‘Qué Pasa’ in Immigration: Deportations Increase; Pro-Immigrant Groups Want Action; March 21st

America's Voice Blog

Posted 03/09/10 at 11:36am

The Spanish-language press highlights yesterday’s press conference in Washington at which several pro-immigrant organizations charged that deportations have increased during the Obama administration compared to those carried out under President Bush. However, La Opinión reports that the Department of Homeland Security denies that deportations have increased by 47%, saying that the DHS report on which the groups’ claims were based contained errors in its formula for calculating the number of deportations.

According to La Opinión, “sources close to DHS told La Opinión that the estimates presented by FIRM (at the press conference) are incorrect, and that there has not been a significant increase. The sources stressed that during fiscal year 2008 ‘there were 369,221 deportations, representing an increase of 18,569 in total.’ The difference between the numbers can be explained, according to DHS sources, by an ‘error in the department’s report’ used by FIRM to illustrate the increase.”

Articles on the press conference from EFE, Yahoo News, Univisión.com, Notimex, the DPA, and La Crónica (Mexicali) say that the organizations represented urged the current president to achieve the passage of immigration reform legislation, and some report on the cancellation of yesterday’s scheduled meeting between President Obama and Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to discuss the issue.

The press also covers a meeting yesterday between President Obama and President Mauricio Funes of El Salvador, and the latter’s request that the U.S. renew Temporary Protected Status for Salvadorans living in the United States.

La Opinión also publishes an article about a publicity campaign launched by Steve Poizner, a Republican candidate for governor of California, against undocumented immigrants. La Voz (Arizona) reports on the progress of a bill in the Arizona state legislature that would force elementary and middle school students in the state to report their immigration status. 7 Días (Tampa) covers an event at which Senate candidate Marco Rubio declared himself to be “in favor of reform, but not amnesty” for undocumented immigrants.

Various outlets also cover the March 21^st march and activities in support of comprehensive immigration reform in Chicago, Phoenix, Tampa and Charlotte.

America's Voice has started a new series, “‘Qué Pasa’ in Immigration,” to bring Spanish-language coverage of immigration and politics to a wider audience. Look for daily roundups (in English) of some of the best Spanish-language news.

Don't forget to check out the latest Spanish-language reporting and analysis on immigration over at MaribelHastings.com.