Friday, March 9, 2012
Another "Dream Act" Nightmare
Daniela Pelaez is practically a poster child for the Dream Act: a high school valedictorian, dreams of becoming a doctor -- and an undocumented immigrant.
She’s also dredging up the depth of division over immigration issues within the Republican Party.
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs who stepped in to rally crucial support for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Pelaez’s home state of Florida, is publicly breaking with him over whether the children of unauthorized immigrants should be allowed to stay in the United States.
After an immigration judge denied Pelaez’s residency bid and issued an order of voluntary deportation last week, Ros-Lehtinen jumped in. She sent a letter directly to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s acting director of congressional relations, asking him to block the deportation.
“I respectfully request your intervention with the appropriate agencies to ensure deferred action and a stay of deportation for 18 year old Daniela Pelaez and her sister Dayana Pelaez,” the letter said.
The division within the GOP goes beyond the Pelaez case. The conservative Latino group Somos Republicanos has lashed out at Romney for his immigration stances, and is locking horns with Colorado Hispanic Republicans over a fight in that state on whether to allow in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants.
Similarly, the national group Café Con Leche Republicans has battled with GOP politicians over strict Arizona-style illegal immigrant crackdown laws.
“There’s a small minority of Republican politicians who are extreme on the issue and they’re very vocal," Bob Quasius, the founder and head of Café Con Leche Republicans, told The Huffington Post. "And their voice is the one that most Latinos are likely to hear."
He may be right. Polls repeatedly show overwhelming support for the Dream Act from Latinos, and even from non-Hispanics. A Pew Hispanic Center poll released at the end of December put the number in favor of the Act at nine out of 10 Hispanics. A Fox News Latino/Latino Insights poll just this week found almost identical results.
The poll also found nearly as strong support among Latino voters for a path to citizenship, with 85.9 percent in favor. That may be more reflective of voters in general, including Republican Party members, than the candidates appear to be acknowledging.
A Fox News poll released in December found that 66 percent of registered voters support a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants, if they learn English, pay back taxes and successfully pass a background check. So did 57 percent of Republican voters -- under these same conditions.
See the Huffington Post for the rest of the article
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Immigrant Detainees Report Nearly 200 Instances Of Sexual Abuse
Immigrant Detainees Report Nearly 200 Instances Of Sexual Abuse
Documents obtained by the ACLU show that more than 50 women in Texas were transported alone by male guards between December 2008 and May 2010.
The documents show there have been 185 sexual abuse reports in immigrant detention centers since 2007, nearly a third of which came from Texas. Other states had far lower reports of detainee sexual abuse, with the next highest reports coming from California (17), Arizona (16) and Florida (12). Other states had less than 10 reports of sexual abuse, or none at all.
Texas also has the highest number of detention centers with 12, while California has 9.
All three women in the ACLU lawsuit were held for a time in the T. Don Hutto Residiental Center in Taylor, Texas, a 512-bed detention center privately run on a government contract by private prison giant Corrections Corporation of America.
The suit targets Corrections Corporation of America along with three ICE officials, a former facility manager of the Hutto facility, and a former Hutto guard named Donald Dunn, who was charged last year with assaulting five women and has been accused of abusing more.
click the link above to read the full article on the Huffington Post
Friday, February 25, 2011
‘Nativist lobby’ is winning on immigration (The TandD.com)
Morton Konracke writes:
"The failure of Congress and two presidents to enact immigration reform is plunging the nation into an ugly future. Call it the Arizonification of America."
"...this represents a high-water mark in the influence of the "nativist lobby" -- a richly funded assemblage of national and local groups organized by Michigan ophthalmologist John Tanton."
"Tanton's groups are making use of economic hard times to argue that immigrants -- legal and illegal -- are stealing jobs from Americans and straining government budgets. It's largely bogus because immigrants tend to take jobs that Americans won't or can't do and because illegal workers pay taxes but can't get benefits."
The article is worth reading so I have linked it here -- http://thetandd.com/
The question that comes to my mind is (since I know of only two ophthalmologists that are politically active on the national level John Tanton and Rand Paul) is there something about this field of endeavor that draws right wing ideologues to it? If you are an ophthalmologist whose political stance falls within the range from Moderate to Liberal...please let me know you're out there
"The failure of Congress and two presidents to enact immigration reform is plunging the nation into an ugly future. Call it the Arizonification of America."
"...this represents a high-water mark in the influence of the "nativist lobby" -- a richly funded assemblage of national and local groups organized by Michigan ophthalmologist John Tanton."
