This week’s roundup covers local election news, the economic crisis, and more actions, as well as a handy flowchart to help you navigate the U.S. immigration system.
In Waukegan, Illinois, voters mobilized to defeat Mayor Richard Hyde, who supported the 287g authority that led to racial profiling and harassment of Latinos. Latino activists helped over 1,000 Latinos register and vote for the first time, making them the swing vote that put Mayor Robert Sabonjian in office. Also, in the race to fill former Rep. Rahm Emanuel’s seat in District 5, Illinois Minutemen founder Rossana Pulido lost to Democrat Mike Quigley.
Of the 1,046,539 new citizens naturalized last year in the United States, nearly half were Latinos. Robert Gittleson wrote an article on how comprehensive immigration reform could be enacted, noting that Republicans must deal with the reality of the growing number of Latino voters and reevaluate their opposition to the legislation.
Some of the controversy generated by Governor Corzine’s blue panel report on immigrant integration in New Jersey surround driving rights for undocumented immigrants. Governor Corzine responds "There are some recommendations, no matter how well intentioned, that cannot be accomplished without a comprehensive policy at the federal level.
El Diario/La Prensa, a leading Spanish-language newspaper, has called on President Obama to nominate a Latino to the Supreme Court should a vacancy open up. Both Senators Schumer and Gillibrand have called on the President to do the same, recommending New York Judge Sonia Sotomayor. On a related note, ethnic media outlets are thriving.
The New York Times has an article on the recently implemented Army recruitment program that targets foreigners with medical expertise and language skills.
-Of 4,833 applicants so far, 52 people have enlisted, while 445 have been disqualified;
-Of the 52 new enlistees, 11 have master’s degrees and 31 have bachelor’s degrees;
-At least 24 of the soldiers speak Korean, 11 speak Hindi, 9 speak a Chinese dialect, 3 speak Russian, 3 speak Arabic and one speaks Urdu.
Migration Information Source has a new report on immigration and the current economic crisis that concludes that immigration to the U.S. slowed noticeably last year, and that the economic crisis "may provide impetus toward creating a more nimble and thoughtful immigration system." See here for the report and charts.
The 5 day filing period for H-1B visa petitions started on Wed, April 1st. Although there is expected to be a lull in demand, petitions are still expected to far exceed the 65,000 visa limit. Last year, about 163,000 petitions were filed.
Actions
An interfaith pilgrimage for immigrants is currently ongoing. Hundreds are marching through Georgia, calling for the end of raids and the passage of humane immigration reform. A schedule can be found here. The pilgrimage will end in Atlanta on Friday, April 10th.
April is Immigration Awareness Month. Here is a timeline of immigration in the United States, and more easy-to-read facts from Diversity Inc.
May 1st marches are being planned in several cities to press President Obama to enact comprehensive immigration reform. Text JUSTICE or JUSTICIA to 69866 to get updates and action alerts.
Lastly, if you’ve ever been asked "What Part of Legal Immigration Don’t You Understand?" Reason Magazine has this awesomely comprehensive flowchart to help you answer the question. Hat tip to Standing FIRM, which has a link to a firsthand account of a man and his undocumented wife’s journey through the U.S. immigration system.
Read more at The Opportunity Agenda’s blog.
