Mcpocrisy

Senator John McCain stood up today Saturday, December the 18th, 2010 on the US Senate floor to speak against a legislation that he had co-sponsored in the past, back on the days when he called himself a "maverick" and pretended to be a conciliatory moderate.

Today he lead the parade of anti DREAM Senators who denied a path to legalization to undocumented students who had grown in the USA and succeeded integrating themselves into our communities, many of them professionals with Bachelors and Master's degrees.

During the few weeks that preceded the failed DREAM vote, Mr. McCain's office organized a toy drive for the Holidays.

Awww, how sweet!

I wonder if McCain will check the immigration status of the children receiving the "largess"of the Republican supporters. Thanks to Senator McCain, some immigrant children will be getting a cheap toy made in China and will be denied of a path to legalization as Christmas gift in 2010

Extreme Rhetoric- Who Provides Their Talking Points

Have you ever wondered how seemingly educated people, like a Senator or a Congressperson, could parrot some heavy non-sense on the immigration debate?

Well, their talking points on the immigration debate come from organizations with respectable sounding names such as Center for Immigration Studies, Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and Numbers USA. All of them not only lack academic rigor in their "researches" but have strong ties to white supremacist group and are been monitored by Southern Poverty Law Center.

Journalist and author Terry Greene-Sterling published a great article on the Phoenix New Times were it explores the influence of these organization in the formation, training of politicians and the dissemination of extreme ideas.

Read FAIR-Y tales here.

Hungry for Justice.

Lucy was in Washington DC on Tuesday, December the 7th, 2010. At the time of this picture she has been 28 days in a hunger strike requesting a meeting with Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson with no success. Lucy wants the Senator to vote YES on the DREAM Act, the narrow tailored legislation that will give a path to legalization to undocumented students brought as children and that fulfill tough requirements. Even tough the Senator supported the DREAM Act in the past, Hutchinson has toughened her stance swayed by the extremist rhetoric that has taken many members of her party hostage: DREAM Act is equivalent to "Amnesty" and rewards "criminals".

Never mind that the DREAM act possible beneficiaries are some of the best and professionally capable citizens this country can wish for.

When Lucy came to Washington, she was debilitated to the point of not being able to walk and was pushed around by fellow dreamers in a wheelchair. She was received in Capitol Hill not by Hutchinson but by her staffers, who ask her to start eating again.

Lucy is not hungry for food but for justice. Her education is worth nothing and she can be jailed in a horrific detention center just because she does not have a social security number.

Her sacrifices for achieving higher education and paying her way to college amounts to zero without the DREAM.

Lucy does not want food but the DREAM,

Where is the Line???

Everybody seems to have strong opinions on Immigration. Some have opinions of the DREAM Act and the undocumented youth. Few know the facts on Immigration and the DREAM.

One of the recurrent myths of the misinformed is that undocumented immigrants are jumping in front of the line for legalization.

Reality is that the proverbial line never existed for them.

Their parents never had a real chance in a 20 years span to get on any line because Immigration limits the process to a certain individuals with existing family ties (children-parent relationships), income or selected professional access to the "line". This is spite of the demand of labor for certain areas of the labor market.

Immigrant youth (the persons brought as children by working parents) asked ICE last week :"Where is the line so I can get at the end of it?"

The real answer is the DREAM Act.

Here is a video on the DREAMers action on Friday, Nov 19th, 2010.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z54mB6DEncc&feature=player_embedded

Photo and video credit: Leah Jo Carnine.

DREAMers Vs Pearce

During the GOP Election Day Victory Celebration (Nov 2, 2010 at the Hyatt Hotel), DREAM Activists from the Arizona DREAM Act Coalition confronted State Senator Russell Pearce. He is the creator of anti-immigration laws that had propelled flawed politicians to power in Arizona, including Governor Jane Brewer.

I met Stephen Lemons-aka the Feathered Bastard- (from the Phoenix New Times) at the Anti Defamation League Torch of Freedom Award Ceremony few days later. He knew about the DREAMers confronting Pearce and wanted more information. I happened to know somebody had video taped it. This is the Feathered Bastard Blog which is rated one of the top blogs with more than 322 facebook postings so far. Thanks Stephen for e-publishing the evidence of the courage of the DREAMers trying to unsuccessfully debate rude Russell Pearce, but being able at least to freak him out and throw him out of his comfort zone!

