Teachers are using the demonstrations as a teaching lesson on how to use the system efficiently to make a difference. DP
Salinas: Students encouraged to bring concerns to elected officials
By CLAUDIA MELÉNDEZ SALINAS, Herald Salinas Bureau
Monterey County Herald: After two days of street protests by high school students, Salinas' streets were more quiet Wednesday as students stayed on their campuses, some receiving lessons on how to take their message directly to elected officials.
At Everett Alvarez High School, where at least 80 students walked out Monday and an unknown number skipped school Tuesday to march, instructors Wednesday used the demonstrations as an opportunity to teach teenagers about alternatives to taking to the streets.
On Monday and Tuesday, hundreds of students marched in Salinas to protest immigration legislation pending in Congress. The marches were part of a wave of student protests throughout the country, including in Watsonville, Soledad and Monterey.
While the marches were mostly peaceful, scuffles in Salinas caused the arrests of five students. They were cited and released to their parents, said Salinas police Cmdr. Al Ruiz.
In Soledad, about 200 students marched Tuesday, and about 100 students from Greenfield High School walked out Wednesday. Officials from both cities said there were no incidents.
Rather than burning energy on the streets, teachers are attempting to channel students' enthusiasm in other directions. At Everett Alvarez High School, instructors used the proposed federal legislation to talk about ways to get their opinions across, Principal Darren Sylvia said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Debate's tone worries legal immigrants, poll finds
Even though many of these demonstrators can't vote, some of their friends can and their children will as they all reach voting age. Politicians will have to pay attention to these demonstrations. DP
By Tyche Hendricks and Vanessa Hua, Chronicle Staff Writers
San Francisco Gate : Swelling immigrant pride -- and fear that harsh reforms will emerge from the current debate in Congress -- propelled more than a million protesters into streets across the country this month and could reshape the politics of immigration, analysts said Tuesday.
Mass rallies for immigrant rights, most notably in Los Angeles and Chicago but also Milwaukee, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver and elsewhere, may also influence closely fought elections this year.
This wave of political activism corresponds with a national poll's finding, released Tuesday by San Francisco-based New American Media, that legal immigrants are alarmed about the debate and generally support illegal immigrants.
"It's potentially a very important political movement, and in the short run it's a very important political event," Mark Baldassare, director of research at the Public Policy Institute of California, said of the protests.
"The demonstrations by immigrant rights groups mean that voters are going to ask candidates where they stand on these issues."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Tyche Hendricks and Vanessa Hua, Chronicle Staff Writers
San Francisco Gate : Swelling immigrant pride -- and fear that harsh reforms will emerge from the current debate in Congress -- propelled more than a million protesters into streets across the country this month and could reshape the politics of immigration, analysts said Tuesday.
Mass rallies for immigrant rights, most notably in Los Angeles and Chicago but also Milwaukee, Phoenix, Atlanta, Denver and elsewhere, may also influence closely fought elections this year.
This wave of political activism corresponds with a national poll's finding, released Tuesday by San Francisco-based New American Media, that legal immigrants are alarmed about the debate and generally support illegal immigrants.
"It's potentially a very important political movement, and in the short run it's a very important political event," Mark Baldassare, director of research at the Public Policy Institute of California, said of the protests.
"The demonstrations by immigrant rights groups mean that voters are going to ask candidates where they stand on these issues."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Americans' dislike of immigrants isn't new
These same complaints were given 100 years ago when all the Irish (my grandparents) were arriving here. DP
By Ruben Navarrette
InsideBayArea.com : Now that the Senate is taking an honest look at the immigration problem, it's time for America to be honest about what the problem really is.
Much of it really is about clashing cultures and a concern that immigrants aren't assimilating. When someone complains that San Diego is "becoming like Tijuana," or when someone else says — as an Idaho woman recently told the Los Angeles Times — that her neighborhood has become a Spanish-speaking "shanty town," it's a dead giveaway that, for many Americans, the problem is not with people coming into the country illegally, but with the effect they have on their surroundings once here.
This week's student walkouts, in protest of efforts to control illegal immigration, brought this sentiment to light. When more than 25,000 students in Los Angeles, and thousands of young people in other cities, took to the streets, what enraged many observers — judging from talk radio and television shows — was the fact that the protesters waved Mexican flags.
This reaction is no surprise. This country of immigrants has never been welcoming of new immigrants, even those who came legally.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Ruben Navarrette
InsideBayArea.com : Now that the Senate is taking an honest look at the immigration problem, it's time for America to be honest about what the problem really is.
Much of it really is about clashing cultures and a concern that immigrants aren't assimilating. When someone complains that San Diego is "becoming like Tijuana," or when someone else says — as an Idaho woman recently told the Los Angeles Times — that her neighborhood has become a Spanish-speaking "shanty town," it's a dead giveaway that, for many Americans, the problem is not with people coming into the country illegally, but with the effect they have on their surroundings once here.
This week's student walkouts, in protest of efforts to control illegal immigration, brought this sentiment to light. When more than 25,000 students in Los Angeles, and thousands of young people in other cities, took to the streets, what enraged many observers — judging from talk radio and television shows — was the fact that the protesters waved Mexican flags.
This reaction is no surprise. This country of immigrants has never been welcoming of new immigrants, even those who came legally.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Mother tongue
A heart warming and somewhat heart breaking story about a child of immigrants who is the family translator. Sometimes a child, other times managing the whole family and all their problems. DP
For Perla Jimenez, being the interpreter for her family means straddling worlds old and new, childish and grown up
By Jenny Deam, Denver Post Staff Writer
Denver Post : Twilight is quickly turning to darkness along West Cedar Avenue. Moving a family of six from house to car to grocery store is rarely simple and never swift.
