say 'NO' to the Minuteman Project

UIC's MESA (Mexican Students de Aztlan) group is having a march for immigrants' rights:

Friday, July 1, 2005
10 a.m.
3100 S. Ashland (by Archer)

The march will run south on Ashland to 43rd St.
A rally will take place at noon at Ashland and 43rd St.

One march
One voice
One people
Calling on all people of good conscience
Don't let the Minuteman Project define our people!!

A survey? That's news to me.

"Illegal immigration increased as a result of President Bush's proposed immigration reform," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, an organization which opposes Bush's immigration plan. It obtained the survey results through Freedom of Information Act requests.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), also critical of the proposal, sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff demanding to know why the January 2004 poll was conducted and why it was not previously disclosed.

An official of the Department of Homeland Security rejected the group's assertions, saying they were based on a survey that was not completed.

"I don't know how they can draw any conclusions based on inconclusive findings and information taken out of context," said Kristi Clemens, an assistant commissioner in customs and border protection.

The survey was originally scheduled to last six months but ended after a few weeks. Clemens said its existence was leaked to the news media, which, she said, "compromised" the poll and prompted the office to end it. She said the agency had designed the questions "to predict any trends" so it could head off any potential problems.

Yeah, sure. Sounds to me like the government just didn't want to disclose the survey information. Typical.

Immigration Plan May Have Gone Awry
By Brian FalerSpecial to The Washington Post
Thursday, June 30, 2005

Visit the Mexican Consulate

If you're an immigrant and need information about things like visas, citizenship, ID cards, and passports, check out Chicago's Consulate General of Mexico website or go to its new building at 204 S. Ashland (even Mexican President Vicente Fox was there for the opening). And for those who can't make it to the building, the consulate sends out mobile units to communities several times a month--and the units help people obtain IDs & bank accounts, and assist with travel, citizenship, and much more. Its most recent mobile unit was at Iglesia San Esteban Martir in Carpentersville yesterday.

So a message to all immigrants--take advantage of the Mexican consulate! The number is (312) 738 2383 and it's open Monday - Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (for passports, the hours are from 7 a.m. to 10:30 AM).

On Mexico's window: A 'help wanted' sign

July 2 marks the fifth year that Mexican President Vicente Fox has been in office. Most people believe this guy hasn't done a thing.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, ruled Mexico for 70 years until Fox became president. So what happened to Fox's promise to create jobs and stop crime, help the poor, win a new immigration deal with the United States, fix education, and expose the corruption in Mexico's government and judicial system? What has Fox done exactly? Well, we know he gave important government jobs to PRI members. So much for cleaning house.

"I think Fox didn't know what to do with the PRI," said Dulce Maria Sauri, a senator who was PRI president in 2000. "During the campaign, it was very useful to paint the PRI as the devil. But to govern, that was not enough. Fox's plan was to get the PRI out of Los Pinos, but then he didn't know what to do. He opened the door to the transition, but then he stood there paralyzed in the doorway. He wasted his political power."

But Fox is proud that he ended PRI rule: "The revolution to me was breaking the 70 years of authoritarian dictatorship." When Fox was elected, Mexicans danced in the streets. Today, they're probably begging for food and crying.

"My government is not a failure. You don't build up a country in six years. Mexico was so far behind that we will need a generation to solve all the problems completely."

Mexico's previous president, Ernesto Zedillo, was a Yale-educated economist; Fox is a Harvard grad. I guess schooling didn't prepare them for this job. Guys--it's time to look for another profession.

For Mexico's Fox, a 'Revolution' Unfulfilled
By Kevin Sullivan and Mary Jordan, Washington Post Foreign Service
Monday, June 27, 2005; Page A01

A security risk in Knoxville

According to a report by the Department of Energy's inspector general, 16 illegal immigrants gained access to a weapon site--Y-12 National Security Complex--near Knoxville, Tenn. Apparently, the 16 construction workers used fake green cards to get access badges. And since classified information was available in a construction trailer for all to see, security was compromised (it was later reported that the workers didn't have access to any classified documents).

