An increase of deportation cases and removal procedures is affecting thousands of families all across the United States.
"A demonstrator holds a sign in a rally in front of the Department of Homeland Security in Washington on January 26, 2010. The protest was held to call for an immediate suspension of deportations of immigrants with U.S. citizen family members." Photo Reuters
The Obama administration is executing an aggressive strategy of deportations run by the Department of Homeland Security' Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which is reopening deportation cases for every little possible excuse. An estimated 400,000 undocumented immigrants were deported in 2,009 leaving many families divided and U.S. born children are abandoned, since their parents were in the country illegally.
This week, I spoke to Immigration Attorney Ana Maria Bazan, in her office located in the diverse and multicultural city of Queens, New York. Bazan states that unfortunately this trend of deportations will create social conflicts in the future of this country, by promoting unstable individuals growing up in divided, parent-less households. In this video, Ana Maria Bazan explains why there is a need for an Immigration Reform and to stop inhumane deportations.
When elected, president Obama assured that his administration were going to be different than Bush's and ICE raids were to stop. However, DHS secretary Janet Napolitano is enforcing the current immigration legislation to reopen cases of immigrants living in the United States for decades, affecting entire families some of whom are U.S. citizens.
However, the media in the U.S. is not reporting on this humanitarian crisis, instead it's focusing on criminalizing the public image of immigrants. They are focusing on the prosecution of delinquents, in cases that aren't representative of the majority of the decent, hard-working immigrant communities in this country. Today for instance, most DC media and blogs are commenting on the tragic case of a 11 y.o. girl's rape in Maryland, committed by two insane men who happened to be immigrants. Racist, anti immigrant comments can be read here.
Quietly but effectively, the Obama administration is promoting human displacement and poverty among the poorest, most sacrificed and exploited families in this country, in the name of an obsolete legislation. There must be another way.
For those interested on meeting Attorney Bazan here is her contact information:
Ana Maria Bazan Law Firm PC E-mail: abazanlawfirm@gmail.com Tel: (718) 478-8583
President Obama and the White House are organizing an invitation-only Meeting on Health Care Reform today at 10:00 AM. The event will gather leaders and Congress members of both the Democratic and Republican parties. The White House announces it as a "Bipartisan Meeting":
We’re closer than ever to making reform a reality, and the next step in the process is an open bipartisan meeting to discuss additional Republican and Democratic ideas for making our health care system work better for the American people.
When: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 10:00AM EST Where: The Blair House in Washington, DC Watch: The meeting will be open to the press and streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live
You can watch the stream here:
Not everyone is happy with the current plan for health care reform. The campaign Health Care Now says the "Obama plan leaves millions uninsured, while boosting private insurers" and is organizing a "Sidewalk Summit for Medicare for All!" outside the site of the White House organized meeting:
Let’s make President Obama hear us loud and clear that we want Medicare for All!
The event will be followed by lobby visits to drop information to each Congressional office about the single-payer, improved Medicare-for-All solution to the health care crisis. If you can join us to lobby after the Summit, please contact Katie at info@healthcare-now.org or 1-800-453-1305.
When: Thursday, February 25th, 2010 – 9am. Please RSVP.
Where: H St NW and Vermont Ave NW, Washington, DC – Map here – (closest subway stop is McPherson Square).
Who: Patients, Nurses, and Doctors who have the solution to the Health Care Crisis.
For more information, and talking points, on the sidewalk summit, go here.
By the way, when I was preparing this post I run into the White House Youtube channel and I found this great video. First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed visitors to the presidential residence, on Wednesday January 20, 2010.
Yes, I watched the whole 47 min. video and it's very emotional and funny at parts, especially when people cry in disbelieve. I love Michelle -she greets every single person with so much energy- and I wish she were more active in her husband's administration. Michelle Obama deserves a better role at the White House according to her talent and knowledge.
