Special Coverage: Immigration

From the blogs

Why Dems Need Tom Tancredo to Receive the GOP Nod in Colorado

Democrats need a man that can inspire Latinos and other independents to come to the polls and vote for Democrats – Tancredo is that man!

How Does a Religious Cult Have the Clout to Delay Health Care Vote?

by Adele Stan, AlterNet

To keep House vote on track, Pelosi struggles to appease the Catholic church and The Family cult on abortion language.

CNBC Reporter: NYC Marathon Winner Not Really American, "He's Like a Ringer You Hire to Work a Couple Hours at Your Office"

by Liliana Segura, AlterNet

For the first time since 1982, a U.S. citizen won the New York City marathon. For sports writer Darren Rovell, "it's not as good as it sounds."

"America's Toughest Dictator"? FBI Investigating Joe Arpaio for Using Office to Bully Opponents

by Joshua Holland, AlterNet

The feds are reportedly looking at a pattern of law enforcement being used to intimidate political opponents.

Immigration: There's a Human Rights Crisis Within Our Borders

by Jill Garvey, Imagine 2050

Perhaps the best guide as our nation traverses immigration reform is to demand that every immigrant, refugee, and citizen is treated as a human being.

Was CNN Host Lou Dobbs Really Shot at?

by Isabel Macdonald, AlterNet

Statements by New Jersey state police are putting Dobbs' claim that he and his wife had been shot at into question.

An Early Halloween Scare: Immigration Agents Attacking Workers' Rights!

by Amy Traub, DMI Blog

The exploitation of undocumented immigrants threatens the wages, benefits and working conditions for all workers, but we're not addressing the root problem.

Homeland Security Picks Up San Francisco Baker for Overstaying His Visa

by Staff, AlterNet

Seriously?

Over 100 House Dems Push for Immigration fix

by Cristina Jimenez, DMI Blog

Reminding Obama of his promises of reform.

Anti-Dobbs Movement Overshadows CNN's "Latino In America" Special

by Liliana Segura, AlterNet

CNN's much publicized series was largely eclipsed by controversy over CNN's resident xenophobe, Lou Dobbs.

Immigrants and Health-Care: What Part of LEGAL Doesn't Washington Understand?

Marielena Hincapié, New America Media. November 11, 2009.
Congress inexplicably restricts low-income legal immigrants from the federal Medicaid and Medicare programs, which provide a modicum of security for the most vulnerable.

Recent Democratic Victories May Grease the Wheels for Immigration Reform in Congress

Marcelo Balive, New America Media. November 10, 2009.
The House's shift is modest. But it might be just what's needed to enact meaningful changes to our immigration policy.

NYC Marathon Raises Question of Who Is American Enough?

James E. Johnson, Jr., Imagine 2050. November 4, 2009.
Who gets to choose who is American or American enough? And how will they choose?

A Broken Immigration System Marks a Disastrous Failure of Government Response

Mary Giovagnoli, Immigration Impact. November 3, 2009.
It's a matter of priorities -- every dollar spent on the deportation iss a dollar not spent on improving immigration services and processing applications quickly and efficiently.

Deported to a "Homeland" that He Never Knew

Julianne Ong Hing, ColorLines. November 2, 2009.
After growing up in the U.S., Calvin James was separated from his family by and sent by immigration authorities to an alien "homeland."

Boss Tells Latino Workers to Ditch Spanish Names -- in What World Is this Guy Living?

Pilar Marrero, New America Media. October 31, 2009.
According to Larry Whitman, employees who work in reception or answer phones should have names that people generally can understand or can pronounce.

How Our Broken Immigration System Hurts Both Immigrant and Native-Born Workers

Tyler Moran, Immigration Impact. October 30, 2009.
The real answer to “enforcement” at the worksite is making sure all workers can exercise their labor rights and upholding our employment laws

How a Dysfunctional Immigration System Keeps Hard-Working Families Apart

Meredith Higashi, Ronald Lee, Immigration Impact. October 28, 2009.
Those who say the status quo works just don't grasp how damaging it is to the families it tears apart.

Anti-Immigrant Hysteria Could Block African-Americans' Access to Health-Care

Eric Ward, Imagine 2050. October 27, 2009.
A legacy of past institutional racism: almost 10 percent of blacks may lack the proof of citizenship needed for insurance subsidies under Congress's verification scheme.

Louisiana Cooks Up a Gumbo of New Americans

Wendy Feliz Sefsaf, Immigration Impact. October 27, 2009.
If America is the melting pot, Louisiana is creating its own immigration Gumbo

A "Dream" Student's Homeland Security Nightmare

Roberto Dr. Cintli Rodriguez, New American Media. October 26, 2009.
Since 2001, they’ve failed to garner the 60 votes necessary in the Senate to bring the Dream Act to a full vote.

Torn Apart by Homeland Security, Immigrant Families Struggle to Stay Together

Julianne Hing, Seth Wessler, ColorLines RaceWire. October 23, 2009.
Families are being torn apart by deportation at the treacherous intersection of immigration enforcement and the criminal justice system.