"Tanton's groups are making use of economic hard times to argue that immigrants -- legal and illegal -- are stealing jobs from Americans and straining government budgets. It's largely bogus because immigrants tend to take jobs that Americans won't or can't do and because illegal workers pay taxes but can't get benefits."
The article is worth reading so I have linked it here -- http://thetandd.com/
The question that comes to my mind is (since I know of only two ophthalmologists that are politically active on the national level John Tanton and Rand Paul) is there something about this field of endeavor that draws right wing ideologues to it? If you are an ophthalmologist whose political stance falls within the range from Moderate to Liberal...please let me know you're out there
Monday, February 7, 2011
Senators look for immigration deal - Carrie Budoff Brown - POLITICO.com
Senators look for immigration deal - Carrie Budoff Brown - POLITICO.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
He is a link to a story from Politico.com about the fact that Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are talking about immigration reform again.
While it is nice to see that Graham is willing to discuss immigration reform as long as he is as far away from an election as is possible, I don't hold out much hope for passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) in this Congress. The article brings out some reasons for optimism - but really only ones of political expediency - that is, some Republicans are worried about losing the Latino vote in the next Presidential election.
I find it hard to believe that this tea-bagger inspired freshman class of the House of Representatives is going to care enough about Presidential politics to chance a vote against their own racist/xenophobic electoral base. So perhaps they will bring back Graham and even McCain will get back on the bandwagon along with Marco Rubio to try to convince Latinos that the Republican Party cares about improving immigration policy. It will be little more than a show when they know that the House has zero chance of letting CIR go forward. Just more dishonest political posturing, that's all it appears to be.
He is a link to a story from Politico.com about the fact that Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are talking about immigration reform again.
While it is nice to see that Graham is willing to discuss immigration reform as long as he is as far away from an election as is possible, I don't hold out much hope for passage of Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) in this Congress. The article brings out some reasons for optimism - but really only ones of political expediency - that is, some Republicans are worried about losing the Latino vote in the next Presidential election.
I find it hard to believe that this tea-bagger inspired freshman class of the House of Representatives is going to care enough about Presidential politics to chance a vote against their own racist/xenophobic electoral base. So perhaps they will bring back Graham and even McCain will get back on the bandwagon along with Marco Rubio to try to convince Latinos that the Republican Party cares about improving immigration policy. It will be little more than a show when they know that the House has zero chance of letting CIR go forward. Just more dishonest political posturing, that's all it appears to be.
Monday, December 20, 2010
A DREAM deferred again...
The US Senate again failed to reach cloture on a vote for the DREAM Act. The DREAM Act is a bill that would allow students who came to this country as children but who do not have a valid immigration status to gain a conditional legal status if they achieve in high school and get accepted to college or the US military.
It is now clear that Maine Senators Snowe (R) and Collins (R) would rather stifle the future of thousands of young people who were brought to this country as children and raised here - than cross their party leadership. Another heroic failure to stand up for those who cannot vote. So another graduating class will fail to reach its potential through no fault of their own -- and we as a country will stubbornly fall farther behind our EU, Chinese and Indian competitors in the race to educate our people and prepare for the economic reality of the new century.
There were a handful of DINOs who also voted against the DREAM Act (enough to pass the bill if they had the will) but only two Republicans voted for the measure. It appears after all that this was a fait acompli and simply a show vote by both sides to try to drum up support from the various interest groups for the next election. The Democrats could have passed the measure if they voted in unison - but they would rather try to rally the Latino vote next time around. The Republicans could have taken the issue out of play by allowing a few more "moderates" to break ranks but they would rather rally and raise money from the T-Party and others with Nativist tendencies.
What a cynical waste of young people's aspirations to do well for themselves and the only country they call home -- all for petty political pandering. Nicely done Senators!
It is now clear that Maine Senators Snowe (R) and Collins (R) would rather stifle the future of thousands of young people who were brought to this country as children and raised here - than cross their party leadership. Another heroic failure to stand up for those who cannot vote. So another graduating class will fail to reach its potential through no fault of their own -- and we as a country will stubbornly fall farther behind our EU, Chinese and Indian competitors in the race to educate our people and prepare for the economic reality of the new century.
There were a handful of DINOs who also voted against the DREAM Act (enough to pass the bill if they had the will) but only two Republicans voted for the measure. It appears after all that this was a fait acompli and simply a show vote by both sides to try to drum up support from the various interest groups for the next election. The Democrats could have passed the measure if they voted in unison - but they would rather try to rally the Latino vote next time around. The Republicans could have taken the issue out of play by allowing a few more "moderates" to break ranks but they would rather rally and raise money from the T-Party and others with Nativist tendencies.