Why I won't mark Hispanic but American Indian in the 2010 Census in the United States. This is my personal option, you decide yours, but remember to represent your community, your people, your true race. It's important to be counted -regardless of your nationality or immigration status- so the U.S. government can direct the needed resources to your community.
Lets show the real face of the United States of America.
This is a testimony from an immigrant that was once undocumented and now is a U.S. citizen.
I met Leandra Requena in the city of Queens, New York where she accepted sharing her experiences as an immigrant from Peru. From crossing the border with her 5 years old daughter, raising three children in NYC and working hard to provide them with education all the way to college.
Now a community organizer and trained union activist, Leandra explains in this video why is important to reform the immigration legislation in the United States,in order to protect families and children, and to help the economy.
Even when we immigrants are facing now a difficult time -the Obama administration has incarcerated and deported over 400,000 undocumented workers in 2009- Leandra Requena still hopes things will get better for immigrant families in this country. I certainly share that hope.
In the last few weeks I was honored to attend by invitation a couple of training sessions on Social Media, TV and online activism, and blogging. Also I was invited to visit New York City to see immigrant communities and to meet new friends.
The skills that I’ve learned in these few days have helped me to realize that I need to change the directions of my blogs, so I can reach the goals that motivate me to write them in the first place. Sometimes I wish I had the time and the resources to write about every-thing that I want to express, but that can’t happen. So from now on I will focus exclusively on the following topics:
Carlos in DC: on Immigration reform, Social Media, Indigenous and Afro descendant peoples rights, DC life, and Latino culture in the U.S.
Peruanista: is my bilingual blog in English and Spanish, about Peru, Latin America, politics, culture, immigration, Social Media, and Indigenous and Afro descendant peoples in Latin America.
TSO: My personal opinion on gay, lesbian, transgender, bisexual people's rights movement in the U.S. and issues related to Native LGBT peoples.
Eventually I hope that I will put all these blogs together. For now on I will try to post links of them in each of my blogs. Thanks to the few folks out there who follow this 2-year personal effort, which has made me richer in experiences, dreams and hopes only.
Sincerely yours,
Carlos in DC
PS = Don't forget to follow me in Twitter: CarlosQC
Update: Second Snow Blizzard today February 10, 2010
Public Transportation. Most of Metro train stations are closed for today only underground stations are open with trains running every 30 minutes. No Bus service today, but check for updates in the WMATA site.
Federal government offices shut down in the DC area for the rest of the week, at a cost of $100 million dollars each day. Read a WaPo report today.
Snow fights and cops. In times when people in the DC area are facing hunger, hypothermia, cold-weather related diseases and car accidents, all due to freezing temperatures, power outages, and lack of public transportation, but some gentrified-DC residents seem to be more concerned about a drunk woman who acted stupidly. Seriously folks, there is more about the ongoing blizzard than just snow fights and cops.
Shoveling snow in Maryland and DC. Contact CASA Maryland who has an extensive list of unemployed workers ready to help.
Photos & Video Views from my street in Mount Rainier, at the border of DC and Maryland, today at 12 noon:
Driving Through Washington DC Days After the First Snow Blizzard: February 8-9, 2010
Neighbors clean the sidewalks at 400 block of U Street NW in Washington, DC, today February 9, 2009. Another snow storm is expected for this afternoon. Photos by Carlos A. Quiroz - See more photos at the end of this post
Washington, DC, is a mess right now. Two days after the first big snow blizzard of 20010, my friends and I drove from the Capitol Plaza Mall in Maryland to the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.
This video shows what the streets of Washington, DC, looked like on Monday February 8, 2010 around 4:00 PM. We drove by the Baltimore-Washington parkway, New York avenue, Florida avenue and U Street NW [see map bellow]. In this video also you will hear a conversation between two Washingtonians, listen to the interesting stories that my friends shared, about snow storms and the streets of DC.
After the February 5-6 blizzard, the DC urban area looks and feels really bad. Another snow storm is expected for tonight Tuesday February 10. If I survive, I will post some photos that I took today.