A Death in Texas Casts Cold Light on America's Privatized Immigration Prisons

Tom Barry, Boston Review. October 23, 2009.
The speculative public-private detention center represents the new face of imprisonment in America.

Under Guise of "War on Terror," Assault on American Muslims Still in Full Swing

David L. Ostendorf, Imagine 2050. October 23, 2009.
The civil liberties of American Muslims are regularly assaulted and the religious rights of faithful peoples are casually trampled.

Latinos Face Alarming Cancer Rates

Christina Hernandez, ColorLines. October 22, 2009.
With the Latino population set to triple by 2050, expert warns of cancer "train wreck" tied to issues including the lack of health insurance.

It's Time to Debunk the Fuzzy Logic That Plagues Immigration Policy

Walter Ewing, Immigration Impact. October 21, 2009.
The Center for Immigration Studies' most recent poll is useful from a sociological standpoint. But when it comes to shaping policy, it's no better than a psychic consultation.

CNN Most Trusted Name in News? Not for Latinos

Joe Torres, StopBigMedia.com. October 21, 2009.
Lou Dobbs is using his bully pulpit to launch vitriolic attacks against immigrants. So what does it matter if the channel also has a special Latinos in America series?

Why Counting Undocumented Immigrants In the Census Is Good for America

Afton Branche, DMI Blog. October 20, 2009.
Undocumented immigrants and their families are an integral part of the social and economic fabric of our country. As such, they should be fully counted in our national census.

Has 'America's Toughest Sheriff' Lost It?

Isabel Macdonald, AlterNet. October 20, 2009.
Local community organizers are calling on the DHS to go further in stripping rogue Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s powers.

Dept of Homeland Security Expands Controversial Program Empowering Local Police

Amy Goodman, Democracy Now!. October 19, 2009.
The 287(g) program gives local law enforcement authority to enforce federal immigration laws, which has led to accusations of racial profiling.

Stores Peddling 'Illegal Alien' Costumes for Halloween

Jessica Acee, Imagine 2050. October 19, 2009.
Halloween is many things to many people, but Halloween is not an excuse to be racist, sexist, or homophobic.

Anti-Immigrant Hardliners Declare War on the Clergy

Wendy Feliz Sefsaf, Immigration Impact. October 15, 2009.
Nativist groups are pulling an old strategy out of their play book as they attack members of the clergy.

CNN Can't Have It Both Ways: It Can Either Broadcast Hateful Lou Dobbs or Have a Latino Audience

Roberto Lovato, AlterNet. October 14, 2009.
Latinos across America are intensely concerned about CNN's hypocrisy: Broadcasting Dobbs' anti-immigrant extremism while running a Latinos in America special series.

Crackdown on American Apparel Workers Another Wasted Effort

Benjamin Johnson, Immigration Impact. October 6, 2009.
The impact our broken system is having on those businesses who want to do the right thing is untold.

Bait and Switch: ICE Says Program Targets "Dangerous Criminals" but Casts Wide Net

Michele Waslin, Immigration Impact. October 2, 2009.
Critics say a key immigration enforcement program is based on widespread ethnic profiling.

Anti-Immigrant Hardliners Offer Bad Amendments to Health Bill, Get Shot Down

Jackie Mahendra, America's Voice. September 30, 2009.
As you’d expect, anti-immigrant organizations are calling on their members to light up the phones.

Fewer People Crossing, but Deaths on Border Increasing

Spencer Hsu, The Washington Post. September 30, 2009.
The debate over border deaths is drawing renewed attention to a long-standing complaint by human rights groups.

Census Boycott Splits Latinos

Marcelo Ballve, New America Media. September 29, 2009.
Oddly, supporters of the boycott find themselves on the same side as immigration hard-liners, who also want the undocumented excluded from the 2010 Census.

What's the Border Fence Good for? Subsidizing Mexican Scrap Metal Entrepreneurs

Yasha Levine, eXiled Online. September 28, 2009.
It was obvious from the very beginning that Bush’s push for a border fence was nothing more than a political show to boost Republicans' creds with their base.

Profile of the New Filipino Family: House-Husbands Watch the Home Front While Women Fill U.S. Demand for Nurses

Anthony D. Advincula, New America Media. September 25, 2009.
While the data is largely anecdotal, many from the Filipino community say these situations are increasingly common.

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Immigration

The U.S. is and always has been a country of immigrants. AlterNet covers this continuing American story from a progressive point of view.

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NIF

The National Immigration Forum advocates and builds support for public policies that welcome immigrants and refugees and are fair and supportive to newcomers in the United States. Immigrants are America.

IPC

The Immigration Policy Center shapes and develops a rational national conversation on immigration that shifts the terms of the debate towards achieving workable and effective comprehensive policy reform.

DWN

Detention Watch Network is a coalition that addresses the immigration detention crisis head on. They work to reform the U.S. detention and deportation system so that all who come to America's shores receive fair and humane treatment.

NCLR

As the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States, National Council of La Raza advocates for reform to restore order and fairness to our immigration laws. In addition, NCLR’s Wave of Hope campaign addresses hate speak and extremism in the immigration debate.

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