Obama, Republicans fail to advance hopes on immigration reform

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By Aaron Montes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – When President Barack Obama delivered the fifth State of the Union address of his presidency, he dedicated just three sentences to immigration reform. Not once did he mention the contributions or needs of Latinos, nor did he touch on his administration’s handling of deportations. Most of his proposals won applause from Democratic members while the majority of the Republican Party sat in silence. They did the same when the president said “…and fix our broken immigration system.”

On Jan. 30, the house GOP released its immigration requirements: more border security, implemented entry-exit visa tracking and employment verification systems and no special path to citizenship.

Msgr. Arturo Bañuelas led the prayer commemorating the dead. (Edwin Delgado/Borderzine.com)

Day of the Dead procession remembers recent casualties along the U.S.-Mexico border

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EL PASO – The Border Network for Human Rights held its eighth annual Day of the Dead Procession along the Cesar E. Chavez border highway on Nov. 1 to remember those who have perished while trying to enter the United States and show their support for comprehensive Immigration Reform. “As the Day of the Dead looms, we take this day to remember the immigrants who unfortunately lost their lives while crossing the border,” said BNHR director Fernando Garcia. “We should never forget them; we will be here honoring them every year because if we forget about them their deaths will be in vain and more people will lose their life.”

The non-profit BNHR, along with nearly 150 El Pasoans of all ages, marched from Bowie High School through Central El Paso and along the border highway that separates El Paso from Ciudad Juarez. Participants carried coffins made out of cardboard, religious crosses, lit candles and banners to express their support for immigration reform. Although the U.S. Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill that grants a path to citizenship to undocumented residents last summer, the bill is currently stalled in the House of Representatives and unlikely to be discussed this year.

Father Bob Mosher, from the Columban Mission Center, Melissa López, from the El Paso Catholic Diocese Center for Immigrant and Refuge Services, Fernando García, director of the Border Network for Human Rights, Katie Anita Hudak, director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center. (Aaron Montes/Borderzine.com)

U.S. journalists seek to learn from immigration advocates and get an earful: We didn’t invite you to darles una regañada… but you need to earn back the public’s trust

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EL PASO – The American media still has a lot of work to do. It has not fulfilled its responsibility covering the stories of the millions of immigrants that live in the United States, and has not fully challenged the narrative that has dominated the immigration debate for the last decade and a half, a panel of border activists and immigration experts agreed this last weekend. In front of the five panelists, a roomful of journalists listened to their concerns and ideas as part of the first Specialized Reporting Institute on Immigration Reform held in El Paso, TX and sponsored by the McCormick Foundation. The twenty reporters from all over the country and a dozen journalism students sat in silence inside the auditorium of Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe on Sept. 28 as they listened to the concerns of the immigration advocates.

Giving a voice to immigration reform

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EL PASO – Downtown vendors stood motionless at the doorways of their stores and shoppers stopped in their tracks on an early afternoon in April. Only the faint protest of marchers could be heard heading up El Paso street, but with each step closer their voices became strong and loud. “Sí se puede. Yes we can!” they shouted, “Obama, escucha, estamos en la lucha (Listen Obama, we are in a struggle).”

BNHR, based in El Paso, is a human rights advocacy organization that is primarily active in immigration and border policy. The group which represents 700 families, helped organize this event, in addition to several others around the city.

Standing on the borderline, Obama embraces immigration reform

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EL PASO — President Barrack Obama embarked on a trip to Texas on Tuesday and paid a visit to El Paso to renew his push for immigration reform reminding us that America was built by immigrants and that we should welcome those who are willing to embrace our ideals. “It doesn’t matter where you come from. What matters is that you believe the ideals on which we were founded, that you believe all of us are equal,” said Obama. “In embracing America, you can become American. That is what makes this country so great.”

Immigration reform has been a long hot-button issue for both Democrats and Republicans and with the 2012 elections heating up, both parties are taking advantage of bringing the topic up to Congress and citizens all over the country.  In his speech, Obama mentioned that there are 11 million people who are in the United States illegally and although he has sympathy for them stating that they are just trying to earn a living, what it comes down to is that they are breaking the law.