People need to remember
Right now before tonight’s storm, the city is chaotic, the roads are really messy, people walk on the roads, some stores opened today but most are closed. I think this coming storm is going to create some serious situations of emergency, for those who aren’t able to buy food or keep their homes warm. With the power outages and lack of public transportation, many DC metro area residents are in danger of hunger, diseases and even deadly situations.
I really hope people will be able to hang during this crisis, and most importantly we need to help each other. I’ve noticed that people in the DMV area are very much self centered and selfish, they only clean their part of the sidewalk, pedestrians are very irresponsible walking in front of cars, and drivers seem no to be conscious of the terrible dangers of icy roads. We need to stick together people!
Somebody better write a 'Thank You' comment, it was sooo cold outside All photos by Carlos A. Quiroz
So much snow! The capital of the United States is being paralyzed by one of the heaviest snow blizzards in the history of Washington, DC, affecting all the Mid-Atlantic region.
This is a video I recorded in my neighborhood, at Mount Rainier in the border of DC with PG county, MD. I was out there last night at 1:10 AM, this morning and this afternoon between 12:45 to 2:00 PM.
Watch young neighbors trying to help with shoveling and make some extra money, while a group of immigrants got stranded when they tried to go to work. I gave them some hot cocoa.
NO POWER? As right now (7:00 PM) about 105,000 people around the DC metro area are without electrical power. If you want to report to PEPCO call 1 877 737 2662
HELP FOR SNOWMAGEDDON? Hey folks in the DC area, if you need help in shoveling snow, CASA Maryland has a bunch of strong unemployed men ready to assist you. Contact Michael Petrick at 240-706-0630 or at mpetrick@casamd.org
NEED ANYTHING? Leave a message here, you never know who is going to read you.
DC is freezing! compliments of Climate Change
Saturday January 6, 2010 @ 12:45 to 2:00 PM 21 to 23 inches snow accumulation
Saturday January 6, 2010 @ 1:10 AM 9 to 12 inches snow accumulation
Friday January 5, 2010 @ 5:45 PM Less than 1 inch snow accumulation
SNOWFIGHT: In Dupont Circle -an area where I used to live before gentrification 'pushed me' away- a young crowd organized a fight which I wanted to attend, but Metro is not working in my area.
The political crisis in Honduras is defining the future of democracy in Latin America and the relations with the United States with the region.
The military coup of June 28, 2009 is considered a new model used by elites and corporate groups in Latin America to retain their privileges in what is considered the most unfair region in the planet. The Honduran coup was planned and announced from the U.S., and even though president Obama has called out the coup 'illegal' but the current support of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is sealing the fate of a right-wing regime, presented as democracy.
This is a exclusive interview withmy friend and colleague Jesse Freeston, an independent journalist with The Real News Network. In this informal conversation we recorded in Washington, DC, Freeston shares his experiences in Honduras, the Central American country he has visited several times but where most recently he spent a month observing the presidential elections that were accused of marred by violence and human rights violations.
Also included in this post is a report by attorney and human rights advocate Arturo J. Viscarra, about the current situation in Honduras, reflected after a meeting held last week with the U.S. ambassador to Honduras, Hugo Llorens.
The Colombianization of Honduras
The role of the United States through Colombia in supporting the right-wing military coup of Honduras. A blog post by Arturo J. Vizcarra from Central America.
A conversation with Hugo Llorens Sat, 01/30/2010 - 17:09 — AP
Summary of Meeting with Ambassador Hugo Llorens and Radio Globo Interview
by Arturo J. Viscarra January 29, 2010
I ran into Radio Globo and Radio Progreso host, Félix Molina, during a celebration of Latin American unity [and] José Martí’s birthday at the Plaza de Cuba on Thursday. He asked me to go on his show that night to talk about the meeting that took place earlier in the day between U.S. citizens (including delegates from La Voz de los de Abajo and Rights Action) and Amb. Hugo Llorens.
