Dreamer in Detention

Just as I was getting ready for a dinner party on Saturday, I got a phone call from a young woman who was looking for help for a friend. Somebody had giving her my number and was seeking support for Nallely, who had been stopped and detained a day earlier for a minor traffic violation and had an unpaid ticket in her record.

I promised to get back the next day. I spent Sunday and Monday reconstructing the life of Nallely Farman, sorting through the confusion of her legal name and the name she goes for. It took me several phone calls to have all the facts straight.

There were aspects of Nalleli's life not totally clear to her mother so I also tracked down her friends, asking for more details.

Nallely is a great person. She has a list of community involvement activities that is really remarkable.

She has been a good student all along. She is a former ASU student and a Community College Student.

The thought of a nice,cute girl jailed, subjected to invasive "body searches" if she ends up in Eloy or Florence is really upsetting to me.

On Sunday I got the support from Mohammad Abdollahi from Dreamactivist.org and now the story of Nallely is going national.

Please click here to sign the petition to save Nallely from detention, and possible deportation.

http://action.dreamactivist.org/nalley/

Are Hispanics Only Aspiring to be Gang Members?

Dear State Senator Klein,

I was very disappointed to read on the Arizona Guardian your comments on the Senate floor quoting a letter from a supposed educator. On it implied that we Hispanics only have aspirations to become gang members and we disregard education.

http://www.arizonaguardian.com/azg/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3057%3Asen-klein-quotes-letter-calling-latino-students-gang-members-and-gangsters&catid=958%3Anewsfp&Ite

Your lack of understanding and knowledge of our (your) community is appalling.

Let me probe your ideas are mistaken.

Last Saturday the Carl Hayden Robotics Team won the FIRST Robotics Arizona Regional that included teams from Arizona, California, New Mexico, 2 teams from Mexico, etc.

Carl Hayden is about 90 % Hispanic.

The Carl Hayden Falcons beat teams of higher income High Schools with students whose parents are college graduates.

Some of the Carl Hayden Team members are undocumented immigrants and all are from low income families.

Along with this big win for the Falcons, another majority minority team from Tolleson offered an spectacular performance and was awarded a pass to the international competition.

Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics will be representing Arizona in the international competition.

These wins are just an example of the continuous successes of our Hispanic, minorities and low income communities.

I demand a public apology for your mistaken words and characterization of our talented youth at the AZ state senate floor along with a recognition of the teams on the Arizona State Legislature.

FYI: This is the Falcon's robot in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fiw9PZ2E08&feature=player_embedded#at=20

Here is the press release:

Press Release March the 21 st. 2011 MEDIA CONTACTS Maria Castro: mariac467@gmail.com 602) 312 4886 Carmen Cornejo:carmen0402@aol.com(480)324-6378