More Bad News After the 2010 Election

I must confess I'm still in shock about the results of the 2010 elections across the USA but specially in Arizona.

Besides loosing congressional seats and a big GOP win on all possible fronts, re-elected State Senator Russell Pearce has been named Senate President. The introduction of more anti-immigrant laws is inevitable.

Voters have approved prop 107 which bans the so called affirmative action programs (another "gift" from Russell Pearce and sell out State Legislator Steve Montenegro).

On the chopping block will be valuable initiatives like WISE (Women In Science and Engineering) and Hispanic Mother and Daughter Program, among others that encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in higher education. These programs also made important contributions towards the integration of immigrants.

This is what an alumni of the program said about the Hispanic Mother and Daughter Program:

"We all know that the United States is a country of immigrants. Every single person that has come here has had to learn to adapt to a totally different way of life.

Se dice que nosotros los Hispanos nos negamos a adaptarnos... (It is said that we Hispanic are not seeking integration.)

This is precisely what programs like HMPD helps us do. It opens up new doors to Hispanic Mothers and Daughters, by informing us and making us aware of all the opportunities and choices available when it comes to our education. I can honestly say that if it was not for this program, my path toward college would've been a way bigger challenge. And I would hate to see other girls miss the opportunities that I had if this program disappears."

Sad times for AZ when proven programs that support educations for all are not valued.

Genie explains: The DREAM is not dead!

A letter to DREAMers and Advocates:
I am so disappointed - again -about the votes in the Senate yesterday. I am so sorry for the students who have worked so hard.

THE DREAM ACT IS NOT DEAD. It still exists as S.729. It has NOT been voted down.

We all knew it was risky to bring it up now. We knew we probably did not have the votes. And we were dealt an expected blow from the Republicans in the Senate.

Please note that two Democrats failed to vote for this first procedural motion: Lincoln and Pryor. Also - some senators continued to speak for the DREAM ACT after that vote.

What is the strategy now? Have heard from two national groups with suggestions. There will be more tomorrow.

NILC reported over 100,000 calls made to senators, but they still knew the vote might fail. They are already working on strategy.

It is possible that the senators may not bring this up until the lame duck session. But it will come up, one way or another. Reid can call them back for extra sessions until he gets a vote.

As CADENA we do not want to do anything too quickly until we have direction.

I think we need to wait for instructions from Senator Durbin as well as all the national organizations that supported the DREAM ACT.

We just need to be sure everyone knows that the DREAM ACT IS NOT DEAD - in spite of what some news anchors said today.

Please do not be too disappointed.

Let's continue supporting the DREAM Act and the young students and professionals.

Genie Zavaleta,

Chairwoman, CADENA

The Dream and the Military Component

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's initiative to attach the DREAM act to the defense authorization bill is appropriate due to the strong military component of the DREAM.
There are many successful ROTC trained young persons, willing to sacrifice, defend the country they consider theirs and serve honorably on the armed forces of the USA. They are just happen to be here since childhood, undocumented and without a path to a legalization.
Senator McConnell's assertion that the DREAM act attachment to the bill as "extraneous" is a disservice to the many members of the armed forces that choose to serve, some even died, without the benefit of the citizenship for themselves or/and their families, or many in the past that have served even as undocumented immigrants, before more strict laws and scrutiny was passed.
Right now only persons who are legal residents can enroll.
The young persons affected only need a chance to access a process of legal status only provided by legislative change trough the DREAM, because the" line" for them never existed.
Joe Arvizu, an ROTC member who died tragically after being medically deported is a great example of the aspirations of these dedicated youth. Honoring his dreams of service with the passage of the bill will be a great homage.

Dream Act has military connection

Dream Act has military connection

Colin Powell on the DREAM

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

DREAM Act: Myths and Realities

Not even seasoned journalists get it right all the time. The DREAM Act is a small legislation of less than 10 pages but most of the time I read an article about it I cringe. It often contain some time of misconception or mistake in it's description, information that can be used by the critics to distort the message of hope for undocumented immigrants. Here are some of the Myths and Realities of the DREAM.

Myth: The DREAM Act will give citizenship to "illegal aliens".

Reality: It creates a conditional path to legal residency. There is not automatic citizenship for anyone. The road to citizenship is long, it can take more than 6 years and some may decide to stay as legal residents permanently.

Myth: The beneficiaries are only the College super-stars.

