Making the News This Week: As Chile’s Feb. 27 earthquake death toll approaches 800 and its homeless more than a million, authorities there have dispatched thousands of troops throughout the nation, including 10,000 to its severely damaged second-largest city, Concepción, to prevent wholesale looting as residents are scrambling for basic food and supply needs...In Haiti, the death count following its Jan. 12 quake stands at nearly a quarter-million...The Obama Administration extends its Home Affordable Refinance Program, due to expire in June, for another year, saying it could help millions...Among Democratic congressional incumbents being targeted by the GOP as vulnerable in November are California Reps. Loretta Sánchez, Jim Costa and Dennis Cardoza...Pending congressional approval, the Obama Administration settles for $1.25 billion a longstanding loan lawsuit involving thousands of black farmers ...MALDEF files suit against AARP over its 2008 dismissal of Michael Moreno, charging the organization with discriminating against Hispanics and Native Americans. Moreno is both.
COMCAST, NBC UNIVERSAL MEET WITH LATINO ORGANIZATION LEADERS TO PROMOTE MERGER
By Adrian Rocha
Reaching out to groups that otherwise might oppose the proposed merger between Comcast and NBC Universal, the two corporate communications entities are holding private meetings with an array of Latino and other advocacy groups in several U.S. cities.
On March 1 it was the Hispanic turn.
Among those invited to a private hour-long session at Comcast headquarters in Philadelphia were leaders of half a dozen major Latino organizations.
updated: 3/9/2010
NEARLY HALF A MILLION RESIDENTS HAVE FLED JUAREZ VIOLENCE
By Adriana Gómez Licón
(This condensed news report is reprinted with permission from the El Paso Times.)
EL PASO, Texas — Hundreds of thousands of people are abandoning their violence-torn homes in the once-booming Mexican border city of Juárez. They are closing their businesses and moving elsewhere.
Although reliable numbers are hard to come by, El Paso police, real estate agents and Juárez demographers estimate an increase in refugees from Mexico now living in El Paso. Juárez's planning department said 110,000 houses have been abandoned from 2005 to the beginning of 2009.
Wrangling Over Jobs Legislation Dominates Washington Agenda
In recent days, the U.S. Senate has turned its attention towards finding a path forward for a bill intended to boost job creation in the face of rising unemployment rates that are frustrating voters and causing angst among politicians.
The legislation now faces an uncertain future after a bipartisan-negotiated packaged was scrapped in favor of a smaller, more-targeted bill.
As part of an effort to refocus his presidency following months of battles over health care reform, Barack Obama used his State of the Union address and subsequent public events to tout the jobs bill as his top priority for 2010.
Appeals Court Rejects ‘Anti-Immigrant’ Provisions of Oklahoma Law
A federal appeals court has upheld parts of an injunction against an Oklahoma law that sought to subject businesses that hire undocumented immigrants to financial penalties, dictate who can or cannot be fired and require contractors to withhold taxes for workers without proper documentation. But the court’s Feb.2 decision leaves open the question of whether states can force employers to use the federal government’s EVerify System to check an employee’s legal
status.
When Russians Honored Eisenhower, Montgomery and Ramón Gutiérrez
By Andy Porras
An exhibit opened in Russia Feb. 18 based on the life of a U.S. veteran believed to be one the few soldiers to fight for both the United States and the Soviet Union in World War II.
The celebration recalls the heroic actions of a Chicano GI from the San Felipe barrio in Del Rio, Texas.
Ramón Gutiérrez was his name, but everybody along the border who read of his exploits recognized him as El Sancudo — the mosquito. His WW II record is the stuff movies are made of.
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SOUR GRAPES, BIAS OR MICROAGGRESSION?
¿RESENTIMIENTO, PREJUICIO O MICROAGRESIVIDAD?
By José de la Isla
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IS COMCAST-NBCU MERGER A GOOD ONE FOR LATINOS?
¿LES CONVENDRÁ LA FUSIÓN DE COMCAST-NBCU A LOS LATINOS?
By Félix Sánchez and Joseph Torres
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EDWARD OLMOS’ TAKES HIS TURN TO ‘STAND AND DELIVER’ FOR THE TEACHER HE PORTRAYED
EDWARD OLMOS ‘SE LEVANTA Y CAMINA’ PARA EL PROFESOR AL QUE REPRESENTÓ
By Adrian Rocha
SlideShows
‘Surge’ Targets Undocumented with Criminal Records
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 284 immigrants in a three-day surge operation that concluded Feb. 25 in Dallas.
At least 160 of those arrested have criminal histories, ICE officials said. More than 20 have convictions for sexual offenses; 18 have been removed from the country.
This expands on ICE’s continuing effort to deport undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds. In 2009 more than 387,000 immigrants were deported, with at least 35% (135,126) of them showing previous criminal history.
The operation marks one of Texas’ biggest targeting undocumented criminals. Assistant Secretary of Homeland Secretary John Morton said it illustrates President Obama’s commitment to securing the country from criminals.
“Those who come to the United States to prey upon our neighbors and communities will be prosecuted for their crimes and ultimately returned to their home countries,” Morton said.
The operation involved more than 280 federal and local enforcement agents.
State Department Advises Travelers to Avoid Juárez
By Luis Carlos López
The U.S. State Department issued a warning Feb. 22, telling travelers including U.S. citizens living in Mexico to avoid risks associated with the increase in crime and violence in Cuidad Juárez and other trouble spots.
Mexican authorities reported more than 2,600 people were killed in Juárez last year.
The alert added that Juárez, a city of 1.3 million, experienced more than 16,000 car thefts and 1,900 carjackings in 2009.
Five dangerous border cities cited by the department included Juárez, Tijuana, Nogales, Reynosa and Matamoros. In addition, Monterrey and Chihuahua city were listed.