During the radio show, Molina discussed the U.S. government’s apparent approval of the tactics Lobo’s Security Minister Óscar Álvarez used yesterday during the military raid in the El Pedegral neighborhood (detailed in the Voselsoberano article from the previous blog post). Molina also took a call from the witness who caused Álvarez to lash out on the radio, Fausto Arrazola. Many Hondurans are worried that the media show and nebulous raid that supposedly produced an RPG-7 are simply a signal that the policy of the Lobo administration will be to criminalize protests and other forms of dissent. It was noted that Álvarez is supposedly very close to the U.S. government, having served as vice-consul in Houston, Texas during his break between stints as Security Minister.
Álvarez also recently took a 24 hour trip to the U.S.’s closest Latin American ally, Colombia. He then met with Colombian Vice President Francisco Santos while the latter was in Honduras for Lobo’s inauguration, afterward declaring that Colombia will provide full support for Honduras’s fight against “drug-trafficking” and “terrorism”. According to Álvarez, “For us [Colombia] is a reference point for what has to be done for a country to move forward with democracy.” This is the model democracy for both the U.S. and new Honduran governments in which a mass grave of the military was recently discovered in which as many as 2,000 bodies were been dumped by the Colombian military since 2005.
Although Colombian President, Alvaro Uribe, sent his Vice President for the inauguration, Álvarez is surely thrilled that the narco-president will be visiting today, January 30th, the fourth day of the Lobo administration. The Colombianization of Honduras is in full-swing, which appears to be what the U.S. has in mind when it claims it is supporting human rights and democracy.
But on to the meeting at the U.S. embassy in Honduras, there were so many different infuriating or amusing statements made by [ambassador] Llorens, that some of the lowlights will just be listed as bullet points:
• Claimed that the US has been at the forefront of speaking out against human rights violations. • “No embassy has done more for human rights than we have”. • Cesar Ham's inclusion in the Lobo cabinet is full evidence that Lobo has constituted a government of "National Unity & Reconciliation". Llorens suggested that we talk directly with Mr. Ham. • Claimed that 60% turnout for the November 29 elections is correct, once you factor in all of the Hondurans that have migrated out of the country. • Stated that the fastest growing demographic of Honduras is the people that are leaving the country. He thought this was funny. • When asked by Voz de los de Abajo representative about reports that human rights violations have increased since the elections, said that “doesn’t jive with what we have.” • Again blamed Zelaya for contributing to the coup. I wonder what he thinks about rape victims that flirt with the perpetrators before they were violated. • Claimed that the Tegucigalpa/San Jose Accords were conducted without a mediator or outside interference, despite the heavy involvement of the US in their conclusion. • The US will supposedly support the investigation of post-coup human rights violations to be included within the framework of the Truth Commission that we have heard so much about. • Admitted that, “People have been killed, we know that.” • Will support civilian control of the military. • Claimed that it will be a “mistake to go back to business as usual” between the US and Honduras. • The US will be the chair of the G16. Within that grouping of nations, the US will pressure other countries to restore aid to Honduras. • In justifying the restoration of aid, stated that cannot punish the entire country of Honduras for “the transgressions of a few.” • Said that the US was “never going to leave Palmerola” on a number of occasions when asked about the prior tensions between Zelaya and the US regarding the military base. • The primary purpose of Palmerola is humanitarian assistance. Fighting the war on drugs is the second and last purpose of the US presence there. • Stated that the US military are the guests of the Honduran people. If they want to get rid of them, they will leave immediately and will not lobby against such a decision. • There are no plans for expansion of the US military presence in Honduras – in Palmerola or in other parts of the country. • The US has implemented a “consistent”, “nonideological” policy throughout the Honduran crisis. • Denied the involvement of the US in any facet of the coup d’etat. • Denied the involvement of former US officials, including Otto Reich, in the coup. Stated that these were just one of many “conspiracy theories.”
Some questions that were asked that he did not answer:
• What are your plans in Honduras regarding the Pathways to Prosperity initiative? • What was your contact with Otto Reich before and after the coup d’etat?