Reality: Any good kid that fulfill the requirements of:

1.-Good moral Character

2.-Finishing High School

3.-Have arrived to the USA before the age of 16 years

4.-Have being living on the USA 5 continuous years since the implementation of the legislation, may be a beneficiary IF he or she commits to two years of post-secondary education or two years in the military.

Myth: The DREAM Act is way to turn Hispanic in war mercenaries.

Reality: Young persons will have to clear options: commit for two years of service on the armed forces OR two years of post secondary education. There is not forced militarization.

Moreover, there are youth longing to belong to the USA military service and we respect and support their personal choices.

Myth: The DREAM Act should not be attached at the military authorization bill.

Reality:The DREAM Act has a strong military component. It is one of the options given to the students to advance on their participation on the community along with post-secondary education. It is a complete disservice to the generations of minorities and immigrant that had honorably served in the USA armed forces, many times without the benefit of legal residency or citizenship, that the military component on the DREAM Act does not matter and it is downplayed by the Republican leadership.

There are many undocumented students whose DREAM is precisely to belong to the military as Joe Arzivu. Read his story here.

Poison Pills

In the ongoing quest to limit the human rights of the most vulnerable in Arizona, the Republican lead State Legislature has been introducing small poison pills into bills.

In a quiet manner, without the political theater that SB1070 created, bills that apparently have nothing to do with immigration had been embedded with articles designed to cause extensive damage.

The first one is ID requirements for notarized documents, House Bill 2037 ARS Sec. 41-311, that states anyone seeking to have a document notarized must show an ID issued by the U.S. government. Foreign documents (passports, matriculas etc.) are not acceptable, unless they are seeking to purchase real estate, and then they must also provide proof of legal status. Of course (that is intrinsic part of the game) notaries can be penalized for noncompliance by suspension or loss of their license.

This has a lot of implications on any legal procedures that undocumented persons may seek from child custody, to wills, to medical directives, power of attorney, legal representation, on and on, affecting the right to petition to authorities.

The second article

ARS Sec. 14-5108 affects directly undocumented children.

It states only children legally in the country can have guardians appointed by the courts.

So what happens when undocumented children need to have a guardian appointed??? Does Corrections Corporation of America take over as "guardians"?

Anti immigrant legislators have a sick obsession to hurt innocent children and families, maybe because they really want to affect the morale and the future of the whole community.

Both articles came in effect July 29th, 2010.

I Thought You Were On Our Side: Congressman Gutierrez Talking Students Down

522 Steps

Near my home in Chandler, Arizona there is a neighborhood called Arrowhead Meadows that include a working class block with small town homes. This community has been very much affected by the economic downturn and the immigration laws the State has been implemented, among them the Employer's Sanctions Law and SB1070.

Those laws are seeking "attrition to enforcement" or in other words to get rid of the immigrant working class population that hold the jobs citizens and legal residents do not want to do. This immigrants live in neighborhood like this.

Laws have an effect on the economy and in Arizona this is painfully true. It may be causing a considerable effect in the falling home prices and the low occupancy rate of rental properties all over the State. Read the article by the Arizona Republic here with data on the real state market and the projections for the near future.

I see this neighborhood as a little barometer of the economic situation of the state.

Recently I have been noticing more and more for sale and for rent signs, so I took a walk this afternoon and counted how many steps it took me to find a - For Rent- sign in this particular block.

It is impossible to determined which homes and how many where emptied by the implementation of SB1070 last July the 29th. We can only guess.

This is the finding of my little qualitative research:

Streets: Walking on Arrowhead from W. Galveston St to W. Ivanhoe St.

First sign - 94 steps

Second sign -130 steps

Third sign -170 steps

Fourth sign -230 steps

Fifth sign -360 steps

Sixth sign -420 steps

Seventh sign -455 steps

Total of steps walked: 522

To see the pictures of the signs and the street please click here

Raids

On Tuesday, August the 10, 2010 at 9:00 pm I got a phone call from a teenager asking for help. Her home have been just raided by ICE agents in a little town in rural Arizona and she could have been taken but the agents were in their own words "humanitarians" and they ordered her to appear the following day at the ICE building in Downtown Phoenix. The raid, later I found out, was part of the Obama Administration's show of force to demonstrate its critics they are as tough on immigration as the Republicans. In fact, the Democrat administration has been increasing the numbers of deported immigrants to a record 380,000 during the past fiscal year and according to TRAC, exceedig in 2009 the number of deportees by 20,000 from the previous numbers in 2008. The operation took place from Monday, August the 9th to Wednesday, August the 11th in at least 6 cities across the state and more cities and towns in the nation, according to the Arizona Republic. I knew when it was in progress.