Texans protest proposed anti-immigrant laws

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AUSTIN  – More than 1,000 persons gathered Tuesday at the Texas Capitol in hopes that legislators would hear and consider their plea for respect and equality when passing immigration laws. “Texas Can Do Better,” was chanted, overpowering the downtown streets of Austin from Waterloo Park to the Texas Capitol. Texas legislators have proposed 60 anti-immigration bills at the federal and state level.  Some of this proposed legislation would allow law enforcement agents to deport immigrants without establishing a reasonable doubt of the legality of their immigration status. The new laws could take education away from immigrant children, depriving them from a shot at the American dream.

Periodistas mexicanos piden asilo político en Estados Unidos

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EL PASO, Texas — Tres periodistas mexicanos, que esperan recibir asilo político en los Estados Unidos, expusieron los peligros y amenazas sufridas durante el ejercicio de la profesión en su país en una rueda de prensa en esta ciudad el 21 de septiembre. De igual forma condenaron la muerte de alrededor de 68 de sus colegas desde el año 2000 y urgieron al presidente Felipe Calderón Hinojosa para que dimitiera pues su gobierno no garantiza la seguridad de los comunicólogos, ni de los mexicanos. Durante la conferencia, en la que participaron diversos medios internacionales, los expatriados patentizaron la confianza de que el mandatario, Barack Obama, les conceda estatus legal, después de que esta semana en Washington se aprobara el asilo solicitado por el reportero chihuahuense, Jorge Luis Aguirre. “Felipe Calderón es el principal responsable de los actos criminales que ocurren en México; es, sin lugar a dudas, un genocida”, dijo, el ex-reportero de El Diario del Noreste, en Ascensión, Chihuahua, Emilio Gutiérrez Soto. Y agregó: “Debe ser llevado ante los juzgados internacionales para que responda por los crímenes constantes que se dan a diario en mi patria en donde no existe una sola familia que no haya sido tocada”.

Los sicarios toman la palabra en México

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EL PASO, Texas — Emilio Gutiérrez quiere tener voz, sin embargo, sufre una afonía inusual. Un padecimiento que ni médicos, ni sociólogos, ni siquiatras pueden resolver. Y es que desde hace un tiempo para acá intentaron cortar sus cuerdas vocales (su libertad de expresión). Aunque en honor a la verdad, tuvo mejor suerte que muchos de sus colegas. A ellos, cerca de 30, no solo les truncaron las palabras, también los borraron de sobre la faz de la tierra.

Protesters demand the changes Obama promised

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EL PASO, Texas — As President Barack Obama addressed the troops in Ft. Bliss Tuesday morning, protest groups gathered here to voice disappointment with the lack of change they say was promised by candidate Obama. “I’m out here because we were promised immigration reform,” said Delia Barra, a member of Red Fronteriza, the organization that headed the protest. Some 100 protesters lined up on Airway Boulevard between Montana and Boeing, just across from the airport Marriott at 11 a.m. just as heat waves began to rise from the sidewalk.  As the Sun City blazed down on their heads, bottled water was distributed down the long line of protest posters and US flags. “I joined for the reason that I don’t want families to be separated [due to deportation].

Hispanos retan al Sheriff a que los detengan

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EL PASO, Texas — Alrededor de 60 paseños se presentaron este miércoles en la Cárcel del Condado de El Paso para que agentes del Sheriff Richard Wiles los detuvieran. El incidente formó parte de una manifestación en contra de la ley anti-inmigrante SB 1070, actualmente en proceso en Arizona, y en apoyo a las víctimas que ha ido cobrando esa iniciativa. “Mi hijo ha sido combatiente en Irak en dos ocasiones, ha preservado la libertad de este país, ha puesto su vida por esto; ¿es justo que lo discriminen por su color?”, dijo Magdalena Esparza. Y agregó: “Eso es inconstitucional, estamos en el país de las libertades, sino es así que quiten la estatua de la libertad”. La mujer, acompañada de su padre (de 74 años), insistió en que quería entregarse porque le daba temor de que ella, su hijo o alguien de su familia sea víctima de lo que sucede en Arizona.