Monday, April 26, 2010

La normativa S.B. 1070

Autor: Javier Hugo González Lozano. Licenciatura. En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Editor: Sergio Martínez Peralta. Licenciatura En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Arizona Aprueba una ley de tolerancia cero contra la inmigración ilegal. La normativa S.B. 1070 obliga a cualquier representante público en el estado a que realice un “Intento Razonable” para determinar el estatus migratorio si existe la sospecha de que es un extranjero que ilegalmente se encuentra en los Estados Unidos. Convierte en delito cualquier actividad que implique ayudar a personas sin estatus legal en el país.

Las naturalizaciones e extranjeros caen un 28% en Estados Unidos en 2009. Pasaron de 1, 046,539 en el 2008 a 743,715 en el 2009. Esto se debe a que a las campañas para que más inmigrantes se subscribieran en el 2008 y el anuncio de que las tarifas irían en aumento en el 2007. Las naturalizaciones en el 2009 a pesar de haber bajado, fueron mayores a las del 2007. 15% de las naturalizaciones fueron de mexicanos.

Reafirma Reid intención de aprobar reforma migratoria este año. El senador demócrata afirmo que desea que la reforma migratoria se apruebe antes de las elecciones de este año pero añadió que es posible que el tema se desahogue en un periodo extraordinario de sesiones. Reid también destaco la falta de cooperación de los republicanos, salvo el caso de Lindsey Graham quien ayudo a la formulación de la propuesta, es posible que la reforma tenga que ser pasada sin el apoyo republicano.

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Factible la reforma migratoria: Jorge Castañeda. El Ex Diplomático Mexicano en conferencia en el Centro de Estudios Mexicoamericanos de UTA sobre la historia del fenómeno de la inmigración. Señalo que este es un fenómeno muy antiguo y que por mucho tiempo a nadie le importaba su legalidad hasta que el tema migratorio se convirtió en un tema político. Obama cuenta con los votos necesarios para pasar la reforma y que la oposición conservadora de todos modos estaba disgustada con la reforma de salud. Para el la reforma migratoria debe incluir amnistía, sanciones fuertes contra empleadores y trabajadores y la cooperación de Estados Unidos para el desarrollo de México.

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La ley es un error enorme: Legisladores. El senador demócrata Robert Menéndez y varios líderes estatales hispanos condenaron la ley que criminaliza a los inmigrantes indocumentados. Teme que la carencia de una reforma migratoria incite a otros estados a formular leyes como la de Arizona.

La normativa S.B. 1070 aprobada por la legislatura del estado de Arizona criminaliza a los inmigrantes y crea esquemas muy peligrosos en que prácticamente se le pide a los agentes hacer un perfil racial exigiendo a los agentes policiacos detener a cualquier persona que se sospeche de ilegal para revisar su documentación.

Esta propuesta, aprobada por la legislatura pero todavía no firmada por la gobernadora, refleja la paranoia de los grupos conservadores que sienten que su estilo de vida esta bajo ataque, ya sea por los inmigrantes, los homosexuales, los socialistas, etc. Ellos comparten una visión fantasiosa de lo que los Estados Unidos deben ser independientemente de la realidad que los rodea.

El retraso de la aprobación de la ley anti-inmigrante por la gobernadora de Arizona muestra el dilema más importante para los legisladores a la hora de tocar el tema inmigrante. La gobernadora se encuentra a meses de la elección en la que se juega la reelección. Cualquier movimiento súbito podría poner en riesgo su candidatura. Aunque ya muchos dan por sentado que esta ley sea aprobada.

A lo que quiero llegar es al peso que esta reforma tiene en el electorado. El líder demócrata Harry Reid afirmo que sus planes eran el de pasar la reforma migratoria ante de las elecciones de este año, posiblemente para aprovechar la bandera indocumentada para ganar el voto de los latinos.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Open Letter to the president of the Tecnológico de Monterrey

On March 19, 2010, two graduate students of the Tecnológico Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, México, were assassinated in a confusing episode of the Mexican war against drugs. Apparently, army troops were chasing drug traffickers in the streets of Monterrey; the soldiers got into the Campus and Jorge Antonio Mercado Alonso y Javier Francisco Arredondo Verdugo were killed in middle of the night. The President of the Tecnológico first stated that no student had been hurt in the operative, but hours later he confirmed that the two persons that originally were identified by the authorities as “sicarios” (hired assassins) were students (honor students indeed) from the university. The security videos of what happened that night in Campus were confiscated by the Mexican army. Up to this day, the videos have not been released to the public.