What a cynical waste of young people's aspirations to do well for themselves and the only country they call home -- all for petty political pandering. Nicely done Senators!
Friday, December 3, 2010
Napolitano Drums for Dream Act - NYTimes.com
Napolitano Drums for Dream Act - NYTimes.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Julia Preston writes:
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano called on Congress on Thursday to pass a bill granting legal status to thousands of illegal immigrant students, saying it would help immigration authorities focus their resources on deporting dangerous criminals. In a telephone call organized by the White House, Ms. Napolitano told reporters that the students who would benefit “have no fault for being here in the United States” because they were brought here as children. “No one who poses a threat to public safety will be able to adjust their immigration status,” she said, under a revised version of the bill, known as the Dream Act, which was introduced Tuesday. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a Republican who is a leading opponent, said he would resist it “with every strength and every ability that I have.”
=============
Trying to get anything worthwhile through Congress these days seems like a futile gesture. Perhaps they should call it the DREAM ON Act. Still, until the Dems. inevitable next "epic fail" I will hold out a modicum of hope.
Julia Preston writes:
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano called on Congress on Thursday to pass a bill granting legal status to thousands of illegal immigrant students, saying it would help immigration authorities focus their resources on deporting dangerous criminals. In a telephone call organized by the White House, Ms. Napolitano told reporters that the students who would benefit “have no fault for being here in the United States” because they were brought here as children. “No one who poses a threat to public safety will be able to adjust their immigration status,” she said, under a revised version of the bill, known as the Dream Act, which was introduced Tuesday. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a Republican who is a leading opponent, said he would resist it “with every strength and every ability that I have.”
=============
Trying to get anything worthwhile through Congress these days seems like a futile gesture. Perhaps they should call it the DREAM ON Act. Still, until the Dems. inevitable next "epic fail" I will hold out a modicum of hope.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Show Me The Money! The big business of Immigration Detention.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2010/11/09/31714.htm
The link above is to just one of the many recent stories about how the US government is putting record numbers of non-citizens in jail. This particular article focuses on how many of these detainees are moved (without notice or hearing) away from their families and their lawyers to detention facilities in the South and the Southwest.
There is big money to be made by for profit prison contractors in those states (at tax payer expense of course). That is one reason why our elected representatives have stalled and blocked any meaningful plans for immigration law reform. There is plenty of campaign money for candidates with a "get tough on immigration" platform and the massive media drumbeat for increased immigration enforcement isn't just going to pay for itself.
The South and the Southwest, or more accurately the corporations in those regions, want to continue cashing in on transfers of taxpayer money from the Northeast and the Northwest. So they will need to keep us afraid of Latino immigrants -- that way we will continue to pay up to make them disappear.
There is really no good reason not to reform the US immigration laws. There are rational policy changes that can be adopted that will make the system better. Not surprisingly, I favor increasing legal immigration and creating a process for legalizing the status of many of the people who are now here illegally. However, some proposals to fix the system that might restrict more immigration and strengthen enforcement are at least rational.
But as long as there are vast sums of money to be made by exploiting the current dysfunctional immigration system -- there will be a strong incentive to work against fixing it.
The link above is to just one of the many recent stories about how the US government is putting record numbers of non-citizens in jail. This particular article focuses on how many of these detainees are moved (without notice or hearing) away from their families and their lawyers to detention facilities in the South and the Southwest.
There is big money to be made by for profit prison contractors in those states (at tax payer expense of course). That is one reason why our elected representatives have stalled and blocked any meaningful plans for immigration law reform. There is plenty of campaign money for candidates with a "get tough on immigration" platform and the massive media drumbeat for increased immigration enforcement isn't just going to pay for itself.
The South and the Southwest, or more accurately the corporations in those regions, want to continue cashing in on transfers of taxpayer money from the Northeast and the Northwest. So they will need to keep us afraid of Latino immigrants -- that way we will continue to pay up to make them disappear.
There is really no good reason not to reform the US immigration laws. There are rational policy changes that can be adopted that will make the system better. Not surprisingly, I favor increasing legal immigration and creating a process for legalizing the status of many of the people who are now here illegally. However, some proposals to fix the system that might restrict more immigration and strengthen enforcement are at least rational.
But as long as there are vast sums of money to be made by exploiting the current dysfunctional immigration system -- there will be a strong incentive to work against fixing it.
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