At this point I have spent the last two days stopping the deportation of my mentee, a DREAM Act student, star HS graduate from a small town out of the big cities,recipient of a handsome full ride scholarship to a great university in California, victim of this aforementioned operation.

Thanks to the network of hope created by dreamactivist we were able to gather support for her and a good lawyer who stepped forward to take her case pro-bono, so impressed the lawyer was of my young friend's academic and leadership accomplishments. Otherwise she could have been in Nogales right now.

And this story does not have a happy ending. Her dad was detained and he is awaiting deportation. Her family is broken now.

While trying to make sense of all this, specially the fact that ICE wanted to take a teenager just barely 18 years old, my young friend's grandmother, and elderly lady kept asking me "Why do they treat us like this???" I had not explanation. By the way, my young friend family is a mixed status one with members that are citizens, legal residents, non legal residents in the process of fixing their immigration situation and undocumented immigrants.

My friend's family described how ICE had taken at least 10 residents from the little town in the last days and how the kids are not been sent to school terrified of "la migra".

The family related too how many businesses are empty or closing down but she did not had to tell me that because the same is happening in the Hispanic working class neighborhoods in the Phoenix Metro area and all over the state.

Big time.

So things are just the same as in the GOP days.

According to The Center for Constitutional Rights and due to a freedom of information request placed by immigrant's rights organizations who ordered the bureaucrats to release data, the Obama administration and DHS continues to deport non criminal immigrants whose only infraction is to come to the country illegally, contrary to the Administration's claims that now they are targeting on the criminal elements.

I have the story of my friend, the star student, as proof that although they promised change, things continue the just same or worse.

Liberty and Justice in Phoenix -Runner's World - Update

The story of Coaches Miguel Aparicio and Carlos Borja is now online. The two immigrants with passion for running where one gets dismissed for political reasons (after all this is Arizona ) and the other makes a public stand defending a long time friendship.

Their dedication to their students and their love for coaching is really touching and inspiring.

I have the privilege of meeting them for lunch along with mentor Fredi Lajvardi.

No cropped pictures here!

Quick Hit: The Baby Bully Parade

The GOP demonstrates once more how election season is the ugliest of all. Now we have to endure the sad spectacle of US Senators lining up in the Baby Bullying Parade, joining their manly voices to stage hearings that will challenge the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, seeking to deny birthright citizenships to children of the undocumented.

So far the Baby Bullies are Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and our own Arid Zone John McCain (R-AZ) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ).

Never mind that the Right to Citizenship on the 14th Amendment is one of the clearest concepts on it. Never mind that the Republican party is always shielding on the mantra of "defending the Constitution", and BTW aren't they the "Pro-life" people?

Obviously the Republicans are trying to create a bogus wedge issue on election season to unleash the xenophobic base of the party.

Of course denying citizenship to babies born of undocumented parents will (potentially) be used to negate public services to children, including basic nourishment and education. Great! what are we going to do with millions of non- citizens without education, and the most basic welfare.

Also their stance represent a disconnection on the real motivations for workers to immigrate to the USA- JOBS!. I've never met a undocumented immigrant who has come to this country to conceive and have children in the USA and wait more than 18 years to be claimed by a citizen son or daughter. There is no secret immigrant agenda of purposely having children in the USA. That is only the belief of people that would wish us immigrant workers were automatons without life and love.

The Running Men of Alhambra

A coach that helped create a successful athletic program that inspires high school kids to strive for the best and win big is prohibited to approach his team and to continue coaching. Was he dealing with drugs? Has he committed any crime? Has he become a terrorist or has he threatened the safety of the students? No, his sin: Being an undocumented immigrant brought to the USA as a minor, released from the horrific detention center by Corrections Corporation of America.

This is just part of the story by John Brant published by Runner's World on his September edition.

Unfortunately Runner's World does not publishes its articles online so run to your favorite newsstand and get a copy.

I came across the story some months ago thanks to an article by the Arizona Republic titled Controversy Cost Alhambra Coach his Job and a tip from a friend who knew I will feel outraged by the dismissal of Coach Carlos Borja for insubordination after he refused to oust the assistant Coach Miguel Aparicio on the grounds that Aparicio is an undocumented immigrant.