"Vámonos Vámonos!" Let's go. Let's go!
Perla Jimenez has assumed the universal teenage position, slumped in the back of her mom's Oldsmobile station wagon, pretending her family does not exist. Sometimes she can't decide if they amuse or embarrass her more.
Still, tonight she is happy. It's been a pretty good birthday so far. Fifteen is going to be OK.
Up front her mother has tuned to ranchera music, turning up the volume on those corny, Spanish love songs. Perla slaps on headphones and fiddles with her new lilac-colored radio/CD player in search of hip-hop.
In the past year Perla has caught up with her mom in height. At 5 feet, 4 inches, they stand shoulder to shoulder. They wear their hair the same.
They swap clothes. They swap roles.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
For Perla Jimenez, being the interpreter for her family means straddling worlds old and new, childish and grown up
By Jenny Deam, Denver Post Staff Writer
Denver Post : Twilight is quickly turning to darkness along West Cedar Avenue. Moving a family of six from house to car to grocery store is rarely simple and never swift.
"Vámonos Vámonos!" Let's go. Let's go!
Perla Jimenez has assumed the universal teenage position, slumped in the back of her mom's Oldsmobile station wagon, pretending her family does not exist. Sometimes she can't decide if they amuse or embarrass her more.
Still, tonight she is happy. It's been a pretty good birthday so far. Fifteen is going to be OK.
Up front her mother has tuned to ranchera music, turning up the volume on those corny, Spanish love songs. Perla slaps on headphones and fiddles with her new lilac-colored radio/CD player in search of hip-hop.
In the past year Perla has caught up with her mom in height. At 5 feet, 4 inches, they stand shoulder to shoulder. They wear their hair the same.
They swap clothes. They swap roles.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Immigrants, and those who help them, worry about strict proposals
By JOHN GUTIERREZ-MIER, Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Fort Worth Star-Telegram : Every week, Mary Beth Albaneze-Garcia hears stories of hope and hardship.
Those stories, she says, draw legal and illegal immigrants to the United States.
Albaneze-Garcia, who offers free legal advice to immigrants in Fort Worth and Dallas, estimates that about 60 percent of her clients are staying in the U.S. illegally.
"As an advocate for immigrants, there is a lot of uncertainty out there," she said.
Now, Albaneze-Garcia and others who provide aid to undocumented residents are worried about legislation, recently passed by the U.S. House, that would crack down on illegal immigration.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram : Every week, Mary Beth Albaneze-Garcia hears stories of hope and hardship.
Those stories, she says, draw legal and illegal immigrants to the United States.
Albaneze-Garcia, who offers free legal advice to immigrants in Fort Worth and Dallas, estimates that about 60 percent of her clients are staying in the U.S. illegally.
"As an advocate for immigrants, there is a lot of uncertainty out there," she said.
Now, Albaneze-Garcia and others who provide aid to undocumented residents are worried about legislation, recently passed by the U.S. House, that would crack down on illegal immigration.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
New era of immigration raises issues of the past
The same complaints from residents as a hundred years ago. We all think once we are in, we should shut the door behind us. DP
By LEAH RAE AND MARCELA ROJAS, THE JOURNAL NEWS
THE JOURNAL NEWS : New immigrants aren't learning English, union officials and activists told a congressional panel. They send all their earnings home and refuse to become Americans.
"They depreciate property and drive other people out," said Frank Hawley, a union president. "They do not become citizens; they do not become interested except as to the amount of money they earn."
The year was 1909. The new arrivals were coming by steamship from Italy, Russia, Greece, Austria-Hungary and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. At the time, there were no caps on immigration from Europe, and the numbers of people coming through Ellis Island had reached their peak. The main restriction was a ban on Chinese laborers. The Chinese, it was thought, could never assimilate.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By LEAH RAE AND MARCELA ROJAS, THE JOURNAL NEWS
THE JOURNAL NEWS : New immigrants aren't learning English, union officials and activists told a congressional panel. They send all their earnings home and refuse to become Americans.
"They depreciate property and drive other people out," said Frank Hawley, a union president. "They do not become citizens; they do not become interested except as to the amount of money they earn."
The year was 1909. The new arrivals were coming by steamship from Italy, Russia, Greece, Austria-Hungary and elsewhere in Eastern Europe. At the time, there were no caps on immigration from Europe, and the numbers of people coming through Ellis Island had reached their peak. The main restriction was a ban on Chinese laborers. The Chinese, it was thought, could never assimilate.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
MIT grad defies odds to live the good life
I love these stories about immigrants and the troubles they went through to come and to succeed here. DP
By LEAH RAE, THE JOURNAL NEWS
The Journal News : John Tsai was able to come to the United States from China after being uprooted twice — and then against narrow odds.
In 1938, when he was 12, his family fled from China to Malaysia as refugees during the Japanese occupation. His father, a school principal, remained behind. The family returned to China in 1946, after the Japanese surrender.
Three years later, amid the rise of the Communists, Tsai went to Taiwan to take a college entrance exam.
"I left my hometown one week, the Communists took over. I was on my own," he said.
Tsai studied at the Chinese Naval College of Technology in Taiwan, where the Nationalists remained in power, and majored in naval architecture. In 1959, he won entrance to the elite Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His wife, Anne, and their first son, Albert, joined him in 1962.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By LEAH RAE, THE JOURNAL NEWS
The Journal News : John Tsai was able to come to the United States from China after being uprooted twice — and then against narrow odds.
In 1938, when he was 12, his family fled from China to Malaysia as refugees during the Japanese occupation. His father, a school principal, remained behind. The family returned to China in 1946, after the Japanese surrender.
Three years later, amid the rise of the Communists, Tsai went to Taiwan to take a college entrance exam.
