Latinos Said to Bear Weight of a Deportation Program

A deportation program that is central to the Obama administration’s immigration enforcement strategy has led disproportionately to the removal of Latino immigrants and to arrests by immigration authorities of hundreds of United States citizens, according to a report by two law schools using new, in-depth official data on deportation cases.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/19/us/latinos-said-to-bear-weight-of-deportation-program.html?_r=1&hpw

Pres. Obama vows again on immigration

President Obama told about 70 community and religious leaders on Tuesday that he hasn’t given up on immigration.

According to Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti, Obama made a “compelling case” in a meeting at the White House that he was still committed to changing the immigration system, despite his failure to move legislation in either body of Congress in the last two years.
WATCH VIDEO: http://www.politico.com/politico44/perm/0411/unusual_meeting_46015bdc-54d9-4f69-a2d8-999538f4c909.html

Editorial: Happy birthday El Observador de Utah

Think of El Observador de Utah as a one-year-old child. Our offspring, our voice, where we sow our memories, our present day lives and our future aspirations.
At one year, this child has taken its first steps in a world that's ever changing. Like any one year old, it already shows marked personality traits, in the case of El Observador these traits are reflected in the issues that define our editorial focus. These are issues that we care about passionately because we know you, our readers, live and feel these issues every day.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700114084/Editorial-Happy-birthday-El-Observador-de-Utah.html

Utah cities, counties fear Sandstrom's illegal immigration bill would tap strapped resources

One is to impose a 1 percent or minimum $5 fee on all wire transfers of money from Utah to foreign countries, with proceeds going to local police agencies. The fee would be refunded on state income tax returns. Sandstrom reasoned that many illegal immigrants send money home but don't file tax returns.

He said he also may propose a $20 fee on driving privilege cards.

READ MORE: http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705366144/Utah-cities-counties-fear-Sandstroms-illegal-immigration-bill-would-tap-strapped-resources.html?pg=2

AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL: Senators look for immigration deal

Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have rekindled their alliance on immigration reform, taking some early steps to test the political will for addressing the contentious issue this year.

Their call list hasn’t focused so much on House and Senate members who’ve been reliable pro-immigration votes in the past. Instead, they’re looking to a strange-bedfellows mix of conservative and liberal constituencies that can provide a “safety net” of support, as Graham put it, once the issue heats up.


Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48956.html#ixzz1DI47Pm2o

Lawmakers’ talk of reform rattles undocumented SLC worker

Jorge’s first trip to America was in 1998. Legally.

He came on a work visa to sell ski boot soles in New York City. The business eventually failed, however, when investors pulled the money and he was forced to return to Mexico with no job, no income and a wife and two children.

During his time in the United States, however, he saw opportunity that didn’t exist in Mexico. He was a college graduate with a degree, but obtaining legal citizenship would take about 20 years and jobs in Mexico were hard to come by.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/51177640-90/able-america-assistant-clean.html.csp 

Utah Progressives decry state’s attempts to enact immigration reform

The Coalition of Utah Progressives decried immigration bills under consideration by the Utah Legislature at a Sunday press conference, calling four of the bills irresponsible and a grandstand for political posturing.

In front of the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building in downtown Salt Lake City, three members of the local advocacy group read a prepared statement and held brightly colored signs, castigating legislators for what they said are money-wasting and unconstitutional efforts to address immigration reform at the local and state level. In addition, the group called on congressional representatives to work with President Barack Obama in reforming federal immigration policy.

READ MORE: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51200246-76/immigration-reform-utah-bills.html.csp 

Panel calls on Congress to fix immigration laws

SJR12 • Sen. Stuart Reid’s joint resolution urging Congress to address and resolve the illegal immigration issue passed unanimously out of committee on a day when Sen. Orrin Hatch was asked to do the same thing by the state Legislature during his visit to the Capitol.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51193153-76/congress-hatch-illegal-immigration.html.csp 

Illegal immigration reform not likely until borders are secure, Hatch says

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah legislators Friday wanted to know what Congress and Sen. Orrin Hatch in particular intend to do about illegal immigration.

"There's a lot of frustration," House Minority Leader David Litvack, D-Salt Lake, told the state's senior senator.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705365959/Illegal-immigration-reform-not-likely-until-borders-are-secure-Hatch-says.html

Illegal immigration a priority for Utah legislators

SALT LAKE CITY — A resolution calling on Congress and specifically Utah's congressional delegation to tackle illegal immigration passed a Senate committee Friday.