So now, people at the plant are paying more attention to security. Hopefully, those in charge of security will be the ones blamed. And I'm guessing the immigrants were thrown into an interrogation room and questioned for hours and hours--with no interpreter, food or water.
No one ever reports about that though. Typical.

Illegal immigrants accessed nuclear weapons facility
But Department of Energy report says nothing was compromised
From Michael McManus, CNN Washington Bureau
Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Latino farmworkers win $1.05 settlement

A group of Latino farmworkers will share one of the largest discrimination settlements in the agriculture industry--$1.05 million. Complaints started as far back as 1989. The workers, mostly Hispanic women, said they were sexually harassed--one said she was raped. When one longtime employee complained about the harassment, she and her crew were fired. Women also said the company denied them job opportunities based on their gender.

The settlement stems from a 2003 lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of Virginia Mejia, Rosario Taylor and several dozen other women against Rivera Vineyards in California's Coachella Valley.

"In the farmworker industry, there is fear of retaliation," Santos Albarran, outreach manager for the Los Angeles EEOC, said. "A lot has to do with the language barrier, for one. The other is stress about government agencies. Because it's such a close-knit industry, they can be blackballed."

The company denied the allegations. The company also agreed to reinstate workers who were wrongfully terminated. Sure--I'd want to go back and work at a place that rapes women & treats them like trash.

Rivera Vineyards should be shut down.

$1.05 Million Settles Farmworkers' Case
washingtonpost.com -
June 16, 2005

$257 million for what?

Have you heard about this one? A $250 million contract (with a $2 million price that skyrocketed to $257 million) to place remote video surveillance cameras along parts of the United States' northern and southern borders was awarded in 1999 to a company called International Microwave Corp. which was later acquired by L-3 Communications Government Services Inc.

GSA reported to the House that the program wasn't run correctly.

U.S. border surveillance system became fiasco
Thu Jun 16, 2005
By Alan Elsner
WASHINGTON (Reuters)

HDO vs. new Latino group?

The Hispanic Democratic Organization should do more for the Hispanic community. Although it is a 1173-member political group, you think they'd do more than just break the law (according to the June 12 Sun-Times, federal investigators are said to be looking into whether HDO wields a clout-heavy hand in city hirings). HDO is run by a former top aide to Mayor Daley, Victor Reyes.
And Al Sanchez, head of Streets and San, was one of the people who helped form HDO at a bar on 95th & Ewing in 1989 or 1993 (depends on if you believe what insiders say or what the official files say). And Sanchez was former 10th Ward Ald./former mayoral candidate Edward Vrdolyak's precinct captain.

Today, the Chicago Tribune reported that Latino leaders plan to announce the forming of a new research advocacy group, Latino Action Research Network. Heading the group is Jesus "Chuy" Garcia, a former state senator. The group says it's not going to compete with HDO and it plans to help mold Latinos who want to run for office.

In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of Latinos in Chicago. In the 90s, Chicago's Latino population grew by 68 percent to 1.4 million.

In a statement, HDO leader Victor Reyes said, "I welcome any person or group that wants to help empower the Hispanic community."

And here's an interesting fact: "Chuy" Garcia was defeated by an HDO-backed candidate, state Sen. Antonio "Tony" Munoz (D-Chicago).

Considering their history, what we don't need is petty arguments between "Chuy" and Reyes. What both organizations really need to do is work together to help the Hispanic community--especially on the immigration issue. U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) supports the new Latino Action Research Network, too---and for years he's fought for many Latino issues such as immigration. So both of you--give Gutierrez a call and take notes. And check your attitudes at the door.

It's like watching paint dry

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights looked over about 800 face-to-face interviews with legal permanent residents and new Illinois citizens and found that 80 percent said applying for citizenship was difficult. Apparently, language, financial and education barriers are to blame. Some said that the citizenship test is too hard and the cost of applying ($320) prevented them from becoming citizens. Well, maybe the Secure America and Orderly Act will help--and hopefully, soon.