The Mexican justice system has not identified the responsible party in the murder of these two students. Following, I share the English version of the letter that I sent to the President of the Tecnológico de Monterrey by registered mail on April 9, 2010. Copies of this letter were also sent by registered mail to the presidents of the following Mexican universities:

Dr. Antonio Dieck Assad, Universidad de Monterrey

Dr. Jesús Ancer Rodríguez, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León

Dr. José Narro Robles, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Dr. Arturo Fernández Pérez, Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México

Dr. Javier Garciadiego Dantán, El Colegio de México

Dr. Enrique Cabrero Mendoza, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas

Dr. José Morales Orozco, S. J., Universidad Iberoamericana, Cd. De México

Dr. Tonatiuh Guillén López, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte

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Dear Dr. Rangel Sostmann

President of the Tecnológico de Monterrey

Personally, and this is my opinion as a Mexican citizen, I would like to state that I do not agree, with the fact that the Mexican army goes out to the streets in order to combat the drug traffickers, the “narcos”. General Guillermo Galván Galván, the Secretary of National Defense, recognized some days ago that the fight against narcos is a task that does not belong directly to the army. Indeed, the Mexican army has no legal duty in fighting crime in the streets. I think that the narco menace must be met with intelligence and police operations, not with bayonets in the streets, nor with a systematic abuse of human rights of civilians caught in the middle of the dispute between “good guys” and “bad guys”.

I do not know if legalizing drugs in Mexico would contribute to a solution, but what I do know is that the price of the drugs passing though Mexico is set in the United States; where the largest consumer market is located. I’m also aware that the main source of profit and empowerment for drug dealers comes from the United States, which is where the flow of weapons and dollars originate. The very same weapons and dollars that make the drug trafficking business so profitable in our country. I do agree with President Felipe Calderón, when he states that while drugs remain illegal in the United States, any attempt of drug legalization in our country is useless.

During my fifteen years of academic life in the United States, I have been blessed and lucky enough to be a researcher and/or professor in seven universities. My experience, regarding my contact with the American youth, goes from coast to coast, from Columbia University in New York to the University of California in San Diego, including the University of Chicago and the University of Houston, among others.

Something that calls my attention is that, while college students in Mexico are killed in Campus for the simple fact that they were using the university premises, my American students consider drug consumption as a rite of passage that can go from their early teenage years all the way through the rest of their adulthood. TV shows like Weeds or That ‘70s Show are very popular among American audiences and present drug addiction, I would say, in a very realistic way: as a phenomenon well rooted in American culture, something that is practiced generation after generation and tends not to be seriously questioned by the society as a whole. In the United States, it is easier for those under 21 years of age to get any kind of illegal drugs than getting alcohol or cigarettes in any local store. I have the impression, in general terms, that American parents are highly tolerant about the addictive habits of their sons and daughters. Or maybe they have lost control of the situation.

I am truly convinced that addictions can be successfully addressed with education and awareness about the magnitude of the problem, at an individual, family and social levels in any society. A line of cocaine in New York should be associated not only with the price that is paid to the dealer for the drug, but also, in order to understand the true transnational dimension of the problem, it is necessary to associate it with those individuals that are beheaded and who are found across the Mexican territory, with the assassinations of the Mexican students, with the Mexican army systematically violating human rights of civilians, with the encobijados, the kidnapped, the burned to death, the widows and the orphans, etc.

The problem that I see is that the American government supports and promotes the final solution in Mexican territory (this is, to declare full war against drug trafficking by taking the army out to the streets, something Americans wouldn’t tolerate in their territory) to deal with a problem that belongs also to the American government and society. I am really concerned about the fact that the administration of President Calderón plays the game without any question. Indeed, the question is what can be done about it? What can Mexican universities do about it?