"I left my hometown one week, the Communists took over. I was on my own," he said.
Tsai studied at the Chinese Naval College of Technology in Taiwan, where the Nationalists remained in power, and majored in naval architecture. In 1959, he won entrance to the elite Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His wife, Anne, and their first son, Albert, joined him in 1962.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Lee’s Sandwiches — Behind Every Success Story Stands a United Family
A wonderful story about immigrants who worked hard, learned English, started a business and now employ hundreds of workers. DP
By Gerrye Wong
Asian Week: The Le Family of San Jose is a prime example of hardworking Asian Americans that have built a successful, thriving restaurant and food service enterprise in just 25 short years. Lee’s Sandwiches has become a household name in many communities, with the company owning over 22 shops today. Lee’s Catering has 500 trucks delivering cooked food every day.
The story begins when Chieu Le, a third-year law student, decided that life under the communist regime in Vietnam, in 1979, was becoming too difficult. Le courageously escaped by boat to Malaysia. His wife, Yen, soon joined, and the following year, they emigrated to New Mexico.
In America, Chieu, not speaking any English, worked as a butcher, earning, what he says “was very good pay for an immigrant like me who was learning how to cut meat right on the job — $8 an hour. I worked hard, doing overtime every day because I needed to support my wife and new son here in America.”
Moving to San Jose in 1980, Chieu enrolled in San Jose High School’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. There, he noticed a Vietnamese-owned catering truck selling food to the students in the schoolyard, and got a job working for them. By the next year, with limited English, he went out to buy his own catering truck. He recalls, “The man didn’t want to sell it to me because he saw I couldn’t even speak English and obviously, looked very inexperienced and poor.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Gerrye Wong
Asian Week: The Le Family of San Jose is a prime example of hardworking Asian Americans that have built a successful, thriving restaurant and food service enterprise in just 25 short years. Lee’s Sandwiches has become a household name in many communities, with the company owning over 22 shops today. Lee’s Catering has 500 trucks delivering cooked food every day.
The story begins when Chieu Le, a third-year law student, decided that life under the communist regime in Vietnam, in 1979, was becoming too difficult. Le courageously escaped by boat to Malaysia. His wife, Yen, soon joined, and the following year, they emigrated to New Mexico.
In America, Chieu, not speaking any English, worked as a butcher, earning, what he says “was very good pay for an immigrant like me who was learning how to cut meat right on the job — $8 an hour. I worked hard, doing overtime every day because I needed to support my wife and new son here in America.”
Moving to San Jose in 1980, Chieu enrolled in San Jose High School’s English as a Second Language (ESL) program. There, he noticed a Vietnamese-owned catering truck selling food to the students in the schoolyard, and got a job working for them. By the next year, with limited English, he went out to buy his own catering truck. He recalls, “The man didn’t want to sell it to me because he saw I couldn’t even speak English and obviously, looked very inexperienced and poor.”
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Cotton Street chain doesn't forget the neighborhood
A story telling how entrepreneurs from other countries work hard, save their money and start businesses serving their own communities. DP
Cotton Street chain doesn't forget the neighborhood: Indian immigrants who own three stores in a seven-block area in southeast Reading offer Polish, Latino and their own native foods.
TMCnet : There might seem a vast cultural chasm between operating three food stores on Cotton Street and running an auto-parts business in New Delhi, India. But when Balbir Singh Chandhok immigrated to the United States about 15 years ago -- leaving his brother to run the auto-parts firm -- he worked in an Edison, N.J., convenience store.
"That gave me the good experience in the food line," said Chandhok, 42, who on Jan. 1 opened his newest venture, Citi Food Market, at 1731 Cotton St.
Chandhok, partnering with fellow Indian immigrants Harry Guleria, 40, and Raj Singh, 27, both city residents, transformed the 3,500-square-foot abandoned building -- once an oldtime movie theater -- into what he hopes is an attractive neighborhood market with more offerings than the typical corner grocery store.
"We invested about $300,000 in a boarded property," said Chandhok, 42, an Exeter Township resident. "This is basically a bigger place and more variety."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Cotton Street chain doesn't forget the neighborhood: Indian immigrants who own three stores in a seven-block area in southeast Reading offer Polish, Latino and their own native foods.
TMCnet : There might seem a vast cultural chasm between operating three food stores on Cotton Street and running an auto-parts business in New Delhi, India. But when Balbir Singh Chandhok immigrated to the United States about 15 years ago -- leaving his brother to run the auto-parts firm -- he worked in an Edison, N.J., convenience store.
"That gave me the good experience in the food line," said Chandhok, 42, who on Jan. 1 opened his newest venture, Citi Food Market, at 1731 Cotton St.
Chandhok, partnering with fellow Indian immigrants Harry Guleria, 40, and Raj Singh, 27, both city residents, transformed the 3,500-square-foot abandoned building -- once an oldtime movie theater -- into what he hopes is an attractive neighborhood market with more offerings than the typical corner grocery store.
"We invested about $300,000 in a boarded property," said Chandhok, 42, an Exeter Township resident. "This is basically a bigger place and more variety."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Panelists share tales of hardship, liberty
Amazing stories about 6 immigrants and their families who finally made it to this country and are happy to be here, even though it is very hard. DP
By JODY ROSELLE, Journal Staff
Ithica Journal: Driss Bakhri described his and his wife's trip from Morocco to Ithaca as a “short story.”
“I teach for five years Arabic in high school,” he said. “When I get my permit to live in America, I thought ‘Oh my goodness.'”
Bakhri and his wife arrived in the U.S. about a year ago, Bakhri attributing the move to the couple's shared dreams of travel. He appeared Thursday night as one of six panelists who shared their stories during “Immigrants in Tompkins County: Challenges and Contributions” at the First Presbyterian Church at 315 N. Cayuga St.
