America's Voice Blog

Posted 08/25/10 at 03:12pm By Dara Lind

Updated Report Highlights “Cross-Currents” Facing Latinos at the Polls

After primaries yesterday in Florida and Arizona, the 2010 general election cycle is in full swing -- and one of the most important questions facing political observers is what the nation's fastest-growing voter bloc will do. We won't know the answer to that question until November, of course, but in America's Voice's updated report on "The Power of the Latino Vote" -- and on a telephonic press conference featuring a panel of experts held today in conjunction with the report's release -- it's clear that the immigration debate continues to be a driving factor behind Latino political engagement.. In all, the report examines the role of immigration and the potential influence of Latino voters in 41 key races in 12 states across the country – including potential battleground locations such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, and Nevada.  The report – and the analysis featured on today’s call – make clear that Latino voters could make a difference in dozens of 2010 races.

As Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO), said on today's call:

"The current debate around immigration is playing a big role in what Latino voters say.  We recently conducted a poll among Latino voters in key states and they told us the issue of immigration increases their likelihood of voting and even influences their selection of candidates.  In fact, when asked what are their top concerns, most of the respondents told us ‘immigration.'  That's ahead of jobs, the economy, and healthcare, among others.  This is the first time we've ever seen immigration top the list of concerns among Latino voters and that is very significant."

In the past, as the report details, the immigration debate shifted Latino voters closer to the Democrats. But the lack of action on comprehensive immigration reform could hurt Democrats who need high motivation and high turnout from all segments of their base—including Latino voters--in order to stem big losses. The report explains:

"The story of the November 2010 election is still to be written, and there are tremendous cross-currents at play that will impact the way Latino voters perform in individual races.  While the lack of action on comprehensive immigration reform could contribute to Latino voter apathy this cycle, recent polls make it clear that the combination of national attention to Arizona’s anti-immigration law and the way many Republicans have wholeheartedly embraced an anti-immigrant agenda could energize Latinos to turn out and vote against Republicans."

Click here to read more.
Posted 08/18/10 at 03:09pm By Jackie Mahendra

As Justice Department Threatens Suit, Sheriff Arpaio’s Record Speaks for Itself

According to the Washington Post:

Justice Department officials in Washington have issued a rare threat to sue Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio if he does not cooperate with their investigation of whether he discriminates against Hispanics. The civil rights inquiry is one of two that target the man who calls himself "America's toughest sheriff." A federal grand jury in Phoenix is examining whether Arpaio has used his power to investigate and intimidate political opponents and whether his office misappropriated government money, sources said.

In June, America’s Voice Education Fund released a new report detailing the long, disturbing and ineffective record of Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ. The report reveals some 21 examples of Arpaio’s disturbing record, such as:

  • Violent crime rates are up in Arpaio’s jurisdiction while they have fallen throughout the rest of Arizona.

  • Arpaio has failed to serve over 40,000 felony warrants. Arpaio is suspected of misspending $50 million in taxpayer funds and has refused to turn over records for an investigation.

  • Over 2,700 lawsuits have been filed against Arpaio and he’s been investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Labor.

  • Evidence exists that Arpaio forced an undocumented mother to give birth while handcuffed to a bed.

Arpaio, who sparked national protests last month, loves the spotlight (he even used taxpayer money to pay for a reality TV show). There’s no doubt he’ll use this latest development to try to play the victim and crowd the news-show circuits. What’s unclear is when and how Arpaio -- after so many years spent trampling the Constitution -- will finally get served the justice he deserves.

Posted 08/05/10 at 10:48am By Guest Blogger

Weekly Diaspora: Arizona’s Anti-Immigrant Crusade Continues

by Catherine Traywick, Media Consortium blogger:

Though Arizona’s SB 1070 went into effect without its most controversial provisions, the legislation’s stated intent—attrition through enforcement—is nevertheless gaining traction among anti-immigrant legislators across the nation. In the wake of the law’s enactment, other states are coming out in support of Arizona, some developing policy modeled after SB 1070. Others even hope to alter the U.S. constitution to deny “birthright citizenship” to children of undocumented immigrants.

Arizona stands firm against injunction

After federal judge Susan Bolton blocked numerous elements of SB 1070, Arizona governor Jan Brewer wasted no time and swiftly filed an appeal against the injunction.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, for his part, has assured the public that he intends to continue enforcing state and federal immigration laws through “crime sweeps” and immigration status checks. After Arizona’s 287(g) agreement expired last year, effectively stripping local law enforcement of the right to detain individuals on suspicion of their immigration status, Arpaio similarly refused to comply, brazenly maintaining his immigration enforcement campaign.

