America's Voice Blog

Posted 12/04/08 at 03:58pm By Jackie Mahendra

What do grumpy old men get for Christmas?

Dobbs as santaAlex Koppelman dissected what's eating Dobbs over at the Salon War Room yesterday:

In Lou Dobbs' world, apparently, everything is about immigration. Even the case of New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress, who's in trouble with the law after accidentally shooting himself over the weekend.

Contrary to claims of “only seeking to reduce illegal immigration,” CNN host Lou Dobbs joins Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio on the list of grumpy old men certain to turn any incident — earthquakes and hurricanes included — into their own personal tirade against immigrants.

The goal of all this fear-mongering? Three words: publicity, fame, and money.

Sheriff Joe welcomes controversy with his public tirades against — not only immigrants — but all Latino residents of Maricopa County. And in exchange, what’s the good sheriff getting for Christmas?

His very own reality TV series on — you guessed it — Fox.

Posted 12/04/08 at 02:43pm By Paco Fabian

Fresh from CIS: Blame the Third-World Gold-Diggers

Fresh from the folks who brought us “Immigrants Cause Global Warming,” the contentious Center for Immigration Studies is serving up their latest threat to homeland security:

Third-World Gold-Diggers.

Their words, not ours.

Walter Ewing at the Immigration Policy Center (IPC) explains what’s so twisted about the Center’s latest “factual analysis” in a post called Restrictionist CIS Twists Facts on "Marriage Fraud":

In a report released on December 2, the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) takes aim at what it views as an under-appreciated threat to U.S. national security and the integrity of the U.S. immigration system: the alleged ease with which foreigners married to U.S. citizens can become Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs) and receive “green cards.”  

CIS scrapes the bottom of the intellectual barrel in terms of relying upon anecdote rather than evidence to derisively claim that “if small-time con artists and Third-World gold-diggers can obtain green cards with so little resistance, then surely terrorists can (and have done) the same.” […]

Any evidence of marriage fraud should be quickly addressed. However, the CIS report itself acknowledges that “there is no way of knowing” just how prevalent the problem actually is, and that most marriages “between Americans and foreign nationals are legitimate.”  Nevertheless, CIS somehow knows, though can not prove, that fraudulent marriage petitions are “prevalent among international terrorists, including members of Al-Qaeda,” and that “a substantial number” of undocumented immigrants ordered to leave the United States evade deportation through sham marriages.  […]

That’s right, they don’t have any facts, but they do have a really good feeling that they’re on to something.

Check out Walter’s full analysis over at IPC’s new blog Immigration Impact.

Posted 12/03/08 at 12:36pm By Patty Kupfer

Catholics ask Hate Group Leader to Remove Head from Sand

old ostrich

Did Dan Stein, president of the recognized hate group FAIR, miss the fact that 15 of his anti-immigrant allies in the House of Representatives just got booted out?

In a Nov. 20th op-ed in the Washington Times, Stein painted a much rosier picture of the anti-immigrant landscape. Well yesterday Kevin Appleby, of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, stepped in to expose his shoddy analysis in a letter to the editor. He conjures a striking visual of the Stein op-ed:

If I had to draw it, his article would look like an ostrich with its head in the sand.

Appleby goes on to cite numbers that show just how deeply Stein and his FAIR colleagues have dug their heads in:

Despite Mr. Stein's claims, commentators on both the left and right have concluded that immigration indeed was a factor in Hispanic voters decisively supporting pro-immigrant candidates in the November election. Exit polls and other studies show that the anti-immigrant rhetoric used by many candidates in 2006 and 2008 - taken from Mr. Stein's talking points, no doubt - had a demonstrable effect on how Hispanics voted. Hispanic voters concluded, understandably, that attacks on undocumented immigrants were attacks on them and their communities.

The results bear this out: In the election, pro-immigrant forces gained as many as 28 votes, and anti-immigrant groups lost 15 votes in the House of Representatives.

The American people have seen through the hateful rhetoric of the Federation for American Immigration Reform and support a comprehensive and humane solution to the country's illegal immigration problem. The 111th Congress would be wise to agree. Indeed, a recent Zogby poll found that 69 percent of Catholics support a path to citizenship for the undocumented.

Posted 12/02/08 at 08:38pm By Jackie Mahendra

Pink Underwear on Prime Time?

joe dreams of hollywoodIt's official. Self-proclaimed "America's Toughest Sheriff" Arpaio has finally made good on the American Dream. That is, Joe's landed his own reality television show.

That's right, come December 27th, Paris Hilton may not be the only one parading around in pink underwear on prime time. (Arpaio has made a practice of dressing his inmates in pink underwear and forcing them to sleep in tents in the Arizona desert, among other questionable tactics).