The Illinois coalition supports the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, S. 1033 and H.R. 2330. Its website reads:

America’s current immigration system is broken, and comprehensive immigration reform offers a real solution to the backlogging of families separated because of bad laws, promoting safer borders and national security, and sustaining a strong economy...We are a nation of immigrants all aspiring for opportunity and the American dream. Immigrants are fundamental to who America is through their key participation in our economy through their hard work and talent, contributing to taxes, Social Security, and more.

The bill includes border security initiatives that involve multiple partnerships; a state reimbursement program for the incarceration of undocumented aliens convicted of crimes; a worker visa program (workers will have to pay a $500 fee and clear security, medical, and other checks); and undocumented immigrants in the United States can register for temporary visas (valid for six years).

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) is also pushing for this act, along with Senators McCain (R-AZ) and Kennedy (D-MA), and Representatives Kolbe (R-AZ) and Flake (R-AZ).

Rep. Kolbe stated in a May 12 news release: “This is a comprehensive bill that doesn’t try to solve the hemorrhaging immigration problem with a band-aid – this bill is major surgery. The majority of the illegal immigration is happening in Arizona, and I will not stand by and let southern Arizona be the doormat for this country’s failed immigration policy. They are illegal immigrants – they have broken the law and must be punished. That is why this legislation includes strict fines and penalties for those already in this country illegally and tough punishments for employers who hire illegal immigrants. More importantly, it provides the secure identification document so an employer can know the person seeking work is here legally."

It's about time! But let's see if (and when) this bill is approved. (Kind'a like watching paint dry, I say.)

Better make some room

It's a known fact that Hispanics form the nations largest minority group (half of them are under 27). But did you know (or notice) that one of every seven people in the United States is Hispanic? And, with continued immigration, this number is going to grow. And now, according to a Census Bureau report released last week, today's immigrant is younger--one of every five kids under age 18 in the United States is Hispanic.

Ain't no stoppin' us now...

Report Describes Immigrants as Younger and More Diverse
By JOHN FILES
NY Times - June 10, 2005

Wake up and smell the cafe

Now people are renting their Social Security numbers? I must admit, I've never heard of that. But I guess it beats buying a fake social security card from someone on the corner (and those can cost a lot of money). Plus, working with a name linked to a number recognized by Social Security - even if it is just borrowed or leased - avoids problems (like getting fired).

According to the New York Times, each year, Social Security receives millions of W-2 earning statements with names or numbers that do not match its records. Nine million were reported in 2002, many of them just simple mistakes. In response the agency sends hundreds of thousands of letters asking employers to correct the information.


"It's the safest way," said Mario Avalos, a Stockton accountant who every year does tax returns for dozens of illegal immigrants. "If you are going to work in a company with strict requirements, you know they won't let you in without good papers."

Once again, people are doing whatever they can to work in the United States. And why?

Is Mexican President Vicente Fox doing anything about this?!?! Seems to me that the higher ups in Mexico need to wake up and smell the cafe.

Virginia decides to back off

Looks like Virginia isn't going to make immigration arrests after all.

"A number of the police we met with realized if they want immigrants to report crimes and be witnesses, they can't be in fear of being arrested," said Deborah Sanders, executive director of the Capital Area Immigrants' Rights Coalition.

Va. Police Back Off Immigration Enforcement
Other Legislation, Fear of Abuse Cited
By Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, June 6, 2005

What about the kids?

There are people around here that don't like this very much:
any child born on U.S. soil is a citizen; a 1982 Supreme Court ruling requires public schools to accommodate any school-age child regardless of immigration status.

"That Supreme Court decision was probably the single most devastating decree that undermined immigration controls," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

So what rights should immigrants' children have?
I say leave them alone and let 'em live the American dream in peace.