I propose to constitute a Consejo Universitario Transnacional (CUT - Transnational University Council) to create awareness in the United States about this problem that affects both countries. This council would be formed by high-profile members of Mexican and American Universities and their main function would be to launch an advertising and lobbying campaign in the American Congress, and the fifty states of the Union, to create awareness among the main actors about the dimension of the problem at the transnational level: “here and there at the same time”. As long as the flow of dollars from American consumers to drug traffickers in Mexico is not cut, any type of war is lost. That’s right: the narco dollars have the capacity to buy anything they find in their way: men, women, police officers, soldiers, police sheriffs, mayors, customs officers, beauty queens, bankers, bureaucrats, governors and army generals.

I am convinced that is possible to make an advertising campaign in the United States about the problems associated with drugs. For example, the CUT actions from the Mexican side could be financed with a portion of federal money that currently is spent in keeping the Mexican army in the streets. The goal here is, first, to make Americans aware about this transnational problem through actions aimed directly at their educational process, so their society would be ready (and I am confident that they will also be willing) to take the next fundamental step: finding solutions to this common problem.

If Americans decide to legalize drugs: let it be. It would not be the first time that the United States would be fearless about anything; after all, the only time they have amended their constitution (twice) has been for the same subject: addiction issues. And yes, alcohol eventually was legalized. It is important that Americans become aware that it is just a matter of time, for decapitated, or encobijados and encajuelados to become part of their daily life. As of today, in the meantime, the Mexican army should return to their headquarters.

Definitely, instead of listening to official public statements that the Mexican army could be out in the streets somewhere between 5 and 10 years, and that it is more and more probable to establish a state of exception where the first victim would be the abolition of certain individual rights, including freedom of expression (which would be lethal to the country’s universities); I prefer to be part of a coordinated effort, intelligently oriented to educate the average American about the problems associated with drug use and all the legislative actions that can be taken in U.S. territory to deal with the problem in both sides of the border, this is, in a transnational way. This would be an effort that would also take 5 to 10 years, but these actions would be attacking the root of the problem and not undermining our institutions, blinding our youth, and destroying our nation, as is happening now in Mexico.

Dear Dr. Rangel Sostmann, please accept my most sincere condolences for the death of Jorge Antonio Mercado Alonso y Javier Francisco Arredondo Verdugo. I also offer my condolences to the families of these unfortunate and brilliant students. Their deaths should be clarified, justice needs to done and, without any doubt, no more Mexican students the country should be killed by the simply fact of taking a walk through the Campus.

Sincerely,

Gustavo Cano, Ph. D.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Skeptical of Quick Action

Autor: Jimena Terán Tassinari. Licenciatura En Estudios Internacionales. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Editor: Sergio Martínez Peralta. Licenciatura En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Earlier on this week, 1,000 activists attended a rally in Chicago west side, calling for reform addressing the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. The speakers included U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin. The Democrat says it's time to stop separating families. President Barack Obama has vowed to tackle immigration reform this year, but many activists still show skeptical about Obama’s announcement.

Many have been the ones showing support for immigrants but let’s take a look back in history. For decades, only one Latino held unquestioned public power: Edward R. Roybal, the first Latino to win a seat in Los Angeles City Council. He spent 13 years there, then moved to Congress to serve 30 years, most of that time as the region's only Latino representative.

Now the power positions held by Latinos in Los Angeles area are multiple and manifest. Besides the Mexico-born archbishop, Jose Gomez, who is in line to become the first U.S. prelate of Latino heritage to become a cardinal, there is the mayor, the speaker of the Assembly, The sheriff, a county supervisor, several members of the City Council, of Congress, of the Legislature, of Los Angeles school board. The head of the most influential civic entity, organized labor, etc.

This change between times is shown in a USC demographic study reported by the Chicago Tribune that indicates that by 1960; fewer than 10% of the people in Los Angeles County area were Latinos. And by 2008, according to federal census estimates, almost half were Latinos. This also was shown in the city of Los Angeles.

A Loyola Marymount University study of the top 100 elected positions in Los Angeles from 1959 to 2009 found that for years, only one man -- Roybal -- made the list. The numbers increased only gradually until 1991, when altered political lines and long-thwarted ambition pushed the percentage of Latino seats to 18%. By last year, 33% were held by Latinos.