An infamous media hog, Sheriff Arpaio has developed a "tough spot" for immigrants. According to a recent NPR story:

Arpaio finds creative ways to arrest illegal immigrants — using state law intended on human smuggling to charge them with smuggling themselves — something no one else in the state has attempted.

This latest FOX "reality"TV series will serve to give an even louder megaphone to a public official known for hisanti-immigrant antics and racial profiling of Latinos. Smile! You'reUnder Arrest will celebrate the slimy depths Sheriff Joe has been willing to sink to in Maricopa County, Arizona.

America's Voice has compiled a new fact sheet detailing the Sheriff's record to date. Some highlights:

  • 2,700 lawsuits have been filed against Arpaio

  • Prioritizes immigrant sweeps over felony arrest warrants

  • Discrimination against Latinos found in Arizona Republic study

  • Staged a phony murder plot against himself 

The bad news?

Fox's newest star has a history of promoting virulently anti-Latino policies that leave tough police-work behind in favor of blatant racial profiling.

The good news?

Apparently, the show is set to air on Saturdays at 5 pm.

Pink underwear on prime time?

Not so much.

Posted 12/02/08 at 07:51pm By Jackie Mahendra

Elected Officials to Pal around with Community Organizers, Real People

logo for eventThis Thursday, Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), will join more than 500 grassroots leaders to outline priorities for the 111th Congress and a renewed effort for comprehensive immigration reform. The event, called "Realizing the Promise," will urge the new Congress and Administration to end inhumane ICE raids. It will push for policies that both keep families together and strengthen our economic viability in a time of growing uncertainty.

We can only hope that other members of the 111th Congress follow Rep. Gutierrez's leadership here. What if we could mandate a renewed "palling around" by DC elected officials with real people who understand the needs of their communities?

Maybe we'd finally make headway on real issues like immigration reform.

Here's the take from Rep. Gutierrez's office:

President-Elect Obama harnessed the power of community organizing to rise to our nation's highest political office. But it wouldn't have happened without real, everyday people on the ground organizing for change across the country. That is why 2,000 organizers and community leaders are coming to DC to help shape the agenda for Congress and the new Administration.

Realizing the Promise has a full-fledged website and blog for those who cannot attend the event in person. Organizers will be live-casting the event and are describing it this way:

Realizing The Promise is an unprecedented opportunity for real, everyday people to have a voice in shaping public policy in our country. During the forum, community leaders will speak directly with elected officials about the issues that matter most for all of us and the policies and solutions we need to make America work for all of us.

Check out their teaser:

Posted 12/02/08 at 04:52pm By Paco Fabian

Rep. Hunter’s Wild Exaggerations Miss Target

target practiceWhoops — Rep. Duncan Hunter must have missed the memo.

In the wake of losing over 69% of the Latino vote in this presidential election, GOP leaders have at least paid lip service to reigning in the immigration hardliners within their party.

The question is, will Republican politicians continue to go the way of Rep. Hunter, who used today's MSNBC interview to scapegoat immigrants in his homestate of California and divert attention from the Iraq War?

Think Progress reports:

During an interview with MSNBC's Luke Russert today, Hunter defended his campaign pledge to end citizenship for children of undocumented immigrants, arguing immigration increases domestic crime. As his evidence, Hunter made the outlandish and grossly inaccurate claim that Tijuana, Mexico has more crime than "Iraq and Afghanistan."

When will Republican politicians finally "face reality," as the Wall Street Journal put it today, and realize that these kinds of tactics areonly setting the party up for even greater failure in 2010?

Posted 12/02/08 at 02:06pm By Paco Fabian

Wall Street Journal to Immigration Hardliners: Face reality, or Extinction

Goode lawn signsToday's Wall Street Journal blog featured our Immigration08.com election analysis in a post entitled, "More Immigration Losers."

The byline? 

GOP hardliners need to face reality. 

Or extinction. 

Let's pick reality for a minute- that would mean owning up to the fact that immigration hasn't worked as a wedge issue, that GOP immigration rhetoric has alienated the fastest-growing voting bloc in the country, and that deportation-only platforms fall flat with swing voters looking for solutions to the toughest issues facing our nation.

According to the Journal's blog:

Virginia Republican Congressman Virgil Goode's narrow loss to Democrat Tom Perriello became official last week, and it caps another bad showing for immigration restrictionists. For the second straight election, incumbent Republicans who attempted to turn illegal immigration into a wedge issue fared poorly.

