America's Voice Blog

Posted 08/30/10 at 09:00am By Frank Sharry

In Florida, Bill McCollum’s Primary Loss Shows Limits of Immigrant Bashing

While most analysis of immigration politics has focused on Arizona lately, both parties should take note of the results of last Tuesday’s gubernatorial primary in Florida.  In states with a significant Latino presence, there is a steep price to pay for ugly immigration politics.

Here’s what happened: Attorney General Bill McCollum was the favorite in the GOP gubernatorial primary, with a moderate record on immigration and strong support from Latino Republicans.  His opponent Rick Scott, a political newcomer and self-funded multi-millionaire, decided to make a name for himself by riding the wave of anti-immigrant sentiment so popular with a segment of the Republican base.  He emphasized his strong support for an Arizona-like immigration law in Florida and painted McCollum as soft on illegal immigration.  Still, once McCollum started attacking Scott as a shady businessman, he regained the lead and was expected to win.

In what proved to be the fatal move of his campaign, McCollum introduced his own version of an Arizona-type law less than two weeks before the primary.  McCollum called on the Florida state legislature to enact it in September and bragged that the bill was tougher than Arizona’s.

Turns out, McCollum’s strategy of trying to outflank Scott on immigrant bashing backfired.  McCollum rapidly lost support from Latino leaders, and faced a backlash in the press.  On Tuesday, many Latinos in Miami-Dade County stayed home.  Turnout in what was expected to be a McCollum stronghold was less than 17%, while statewide turnout was 21%.  Scott raced over the finish line and pulled off the come-from-behind upset.

Click here to read more.
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 08/13/10 at 01:20pm By Dara Lind

Why Latinos Are Frustrated: It’s Called Leadership

As Politico reported last week, Spanish-language media, just like Latino voters, are growing increasingly frustrated with Washington's inaction on comprehensive immigration reform -- and with the Obama Administration's policy of continuing Bush-era immigration enforcement policies that deport the undocumented immigrant moms and dads who were supposed to be legal taxpayers and citizens by now.

Seems like pretty justified anger, but over at ThinkProgress, Matt Yglesias states that the President shouldn't get too much blame, because showing leadership would somehow make the near-hysterical immigration debate “partisan” and “polarized:”

"…when Presidents insert themselves into legislative debates, that induces partisan polarization. Immigration has always been an issue that scrambles both parties coalitions, and I don’t think that’s changed today. A more polarized dynamic is only going to make reform harder to achieve. Of course the president would have a role in pushing a bill over the finish line, but success requires a starting baseline of genuine cooperation on the Hill."

Here’s the thing. The immigration debate in Congress is already partisan and polarized.  When it comes to the issue of immigration, Republicans are lock step behind a partisan political strategy instead of a responsible legislative strategy. In a year when John McCain's immigration platform is "complete the danged fence," Lindsey Graham wants to scrap the 14th Amendment to the Constitution because of the imaginary threat of what he calls "drop and leave" births, and GOP candidates propose everything from tent cities to 1940’s-style internment camps for the undocumented, it's clear that Republicans don't feel pressure to offer a pragmatic solution to illegal immigration.

Perhaps the only thing that could break the polarization in Washington and start the long process back toward bipartisanship on the issue is if the Democrats—including the President—spoke up loudly, confidently, and consistently about dangers of the Republican approach and the need for real comprehensive immigration reform. Sure, the President can’t be the only voice of reason in order to break the logjam, but he can guide the way.  He has given some good speeches, but he has not spoken about the issue nearly as much as he needs to.  Doing so would draw clear lines for American voters and raise the stakes for the GOP: will Republican politicians stick with their fantasy-land proposals, or will they be dragged to table to craft a real solution that Americans of all political persuasions actually want?