Never mind that Aparicio has been working selflessly without pay to transform rebellious barrio teenagers into focused athletes for years, many times providing economic support to his pupils by the way of sponsoring their athletic gear, training trips etc.

The article on Runner's World explains in detail the story of Coaches Carlos Borja, Miguel Aparicio from their humble undocumented immigrant origins to their inspiration for teaching, mentor and make positive changes in the lives of many. It also provides a window of the strains the unsolved immigration situation of so many valuable individuals puts into our communities, taking school officials to make ethically wrong decisions, to appease political groups.

It is also a very cinematic story of immigrant survival, triumph, challenge and the trans-formative power of teachers that commit to their students no matter what.

Charitable Work May be Punishable under SB1070

Today, my dear friend H could be detained, arrested and accused of harboring undocumented immigrants while transporting kids and young adults to their dental appointments. H has arranged pro-bono visits with a prominent dentist for children that lack dental coverage due to poverty and their immigration status. Most of them have never seem a dentist in their lives and some have complicated cases that require immediate care. I guess the dentist can also been accused of "harboring".

This is the Arid Zone where charitable work to the "least of these" is stigmatized and punishable.

SB1070 will not be implemented as a whole today Thursday, July the 29th 2010. Thanks to a ruling by judge Bolton, sections of the law signed by Governor Jan Brewer have been stopped from implementation through an injunction.

I continue to be really upset and troubled.

I do not understand why is people happy in the immigrants' rights community and the Mexican-American community.

This are the portions that has been stopped:

• The requirement that police officers investigate the immigration status of all individuals they stop if the officers suspect that they are in the country unlawfully;
• The mandatory detention of individuals who are arrested, even for minor offenses that would normally result in a ticket, if they cannot verify that they are authorized to be in the U.S.;
• The new statute imposing state criminal penalties for non-citizens failing to register with the Department of Homeland Security or failing to carry registration documents;
• The provision for warrantless arrest of individuals who are deemed by state or local police officers to be "removable" from the U.S.; and
• The new state statute making it a crime for alleged undocumented immigrants to work.

Left are provisions that criminalizes the solicitation of employment on public streets or the one that forbids local police agencies from adopting policies that limit or restrict enforcement of federal immigration laws, the so called Sanctuary cities. The section about harboring undocumented immigrant is still there.

There are poison pills on the sections that are still standing so forgive me if I'm not in the mood for a high five.

Unafraid in Las Vegas

Photo credit: Carmen Cornejo

The summer of courage continued in Las Vegas during Netroots Nation, a convention of progressive bloggers, where DREAM Act activist protested during the q&a session by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Netroots Nation took place July 22-25, 2010.

Dressed in caps and gowns Lizbeth Mateo, Matias Ramos, Prerna Lal and Yahaira Carrillo were unafraid to remind Harry Reid of the presence of undocumented students and young professionals who have been growing up as Americans without legal status.

Their protest was respectful, silent but powerful. They represented DREAM Act students as leaders in society, creators of new forms of activism so much that they conducted a seminar titled "Illegal Organizing" where described the use of internet tools, and iteractive websites as media for organizing for the DREAM Act. During their presentation to other bloggers, internet users and activist talked about dreamactivist.org, The DREAM is Coming.com and other internet " real state" they have created for youth organizing.

Harry Reid reminded the audience of his commitment for immigration reform as a package but specifically talked about the need to bring the DREAM Act as soon as he has " 60 votes".

After Senator's Reid's presentation, the DREAM Act professionals and activists gave interviews to media and bloggers present in the event.

The DREAM Act is a narrow tailored, short legislation in the USA Congress that will provide a path to legalization to undocumented students that have come to this country as children and fulfill certain requirements, among them finish high school, have good moral character and commit for at least 2 year of post secondary education or 2 years serving the armed forces of the US.

Courage

Yesterday July 20th, 2010, over 20 undocumented immigrant youth from all over the country were arrested and risk deportation as they staged peaceful sit-ins at various congressional offices in Washington D.C. in order to urge congressional leadership to take action and pass the DREAM Act.

Our own Arizona Dreamers Dulce and Erika participated on this courageous action were the young professionals confronted their own biggest fear: The fear of identification as an undocumented person, arrest, detention, possible mistreatment in an immigration detention center and possible deportation to homelessness in a strange country away from friends family.