States, Cities Deal With Immigrants' Kids
By DAVID CRARY, The Associated Press
Saturday, June 4, 2005

Jerks a-plenty

This must happen often but we don't hear about it in the news much.

On May 25, a former senior customs inspector, Robert Butman, pleaded guilty to threatening to deport an illegal immigrant if he didn't get $10,000.

According to the Chicago Tribune, a business owner agreed to pay the $10,000 to deport an employee who had sued the owner for sexual harassment.

Butman could get more than 7 years in prison for this. Sentencing is July 27.

We'll see if that'll make the papers.

And it's unfortunate that illegal immigrants get taken advantage of by jerks like Butman.

I'm ready--Mexican flag and all

There was a lot of noise going on in Las Vegas on Sunday--and it wasn't happenin' inside the casinos.

The Minuteman Project and other activists met at the Las Vegas convention center for a two-day summit called "Unite to Fight Against Illegal Immigration." And that upset quite a few people.

More than 150 demonstrators waved Mexican flags and screamed "racists, go home!"

Miguel Marrientos, president of the Las Vegas Mexican-American Political Association, said that the Minuteman Project and its followers are "creating division among Americans. We don't need it."

According to a May 29 AP report, Minuteman Project founder Jim Gilchrist said that a declaration of war is committed every time a Mexican flag is planted on American soil. "If this isn't a declaration of war, I don't know what is," he said.

Gilchrist--Why don't you do us all a favor and bury your head in the soil. And I'll be the first one there to plant a Mexican flag.

Added stress coming to a DMV near you

If you're going to a driver's license facility soon, expect added stress--to the tune of about $50 I'm guessing.

Thanks to Bush signing the Real ID Act two weeks ago, we're going to end up paying a lot more to renew our driver's license. Real ID requires driver's license applicants to provide either a passport or at least four documents with their Social Security number, address and other pertinent information.

According to a May 31 article in the Baltimore Sun, the Congressional Budget Office estimates Real ID could cost states about $100 million over the next four years, while the National Conference of State Legislatures says states might have to spend $500 million to $750 million to comply.

Apparently, this new law is supposed to keep driver's licenses out of terrorists' hands.

"No one realized that it was a problem that states were giving licenses to anyone who wanted one," said Colleen Gilbert, executive director for the Coalition for a Secure Driver's License, which has pushed for license reform since the attacks 3 1/2 years ago. "But obviously, the 9/11 hijackers knew that, and they took advantage of it. They did that before, and they will do it again."

Gilbert also said that the legislation isn't meant to hurt the average day laborer but that "security has to come first."

Sorry to break the news Gilbert, but this is going to hurt day laborers, you, me--everyone.

Time to stock up on the aspirin 'cause once this system is adopted, there will be headaches -- and I'm talking migraines people.

Where have the black leaders been?

I found this letter to the editor in today's Chicago Sun-Times. It's by Dave Gorak, executive director, Midwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration.

He said Jackson accomplished nothing when he went to Mexico to meet with Mexican President Vicente Fox. He then asks where have the black leaders been?

"Were Jackson a responsible leader, he and other prominent blacks would've gone to Washington years ago to meet with our president to demand an end to an immigration policy that has turned back the economic and political clock on black Americans and made them this nation's second largest minority."

Definitely a must-read.

Black leaders snoozing on immigration
June 1, 2005

Cell phones--a lifeline for some

Thank goodness this cell phone worked.

On Sunday, 23 illegal immigrants used a cell phone to call for help after getting lost in the Arizona desert.

And, according to a May 31 AP report, last weekend about 12 migrants were found dead.

Smugglers and guides (a.k.a. coyotes) have been using cell phones for years.

Ron Bellavia, commander of the Border Patrol search, trauma, and rescue operations in the agency's Tucson sector, said: "The fact of having a cell phone aids us in knowing that they're out there, but not necessarily in finding them. It would be way too far of a stretch to think that they have a cell phone on them and they're safe."