There were many other interesting statements and omissions, but these are the only ones I have in my notes. A person can only write so fast.
The Hondurascrisis
Last year, Central America seemed to be going towards a peaceful time of democracy and political stability. For decades, leftist and rightist movements have fought violent conflicts in the region, often sponsored and financed by the United States. In 2009 a former leftist guerrilla group won general elections in El Salvador, and also leftist governments won popular vote in Nicaragua and Honduras.
But inJune 2009 aviolent military coupin Honduras expelled elected president Manuel Zelaya to Costa Rica, and installed Italian Honduran money-man Roberto Micheletti into power. Zelaya is a centrist landowner whose government was closing ties with ALBA, the economic Latin American bloc led by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, and he traveled to Washington, DC, to demand support for his restitution.
After five months of a bloody repression against a civil resistance movement, including the come back of U.S. trained Death Squads, Micheletti was able to hold marred presidential elections by November, even though his regime wasn't recognized by most countries in the world, except the U.S. and Canada. Most of Honduran people boycotted the elections, but a new government has been installed with right-wing landowner Porfirio Lobo as the current president of Honduras.
Lobo has given signs that he will continue the same policies of Micheletti, and Manuel Zelaya -who walked into the country secretely- has recently left the country as a refugee to the Dominican Republic.
Honduran civilians gather at the Tegucigalpa airport to give a farewell to president Manuel Zelaya before his departure to the Dominican Republic. Photo by Arturo J. Vizcarra
Currently in Honduras, a peaceful movement of civil resistance continues working -despite the violent repression that has killed and tortured many of its members- for the restitution of democracy in that impoverished country, which depends completely in the United States' political and economical policies.
A national media campaign was launched this week in Washington, DC, to encourage Latinos in the United States to participate in the 2010 Census. I tried to cover the "Be Counted" party but I wasn't allowed in.
This campaign is organized by "Voto Latino" a non profit organization that promotes the civic and political participation of Latinos in the US, with the support of LULAC the League of United Latin American Citizens, among other groups.
Not Counted Last night I attended the Voto Latino event “Be Counted” in Washington, DC. This was after a long day so I went there carrying my video equipment –I refuse to drive in this chaotic city- but the security guards at the K Street Lounge entrance didn’t allow me in. After manhandling me, pulling my jacket and asking me for an I.D., I asked them to talk to the organizers so they could allow me to take photos and record videos. They said the organizers thought that it wasn’t the right moment. So I left, not before recording this video.
Latino stars"at [actor and activist] Wilmer Valderrama's home in the Los Angeles area, some of the top Latinos in the entertainment industry got together to shoot a PSA encouraging Latinos to participate in the 2010 Census."
National Census are held every ten years in the U.S. The official formwill be mailed to most U.S. households by March this year, and the National Census will be conducted on April 1, 2010. It's very important that every person living in the United States is counted, regardless of your immigration status, or any other reason.
"If you don't take us seriously, you won't be elected" Attendant to Voto Latino's Be Counted event
The "Be Counted" party last night in Washington, DC. Photo by Carlos A. Quiroz
Hispanic?
Many in the Latino community think that the Census Bureau should not use the term Hispanic in order to define our ethnic origins, because we consider it to be wrong. The word Hispanic promotes White supremacy and an Eurocentric identity, which hides our multiracial and multi-ethnic communities.
Latinos have strong influences from our Indigenous and African ancestors, among others, too important to be ignored. So here comes the conflict within the 2010 Census, which mixes the terms Latino, Hispanic, and Spanish in one category.
The Be Counted campaign is encouraging Latinos to mark “Hispanic” as our ethnic origin:
8. This is perhaps the most important question on the census for Latinos. By identifying as Hispanic, Latino or of [Spanish] origin, data is used to fund state and local governments for special programs such as bilingual education.