Would you blame them for resorting to peaceful civil disobedience? They have try it all. We have try it all. We have called the attention of Congresspersons and Senators in Arizona and nationally on the difficult human rights situation that the students have confronted for years.

We had face to face meetings, wrote letters, faxed histories, used the media to convey our messages, sought alliances with religious groups, academic groups etc. for years and nothing. Some Congressional offices had choose not to hear what happens in the community and many have misinformed immigration "experts".

Crass political calculations always derail the passage of the DREAM Act year after year. Politicians give more validity to the hysteria of the "illegal is illegal" crowd than real human rights.

One political party criminalizes us immigrants the other makes political calculations of our electoral work, support and vote.

Peaceful civil disobedience seems to me the next logical step.

At least 65,000 undocumented immigrant youth graduate from high schools every year, and many of them struggle to attend institutes of higher education and the military. The DREAM Act will grant youth who immigrated to the United States before the age of 16, a path to legalization contingent on continuous presence in the country, good behavior, and the attainment of at least a two-year university degree or a two-year commitment to the armed forces.

According to recent surveys by First Focus, 70% of the American public supports the DREAM Act,

According to a report by the Migration Policy Institute, there are approximately 114,000 DREAM Act-eligible youth in Arizona . For many students, the situation in Arizona is not changing, politicians are not listening, so they have decided to take the cause of their lives to Washington D.C. The immigrant youth participating in today’s action hail from Illinois, Virginia, New York, California, Arizona, Kansas, Missouri, and Michigan.

Anti- immigrant Hate Monger of the Week: Barry Wong

The Arid Zone is apparently in this mad contest of who is the politician who says the most inhumane, outrageous, anti-immigrant statements in order to gain points in a cheap and crass quest for votes.

Since each week we are shocked with a new low, and to record for internet history the dirty tactics of the opportunistic, I have created a section on this blog reserved for the Anti- Immigrant Hate Monger of the Month. This month that precedes the Four of July Holiday the "honor" is granted to Barry Wong, the Republican Candidate for the post of Corporation Commissioner.

Mr Barry Wong stated on the Arizona Republic : "Is power or natural gas or any type of utility we regulate, is that a right that people have? It is not a right. It is a service."

"Cutting electricity, water, natural gas, even telephone lines at the homes of illegal immigrants", he said, "would lower costs for the rest of the state's customers".He believes the population spike caused by illegal immgrants forces the state to build new power plants and then raise rates for customers.

So Mr. Wong vowed to cut electric power to undocumented immigrants in the Arid Zone where temperatures soar close to the 115 F in July if he is elected.

His statements created an uproar at the Arizona Chamber of Commerce were Glenn Hammer, President and CEO, blasted Mr. Wong for "his not only inhumane and opportunistic comments, but his lack of sense of business". "To deny someone access to electricity based on his or her immigration status is not only a wrongheaded policy proposal, it’s just cruel" he stated."Your claim that your proposal is somehow consumer-friendly is absurd. The costs of implementing your plan would be borne by ratepayers, never mind the hit taxpayers would take as police and fire departments would increasingly be responding to heat-related emergencies", continued Mr. Hammer.

Mr. Wong stance is another example of political zealots wanting to impose disastrous laws, and in this case completely inhumane,to create unfunded mandates that does not consider the role of the immigrant as a consumer, payer, tax payer and supporter of services.

Mr. Wong does not even make business sense.

SB1070: Legalistic Ethnic Cleansing

Arizona's illegal immigrants departure affecting businesses

Extremist legislators must be pleased their legalistic concoctions are producing a facto ethnic and social cleansing of the working poor Hispanics in our State.

SB1070 proponents and supporters are causing tremendous damage to the economy but they do not to care. In their zealotry they are leaving entire communities devastated and the economic impact of empty homes, apartments, shopping centers and school s will have ripple effect on the budget of the state and on everybody’s pockets sooner or later.

The extremist legislators and the governor are not pro business. Their efforts are not about the well being or economic empowerment of Arizona but pushing an extremist agenda of hate to eliminate an emergent and hardworking community for political gain.

Next time the State budget is on the super-red, you have to thank Russell Pierce, John Kavanagh, Steve Montenegro for the terrible mess.