Instead, the Administration and Democratic leaders often act like they are afraid of the issue, choosing to highlight their similarities with Republicans on “securing the border” instead of highlighting the fact that comprehensive immigration reform is the only way to a truly secure border. Just look at the rush to bring the Senate back from recess to pass an “emergency” bill that sends another $600 million in troops and unmanned drones to the border, but does nothing to deal with the millions of undocumented immigrants in our country today.

As Lynn Tramonte, Deputy Director of America's Voice, said when the border bill was passed:

"By bringing the border bill forward, Democratic leaders say they are hoping to court Republicans who have refused to negotiate on comprehensive immigration reform until the border is 'secure.'  But who decides it’s 'secure,' and when, and how?  Already, Republican Members of Congress are saying the bill doesn’t go far enough.  The fact is, Republican senators and representatives have made a political decision not to work with Democrats on comprehensive immigration reform because they think this is in their electoral interests.  They are wrong.  Not only are they alienating Latino voters with their anti-immigrant rhetoric, but they are irresponsibly blocking a solution that America desperately needs."

Click here to read more.
Posted 08/06/10 at 01:17pm By Jackie Mahendra

Newsflash: Slogans (and Predator Drones) Won’t Fix Immigration

Yesterday, the U.S. Senate approved $600 million in funding for additional security measures along the border with Mexico, including new technology, personnel, and even a couple of the unmanned predator drones pictured at right (feel safer yet?). I blogged about the proposal yesterday in "Democrats Bow to Republican Border Security Lies, Spend $600 Million On Non-Solutions."

This latest development represents not a reasoned response to some massive crime increase on our Southern border (thank goodness) but election year politics at their worst. Senate Democrats and Republicans both know that the only route to true border security is real, comprehensive immigration reform.

According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:

Congress has now delivered on the latest request for extra funds and personnel that the ‘border security first’ crowd, such as Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ), have been advocating for.  Will these former champions of comprehensive immigration reform keep moving the security goalposts and sticking with their ‘border first’ talking points?  Or will they recognize that Republican primaries will soon be over and the time is right to deliver an actual, lasting solution to fix the broken immigration system?

Here's hoping that's the case. If not, Senate Democrats have handed certain Arizona Republicans just what they were looking for: validation for their absurd claims about crime and illegal immigration to justify blocking real, comprehensive immigration reform.

As Sam Seder argues, that's BS (WARNING- language may not be suitable for work):

(h/t John Aravosis, AMERICABlog).

Edward Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, has argued that "it's time for lawmakers to reconsider what they'd like to see happening in the region." According to Alden:

"Border security has become the most overused, and least understood, concept in the struggle over what to do about our broken immigration system," he said. "While an election year may not be the best time, the United States finally needs an honest debate over what it means to secure the country's borders."

Click here to read more.
Posted 08/05/10 at 01:12pm By Adam Luna

Democrats Bow to Republican Border Security Lies, Spend $600 Million On Non-Solutions

Today, leading Senate Democrats Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) unveiled a plan to spend an additional $600 million on border security. 

This follows months of Republican complaints that the President is "doing next to nothing to secure the border," despite the cold hard fact that spending on border security is higher than ever and that crime rates in Arizona are down. Republicans have been pegged with blatantly false claims such as Phoenix being the “number two kidnapping capital of the world” (false) or that there is a frightening surge of beheadings in the state (false). 

According to America’s Voice Executive Director Frank Sharry:

The irony of course is that the U.S.-Mexico border is in fact safer than ever, our spending on border security is the highest in U.S. history, and illegal immigration rates are at a historic low. Nevertheless, Democrats are charging towards the red flag waved by the Republicans who mindlessly repeat the mantra of border security first.  They all know that the only way to secure the border is through comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our dysfunctional immigration system instead of playing politics with it.

Click here to read more.
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 07/06/10 at 07:51pm By Adam Luna

Taking a Stand on Arizona’s Immigration Law

Today --  in part because of concerned Americans like you --  Obama's Department of Justice announced that they are taking a stand. They will challenge Arizona's new "show me your papers" immigration law and sue the state for usurping federal authority.