Anti-immigration hardliners Randy Graf, John Hostettler and J.D. Hayworth were among the Republicans who lost in 2006. Joining them this year were GOP Representatives Thelma Drake (Virginia), Tom Feeney (Florida), Ric Keller (Florida) and Robin Hayes (North Carolina) -- all Members of a House anti-immigration caucus that focuses on demonizing the undocumented.

According to a review of election results by America's Voice, an advocacy group, Republican restrictionists had especially weak showings in "battleground" races." Nineteen of 21 winners advocated immigration policies beyond enforcement-only," says the report. "This includes 5 of 5 Senate races and 14 of 16 House races listed in the 'toss-up,' 'leans Republican,' or 'leans Democratic' categories of the Cook Political Report."

Mr. Goode, a 12-year incumbent, had made a name for himself in Congress as a seal-the-border advocate. Among other things, he has called for mass deportations and amending the Constitution to deny U.S. citizenship to children of illegal aliens.

The pro-immigrant blog Citizen Orange has a good analysis of what made Virgil Goode a hardliner on immigration. 

Virgil Goode is essentially arguing for "the right of blood" an antiquated concept whereby nationality is not determined by place of birth, but by ancestry.  It's the equivalent of a feudal philosophy whereby your privileges are passed onto you by your parents.  Not only does it undercut a central tenet of U.S. citizenship, but it also undercuts the idea that everyone should be born equal.

I go into this explanation, because I don't think people realize what a radical affront to the United States people like Virgil Goode are.  These are not people on the lunatic fringe.  H.R. 1940 or the "Birthright Citizenship Act of 2007" claims 104 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives (that's out of 435 for those that are counting).  This act would strip the children of migrants from their right to citizenship.

Congressman like Virgil Goode like to claim that they are for enforcing the laws that are on the books.  In reality they are in favor of a radical reordering of judicial philosophy of the United States as we know it. 

Posted 12/02/08 at 01:42pm By Jackie Mahendra

GOP Moderate Base Melting Faster than Polar Ice Caps

polar ice capToday the Washington Post reported that Florida Senator Mel Martinez (R) will not be seeking re-election after the next two years of his term are up:

Martinez's decision was based on a desire for more free time and a less scheduled life, said the source.

With that, the GOP prepares to say goodbye to one of its moderate voices.

As we reported, the former RNC Chairman recently stated on NBC's "Meet the Press":

"The very divisive rhetoric of the immigration debate set a very bad tone for our brand as Republicans...there were voices within our party, frankly, which if they continue with that kind of rhetoric, anti-Hispanic rhetoric, that so much of it was heard, we're going to be relegated to minority status."

Sen. Martinez has been one of the courageous Republican leaders speaking out on the divisive immigration rhetoric employed by his party.

Will Sen. Martinez feel more freedom to speak up on immigration, now that a looming re-election is out of the picture? Nothing's certain, but it is safe to say that the GOP's moderate base on immigration is an endangered species worth preserving.

 

Posted 12/01/08 at 03:18pm By Web Team

Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) Appointed Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security

Today, President-Elect Barack Obama appointed Governor Janet Napolitano (D-AZ) to Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The Department of Homeland Security is charged with protecting the U.S. from terrorism and responding to natural disasters, among other duties. Last week, America's Voice Executive Director Frank Sharry wrote about some of the problems that have plagued the Department's immigration agency:

Let's face it: both DHS and ICE have seen their dignity dive-bomb under Chertoff's rule. After immigration reform was murdered by anti-immigrant forces in 2007, ICE took matters into its own hands.

The agency's showy immigration raids have focused on rounding up immigrant workers and tearing them from their families to generate splashy headlines. Of course, this comes at the expense of not prosecuting dangerous criminals or unscrupulous employers.

But rounding people up is just the beginning. Recent New York Times and Washington Post exposés have revealed the outrageous deaths of seventy immigrant detainees, many of whom died because of poor conditions in privately-traded, expanding ICE detention centers.

What's more, ICE has been slamming workers with trumped up identity theft charges and executing mass trials that have trampled our deeply-held values of due process and basic justice. The Supreme Court is set to investigate one such identity theft case next year.

Finally, we can't ignore former ICE head Julie Myers' moments of sheer incompetence, stupidity, and apparent racism. These only served to further tarnish ICE's reputation. Most recently, her Operation Scheduled Departure, a "self-deportation" plan that netted eight (8) unlawful immigrants in total, was a colossal waste of taxpayer dollars.

Incidentally, Ms. Myers scheduled her own departure from the Agency right after Mr. Obama was elected.

If Napolitano's likely appointment to Secretary of Homeland Security is anything, it is a welcome departure from business as usual at DHS. It is a chance for a courageous leader to restore dignity to a highly politicized agency that has spiraled out of control.

 

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