Sounding the alarm bell

The first day I spoke publicly on Pierce's bills denying education K-12th to undocumented children was 3/25/10 on a panel organized by the Master Degree Program in Human Rights and Social Justice Studies. Back then it was not in the radar of most people, organizations and the media, but some academics at ASU West and me. Yesterday, I confirmed there are professional efforts being put into -potentially- challenge those horrific bills, like denying public education to undocumented children K-12 and the jewel of the crown of the hate mongers, denying citizenship to babies born to undocumented parents.

Read about the education bills here.

Does these bills sound anti-constitutional??? You bet.

Russel Pearce wants to transform the Arid Zone into a police state (SB1070) and a place who denies basic human rights to children as young as newborn (are you getting my messages, UNICEF, Amnesty International???)
I feel hopeless. Recent polls confirm the increased popularity of the proponents and supporters of SB1070 who are running for public office in the Arid Zone, which almost warranties the passage of more bills like the anti children rights bills that will make good people tremble around the world. Is there any hope for Arizona???

Summer Reading at the Arid Zone

My name is indexed between the words "cocaine and "coyote", and if you read the book where this comes from you will find the words immigration, borders, kidnappings, hope, fear and DREAM… My name is there because I live in the Arid Zone and because of "Illegal".

Terry Greene Sterling is an award winning journalist and now book author thanks to "Illegal, Life and Death in Arizona's Immigration War Zone" published by Globe-Pequot Press. I will start this comment fully disclosing my relationship with Terry: We became friends when she looked for me as a source of information for her book. However do not read Illegal to find me there. Read the book because it has vivid narrative and stories of immigration and the people affected by the broken system in Maricopa County, Arizona, ground zero of the immigration debate with interesting dispatches from the border towns. You would want to read the book to find the story of "Viri" the dreamer who I have the honor to befriend. Or you really want to know what Joe Arpaio is like when he talks to a group of core supporters and lowers his guard, or the people that crosses mental and political borders. The cheap politics of immigration who victimize us all. The good, bad and the people that are doing their best to survive.

Terry describes the effects of the anti-immigrants laws in the micro economy of the "tienditas -dollar stores- that cater to immigrants so you formulate your own conclusion on the effects on the macro- economy of the State. Reading the stories you will find Terry, intrepid journalist with insatiable curiosity and a special ability to build a comfortable environment for the people she interviews to reveal their most intimate secrets and thoughts. You will find that she loves and respects her profession.

Terry invites you to join her to a journey into the immigration underground and meet the people who are hunkering down expecting a better tomorrow. You will no be disappointed of the ride.

Order the book at my favorite bookstore Changing Hands.

Underwater Robotics, Education and the DREAM

Why do we spend a solid weekend around the clock working for an underwater robotics competition (NURC) for free??? Why do I put hours and hours of preparation of press releases, promotions, press kits and signs (that by the way are really awesome) weeks before the challenge??? Why do I work pro bono with these techies ???

Well, because this event showcases the work and talent of the Carl Hayden Robotics Team, and some of it's members may be undocumented and may be benefited by the passage of the DREAM Act. Don't ask, don't tell.

The kids are amazing. The dedication of their teacher and mentors pay well. They work together seamlessly putting together the only challenge for underwater robotics in Arizona, the dry zone, and show their robots with pride.

The whole thing is a complex enterprise created by Fredy Lajvardi and a group of mentors and volunteers (under an organization called APASE) that work with devotion and many hours more to promote applied science and education.

There is a special effort to include minority students that may not otherwise have this opportunity if not were for APASE.

My whole family collaborates. I'm in charge of the pr and media relations, alpha male helps and mentors the junior team and M and R had their own team with middle school students for the Si Se Puede Foundation,

The National Underwater Robotics Challenge is a great event we look forward to provide educational opportunities for our dedicated dreamers and others that may not be included on this type of challenges if it were not for all of us. That way they can set up a competition for High Schools and others like the Jesuit High School at Carmichael, CA.

Education is the great equalizer, no doubt about it.

Please read press releases for NURC at the Critical Mass Communications site.

The Next Outrage

If you think SB1070, the law that makes a state crime being undocumented in the State of Arizona and seeks "attrition through enforcement", among other things is bad enough, wait to you read about what Russell Pearce is setting the stage for on next Legislative sessions. This proposals will target immigrant children as young as 5 years old:

SB2382

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2382h.pdf

Summary

Dept. of Education will collect data of students enrolled in public schools and charter schools whose parents cannot provide lawful legal status.