“I don't have any problem,” said Bakhri, who teaches Arabic in Cornell University's Department of Near East Studies. He admitted he's working longer hours in the U.S. than he did in Morocco.
Scheduled to coincide with the start of the 11th annual 40-Hour Fast for Worker Justice, more 30 people filled the seats in the church basement to listen to the stories and experiences of the six people who now call Tompkins County home.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By JODY ROSELLE, Journal Staff
Ithica Journal: Driss Bakhri described his and his wife's trip from Morocco to Ithaca as a “short story.”
“I teach for five years Arabic in high school,” he said. “When I get my permit to live in America, I thought ‘Oh my goodness.'”
Bakhri and his wife arrived in the U.S. about a year ago, Bakhri attributing the move to the couple's shared dreams of travel. He appeared Thursday night as one of six panelists who shared their stories during “Immigrants in Tompkins County: Challenges and Contributions” at the First Presbyterian Church at 315 N. Cayuga St.
“I don't have any problem,” said Bakhri, who teaches Arabic in Cornell University's Department of Near East Studies. He admitted he's working longer hours in the U.S. than he did in Morocco.
Scheduled to coincide with the start of the 11th annual 40-Hour Fast for Worker Justice, more 30 people filled the seats in the church basement to listen to the stories and experiences of the six people who now call Tompkins County home.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Mongolia clubs bring cultural traditions to life
Another group of immigrants trying to fit into life in this country. DP
By Jamie Francisco, Tribune staff reporter
Chicago Tribune: In slow, concentrated movements, the petite 15-year-old curled her torso and lifted her legs into the air, bringing them forward until her pointed feet balanced above her head.
Chime Batsaikal, the daughter of former circus musicians, was tapped to become a contortionist at age 3 in her native Mongolia. As she untwisted herself at a recent meeting of Maine East High School's Mongolian club, other members debated what else to include at the school's International Festival, to be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
"It's important for us because our goal is to show how beautiful Mongolia is," said Solongo Zorigt, club president.
Mongolian students at the Park Ridge school and Niles West High School in Skokie, who say they are often mistaken for Chinese or Korean, formed clubs to educate others about their country's cultural traditions.
There are 11 members at Maine East and 12 at Niles West, and they help students, many of whom are recent immigrants, establish an identity on campus, said Elizabeth Papanastasopoulos, adviser of the Maine East club.
"If they can see they're part of something, it helps them out," Papanastasopoulos said.
Most Mongolian families are in the U.S. in search of better job opportunities for parents and the chance for their children to go to college.
The clubs aim to eliminate stereotypes about the country as a nomadic wasteland. People live in modern cities, and there is no such thing as Mongolian chicken, Zorigt said of the biggest misconceptions.
"They don't know much about Mongolia," Zorigt said. "We want to show what Mongolia is in the real world."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Jamie Francisco, Tribune staff reporter
Chicago Tribune: In slow, concentrated movements, the petite 15-year-old curled her torso and lifted her legs into the air, bringing them forward until her pointed feet balanced above her head.
Chime Batsaikal, the daughter of former circus musicians, was tapped to become a contortionist at age 3 in her native Mongolia. As she untwisted herself at a recent meeting of Maine East High School's Mongolian club, other members debated what else to include at the school's International Festival, to be held from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday.
"It's important for us because our goal is to show how beautiful Mongolia is," said Solongo Zorigt, club president.
Mongolian students at the Park Ridge school and Niles West High School in Skokie, who say they are often mistaken for Chinese or Korean, formed clubs to educate others about their country's cultural traditions.
There are 11 members at Maine East and 12 at Niles West, and they help students, many of whom are recent immigrants, establish an identity on campus, said Elizabeth Papanastasopoulos, adviser of the Maine East club.
"If they can see they're part of something, it helps them out," Papanastasopoulos said.
Most Mongolian families are in the U.S. in search of better job opportunities for parents and the chance for their children to go to college.
The clubs aim to eliminate stereotypes about the country as a nomadic wasteland. People live in modern cities, and there is no such thing as Mongolian chicken, Zorigt said of the biggest misconceptions.
"They don't know much about Mongolia," Zorigt said. "We want to show what Mongolia is in the real world."
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Immigrants seek to play by the rules
Another example of how our immigration system is not working. We have to make legal immigration more streamlined so more people can do it legally and fewer will resort to sneaking in and staying illegally. DP
By Jon Ward, The Washington Times
World Peace Herald : Francisco Gomez wants to play by the rules to become a U.S. citizen, but he says it's been nearly impossible.
The 25-year-old Colombian came to the United States on a student visa in 2000 and graduated from George Mason University in 2004. He stayed in Northern Virginia until last summer under a provision of U.S. law that allows immigrant students to work for one year after they graduate.
In August, he flew back to Bogota, unsure whether he would return to the United States because, he says, it was too hard to be a legal immigrant in America.
"You have people coming here and doing everything right, and every day it gets harder. It's crazy," Mr. Gomez says. "It's like the government is telling you: It's not worth it to be legal; it's not worth it to do things right."
He is not alone in his frustration. For years, many immigrants to the United States have said that the system rewards those who enter the country illegally and punishes those who try to follow the law.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Jon Ward, The Washington Times
World Peace Herald : Francisco Gomez wants to play by the rules to become a U.S. citizen, but he says it's been nearly impossible.
The 25-year-old Colombian came to the United States on a student visa in 2000 and graduated from George Mason University in 2004. He stayed in Northern Virginia until last summer under a provision of U.S. law that allows immigrant students to work for one year after they graduate.
In August, he flew back to Bogota, unsure whether he would return to the United States because, he says, it was too hard to be a legal immigrant in America.
