Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
From Coast to Coast : More Actions Against Secure Communities
12:55 pm By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Immigration|Justice|New York City|Secure Communities · 1 Comment
26 Aug 2011When the Secure Communities Task Force took their sham of a “community hearing” to Arlington, Virginia earlier this week, they heard testimony for, but mostly against the deportation policy that has contributed to a million deportations under the Obama administration.
It should be noted, that in the video above Maria Bolanos, whom we have written about, is peaking directly to the assistant director of Secure Communities , Marc Rapp.
Like in meetings past, the action included a call for task force members to resign and a walk out. After the walk out, the meeting did continue.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, the site of the first S-Comm task force meeting, there was a protest at the federal detention facility, that ended in the arrests of five people, included DREAMers. All of those arrested have since been released.
VL at the NY International Film Festival: Precious Knowledge
2:29 pm By BiancaLaureano · arizona|Arts|Culture|Movies|Politics|society|youth · 1 Comment
22 Aug 2011Over the next few days be on the lookout for film reviews from our time at the NY International Latino Film Festival. A week of films from all over the world, it was difficult to choose when and which films to watch. Unfortunately, I could only check out three, but I’m glad I did!
We’ve shared the trailer to Precious Knowledge before, and I was very excited to see the film as part of the NY Latino Film Festival and one I could review. I attended the second of two screenings at the festival and there were about 50 people present. The producers, editors, and one young woman, Pricilla Rodriguez, whose father is detained since the passing of SB 1070, from the film were present for a question and answer period after the film. Check out the trailer one more time:
Read more…
More Responses to Secure Communities Officially Becoming a Mandatory Deportation Program
12:08 pm By Maegan La Mala · Immigration|Politics|Secure Communities · 1 Comment
12 Aug 2011It’s been exactly a week since the Department of Homeland Security asserted the mandatory nature of the Secure Communities deportation program and voided it’s agreements with states across the country. Since then there have been numerous responses from politicians and organizations alike.
There have been “community” task force meetings in some parts of the country. There is now a push by some sectors asking for members of the task force to resign, given how DHS’s announcement shows that there is no interest on the part of the government in hearing from members of any community regarding the impact of S-Comm. For example, this afternoon in Tuscon, there will be a rally demanding that Tucson Police Chief, Roberto Villaseñor, who has been named as a member of this Taskforce, resign and not legitimize a program that will result in the most massive deportation process we have ever seen.
Hearing Tonight in Dallas on Secure Communities
10:17 am By Maegan La Mala · Immigration|Politics|Secure Communities|Texas · 2 Comments
9 Aug 2011Tonight Dallas County Sheriff Valdez will hold a public hearing on the “Secure Communities” program as part of her role on a controversial national taskforce critics claim was convened by the administration to dampen recent opposition to the deportation program.
The hearing, scheduled from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, and to be held at Dallas County Community College is happening in a county where 30% of those deported under the program are people with no criminal conviction while 63% either have not been convicted of any crime or have committed only a minor offense. This pattern, which flies in the face of Obama administration claims of targeted deportations of “dangerous” immigrants, is one that is repeated across the country as the deportation expands.
The hearing also comes almost immediately following last Friday’s announcement by the Department of Homeland Security, nullifying the 40 contracts it had negotiated with states and affirming the questioned mandatory status of the program.
Obama’s Department of Homeland Security Makes It Clear that Secure Communities Was Always Mandatory
8:03 am By Maegan La Mala · Immigration|Justice|Politics · 4 Comments
8 Aug 2011If there was any question about whether the Secure Communities deportation program was voluntary, we are one step closer to a clearer answer. On Friday, the Department of Homeland Security announced that the roll out of the program would be continuing and that all Memoranda Of Agreement (MOAs) with states that have implemented the program are terminated. In other words, the intentions of the administration are crystalline. States that have “opted out” like Illinois, New York and Massachusetts really never were meant to have that option and no one in the future will have that option. Deportation is the Obama’s administration’s commitment to the the immigration reform process.
It has been interesting, being able to read the responses from organizations, many who were demanding clarity on the issue of jurisdictions being able to opt out. Since the news was released on Friday afternoon, it hasn’t gotten the buzz it should in the so-called progressive media. There were no protests this weekend, that I know of anyway. Hopefully everyone is planning (she writes optimistically). But I doubt it (she writes more honestly).
If I were more creative, had more time and resources I would make a little puzzle, asking you, the reader, to draw a line from the language used to the organization that used it. But I have none of the aforementioned so I will just tell you what the statements said without naming names. Some organizations have called the program “botched” as if a roll out of any mass deportation program could be done in a correct way.