Each Dec 15 will submit reports. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall withhold school district's appointment of state aid if a school district does not comply. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall withhold the salary, bonus or both of any employee or school district that fails to comply.

SB2182

For the purpose of determining state aid to school districts and charter schools, the determination of Average daily attendance shall exclude children whose parents are unable to provide child's lawful presence in the United States.

http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/hb2182p.htm

The bills are technically dead but there is always the possibility of bringing them back in the next legislature (with different numbers). This is the tactic employed for parts and pieces of SB1070.

Those bills will try to challenge a Supreme Court Decision known as Plyler vs Doe.

Here is from Wikipedia:

Plyler v. Doe, 457 (1982), was a case in which the Supreme Court of the United States struck down a state statute denying funding for education to children who were illegal immigrants and simultaneously struck down a municipal school district's attempt to charge illegal immigrants an annual $1,000 tuition fee for each undocumented student to compensate for the lost state funding^[1]. The Court found that where states limit the rights afforded to people (specifically children) based on their status as aliens, this limitation must be examined under an intermediate scrutiny standard to determine whether it furthers a substantial goal of the State.

.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plyler_v._Doe

Plyler vs Doe is a supreme court decision that establishes:

If the State is to deny a discrete group of innocent children the free public education that it offers to other children residing within its borders, that denial must be justified by a showing that it furthers some substantial state interest. No such showing was made here.

According to the following piece, collecting data on the students and producing reports where the cost for the state is established, would be used to justify state interest.

Anti-immigrant former Congressman Tom Tancredo writes in an article called "The Next Arizona Earthquake" the arguments anti-immigrant activist will employ to challenge Plyler vs. Doe:

http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=151021

"While it is true that the 1982 Plyler decision did forbid schools from denying a public education to children who are illegal aliens, the court did not say such a denial is unconstitutional. The court merely said Texas had not proved its case that providing that education placed an undue hardship on the public treasury.

That may have been true in Texas in 1982, but is it true in Arizona in 2010? Is it true anywhere in Texas, Arizona, California, Nevada, Colorado,Oklahoma, Utah or Georgia in 2010?

The only way to know the answer to that question is to first ask it. But to answer it requires asking for the school enrollment data. That's why Russell Pearce's SB1097 is so refreshingly revolutionary.

The Plyler decision did not forbid schools from collecting enrollment data. That is another myth promoted by the "immigrant rights" lobbyists."

Is this really going to happen??? Not for sure. It's a possibly scenario that we must be prepared to confront.

Open Lettter To Mohammad Abdollahi

Dear Mohammad,

It’s difficult for me to see the pictures and images of what happened on Monday, May the 17^th , 2010.

I guess you all reached a point of no return. Hearing so many DREAM Act stories makes me understand the depth of your desperation.

Your life and of all the dreamers has been put on hold for so many years that I think you only saw this option available to you. You sat down in a peaceful protest with your friends in front of powerful Senator John McCain's office and you are willing to risk to be deported, all world to witness, because the government of the place you grew up does not let you live freely, when freedom seems to be all around you.

I suppose you all knew I will not approve of this action. We are afraid for your safety (the safety of all dreamers) and afraid that you actually are going to be deported to a place that can mean a death sentence for you. This after being arrested, handcuffed and possibly mistreated. If I do not approve of your action it is not because I’m not proud of you but because I really care about you.

Of all places you chose Arizona to shout your pain to the world. Maybe you did this because Arizona is a dry and often inhospitable place, where people call children, teenagers, and young adults in your situation “illegals” more often than not. Maybe you came to his place because you feel that more immigrants are being criminalized even when are role model human beings, just like you.

Maybe you chose to come here because many people in this place are incapable of imagining what is like to be brought to a country swaddled in desperation and grow up in the shadows of society and, in spite of all, grow up to be a remarkable human being and a leader, like so many of the dreamers. Maybe you chose Arizona because many hearts are hardened by hate and cannot see past their prejudices. Perhaps you came here because you think Arizona is the epicenter of hate, specially after the governor signed sb1070 and you are fighting for all of us.

I really do not know where this is going to take you and all the dreamers. I really hope that your actions will soften some hearts when confronted with the ugly realties of what we have all done to children and young lives like yours in this country.

I pray today for your safety and for the safety of all DREAMers.

Love and hugs,

Carmen Cornejo