"You have people coming here and doing everything right, and every day it gets harder. It's crazy," Mr. Gomez says. "It's like the government is telling you: It's not worth it to be legal; it's not worth it to do things right."
He is not alone in his frustration. For years, many immigrants to the United States have said that the system rewards those who enter the country illegally and punishes those who try to follow the law.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Monday, March 20, 2006
‘They are blessed who welcome strangers’
Faithful asked to write their Senators
Most. Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of Cincinnati
The Catholic Telegraph : Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Immigration is a subject that should be of interest to us all. For one thing, all of us are here, enjoying the blessings of life in the United States, because we are descended from immigrants. Each family has its own story. Some of the stories are happy, some sad. But the fact remains that, if there had been no immigration somewhere in the past, we wouldn’t be here today.
Another reason why immigration should be of interest to us is because it is a human rights question. The social teaching of the church calls for ordered opportunities for immigration simply because seeking a better life and a wider spectrum of opportunities is a fundamental human right.
Our country is now facing some difficult and complicated questions in the context of immigration. We haven’t done very well in providing an orderly way for persons from other countries to become participants in the life of the United States. Present laws are complicated and restrictive. All too often they seem to look on immigrants as enemies rather than as dedicated men and women who want to find a new life for themselves and contribute to the life of our country.
Two approaches for reform are presently being offered to our legislators in Washington.
The first is a proposal which has already passed the House of Representatives (H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005). This approach is restrictive and punitive. It would make "unlawful presence" a felony. It would make anyone who assists an undocumented alien, even by the provision of basic human assistance, liable to criminal penalties.
The other approach is presently in the Judiciary Committee of the Senate (S. 1033, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act). This law has been proposed with bi-partisan backing by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John McCain (R-AZ). It provides for an orderly program of immigrant assimilation that is attentive to the needs of families It respects the human dignity of those who wish to participate in the life of our country, while taking account of the needs of our national security.
I therefore urge Catholics and other citizens of our area to write letters and make phone calls to our Senators asking them to reject the restrictive proposals of the House bill and support the enlightened, comprehensive reforms of the Senate bill.
It is well for us to remember who said that they are blessed who welcome strangers.
Sincerely yours,
Most. Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk
Archbishop of Cincinnati
Most. Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk, Archbishop of Cincinnati
The Catholic Telegraph : Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord,
Immigration is a subject that should be of interest to us all. For one thing, all of us are here, enjoying the blessings of life in the United States, because we are descended from immigrants. Each family has its own story. Some of the stories are happy, some sad. But the fact remains that, if there had been no immigration somewhere in the past, we wouldn’t be here today.
Another reason why immigration should be of interest to us is because it is a human rights question. The social teaching of the church calls for ordered opportunities for immigration simply because seeking a better life and a wider spectrum of opportunities is a fundamental human right.
Our country is now facing some difficult and complicated questions in the context of immigration. We haven’t done very well in providing an orderly way for persons from other countries to become participants in the life of the United States. Present laws are complicated and restrictive. All too often they seem to look on immigrants as enemies rather than as dedicated men and women who want to find a new life for themselves and contribute to the life of our country.
Two approaches for reform are presently being offered to our legislators in Washington.
The first is a proposal which has already passed the House of Representatives (H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005). This approach is restrictive and punitive. It would make "unlawful presence" a felony. It would make anyone who assists an undocumented alien, even by the provision of basic human assistance, liable to criminal penalties.
The other approach is presently in the Judiciary Committee of the Senate (S. 1033, the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act). This law has been proposed with bi-partisan backing by Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and John McCain (R-AZ). It provides for an orderly program of immigrant assimilation that is attentive to the needs of families It respects the human dignity of those who wish to participate in the life of our country, while taking account of the needs of our national security.
I therefore urge Catholics and other citizens of our area to write letters and make phone calls to our Senators asking them to reject the restrictive proposals of the House bill and support the enlightened, comprehensive reforms of the Senate bill.
It is well for us to remember who said that they are blessed who welcome strangers.
Sincerely yours,
Most. Rev. Daniel E. Pilarczyk
Archbishop of Cincinnati
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Local kids in need of tutoring
Volunteers helping these kids be successful in school. These children will be the business owners of our country's future. DP
Contributed By Daniela Lee
Redandblack.com: Every weekday, Daisy wakes up and goes to school at Fourth Street Elementary where, like most kids in the fourth grade, she learns about subject-verb agreement, long division and the planets.
Unlike most kids however, when the school bus stops at Pinewood Estates around 3 p.m., Daisy steps off and heads, not for home, but for Oasis Católico Santa Rafaela, or “the Oasis,” as it is affectionately called.
Daisy and her mother emigrated from Mexico last year and they live with Daisy’s father in a mobile home community whose population is almost wholly comprised of Mexican-American immigrants.
Neither of Daisy’s parents speak English, so if she needs help with homework, she can either try to reason it out for herself using her limited English vocabulary or go to the Oasis, a tidy double-wide white trailer and convent where tutors are waiting to help her.
Daisy is only one of about 100 kids who have walked through the doors of the Oasis since its inception in Fall 2003.
Under the guidance of sisters Margarita, Marietta and Angela, children like Daisy have been able to improve their English and excel in their class work.
Though the sisters do a lot of work in other areas, the tutoring program relies heavily on the volunteer work of college students who agree to come one or two days a week from the hours of 3 to 5 p.m. and help the students in a safe and positive environment.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Contributed By Daniela Lee
Redandblack.com: Every weekday, Daisy wakes up and goes to school at Fourth Street Elementary where, like most kids in the fourth grade, she learns about subject-verb agreement, long division and the planets.
Unlike most kids however, when the school bus stops at Pinewood Estates around 3 p.m., Daisy steps off and heads, not for home, but for Oasis Católico Santa Rafaela, or “the Oasis,” as it is affectionately called.