All of the results found out by this studies show how much Latinos are fighting day by day to win respect and a place in the heart of America, as well as to construct their own path in order to make an impact in politics such as in social life.

While Latinos are growing stronger, some countries in which immigrants represent a “problem” meaning by these drugs or violence, are also taking actions to combat the entrance of illegal immigrants. Such is the case reported by Federal officials which report six more Illinois counties that will use a fingerprinting program that allows authorities to check the immigration status of every person booked into jail. This program was first used in 2008, and now it has spread over 19 states.

Also Arizona has been showing efforts, whose border with Mexico is the most popular point of entry for illegal immigrants into this country. But the way Arizona has been handling the issue is a aggressive, yet clever by using its own laws to fight illegal immigration. In 2006 the state passed a law that would dissolve companies with a pattern of hiring illegal immigrants. Last year it made it a crime for a government worker to give improper benefits to an illegal immigrant. Actions like these have made illegal immigrants fear to even go out for dinner, they feel threatened that while driving or doing their habitual chores they would be stopped by a police and won`t make it safely.

Both of the sides in this polemic matter are sticking strongly by their decisions and won`t be easily convinced otherwise. This is why Obama’s role is so important in the topic, why immigrants groups keep pressuring for an answer; because he has the power of the last word.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Humble enough to listen, confident enough to lead

Autor: Jimena Terán Tassinari. Licenciatura En Estudios Internacionales. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Editor: Sergio Martínez Peralta. Licenciatura En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Earlier on this week a poll made by Los Angeles Times found out that the strong Californian feeling of taking off the social services from immigrants had changed and take a new way. It is mentioned that now 31% of Californians support the immigrants and cooperated with the idea of enforcing the border with a temporary worker program, and one that would combine stronger border enforcement with a path to eventual citizenship for illegal residents who perform community service, pay back taxes and learn English.

In 1994, Proposition 187 passed with almost 60% of the vote, but the earlier mentioned poll has now the population divided, in which one side agrees with the legalization suggested by George W. Bush and by Obama, as well as a guest worker program that would permit immigrants to visit the United States temporarily for jobs.

Also in California, Jane Harman member of the United States House of Representatives, representing California's 36th congressional district, expressed her discontent with an article in Times in which she said they made her look as if she was opposing and against immigrants and their acceptation in America, while it was otherwise, being her a daughter of immigrants, Harman understands and shows emphatic for them and is already working with some immigration groups such as the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles and the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund.

As there are American leaders which are leading the cause, and other oppressing them, there are also some leaders that make the Latino community proud. Such is the case of the new archbishop from Los Angeles. But more than a catholic leader, for the immigrants, he represents a leader that would proclaim the rights from his people. Jose Gomez which is originally from Monterrey openly supports the immigration reform and in these times of not knowing yet what to expect for the illegal immigrants, he will be playing an interesting role, being a figure of hope, taking in consideration that Catholicism is the principal religion for Mexicans and particularly this is the largest Hispanic diocese in the United States spread over Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and adding more than 4 million members, 70% of them Latino. Los Angeles would be a key place for him to be, which make up an important number of immigrants in America, according to the Census Bureau in 2008, 15% of the population was constituted by Hispanics.

This event represents a reason for union in Los Angeles which would make Latino community more confident and would bring them together in whatever they purpose. Proof is that the St. Michael Church (Jose Goméz, new home) used to be alone, until the Latino community started to grow bigger and bigger until it become one of the most visited churches, because of the fidelity Hispanic have.

In the immigration debate, there has been an event which fired up the political debate, with this I refer to the past murder of Robert Krentz a rancher from Arizona who helped immigrants who needed a place to sleep or something to eat. His dead made obvious the importance of taking care of the USA-MEXICO border because of its violence.

While in Chicago it appears that some industries are cooperating in order to make possible the immigration reform, due to the opportunity they see in the 540,000 illegal immigrants whom, as they become economically active, could have a huge impact in the economy. This was suggested by a 200-memebers area business coalition that would pursue this reform and is looking up for both the benefit of the immigrants and of the country. All of the movements that are supporting immigrants would have a very important impact when this battle over the immigration reform is over, and hopefully, Americans would recognize the human capital that they have in their very land, willing to work and live by.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

En búsqueda de la felicidad

Autor: Javier Hugo González Lozano. Licenciatura. En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Editor: Sergio Martínez Peralta. Licenciatura En Ciencias Políticas y Administración Pública. Universidad de Monterrey (UDEM).