It was among three new pieces of legislation on the issue introduced into the Legislature Friday, including one calling for the federal government to repay Utah doctors for treating undocumented immigrants.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705365928/Illegal-immigration-a-priority-for-Utah-legislators.html

Sandstrom, Herrod not interested in comprehensive immigration bill

SALT LAKE CITY — Two lawmakers pushing enforcement-only illegal immigration proposals are digging in their heels against efforts to combine their bills with others because they believe the result would be amnesty.
Reps. Stephen Sandstrom, R-Orem, and Chris Herrod, R-Provo, say in a news release a comprehensive bill isn't possible "given the focus of the guest worker bills on amnesty for illegal aliens."

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705365884/Sandstrom-Herrod-not-interested-in-comprehensive-immigration-bill.html

New guest worker bill enters the immigration debate

Rep. Bill Wright unveiled his guest worker immigration bill Thursday and suggested his proposal might be the framework for a comprehensive piece of legislation that has so far been elusive in the legislative process.

Wright, R-Holden, said employers should have the right to access and hire the most productive employees.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51187201-76/bill-bramble-guest-process.html.csp 

2010: Más de 1400 Propuestas de ley Anti-Inmigrantes

Por Tony Yapias

Published: February 2, 2011

Salt Lake City, UTAH –  Durante los últimos meses el debate sobre inmigración ilegal ha ganado mucho terreno a nivel nacional. Muchos llaman y preguntan ¿Qué estado es donde no hay leyes anti-inmigrantes? Ahora mi respuesta es “No hay un estado seguro” En el 2010, 46 estados de la unión Americana presentaron más de 1400 propuestas de leyes anti-inmigrantes y de ellos, 350 fueron implementados. El 2011 va romper el record de propuestas anti-inmigrantes.

Los estados cada año siguen presionando al gobierno federal a tomar el asunto de inmigración y ante la incapacidad de los políticos en Washington DC los estados están tomando la carta en el asunto con más agresividad que nunca.  A raíz de la ley SB-1070 de Arizona, ahora todos los estados estan preparando proponer y pasar una ley similar.

¿Que nos espera el 2011 y 2012? Por ahora estamos en la defense con todas estas propuestas anti-inmigrantes ¿Una reforma migratoria? No reforma migratoria hasta después de las elecciones del 2012.  Para que pase una reforma migratoria tenemos que tomar en cuenta que ciertas cosas tienen que cambiar a nivel nacional. Salir de la recesión económica que estamos viviendo y más trabajos para aquellos que se quedaron desempleados. Por último que el Presidente Obama sea re-electo en el 2012. Hay que recordar que la Cámara Baja está controlado por los Republicanos.

Mientras que el gobierno federal no hace nada al respecto, los estados van a seguir presionando y pasando leyes anti-inmigrantes e inconstitucionales. Solo las Cortes Federales son los que nos van a salvar de todas estas leyes. Aquí en Utah ya es una costumbre presentar propuestas anti-inmigrantes, que si pasarían, tendrían un gran impacto a nuestra comunidad. Lo más interesante es ver a los estados vecinos como Idaho, Colorado y Wyoming también están con la idea de la ley SB-1070 de Arizona.

Encima de todo están proponiendo cambiar la enmienda 14 de la constitución sobre la ciudadanía de los hijos de indocumentados. Los hijos de los indocumentados nacidos aquí en los Estados Unidos según ellos no tienen el derecho a ser ciudadanos. Es importante saber que aunque es fácil hablar de cambar la constitución, jamás pasaría. Toma en cuenta lo siguiente, la ultima enmienda a la constitución tomo más de 70 años en pasar y ser ratificado por los estados. Hablar de este asunto es simplemente ganarse votos. ¿Por qué? en pocos años los Latinos vamos a tener la fuerza y poder político y eso esta causando mucho miedo.