Daisy and her mother emigrated from Mexico last year and they live with Daisy’s father in a mobile home community whose population is almost wholly comprised of Mexican-American immigrants.
Neither of Daisy’s parents speak English, so if she needs help with homework, she can either try to reason it out for herself using her limited English vocabulary or go to the Oasis, a tidy double-wide white trailer and convent where tutors are waiting to help her.
Daisy is only one of about 100 kids who have walked through the doors of the Oasis since its inception in Fall 2003.
Under the guidance of sisters Margarita, Marietta and Angela, children like Daisy have been able to improve their English and excel in their class work.
Though the sisters do a lot of work in other areas, the tutoring program relies heavily on the volunteer work of college students who agree to come one or two days a week from the hours of 3 to 5 p.m. and help the students in a safe and positive environment.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Field Poll: No easy answers on immigration
A survey finds mixed views on illegal residents and a deep political divide over the issue.
By Peter Hecht -- Bee Capitol Bureau
The Sacramento Bee: Nearly three out of four Californians say they are concerned about illegal immigration, yet most don't believe illegal residents are taking jobs that Californians want, a new Field Poll reveals.
According to the poll, conducted Feb. 12-26 and released Wednesday, 73 percent of poll respondents said they were worried about the impact of illegal immigration and 43 percent described themselves as "extremely concerned."
Yet 70 percent also said they believe illegal workers are doing jobs that other state residents don't want. And by a 65 percent to 27 percent margin, Californians said they favored creating a temporary worker program that would legalize the status of many undocumented immigrants.
"I think the poll reflects the complexity of the immigration issue," said Arturo Carmona, a consultant to Federaciones Mexicanas en Norte America, an organization of Mexican immigrant community groups. "While Californians realize they need immigrants to do the dirty work, they don't fully understand the reasons for why they are here."
The poll of 500 California adults, including 337 registered voters, also indicated sharp political differences between Republicans and Democrats over how severely they view the issue of illegal immigration.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Peter Hecht -- Bee Capitol Bureau
The Sacramento Bee: Nearly three out of four Californians say they are concerned about illegal immigration, yet most don't believe illegal residents are taking jobs that Californians want, a new Field Poll reveals.
According to the poll, conducted Feb. 12-26 and released Wednesday, 73 percent of poll respondents said they were worried about the impact of illegal immigration and 43 percent described themselves as "extremely concerned."
Yet 70 percent also said they believe illegal workers are doing jobs that other state residents don't want. And by a 65 percent to 27 percent margin, Californians said they favored creating a temporary worker program that would legalize the status of many undocumented immigrants.
"I think the poll reflects the complexity of the immigration issue," said Arturo Carmona, a consultant to Federaciones Mexicanas en Norte America, an organization of Mexican immigrant community groups. "While Californians realize they need immigrants to do the dirty work, they don't fully understand the reasons for why they are here."
The poll of 500 California adults, including 337 registered voters, also indicated sharp political differences between Republicans and Democrats over how severely they view the issue of illegal immigration.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Utah research finds immigrants help Mexico and Utah
A good example of how we are helped when we help. Business goes both ways, the money sent back to Mexico enables those people to purchase more products that come from this country.
Economic benefits to both: Laborers' money is sent south of the border, which in turn buys our goods
By Steven Oberbeck, The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune: Every year, Mexican immigrants who now live and work in Utah send an estimated $148 million back home to help support their families.
Such remittances are quickly becoming an important source of capital in Mexico and are key to that country's economic stability and future growth, according to a new University of Utah study on the complex economic and social relationship between Mexico and Utah.
Yet the flow of money and benefits doesn't go just one way, said Ken Jameson, a professor of economics who was part of the research team who drafted the study titled "Mexico and Utah: A Complex Economic Relationship."
On the other side of the economic equation, Mexico buys more than $120 million in Utah-made goods and services every year. And more than 100,000 Mexicans vacation in Utah every year with just the skiers among that throng spending more than $1 million.
"The economic and social ties between Mexico and Utah are complex and far-reaching, and they're only going to get stronger over the years," Jameson said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Economic benefits to both: Laborers' money is sent south of the border, which in turn buys our goods
By Steven Oberbeck, The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune: Every year, Mexican immigrants who now live and work in Utah send an estimated $148 million back home to help support their families.
Such remittances are quickly becoming an important source of capital in Mexico and are key to that country's economic stability and future growth, according to a new University of Utah study on the complex economic and social relationship between Mexico and Utah.
Yet the flow of money and benefits doesn't go just one way, said Ken Jameson, a professor of economics who was part of the research team who drafted the study titled "Mexico and Utah: A Complex Economic Relationship."
On the other side of the economic equation, Mexico buys more than $120 million in Utah-made goods and services every year. And more than 100,000 Mexicans vacation in Utah every year with just the skiers among that throng spending more than $1 million.
"The economic and social ties between Mexico and Utah are complex and far-reaching, and they're only going to get stronger over the years," Jameson said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
The 12 Million Dollar Question
An interesting comparison of all the plans on the list now, how they might work and what we have to do now. DP
What Will Happen with Illegal Immigrants?
By Jose Idler, a research fellow at AEI
AEI.org: The immigration debate is in the spotlight again this week as lawmakers are trying to carve out their own distinguishing brand of reform. Proposals range from nearly exclusive law enforcement (Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner) to guest workers with an added citizenship path (Sens. Ted Kennedy and John McCain).
But just as important as which bill will prevail in Congress is the question of what will happen with the roughly 12 million illegal immigrants already in this country. Most likely, they'll stay. The real question is how fast they'll be able to integrate and become Americans.