Obama recibió una propuesta bipartidista para la reforma migratoria. Recalco su compromiso para impulsar una reforma migratoria eficiente, aseguro a grupos de defensores de los derechos de los inmigrantes en una reunión el mismo día. Intercambio que fue más bien un debate. El senador demócrata Charles Schumer y el republicano Lindsey Graham.

Aquí se explican algunos puntos importantes de la reforma migratoria propuesta por líderes demócratas de la Cámara de Representantes:

- Vía para la legalización: Se crea programa de visas temporales. Visas temporales como primer paso para conseguir la residencia y posteriormente la ciudadanía. Inmigrantes tendrán que comprobar como contribuyen al país.

- Mejoras para detenidos: Mejora de servicios de cuidado médico en los centros de detención. Acceso al uso de teléfonos de los detenidos. Creación de una comisión independiente para hacer cumplir estos requisitos.

- Verificación de empleo: Multas significativas para empleadores que no verifiquen el estatus migratorio. Elimina los contratos federales a quienes contraten inmigrantes indocumentados.

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Obama apoyo el borrador de senadores sobre reforma migratoria y la iniciativa que atiende las necesidades de seguridad fronteriza y exige responsabilizar tanto a inmigrantes como empleadores.

Grupos pro inmigrantes agradecieron los esfuerzos bipartidistas para impulsar la reforma migratoria.

Un grupo de aproximadamente 300 líderes de grupos de diferentes orígenes y en diversas ciudades del estado, colectaron fondos para que miles pidan al presidente Obama.

Hay optimismo hacia la reforma migratoria ahora que se presento ante el congreso una iniciativa de reforma migratoria. Por otro lado existen grupos que no se encuentran tan optimistas y que consideran que si esta reforma migratoria no pasa, tendrán que esperar hasta el próximo año.

Grupos optimistas:

- Coalición para los Derechos Humanos de los Inmigrantes en Los Ángeles (CHIRLA)

- Alianza Nacional para las Comunidades Latinoamericanas (NALACC)

- Coalición por los Derechos Plenos de los Inmigrantes.

Poco Optimistas:

- Centro de Recursos Centroamericanos (CARECEN).

- Coalición de Inmigración del Sur de California.

El grupo Numbers USA, con sede en el estado de Virginia y que aboga por reducir la inmigración, realizará una actividad denominada "Detener la amnistía en cuatro días". La estrategia consiste en contactar a los representantes de todo el país y hacerles conocer su inconformidad con la reforma migratoria.

- Numbers USA

- Tea Party

- Minutman Civil Defense Corps

- American for Legal Inmigration Pac (ALIPAC).

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El apoyo presentado por el Presidente Obama ha demostrado a la propuesta bipartidista para una reforma migratoria presentada por los senadores Charles Schumer (Demócrata) y Lindsey Graham (Republicano), muestra como los esfuerzos de los grupos pro inmigrantes por ejercer presión en el gobierno están siendo fructuosos, además que parece indicar que las estimaciones de para la marcha por América son aceptadas no solo por los organizadores pero por el “establishment” también.

Por otro lado existen también sentimientos entre los activistas pro inmigración que esta es la última oportunidad no solo de este año pero del periodo de Obama para que se cree una reforma migratoria que rompa con el viejo esquema migratorio y haga valer los derechos de los inmigrantes. Muchos argumentan que la administración de Obama está siendo cautelosa en cuando a la reforma migratoria pues podría costarle la reelección.

Yo en lo personal tengo la impresión que los mayores detractores de la reforma migratoria son los mismos que le niegan su apoyo en cuanto a la reforma de salud, y que esta ultima es la que podría costare más a la actual administración si no da resultados, por otro lado, la ausencia de una reforma migratoria le podría costar el apoyo del voto latino, mientras que su aprobación solo alejara aun más grupos que no lo apoyaban desde un principio.