As pointed out by @DREAMActivist on twiter on Friday, other language being used is that of “states rights”, how through this announcement, the Federal Government is effectively using words that historically have been used as a justification for segregation and lax environmental protection. Are we seeing another example of just how big the gap is between reform and real transformation?
2nd annual Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice – Caminamos: Justice for Immigrant Women, August 1-5, 2011
8:51 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Immigration|Justice|Politics|Women · 1 Comment
4 Aug 2011
On behalf of VivirLatino, I am proud to be a part of the 2nd annual Latina Week of Action for Reproductive Justice. This year’s theme is Caminamos: Justice for Immigrant Women.
Co-sponsored by California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) and the Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), Latinas across the country will elevate the voices and experiences of immigrant women at community forums, letter writing events and signature collection campaigns in California, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, New York and Texas and a “What’s the Real Problem” online Blog Carnival 2011. Activists will also be collecting stories of immigrant women to change the existing negative ways in which immigrant women are viewed in the media and society.
“Mean-spirited law enforcement, workplace exploitation, criminalization of basic life including education and health care are just a few of the challenges that have forced immigrant women into the shadows and ignore the often vital, positive role they play in communities across the country”, said Maria Elena Perez, interim Executive Director, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health.
Here at VivirLatino, we have written for years about sexuality, access, and our immigrant communities. I use the word “our” very deliberately. Perhaps it’s unfair to get caught up in the use of one word, but reading/writing “for” immigrant women when many of us are immigrant women or have mothers, hermanas/sisters, tias who are immigrant women. Defining immigrant womanhood from the outside complicates if not obstructs the real struggle for justice – whatever that means and all that means.
I am going to work on a post for tomorrow that looks a little further/deeper at this issue and the path we are caminando on/walking on – together.
I welcome and look forward to your thoughts.
Late to the Civil Disobedience Party (Again)
7:43 am By Maegan La Mala · DREAM Act|Immigration|Obama|Politics|Puerto Rico|Washington DC · 3 Comments
2 Aug 2011
Last week, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill) was arrested in front of the White House protesting the over one million deportations that have happened under President Obama and as a push for President Obama to use his executive power to stop the deportations of at least some undocumented.
While there was some media coverage of the event that created a short term buzz, the overall response from many in pro-migrant circles was a collective, non-impressed yawn. Especially given the fact that while Gutierrez was getting arrested “for show”, a young man was getting deported for real.
Civil disobedience is important. I feel it is a tool like street protests, like voting, like not voting but civil disobedience in a vacuum, and a divided one at that smells of opportunism. For a while now, DREAMers have been getting arrested, risking not just a few hours in jail (and usually getting little to no mainstream media coverage- hell Fox News covered Gutierrez’s arrest), but risking their very existence in the United States. At first their campaign was to push the DREAM Act when it was before Congress, lately to push for more equal access to educational opportunity and executive action. Gone on the days when bodies participating in civil disobedience needed to represent, be symbolic for something else. Young people have been and are standing as themselves, confronting a system that wants to disappear them, their families, and their opportunities.
Action Update on Andy Mathe : Likely Deportation to Happen Tonite
12:29 pm By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Immigration · 1 Comment
26 Jul 2011Edited at 5:15 pm EST :
There are a few actions you can take to defend Andy Mathe’s right to stay.
You can call Delta Customer Service : 404-765-5000 and just keep saying ‘customer service’ until you get a person. Ask Delta to not cooperate with ICE.
The script: “Hi i was calling to ask that Andy Mathe not be deported to his death on the Delta flight today at 7:00pm from Atlanta to South Africa. Delta should not fly anyone to their death, this is a human rights issue. Refuse to allow ICE to fly Andy to his death!!”
There is also a petition being tweeted around, also targeting Delta.
It is a long shot, as it’s likely that Delta and ICE have some sort of contract (which is probably something that should be looked into.
According to sources close to the Mathe family, deferred action was denied allegedly because his age, not being currently enrolled in school, and not living with his mother.
Note – nothing because of him being a dangerous/bad/criminal immigrant.
Andy’s Mom, featured in the video below is heartbroken. She didn’t even get to say goodbye to her son.
Edited at 4:05 pm est to add: Just heard word that Andy has been picked up by ICE. It is likely that he will be sent home via a Delta airlines flight that leaves Atlanta to South Africa every day at 7 pm est.
Stay tuned as we update with more actions for people to take.