The status of currently illegal immigrants is a particularly contentious point. Everyone seems to agree that reforming the system is necessary, that a blind eye toward illegal residents erodes the rule of law and that increased border security is a matter of national interest.
But now the sour questions begin. Is a guest worker program necessary? And more importantly, what should happen with those currently living and working in the United States illegally?
On the one hand, as some bills propose, imagine that all illegal aliens are asked to leave the country, although they might be able to apply for a guest worker visa from their home countries. Options include mass deportations and voluntary provisions under which illegal aliens will be required, or have incentives, to come forward and sign up to return home.
Be sure to read the rest of this article! This is only a small part of it.
What Will Happen with Illegal Immigrants?
By Jose Idler, a research fellow at AEI
AEI.org: The immigration debate is in the spotlight again this week as lawmakers are trying to carve out their own distinguishing brand of reform. Proposals range from nearly exclusive law enforcement (Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner) to guest workers with an added citizenship path (Sens. Ted Kennedy and John McCain).
But just as important as which bill will prevail in Congress is the question of what will happen with the roughly 12 million illegal immigrants already in this country. Most likely, they'll stay. The real question is how fast they'll be able to integrate and become Americans.
The status of currently illegal immigrants is a particularly contentious point. Everyone seems to agree that reforming the system is necessary, that a blind eye toward illegal residents erodes the rule of law and that increased border security is a matter of national interest.
But now the sour questions begin. Is a guest worker program necessary? And more importantly, what should happen with those currently living and working in the United States illegally?
On the one hand, as some bills propose, imagine that all illegal aliens are asked to leave the country, although they might be able to apply for a guest worker visa from their home countries. Options include mass deportations and voluntary provisions under which illegal aliens will be required, or have incentives, to come forward and sign up to return home.
Be sure to read the rest of this article! This is only a small part of it.
'A people united' for immigrants
100,000 march in Chicago: Support immigration rights
By Karen Hawkins, The Associated Press
The Courier News online: Mario Leguizamo's sign wasn't the largest at a march for immigrant rights that drew tens of thousands and brought downtown traffic to a virtual standstill for hours. But it certainly was one of the most eye-catching.
Leguizamo's hand-lettered sign reading "Cheney Shoots Friends but We're Criminals?" drew amused double-takes from many who marched past it on their way to a political rally with all the festivity of a good old-fashioned Chicago parade.
Students like Leguizamo and housewives pushing strollers marched side by side with construction workers, mechanics and senior citizens. Some marchers called out the names of their neighborhoods or suburbs, while others took up enthusiastic chants like "Si, se puede (Yes, it can be done)" and "La raza unida nunca sera vencida (A people united will never be defeated).
Chicago police estimated that more than 100,000 marchers came from all over the Chicago area, many carrying — or wearing — Mexican and American flags. The protest was spirited, but peaceful, and there were no reported arrests or incidents.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By Karen Hawkins, The Associated Press
The Courier News online: Mario Leguizamo's sign wasn't the largest at a march for immigrant rights that drew tens of thousands and brought downtown traffic to a virtual standstill for hours. But it certainly was one of the most eye-catching.
Leguizamo's hand-lettered sign reading "Cheney Shoots Friends but We're Criminals?" drew amused double-takes from many who marched past it on their way to a political rally with all the festivity of a good old-fashioned Chicago parade.
Students like Leguizamo and housewives pushing strollers marched side by side with construction workers, mechanics and senior citizens. Some marchers called out the names of their neighborhoods or suburbs, while others took up enthusiastic chants like "Si, se puede (Yes, it can be done)" and "La raza unida nunca sera vencida (A people united will never be defeated).
Chicago police estimated that more than 100,000 marchers came from all over the Chicago area, many carrying — or wearing — Mexican and American flags. The protest was spirited, but peaceful, and there were no reported arrests or incidents.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
New calling for former nun
By VALERIA GODINES, The Orange County Register
The Orange County Register: St. Nativity Catholic School in Santa Ana doesn't have a school librarian, unless you count 12-year-old Moises Araiza.
He organizes the few books they have on shelves and created a computer program, with the help of student Christian Lopez, for checking out books.
Araiza throws back his shoulders and proudly announces, "I'm the librarian."
The school's cheerleading uniforms cost $10. The navy blue sweatshirts are donated. And the school doesn't even have a PE coach.
But they have Armida Deck, a former nun, who as the principal earns $42,000 a year. The energetic leader runs the county's only non-tuition Catholic school, which opened in August, and doesn't mind pinching pennies to get by.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
The Orange County Register: St. Nativity Catholic School in Santa Ana doesn't have a school librarian, unless you count 12-year-old Moises Araiza.
He organizes the few books they have on shelves and created a computer program, with the help of student Christian Lopez, for checking out books.
Araiza throws back his shoulders and proudly announces, "I'm the librarian."
The school's cheerleading uniforms cost $10. The navy blue sweatshirts are donated. And the school doesn't even have a PE coach.
But they have Armida Deck, a former nun, who as the principal earns $42,000 a year. The energetic leader runs the county's only non-tuition Catholic school, which opened in August, and doesn't mind pinching pennies to get by.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Professor pushes students to reach out to immigrants
This professor is developing a program to help social work students prepare for the Latino population they will be helping in years to come. I love to see people thinking ahead. DP
By: Aaron Snyder
The Kentucky Kernel: As the Latino population in the United States continues to grow, a UK social work associate professor said yesterday that he hopes to see more students pursue Spanish in order to help immigrants in social programs.
Richard Sutphen said he is working on specialized programs at UK and hopes the university will offer these programs across the state.
The lecture and panel discussion, which included five immigrants, was part of a week-long series hosted by the College of Social Work.