Jamilah King of ColorLines reports that on the day that SB 1070 went into effect, Arpaio and hundreds of deputies arrested 50 protesters before completing their 17th immigration raid. Those arrested included clergy, journalists, and attorneys. Local civil rights leader Salvador Reza – a particularly outspoken critic of Arpaio’s contentious enforcement tactics, was also taken into custody, as was former state Sen. Alfredo Gutierrez.

Click here to read more.
Posted 08/03/10 at 02:22pm By Jackie Mahendra

WATCH: Times Square Video Campaign Asks, “Do I look illegal?”

According to their Boycott Intolerance website,  the major Latino advocacy group NCLR has raised the funds needed to inform “millions of people who pass through Times Square each day about the dangers of Arizona’s new immigration law,” SB 1070.

They explain:

This new PSA from NCLR was produced in response the Arizona's SB 1070, which makes Latinos suspect in their own communities and potential victims of racial profiling.

Watch the video they’re running in Times Square for the next 72 days:

Click here to read more.
Posted 08/02/10 at 02:36pm By Jackie Mahendra

Sarah Palin’s “Cojones” (and the Immigration Debate)

Yep, I went there.

Maybe it’s because I would expect better from one of the leading women in politics, but I found former Alaska Governor and GOP Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s recent “analysis” of the immigration crisis in our country particularly obnoxious.

CBS reports Palin’s latest headline-grabber: "Palin: Obama Doesn't Have the 'Cojones' for Immigration Reform". That pretty much sums up the level of the discourse here. See, it comes down to whose "balls" are bigger – Palin’s, Brewer’s, or Obama’s. There’s certainly more than enough testosterone in this debate to go around. Not to mention botox.

Blogger Prerna Lal writes at Change.org:

Cojones is a vulgar Spanish word for testicles, which translates to "balls" in English. Yes, Brewer has plenty of nuts in her administration, but that's probably not what Palin meant. Her words were intended to emasculate President Obama, who Palin and her adherents see as not doing enough to "secure the border." [...]

Let's take a few steps back here. When did manhood become a prerequisite for "securing the border" — itself empty rhetoric that serves as an excuse for inaction on immigration reform? It doesn't take "balls" to make a sound immigration policy.

But seriously, ignore the fact that the Obama administration has paralleled and even outspent the get-tough era of the Bush administration on immigration enforcement per year. Ignore the fact that Obama’s Administration is on track to deport 400,000 immigrants this year, the majority of whom have no criminal record and are mainly working hard at menial jobs to feed their families. Ignore all of that -- not to mention the fact that Sarah Palin just used a “Mexican” word on national television (blasphemy!).

It’s clear that our immigration system is dysfunctional, but our immigration debate is just plain irrational at this point. More guards, fences, and drones on the border hasn’t worked to date, and we would be insane to think it will work in the future -- any attempt to promote border-only immigration policy is pure political pandering, plain and simple.

What would work would be smarter immigration policy that allows for an ebb and flow of workers during times of demand; that makes sure businesses hire the right way; and that provides a way for workers without papers to come forward, meet requirements, pay a fine, and become legal taxpayers and citizens. In other words, an immigration policy that lives up to our tradition as both a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws.

Click here to read more.
Posted 07/30/10 at 02:46pm By Web Team

Thirty-eight Arrested Protesting Arpaio and Arizona Immigration Law

Protests in Arizona and through-out America continued today after Arizonan's governor, Jan Brewer asked an appeals court to reconsider the most heinous parts of the state's new immigration law and as the lightning-rod Maricopa County Sheriff, Joe Arpaio, prepared a highly publicized "crime sweep."

Yesterday, at least 38 people were arrested during a protest against planned raids on immigrant communities by Arpaio.

Hundreds of protesters banged on the metal door of the Maricopa County Jail and chanted "Sheriff Joe, we are here. We will not live in fear." and "Arrest Arpaio not the people."

Watch:

Arpaio responded saying, "Nothing is going to deter this operation, not even the ruling of a federal judge."

In Tucson, opponents of SB 1070 spent all night Wednesday downtown taking a stand against the remaining provisions of the misguided immigration law.

According to the Tucson Sentinel, drivers passing by honked their horns and raised their fists in support of the demonstrators long into the night.

Members of the America's Voice team were in Arizona yesterday and they documented their experience on the ground.

You can see their photos by going to our Facebook page.

Posted 07/29/10 at 09:58am By Jackie Mahendra

Cartoon: Hold it Right There!

