Navarrette: Harsh immigration rhetoric not helpful to GOP hopefuls

The Republican Party has dug itself an awfully deep hole with Latino voters. And every time a Republican talks about immigration, the hole gets a little deeper.

That includes nearly all the 2012 Republican presidential candidates. They can't avoid talking about the subject because it keeps coming up in the debates. There are three reasons for this: Many Republican voters care about the issue; Gov. Rick Perry's opponents see it as a weakness for a front-runner they would like to portray as soft on illegal immigration; and the media enjoy the sight of Republicans clawing at one another, especially over an issue that makes most of them look dishonest, extreme and out of touch.

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/navarrette-harsh-immigration-rhetoric-not-helpful-to-gop-1877455.html

No Casa Blanca for the GOP

As a Latina however, I find myself scratching my head and wondering whether the GOP candidates even know - or care - there is a powerful and growing Latino voting population in critical swing states that hold the key to any Republican who wants to work in the Oval Office.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-cardona/no-casa-blanca-for-the-gop_b_981530.html

Perry faces immigration hurdles in Iowa

Less than two months into Rick Perry's presidential candidacy, a record on illegal immigration that served him well politically as a border-state governor is proving a tough sell with voters looking toward Iowa's Republican caucuses this winter.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-perry-immigration-20110927,0,2928515.story

EU cerró la ventanilla de las visas tipo U

El gobierno federal estadounidense anunció el lunes que cerró la ventanilla para la recepción de solicitudes de la visa tipo “U”, porque el número de peticiones sobrepasó la cantidad anual autorizada por el Congreso.

La decisión se adoptó por segundo año consecutivo, dijo la Oficina de Ciudadanía y Servicios de Inmigración (USCIS) en un comunicado publicado en su página web.
http://noticias.univision.com/inmigracion/visas/article/2011-09-19/eu-cerro-ventana-visas-u?ftloc=channel1486:wcmWidgetUimStage&ftpos=channel1486:wcmWidgetUimStage:1

Will Tough Talk On Immigration Repel Latino Voters?

Wherever he goes, GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry proudly waves the flag of conservatism, often introducing himself with, "I simply want to get America working again and make Washington, D.C., as inconsequential in your life as I can."

But the Texas governor, a favorite of conservatives overall, is taking criticism for being too moderate when it comes to immigration. The reason: In 2001, his first full year in office, he signed legislation that grants in-state tuition rates at Texas colleges and universities to some illegal immigrants.


http://www.npr.org/2011/09/19/140601828/will-tough-talk-on-immigration-repel-latino-voters

Analysis: Obama deportations raise immigration policy questions

President Barack Obama says he backs immigration reform, announcing last month an initiative to ease deportation policies, but he has sent home over 1 million illegal immigrants in 2-1/2 years -- on pace to deport more in one term than George W. Bush did in two.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/20/us-obama-immigration-idUSTRE78J05720110920

The Border To-Do List:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ten years after 9/11 our borders are significantly more secure. Borders are now understood as pivotal to keeping terrorists out. Our country is safer for that recognition.

Many vulnerabilities remain, however, allowing potential terrorists who were already here before 9/11 to stay and others to get here subsequently. To address these weaknesses and achieve the next generation of border security goals, the Center for Immigration Studies has published "The To-Do List: Curtailing Terrorist Travel Ten Years after 9/11" by Janice Kephart, the Center's National Security Policy Director at the Center for Immigration Studies and former border counsel to the 9/11 Commission.

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-border-to-do-list-new-report-explores-immigration-improvements-remaining-challenges-ten-years-after-911-129874628.html

Don't stereotype Hispanic America

San Diego, California (CNN) -- When you refuse to acknowledge a group of people in all their nuances and complexities, or depict them as predictable and one-dimensional, or dictate for them a code of acceptable behavior, it is a blatant sign of disrespect.

It would be offensive for someone to suggest that all Italian-Americans think a certain way, all Irish-Americans behave a certain way or all African-Americans vote a certain way.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/15/opinion/navarrette-hispanic-america/

Employers Targeted by Immigration Officials

In contrast to the Bush administration's penchant for attention-grabbing raids resulting in worker arrests, the Obama administration has chosen to ramp up its immigration enforcement program with an eye towards I-9 audits that target small and big employers alike.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/15/tagblogsfindlawcom2011-freeenterprise-idUS265803715120110915

Hearing on tough Utah immigration law delayed

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah state attorneys said in a court filing Tuesday that federal authorities might get involved in a lawsuit challenging the state's tough immigration enforcement law that civil rights groups argue is unconstitutional.

It's not clear, however, if the U.S. Justice Department plans to take action regarding the Utah law. Spokeswoman Xochitl Hinojosa said the department was reviewing the law but didn't elaborate.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705390824/Hearing-on-tough-Utah-immigration-law-delayed.html

Utah’s “Show Me Your Papers” Law Hearing Postponed

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 13, 2011

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The federal district court today granted a request by the Utah Attorney General’s Office to delay a hearing regarding the state’s anti-immigrant law. Utah requested the delay because of possible future involvement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the lawsuit.

DOJ has not filed a lawsuit against Utah’s law, but has done so with similar anti-immigrant laws in Arizona and Alabama. The hearing on Utah’s law, HB 497, was originally set for Friday but has been rescheduled for Nov. 18.

http://www.acluutah.org/PR_HB497_Hearing_Postponed091311.html

New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez Confirms that Grandparents Were Undocumented

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Embroiled in a high controversial push to bar the ability of undocumented immigrants from legally acquiring New Mexico driver's licenses, Gov. Susana Martínez has acknowledged for the first time that her paternal grandparents came to the U.S. illegally.

"I know they arrived without documents, especially my father's father," the Republican said Wednesday in an interview in Spanish with KLUZ-TV, the Albuquerque Univision affiliate.

Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2011/09/09/new-mexico-gov-susana-martinez-confirms-that-grandparents-were-undocumented/#ixzz1XYa9j5zt

Immigration offenses makes Latinos majority in federal prison

Immigration offenses are making Latinos the new majority in federal prisons, according to a government report analyzed by The Associated Press.
For the first time, Latinos make up more than half of all federal felony offenders sentenced so far this fiscal year, according to a report released by the U.S. Sentencing Commission.

http://www.ocregister.com/news/immigration-316316-program-latinos.html?nstrack=sid:2484512%7Cmet:102%7Ccat:3165555%7Corder:3

New Mexico Gov.Martinez: License Bill A ‘Gimmick’

SANTA FE – House Speaker Ben Lujan, D-Nambé, on Friday introduced what some Democrats are calling a compromise bill that would toughen requirements for foreign nationals who apply for New Mexico driver’s licenses but would not stop illegal immigrants from obtaining them. House Bill 22 would require foreign nationals and illegal immigrants to provide two forms of official photo identification, fingerprints and proof of at least six months of residency in New Mexico. Licenses would be issued for only two-year periods, rather than the regular options of four or eight.

http://www.abqjournal.com/main/2011/09/10/news/martine-zlicense-bill-a-gimmick.html