The lecture, "The U. S. Border and Immigration," featured Daisy L. Machado, dean of Lexington Theological Immigration Experiences, along with a panel of discussants, who shared their stories about crossing the border into the United States.
Sutphen has worked with the College of Social Work to develop a certificate program where social work students who participate would take a two-course sequence during the summer in Mexico and complete two semester-long practices with Latino populations somewhere in the United States.
Machado expressed concern about acceptance of immigrants coming into the United States.
Be sure to read the rest of this article and the stories the immigrants told! This is only a small part of it.
By: Aaron Snyder
The Kentucky Kernel: As the Latino population in the United States continues to grow, a UK social work associate professor said yesterday that he hopes to see more students pursue Spanish in order to help immigrants in social programs.
Richard Sutphen said he is working on specialized programs at UK and hopes the university will offer these programs across the state.
The lecture and panel discussion, which included five immigrants, was part of a week-long series hosted by the College of Social Work.
The lecture, "The U. S. Border and Immigration," featured Daisy L. Machado, dean of Lexington Theological Immigration Experiences, along with a panel of discussants, who shared their stories about crossing the border into the United States.
Sutphen has worked with the College of Social Work to develop a certificate program where social work students who participate would take a two-course sequence during the summer in Mexico and complete two semester-long practices with Latino populations somewhere in the United States.
Machado expressed concern about acceptance of immigrants coming into the United States.
Be sure to read the rest of this article and the stories the immigrants told! This is only a small part of it.
Estimate up to 12 million
These numbers are not going to get smaller. We must solve this problem. These people are being taken advantage of, mistreated and are working for very little money. Businesses here are benefitting and so are consumers. In other words, we are all benefitting and they are suffering. DP
By BART JONES, STAFF WRITER
Newsday.com: The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States has grown to as many as 12 million people, according to a study released yesterday.
The study by the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization in Washington, D.C., found the number of "unauthorized migrants" rose from about 3 million in 1980 to 11.1 million last year to between 11.5 million and 12 million this year. The report's author, Jeffrey Passel, attributed the increase to a combination of jobs that attracted mostly low-skilled workers from Latin America and increased border enforcement that made them reluctant to return home.
"There's work to be had and these are people who want to work," Passel said. "Once the people manage to get in, they tend not to want to leave because it's so hard and dangerous to get in."
The study estimated that undocumented immigrants fill one in four agricultural jobs, 17 percent of office cleaning positions, 14 percent of construction jobs and 12 percent of those who work in food production. The report - based on Census data - also estimated that the number of people in the country illegally grew by about 500,000 a year since 2000, and that undocumented immigrants make up nearly 5 percent of the national labor force.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
By BART JONES, STAFF WRITER
Newsday.com: The number of undocumented immigrants in the United States has grown to as many as 12 million people, according to a study released yesterday.
The study by the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization in Washington, D.C., found the number of "unauthorized migrants" rose from about 3 million in 1980 to 11.1 million last year to between 11.5 million and 12 million this year. The report's author, Jeffrey Passel, attributed the increase to a combination of jobs that attracted mostly low-skilled workers from Latin America and increased border enforcement that made them reluctant to return home.
"There's work to be had and these are people who want to work," Passel said. "Once the people manage to get in, they tend not to want to leave because it's so hard and dangerous to get in."
The study estimated that undocumented immigrants fill one in four agricultural jobs, 17 percent of office cleaning positions, 14 percent of construction jobs and 12 percent of those who work in food production. The report - based on Census data - also estimated that the number of people in the country illegally grew by about 500,000 a year since 2000, and that undocumented immigrants make up nearly 5 percent of the national labor force.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Beefed-Up Border Patrol May Keep Illegal Immigrants in U.S., Study Says
The illegal immigrants here can't leave to spend time with their families or work in their home countries, because they are afraid of being caught when they come back in. Sometimes they don't have work here in the winter months and still can't leave. DP
Debate Continues on Dealing With Migrant Mexican Workers
By BILL REDEKER, ABC News
ABC News: PARK CITY, Utah, March 8, 2006 — There is a building and buying boom in this ski town that rivals Vail's 22 years ago. Real estate agents report sales of $60 million worth of homes and condominiums every week. That's not bad for a town with a permanent population of 7,000.
Out-of-state businessmen looking for a second home are driving the expansion, and migrant laborers are helping build it. The Hispanic population of northern Utah has grown markedly in recent years, and now there are signs that those who may be here illegally won't return home even if they want to.
A new study by the Pew Hispanic Center finds that many who come to the United States illegally are afraid to return to Mexico and Central America because of beefed-up security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Once they come in, they are actually reluctant to leave," said Jeffrey Passel, the study's author.
Increased border patrols are having an unexpected effect, keeping many from returning across the border. "The border patrol is actually helping to keep people in the United States, rather than out," Passel said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
Debate Continues on Dealing With Migrant Mexican Workers
By BILL REDEKER, ABC News
ABC News: PARK CITY, Utah, March 8, 2006 — There is a building and buying boom in this ski town that rivals Vail's 22 years ago. Real estate agents report sales of $60 million worth of homes and condominiums every week. That's not bad for a town with a permanent population of 7,000.
Out-of-state businessmen looking for a second home are driving the expansion, and migrant laborers are helping build it. The Hispanic population of northern Utah has grown markedly in recent years, and now there are signs that those who may be here illegally won't return home even if they want to.
A new study by the Pew Hispanic Center finds that many who come to the United States illegally are afraid to return to Mexico and Central America because of beefed-up security along the U.S.-Mexico border.
"Once they come in, they are actually reluctant to leave," said Jeffrey Passel, the study's author.
Increased border patrols are having an unexpected effect, keeping many from returning across the border. "The border patrol is actually helping to keep people in the United States, rather than out," Passel said.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.
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