Falcon Robotics Wins the 2011 FIRST Robotics AZ Regional CNN Captures the Big Win for a "STEM in America" Special What: Carl Hayden Falcons wins of robotics competition Best mentor: Fredi, Lajvardi Best student: Eduardo (Eddie) Fernandez Best robot design The Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics Team, which has been profiled on Wired Magazine, the TV show Nightline, and international editions of Reader's Digest, among others, won the 2011 FIRST Robotics AZ Regional this weekend. This event reunited more than 40 teams and from Arizona, California, Mexico and New Mexico. FIRST is an acronym: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology. The name of the 2011 Robot is "Dulce's DREAM", to honor Dulce Matuz, a Carl Hayden High School alumni who is an undocumented electrical engineer graduate from ASU. The Falcon Robotics team also got the awards for Best mentor, Faridodin Lajvardi; best student, Eduardo (Eddie) Fernandez and best robot design. The team also won the competition by wide points margins and to cap it off four Falcon Robotics team members recieved W.W. Graingers scholarships: Gerardo Rodriguez, Ramon Balerama, Glenda Maldonado, Mike Kanaly. The Falcon Robotics team will be representing AZ in the Championship that will take place in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis , MO, April 27th-30th 2011. Dulce Matuz is an inspiration for the members of the team. She continues to participate with the Falcons, offering her technical and fundraising skills, as well as encouragment to the students. Dulce Matuz, who graduated in 2009 from ASU, actively assists the neighborhood FLL (First Lego League) teams which introduce elementary and middle school students to robotic technologies. Dulce is a strong advocate for the DREAM Act, and she meets with elected officials at the federal level to promote this legislation that, if passed, will provide a path to legalization for undocumented students brought to this country as minors, like her. The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an event that teams professionals and young people to solve engineering design problems in an intense and competitive way. The program is a life changing, career-molding experience in a fun and positive environment framed by "gracious professionalism". This year the game for the competition is called LOGO MOTION ® . In the game, two alliances of three teams compete on a 27-by-54-foot field with poles, attempting to earn points by hanging as many triangle, circle and square logo pieces as possible. Bonus points can be earned for each robot that can hang and assemble logo pieces to form the FIRST logo. Robots can also deploy Mini-Bots to climb vertical poles for a chance to earn additional points. FIRST Robotic Competition (FRC) Arizona Regional unites teams from High School and their mentors to construct a functional robot in six weeks that can perform certain tasks pre-established by the game . Students participate on the design, construction, testing, and operation of the project as well as other activities like promotion and fundraising. The competion provides the students a hands on experience in the field of science and technology. Carl Hayden Falcon Robotics team will also participate on a new CNN documentary hosted by Soledad O'Brien. It is scheduled to air in May 2011. The organizing sponsor for the competition in Arizona is Microchip Technology, Inc. with the support of Science Foundation Arizona, Avnet, Craig and Barbara Barrett Foundation, Steve and Maria Sanghi, Wells Fargo Bank, On Semiconductors, US Airways and Critical Mass Communications LLC, among others.

Now Say Thanks!!!! Republicans who voted NO on Anti-Immigrant Bills

This is the List of Good Republicans who Voted in Favor of Aizona's Economy, Against Anti-Immigration Bills, according with the AZ Republic (see link below)

SB 1308: Birthright citizenship

• Frank Antenori, R-Tucson.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1309: Birthright citizenship

• Frank Antenori, R-Tucson.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Scott Bundgaard, R-Peoria.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1405: Hospitals checking legal status

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

SB 1407: Schools checking legal status

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

SB 1611: Immigration omnibus

• Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake.

• Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix.

• Rich Crandall, R-Mesa.

• Adam Driggs, R-Phoenix.

• Linda Gray, R-Glendale.

• John McComish, R-Phoenix.

• John Nelson, R-Litchfield Park.

• Steve Pierce, R-Prescott.

• Michele Reagan, R-Scottsdale.

• Steve Yarbrogh, R-Chandler.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/03/17/20110317arizona-birthright-citizenship-bills-rejected.html#ixzz1GxrZTYWG

Contrary to My Own Predictions...AZ Legislators Block Anti- Immigrant Bills!

Good news for now! Arizona State Legislature blocked anti-immigrant bills among them the so called Omnibus bill and the Birthright citizenship.

Other bills rejected were SB 1405 that would have required hospitals to check an individual's legal status and notify law enforcement if they suspected an individual was in the country illegally. Senate Bill 1407 would have required school districts to collect data on the number of students who were undocumented immigrants.

Also defeated was SB 1611, the so called Omnibus Bill, that included a wide variety of issues. It would have banned undocumented immigrants from attending state universities and Community Colleges or getting any federal public benefits. It would have made it a crime for undocumented immigrants to drive in Arizona and required proof of legal status to enroll a child in a public K-12 school. The Omnibus Bill was a compilation of 16 measures that had failed at various times over the past several years.

There is a small chance that this bill may be revived in what is left of the session. Also there is a possibility that the bill may be sent to the ballot.

Definitely the effective pressure came from the business leaders and the Chamber of Commerce, who months before were lobbying quietly against the passage of these laws.

http://www.azcentral.com/news/election/azelections/articles/2011/03/17/20110317arizona-birthright-citizenship-bills-rejected.html#ixzz1GuUEMCxo

You All Are 6 Years Behind, 4 Million Short (at Least)

60 business executives, among them CEOs, are asking the AZ State legislature to back off the immigration bills that are damaging our economy. You can read the opinion page on the AZ Republic here http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/opinions/articles/2011/03/16/20110316wed1-16-new.html.

