He's in the wrong profession

According to a recent article in the Washington Post:
"Schwarzenegger supports the construction of a fence along California's border with Mexico and recently praised the Minuteman Project, which has conducted civilian patrols of the border."

Schwarzenegger should return to acting.

Homeland Security launches $1.5-million campaign

Maybe some TV ads will stop illegal border crossings. Well, at least the The U.S. Department of Homeland Security thinks so.

The agency is launching a $1.5-million campaign called No Mas Cruces en La Frontera, or No More Border Crossings.

The Spanish-language public service announcements call attention to the practice of smugglers stuffing children into vehicle compartments that could become death traps.

According to the Associated Press, their release coincided with the launch of another media campaign by the U.S. Border Patrol to call attention to the dangers of clandestine border crossings.

TV ads began airing last week in the Mexican state of Michoacan, and were due to begin this week in U.S. cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston. The campaign unveiled Thursday will target cities closer to California's Mexican border.

U.S. Campaign Aims to Deter Illegal Aliens
By ELLIOT SPAGAT, The Associated Press
Friday, August 19, 2005

Something to think about

Now this is scary: fifteen of the 19 hijackers in the Sept. 11 attacks legally entered the U.S. on travel visas; three were admitted with business visas; the 19th entered on a student visa.

John Keeley of the Center for Immigration Studies said more expansive visa rules would lead to illegal immigration and other problems.

"The student (visa) category has to be examined closely because it has been savagely exploited by terrorists in the past," he said. "We have the best colleges and universities in the world, and they're here for American students primarily."

Group Pushes for Changes in Visa Policy
By REBECCA CARROLL, The Associated Press
Friday, August 19, 2005

Definitely worth a trip to the newsstand

The current issue (Aug. 22, 2005) of Time magazine is worth a read:

"...like any immigrant group that has shaped mainstream U.S. culture before fully asserting its economic or political power, the nation's 41.3 million Hispanics are just getting warmed up. While they command nearly $600 billion in buying power, they are only starting to attract the marketing attention on Madison Avenue that they merit, and their political clout similarly lags behind their sheer numbers. The country's largest ethnic minority, Hispanics promise to help remake America in the 21st century as vitally as African Americans did in the 20th."

The 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America
From music to politics to business, Hispanics are remaking America.
TIME presents 25 titans leading the Latino charge into the 21st century

Someone you should know

This Salvadoran immigrant deserves a standing ovation:

Pablo Alvarado
The New Cesar Chavez
By Sonja Steptoe, Time (online edition)

New Mexico, Arizona declare a state of border emergency

First New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson declares a state of emergency and now this.

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano declared a state of emergency along the Mexican border on Monday in an effort to fight illegal immigration and Mexican drug cartel activity in the state.

Napolitano put aside $1.5 million in state emergency funds to these border counties: Yuma, Cochise, Pima and Santa Cruz.

"The federal government has failed to secure our border, and the health and safety of all Arizonans is threatened daily by violent gangs, coyotes and other dangerous criminals," said Napolitano. "These funds provide our law enforcement community with another valuable tool to fight crime related to illegal immigration."

Arizona governor declares state of emergency along Mexican border
by Mike Sunnucks, The Business Journal of Pheonix
Aug. 16, 2005

Farrakhan said Fox was right

Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan said Mexican President Vicente Fox was right to say that Mexican immigrants take jobs "that not even blacks want."

Farrakhan said Sunday that blacks do not want to go to farms and pick fruit because they already "picked enough cotton."

"Why are you so foolishly sensitive when somebody is telling you the truth?" he said.

Farrakhan: Mexican president was right
He says blacks don't want jobs that immigrants take
Monday, August 15, 2005

Quote of the Day

"Among Latinos in the United States, there's a majority that views immigrants favorably, but there is a significant minority concerned about unauthorized immigration into the country and its impact," said Roberto Suro, director of the Pew Hispanic Center.

Hispanics Split on Driver's License Access for Illegals
Tuesday, August 16, 2005

'Immigration is good'

William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., said lawmakers need to implement immigration reform, while striving to bring minorities' education and salary levels in line with whites.

Quote of the day:

''Immigration is good for the United States ... it's important for us to keep our doors open, but we need to keep an eye on the people coming in. While initially it will be a state problem, eventually it will be a national issue, and education is the best way to deal with it.'' --William Frey

Texas becomes majority-minority with Latino growth
Associated Press - August 11, 2005
BY ALICIA A. CALDWELL

Finally--protection for Illinois day laborers

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich recently signed a bill giving temporary workers more rights to fair wages and workplace conditions. The Illinois Department of Labor will see that the new law is enforced.

According to the Illinois DOL, there are about 300,000 day and temporary laborers in Illinois.

A lot of workers wait for job offers on street corners or in Home Depot parking lots. Some look for jobs at places like the Albany Park Workers Center, 4174 N. Elston Ave., opened since late 2004.

New law protects day laborers
State wants workers to be treated fairly
By Erika SlifeTribune staff reporter
Published August 10, 2005