 Edición Semanaria de Noticiero Latino |
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February 2007
February 2nd | Listen to the program
IMMIGRATION CAMPAIGN REKINDLED. Pro-immigrant groups from all over the country are returning to Washington to campaign for comprehensive immigration reform. Hundreds of activists me at the capital to define a common lobbying strategy. Representatives of the coalition say they are hopeful that with a new Democrat majority in Congress, their campaign will have better results. Patricia Guadalupe has the details from Washington, D.C.
RAIDS AND PROTESTS. The Department of Homeland Security continues to carry out raids on immigrants as part of a program called " Operation Return to Sender". Hundreds have been arrested and deported in the last two weeks. In Los Angeles, social organizations protest the tactics of the federal agents and demand a stop to the raids. Rubén Tapia has more.
HEALTHY FOOD A LUXURY. Obesity and poor health tend to be attributed to bad habits and personal decisions. But a study carried out in poor communities of Los Angeles indicates that buying healthy food is a luxury for many residents. The research shows that it is difficult to find fruits, vegetables, whole wheat bread, and other healthy foods in poor neighborhoods, and when they are available, they are more expensive. Ana Lilia Barraza reports from Los Angeles.
February 8th | Listen to the program
PRESIDENT CUTS SOCIAL SPENDING, INCREASES WAR FUNDS President Bush this week delivered his budget proposal for the 2008 fiscal year, which would begin next October. The almost three trillion dollar budget would cut human services programs in order to finance the war in Iraq and the Pentagon. This has raised concern among the majority of Latino legislators. Patricia Guadalupe reports from Washington.
ACTIVISTS CONLUDE HUNGER STRIKE FOR IMMIGRANTS As the new Congress works on an immigration reform plan, Arizona activists revive a tactic from the Cesar Chavez movement to make themselves heard in Phoenix and Washington. A dozen local leaders strike and pray, calling for a change in the climate of hostility toward immigrants and for humane immigration reform. Elvia Díaz presents this report from Phoenix.
CLEAN AIR NOW! Can the San Joaquin Valley afford to take more time to clean its air and stop being the most polluted basin in the country after Los Angeles? That’s the debate stirring up emotions in this agricultural region in Central California. Authorities are asking for seventeen more years to clean the air efficiently. Community groups support a new report that shows that every extra year will cost hundreds of lives. Zaidee Stavely covered the most recent public session on the topic and presents this report.
February 16th | Listen to the program
MEXICO’S CONGRESS ASKS FOR A STOP TO MASSIVE DEPORTATIONS Mexican legislators recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to present a resolution of Mexican Congress, asking them to suspend the order of deportation against Elvira Arellano, and for a temporary stop to immigration raids. They then traveled to Chicago, where they met with Arellano, who has claimed sanctuary in a local church, and they professed support for a comprehensive immigration reform. Irma López reports from Chicago.
BIO-DIESEL: IS IT THE FUEL OF THE FUTURE? The climate in the United States and the planet seems to be changing. Many blame smog and the use of fossil fuels. In response, engineers and entrepreneurs from all over the world met recently in San Antonio, Texas to discuss solutions. The participants promoted the benefits of bio-diesel, a fuel that is presented as cleaner alternative, which is the product of recycled vegetable oil and fats. From San Antonio, Texas, Patricio Espinoza presents this report.
CORN PRICE HIKES INCREASE COST OF LIVING In Mexico, the federal government is negotiating with workers and farmers after a march against price hikes of staple foods. However, community organizations threaten to mobilize again if President Felipe Calderón does not respond satisfactorily to their demands of an emergency wage increase and modifications to the North American Free Trade Agreement. Citlali Sáenz reports from Mexico City.
February 23rd | Listen to the program
DANGER OF HUNGER IN CALIFORNIA’S FIELDS More than a month after a freezing cold front struck the citrus fields in Central and Southern California, federal funding has still not arrived to alleviate the crisis of affected workers. The losses, estimated in more than a billion dollars, left more than 15,000 workers unemployed. Sara Shakir visited the disaster area and tells us how unemployed families are covering their basic needs.
GUEST WORKERS OR SLAVE WORKERS? Twelve Guatemalan workers employed under the U.S. Guest Worker Program have sued their bosses for virtual slavery. The workers allege that when theyarrived at a Connecticut nursery that hired them in their home country, they were submitted to captivity and exploitation. Marco Vinicio González has the report.
MIGRATION CAUSED BY NAFTA In Mexico, immigration specialists are creating a database to identify the problem that causes half a million men and women to leave the country every year. In a meeting in Mexico City, the researchers pointed to NAFTA as responsible for the increase in the numbers of people who decide to emigrate. Citlali Sáenz reports from Mexico City.