Is this action having an effect to stop further economic meltdown in the state? Most likely no.

Russell Pearce had made assurances to the business community, before taking the Senate presidency, that he would not bring this bills up for a vote. He had already broken his promise twice.

Before this last minute action, the business community had chosen to deal with the request to hold the bills in a private way. Now this public, desperate action seems too little, too late.

As I predicted some time ago, State Senator Russell Pearce introduced the challenge to the 14th amendment to the US constitution to deny citizenship to the children of the (at least one of the parents) undocumented. Read here an article by Time magazine.

Today the legislation seemed to be weakening, although there are reports that Pearce will look for ways to vote it in other committees.

Make no mistake. The reason the challenge to the 14th amendment in the AZ legislation is loosing steam is not because cute kids marched in protest, or organized Latinas raised their voices but because the Chambers of Commerce came discreetly but forceful against it.

Money talks and there is not secret that the economy of Arizona cannot endure another

(or the continuation) economic boycott.

Dismantling The Myth of the "Anchor Baby"

(My comments are in bold)

I have been avoiding the topic just to skip using the jargon the Republicans are abusing.

However now the issue has materialized in 2011 in Arizona and other states with the filling of legislation by nativist politicians as State Senate Presidents (Arizona) Russell Pearce, Congressman Graham and others

The Republican efforts challenging the 14th Amendment, against birthright citizenship is centered by the idea that undocumented immigrants cross the border to have children who will be U.S. citizens. As Senator Lindsey Graham wrote about this, according to a posting from Think Progress -The Wonk Room's Andrea Nill:

“People come here to have babies,” he said. “They come here to drop a child. It's called "drop and leave." To have a child in America, they cross the border, they go to the emergency room, have a child, and that child's automatically an American citizen. That shouldn't be the case. That attracts people here for all the wrong reasons.”

There is a complete intent of dehumanizing immigrants and their families with this theories that also feed conspiracy fantasies.

This is what I found on line following the new report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

"Andrea Nill points that "an overwhelming majority of undocumented immigrants — 91 percent — who became the parents of U.S. citizens between March 2009 and March 2010 came to the U.S. before 2007."

"Contrary to Graham's "drop and leave" theory, only nine percent of undocumented immigrants had children shortly after arriving, and there's a distinct lack of evidence that any of them had children for that reason. Nill writes that these "findings pretty much invalidate the argument that is at the center of the birthright citizenship debate." That's actually not the only information in the Pew Survey that contradicts the views of restrictionists. There's also the news that the undocumented population increased slightly to 11.2 million by March 2010, after falling from 12 million to 11.1 million between 2007-2009"

"Now the Obama administration has tried to take some credit for the decline by pointing to its high numbers ofdeportations and increased resources at the border. But because in the long term border enforcement really does little to stem migration, the decline was more likely attributable to a struggling economy. The waning months of 2009 and early months of 2010 however, saw some economic growth. Maybe that's just a coincidence, but it also might explain the slight uptick in the undocumented population.

The data suggests a really shocking conclusion: People come to the U.S. to get jobs, not to have babies. That means that repealing birthright citizenship isn't likely to stem illegal immigration, because it doesn't alter the incentives that cause people to come here. It will, without a doubt, lead to higher numbers of undocumented immigrants, and the creation of a new, nationless class of children within U.S. borders. If, on the other hand, you're trying to reduce the population of Latino citizens rather than the number of undocumented immigrants, repealing birthright citizenship is one route to take"

I may add that Republicans always seek to dehumanize the undocumented immigrants in diverse ways:

1.-Utilizing humiliating vocabulary.

2.-Describing behavior that is contrary to the socio economic reality.

3.- Ignoring studies and research.

4.-Expecting that future immigration reform will legislate immigrant labor as a commodity, ignoring human realities.

Immigrant laborers, workers that arrive the USA are young and will find love, companionship and their unions will be blessed by the arrival of American citizens).