We know that those who support Sheriff Joe Arpaio's extreme tactics and oppose real reform will be bombarding the White House with criticism of the lawsuit. It's crucial that the Administration also hear from people like you who believe that the Justice Department is doing the right thing in standing up to this misguided law.

Please send a quick fax to the White House, and tell the President that you support the decision to take a stand against Arizona's radical law.

Stay tuned for more.

Posted 07/06/10 at 08:21am By Jackie Mahendra

More on the President’s Speech:  “Mr. Obama’s Immigration Promise”

Last week, America's Voice founder and Executive Director Frank Sharry responded to the President's speech in a video message to supporters:

He stressed that the speech was an important moment to reassert federal leadership on immigration, and he encouraged reform supporters to sign the petition to the White House and Congress to pass the DREAM Act -- as a down payment on full, comprehensive reform.

The New York Times ran a compelling editorial on immigration last week, following the President's speech, entitled, "Mr. Obama’s Immigration Promise:"

President Obama’s first major speech on immigration had the eloquence and clarity we have come to expect when he engages a wrenching national debate. In declaring the welcome of strangers a core American value, in placing immigrants at the center of the nation’s success and future, Mr. Obama’s exhortation was worthy of the late Senator Edward Kennedy, whose memory he respectfully summoned on Thursday. “Anybody can help us write the next great chapter in our history,” he said, regardless of blood or birth.

Click here to read more.
Posted 07/01/10 at 09:35am By Jackie Mahendra

President To Call for Comprehensive Immigration Reform at National Townhall—Join Round Table Talk

Here is a rundown of what's happening today, from the White House media team:

Today, President Obama will deliver remarks on the need to fix our broken immigration system through comprehensive immigration reform at the American Univeristy School of International Service. The speech will be streamed live at WhiteHouse.gov at 10:45AM EDT (www.whitehouse.gov/live). If you miss it, at 1:00 PM EST you can still join Cecilia Muñoz, one of the President's closest advisors on this issue, who will be taking questions from Americans all over the country in a unique online roundtable. Or join Administration officials for a conference call at 4pm EST to discuss the President's speech.

Join the "Open for Questions Roundtable" at 1:00 via Facebook

You can watch here:

Let us know what you think of President Obama's speech in the comments, and check back later today for Frank Sharry's take.

Posted 06/28/10 at 09:19am By Jackie Mahendra

AZ Governor Jan Brewer Criticized, Even from McCain, on “Immigrants = Drug Mules” Statement

Over the weekend, AZ Governor Jan Brewer drew criticism for comments she made Friday that exposed a frightening ignorance on the topics of immigration and crime.

AP's Paul Davenport has more in Arizona Governor: Most Illegal Immigrants Are Smuggling Drugs. It turns out that even Senator John McCain, who has enthusiastically backed the state's new "papers please" immigration law and recently sung a hard-line tune on the topic, disagrees with Brewer on her latest assertion. Crooks and Liars has the video, over at McCain disagrees with Brewer: Most undocumented immigrants are not drug mules.

The level of intelligence in the Arizona immigration debate right now is breathtaking.  Then again, this is the same governor who signed the state’s controversial profiling bill, SB 1070, even though she had no idea “what an illegal immigrant looks like.”

Here’s a refresh:

On the "drug mule" topic, Andrea Nill writes at Think Progress:

Brewer’s remarks were in response to Matt Jette, one of the other candidates, who pointed out that most undocumented immigrant come to the U.S. just to work:

JETTE: You act as if the state of Arizona is being terrorized by illegal immigrants. It’s simply not the case. Crime is on the way down. The bottom line with SB-1070 is who can be more extreme with the bill. [...] These people, a lot of them, are just trying to feed their family. They just want to work. Isn’t that a Republican mantra?

Click here to read more.

 1 2 3 >  Last »