Todas estas leyes anti-inmigrantes, cambiar la constitución solo crea el resentimiento hacia estos políticos. En pocos años cuando ya podemos votar con mayor fuerza vamos a  recordarlos. Aquellos republicanos que no apoyan al Latino gobernaran en la minoría por décadas. El clásico ejemplo de lo que viene es de estudiar lo que paso en California cuando pasaron la proposición 187 en 1994. El año pasado las candidatas al Senado y a la gobernación dijeron públicamente que sin el voto latino no podían ganar. Pero cuando estaban empezando sus campañas se olvidaron del voto latino hasta cuando era demasiado tarde. ¡Ups! Ahora es tiempo de cambiar y estar en nuestro lado.

 

Conversaciones representan las opiniones de Tony Yapias y no del Standard Examiner. Preguntas: (801) 577-3200. Correo electrónico: tyapias@yahoo.com. P.O. Box 2640 Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. Escucha “Pulso Latino” en  radio Éxitos 1550 AM todos los martes 1:30 pm y sábados 10:00 am.

First-year legislator co-sponsoring immigration bill

SALT LAKE CITY -- A local freshman representative is keeping his promise to his constituents by co-sponsoring a Senate bill dealing with immigration.

"During my campaign, I heard from my voters they want something done, and that is the message they delivered to me loud and clear," Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, said during a news conference Wednesday at the Capitol.

http://www.standard.net/topics/utah-legislature/2011/02/02/first-year-legislator-co-sponsoring-immigration-bill

Illegal immigration debate starting to heat up in Utah Legislature

SALT LAKE CITY — A freshman Republican who is a member of the conservative Patrick Henry Caucus has agreed to champion a Democratic senator's illegal immigration bill in the Utah House.

Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, will co-sponsor Sen. Luz Robles' proposal for accountability and state-issued work permits for undocumented immigrants. Robles, D-Salt Lake, and Peterson held a news conference Wednesday to announce the alliance.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705365771/Illegal-immigration-debate-starting-to-heat-up-in-Utah-Legislature.html

Key lawmakers, advisers huddle on immigration reform

Key lawmakers and activists from all corners of immigration reform held a closed-door meeting in Sen. Curtis Bramble’s office Wednesday night in an attempt to cobble together a comprehensive approach to the issue.

Bramble, who has opened a bill file called “Immigration Reform,” told the roughly 20 people, including House Speaker Becky Lockhart, that it was a chance to pass some meaningful legislation that would avoid pitfalls encountered by Arizona when it passed a constitutionally challenged enforcement-only law.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51178002-76/bill-bramble-enforcement-federal.html.csp 

Complex illegal immigration issue has many faces

Several Utah legislators have bills ready for the legislative session. I attended the November meeting at Dixie State College's Gardner Center that was billed as "A Legislative Forum on Illegal Immigration." I was interested in learning more about the Utah Compact and Utah Sen. Dennis Stowell's Arizona-style bill. Although I was offended by the anti-Pelosi jokes in what should have been a bipartisan gathering to discuss issues and not cast stones at either side, I stuck it out. A "forum," after all, is a venue for public discussion, and all people should feel welcome

http://www.thespectrum.com/article/20110202/OPINION/102020302

Utah among states where undocumented population declines

For the first time in three years, the number of undocumented immigrants in Utah declined slightly from its peak in 2007, according to a report released Tuesday by the Pew Hispanic Center.

Utah was one of a handful of states that showed a dip, both individually as well as when its sample size was lumped in with Nevada and Arizona. Both of those states also reflected declines in their illegal immigration numbers.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51170475-76/2007-arizona-enforcement-hispanic.html.csp 

Bipartisan pair sponsors alternative immigration bill

Sen. Luz Robles picked up a Republican to sponsor her immigration bill in the House on Tuesday, giving her proposal the sought-after endorsement of an elected conservative who called the legislation “a fair approach to the issue.”

Rep. Jeremy Peterson, R-Ogden, has been in talks with Robles and other supporters of her bill prior to the beginning of the legislative session and said it was the only immigration bill that seemed to tackle “the broad spectrum” of the issue.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/51170165-76/bill-card-doesn-enforcement.html.csp 

Immigration bills pile up, focus on birthright citizenship

The state-led battle against illegal immigration continues to gain momentum, with more than 600 bills filed in January.
In all of 2010, state legislators filed 1,400 immigration-related bills and resolutions, according to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures

. Just under 350 were enacted — a record that states seem on course to break

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700105830/Immigration-bills-pile-up-focus-on-birthright-citizenship.html