Obama doesn’t deport DREAMers huh?
An update on Andy Mathe, the young man who is facing deportation to South Africa, and whose story here generated some interesting (read troubling) commentary on who “deserves” to be fought for.
The latest via DREAMActivist:
This should be good news but it isn’t, yesterday at 6:00 pm Andy called his mother, Hope, from detention to let her know that ICE told him “you are going home on Tuesday or Wednesday.” What ICE wouldn’t do is tell him if that means home to South Africa or home to Atlanta.
Right now we don’t know where Andy is, he could be sitting at the airport for the only 7:00 pm flight directly to South Africa. We need your urgent action to find out where Andy is. Last time ICE attempted to deport Andy he talked his way off of the plane by sharing his story with the Delta pilot who then refused to take off with him on board, ICE has already threatened to ‘drug and deport’ him next time.
Yesterday, a letter informing President Obama of Andy’s situation, was hand delivered as Obama was at the National Council of la Raza Conference (more on that later). DREAMActvist is asking for people to make phone calls on Andy’s behalf:
Please call John Morton’s office, the head of ICE, at 1-800-821-9358. Tell the person who picks up:
“Hi, I was calling to ask that Andy Mathe not be deported, he will be killed if he is sent back. His alien number is: 088-488-386.”
Today NYC : Rally to Stop the Deportation of Julio Hernandez
8:24 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|Immigration|New York City · 4 Comments
26 Jul 2011
From our inbox. Also I just want to note, that I don’t necessarily agree with the framing of the call to protest/support. I don’t necessarily think that Julio will be safer in the U.S. – as if the U.S. has shown itself to protect and take care of young, queer youth. Pero, the point is that if Julio wants to stay he should be able to, especially if it is true, as the Obama administration keeps telling us, that they are not deporting young people like Julio. If that was true then why is this protest even needed?
Students, community leaders and elected officials will hold a rally and march in the Bronx to demand the halt of the deportation of Julio Hernandez.
We are calling on to ICE director John Morton to stop Julio’s deportation, and we are urging Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand to advocate for deferred action for undocumented youth.Julio Hernandez, a 24-year-old New York student, faces an imminent deportation order after being detained on a Greyhound bus during his spring break in April.
Julio was enrolled in Bronx Community College, and during his return trip from Chicago to New York, he was detained by Border Patrol in a Greyhound bus in Erie, PA.
Julio is set to be deported back to El Salvador where he faces gang violence due to his sexual orientation. Julio came to the United States in 2007, fleeing threats on his life from gang members. After arrival, he quickly learned English and decided to pursue his dream of becoming a radiologist. Julio is a bright, hard-working student, who has aspirations to contribute and serve his community. He wants to be a role model to younger kids.The New York State Youth Leadership Council is leading a campaign to stop Julio’s deportation. With a record number of deportations, the Obama administration continues to place hard-working immigrant youth in deportation proceedings. In an effort to keep Julio in the nation he now calls home, we have collected numerous petitions from the community and contacted ICE Director John Morton to urge him to defer Julio’s deportation. In addition, we are also urging Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand to advocate for deferred action for undocumented immigrant youth, and stop wasting valuable talent and brainpower due to a broken immigration law system.
What: Press conference, rally and march
Who: Julio, immigrant youth, Bronx college students, community leaders and elected officials
Where: Bronx Community College – 2155 University Ave, Bronx NY 10453
When: Tuesday, July 26, 2011 at 12:30pm
Why: Julio is a deserving and hard-working undocumented young American who is facing deportation. If deported to El Salvador, Julio’s life is at risk because of his sexual orientation. We need to stop his deportation!
Pelican Bay Prison Hunger Strike Only Kind of Over. Support Still Needed!
9:57 am By Maegan La Mala · Activism|California|Justice|Prisons|Violence · 4 Comments
23 Jul 2011
There has been some confusion over the last few days as to if the weeks old hunger strike which began at Pelican Bay California State Prison is over. The hunger strike was started specifically to protest the conditions inside the entire prison system but also very specifically the treatment in so-called Security Housing Units. You can read the entire list of demands of the strikers here.
It has been confirmed that inside Pelican Bay, the strike leaders have accepted an offer from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The leaders confirmed CDCR’s announcement that immediate changes in SHU policy are the opportunity for some educational programs, provision of all-weather caps (beanies) and wall calendars. More substantially, the leaders explained the CDCR has agreed to investigate changes to other policies including the gang validation and debriefing processes, and it is now up to supporters outside prison to make sure the CDCR upholds their promise.
Hola!
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