It’s important to understand that the Census [Bureau] views Latinos as an ethnic, and not a racial, group. That means even if you self-identify as Hispanic for Question 8, you can also add additional racial data in Question 9. It also means that you can check all boxes that apply to you. You can check “Hispanic” alone, or you can also add additional racial data. For example, if you identify as Afro-Latino, you can mark “Hispanic” for Question 8 and “Black” for Question 9 (below).
9. Race is used to implement many federal laws such as the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act. It is used to map out congressional districts, and also used to assess the fairness of employment practices, monitor racial disparities in health and education, and plan accordingly.
So is this about how the Census Bureau views Latinos? I know it’s not Voto Latino’s fault, but the 2010 Census form itself is going to mislead many people, forcing them to check “Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin”, even when many of Latinos reject those words. Let me explain why.
The Latino community in the United States is not defined by one race, but several communities of different races, cultures, nationalities and heritages. For decades, Spanish speaking immigrants and their children have found a common identity in this country by adopting the term Latino, which refers to Latin America. It was a way to defend our families against racism from Whites and other groups who ignored who we really are.
Latino/a is not the most appropriate word, but it’s out there, as a popular and widely accepted term, it was embraced in the streets of U.S. urban communities. It refers to Latin America, name created by Napoleon III, the French imperialist emperor that invaded Mexico in the 19th century.
Then there is the word Hispanic, which is exclusively referring to Hispania, the Roman province that included what is today Spain and Portugal. This term was coined by the U.S. government, its’ a forced identity.
The official form of the national Census includes an option to check “Latino/Hispanic/Spanish” as ethnic origin. This implies that anyone who speaks Spanish or comes from a Spanish speaking country, is a person of Hispanic heritage. That is absolutely false.
Click for better view. Image by Voto Latino
Personally I reject the Hispanic word 100% percent so I won’t mark it. In some way yes I want to represent the Latino community which I am part of by default, although my race is American Indian. I have to honor my ancestry. The Census also includes a question about race, say Black or African descendant, American Indian or Indigenous I should say, White Caucasian, Asian, etc. This is one of the most important questions of the Census, I believe.
For few years now, the U.S. Census Bureau has stated that Hispanics are the biggest minority in the United States. I don’t believe this is true, considering that Hispanic is not a race but a forced identity created by the Richard Nixon administration, with the sponsorship of racist elites of Spanish speaking advocates. Many of the so called Hispanics are Blacks –or Negro as the Census form states- therefore African descendants should be the biggest minority still.
By the way, the word Negro means Black man in Spanish and it doesn’t have an offensive origin as the N world, but it can be offensive to many who speak only English. However, I am wondering why they included it in the census form.
Anyways the question is: should we embrace a historical mistake and a misrepresentation of our ethnic identities? Or should we be true to ourselves, and honor our heritages. In my case, my first language is Spanish which another European language as English is, but that doesn’t change my ethnic origin or my race.
The 2010 Census is subtly forcing African and Indigenous descendants in the U.S. to identity themselves as Europeans. It’s obvious that whoever designed this Census form are people who still believe in White European supremacy, that’s for sure.
Actor Wilder Valderrama speaks in DC. Next to him are White Congress members -who speak Spanish- brothers Lincoln Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) Photo by The Hill
More about this event
Check out a video with actor and activist Wilder Valderrama in CBS. Here is an article in Spanish by often-racist People en Espanol.
Of course, check out the Voto Latino - Be Counted website, and if you want to understand one of the reasons of why the term Hispanic is promoted (in this country run by corporations) check out this funny website.
The original content of this blog is licensed under aCreative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License United States License. Please attribute legal copies of this work to Carlos A. Quiroz. For further information or additional permissions, contact me at: qc.carlos@gmail.com
El contenido original de este blog está licenciado bajo Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 License Licencia de Estados Unidos. Por favor, respetar los derechos legales de copia de este trabajo a Carlos A. Quiroz. Para más información o permisos adicionales, póngase en contacto conmigo en: qc.carlos@gmail.com