Check out this cartoon, from AZ Daily Star:

Cartoon

 

 

Posted 07/28/10 at 12:26pm By Dara Lind

BREAKING: Judge Keeps Key Parts of Arizona Law from Going Into Effect

Judge Susan Bolton of the U.S. District Court for Arizona has just issued an injunction preventing key sections of Arizona law SB 1070 from going into effect tomorrow -- including the sections criminalizing immigrants for failing to carry documents with them at all times and requiring police to ask anyone for papers during traffic stops or housing inspections if they had a "reasonable suspicion" the person was undocumented.

Judge Bolton, who was recommended for the bench by Republican Senator Jon Kyl, did not grant the federal government's request to put the entire bill on hold, so most of its provisions will still go into effect as scheduled tomorrow. But the most controversial four provisions have been enjoined:

  • The "show your papers" provision: "Portion of Section 2 [...] requiring that an officer make a reasonable attempt to determine the immigration status of a person stopped, detained or arrested if there is a reasonable suspicion that the person is unlawfully present in the United States, and requiring verification of the immigration status of any person arrested prior to releasing that person"

  • The section making it a state crime to leave the house without your papers: "Section 3: creating a crime for the failure to apply for or carry alien registration papers"

  • The section making it a state crime to look for work: "Portion of Section 5: creating a crime for an unauthorized alien to solicit, apply for, or perform work"

  • The section giving police the power to determine who is deportable: "Section 6: authorizing the warrantless arrest of a person where there is probable cause to believe the person has committed a public offense that makes the person removable from the United States"

Click here to read more.
Posted 07/16/10 at 03:28pm By Adam Luna

NEW REPORT:  Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Notorious Record

The “Model Sheriff” for Arizona’s SB 1070, Joe Arpaio, has a record of failed crime fighting tactics, civil rights abuses and creating terror in the communities he’s supposed to protect.

Today, we here at America’s Voice Education Fund released a new report detailing the long, disturbing and ineffective record of Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Maricopa County, AZ.
 
The report reveals some 21 examples of Arpaio’s disturbing record, among them:

  • Violent crime rates are up in Arpaio’s jurisdiction while they have fallen throughout the rest of Arizona.

  • Arpaio has failed to serve over 40,000 felony warrants. Arpaio is suspected of misspending $50 million in taxpayer funds and has refused to turn over records for an investigation.

  • Over 2,700 lawsuits have been filed against Arpaio and he’s been investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Departments of Justice and Labor.

  • Evidence exists that Arpaio forced an undocumented mother to give birth while handcuffed to a bed.

Click here to read more.
Posted 07/15/10 at 02:03pm By Jackie Mahendra

Latinos Feel “Under Siege,” Utah ‘Immigrant Hit List’ Includes Social Security Numbers, Due Dates

It's now wonder Latinos are beginning to feel under siege in America-- judging by the latest out of Utah, they are.

A top Latino blogger at Vivir Latino writes:

I just…can’t even think of anything to say. My mouth is on the floor and I can’t pick it up.

They even included *due dates* of pregnant women. Due dates.

I feel safe, how about you?

At a time in which the Arizona GOP has made it acceptable for American citizens to go on witch-hunts for undocumented immigrants (i.e. suing police if they don't profile people based on shoes, accents, and skin color), comes this highly disturbing story.  The New York Times' Kirk Johnson reports, in "‘Immigrant’ List Sets Off Fears:"

A list of 1,300 Utah residents described as illegal immigrants has sown fear among some Hispanics here, and prompted an investigation into its origins and dissemination.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

Utah Gov. Gary Herbert wants to know whether any state employees helped create a list of 1,300 people an anonymous group has publicly accused of being undocumented immigrants.

Herbert on Tuesday ordered several state agencies to determine whether computer records were accessed inappropriately to create the detailed list, which arrived by mail Monday at media outlets, law enforcement agencies, and the state House and Senate. [...] Utah law makes it a misdemeanor to disclose government data not meant for public dissemination, though there are protections for whistle blowers. The list included names, addresses, birth dates, phone numbers, and 31 social security numbers. Also included: the names and dates of birth of 201 children, and the due dates of six pregnant women. Almost every surname is Latino.

The Orwellian-named "Concerned Citizens of the United States" who released the list to media outlets and law enforcement agencies said they would be “listening and watching” to make sure those on the list, a majority of whom are Latino, are rounded up and deported.  It's no wonder Latinos are feeling increasingly targeted, even those who've lived in this country for generations. Polling of Latinos conducted for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund and to be released next week finds that, according to Arturo Vargas, NALEO’s Executive Director:

"Latinos are feeling less optimistic and more under siege.” 

Click here to read more.

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