 Edición Semanaria de Noticiero Latino |
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May 2007
May 4th | Listen to the program
MARCHES IN CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES AND PHOENIX - On the first anniversary of
the May 1 mega-marches, hundreds of thousands returned to the streets of the country's largest cities with a call for immigration reform and a stop to federal deportation raids. Despite a federal operation in the days prior, Chicago was the scene of the largest and most enthusiastic demonstration, followed by Los Angeles and Phoenix. Reports from these cities come from Jorge Salazar, Ruben Tapia and Elvia Diaz.CHILDREN'S MARCH - The immigration rights actions began a few days before May 1. One of the earliest marches was celebrated in the agricultural town of Mendota in California's Central Valley. This town was devastated two months before by immigration raids. This week, dozens of families with children marched to ask the government to protect family unity. Salvadorian leader Lito Torres was one of the organizers.
STARS AND STRIPES IN NEW YORK, TEXAS AND WASHINGTON - Pro-immigrant demonstrations of lesser size but no less enthusiasm were celebrated in more than 60 other cities. In most of these, young students stood out from the crowds, and national flags were waved, with the stars and stripes more visible this year. Some of the biggest marches occurred in New York, Washington, and Texas. Marco Vinicio Gonzalez, Patricio Espinoza and Carlos Bejar report from those states.
LATIN AMERICAN MIGRANT SUMMIT - America is a continent of migrants, and next week social leaders from countries all over the continent meet in Mexico to discuss issues such as productive investment of remittances, and legal rights of migrants. The Latin American Migrant Community Summit will be held in Morelia, the traditional capital of Mexican migration. The organizing committee is based in Chicago, where Irma Lopez reports.
May 11th | Listen to the program
LEGISLATORS PREP FOR IMMIGRATION DEBATE – Senate majority leader Harry Reid this week introduced a proposal for immigration reform similar to the one approved by the Senate last year. Reid says the project will be the basis to begin a discussion on the subject, and he has reserved the next two weeks to debate it. Patricia Guadalupe has more details from the nation’s capital.
MILLIONS IN FUNDS FOR ENGLISH CLASSES- A report by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials indicates that schools that teach English as a Second Language have waiting lists of up to three years. Observers say these waits affect immigrant students who are trying to integrate into society. In response, this week a legislator proposed to generate more than a billion dollars in aid. Patricio Espinoza conversed with Texas legislator Rubén Hinojosa and has the story from San Antonio, Texas.
HUNDREDS ATTEND MIGRANT SUMMIT – While the debate on immigration reform begins again in Washington, hundreds of pro-immigrant activists from all over the continent are meeting in Morelia, an important capital of Mexican migration, to try to find solutions to forced migration. Our correspondent Rubén Tapia traveled to the site of the first Latin American Migrant Community Summit and sends this report.
May 18th | Listen to the program
IMMIGRATION REFORM AGREEMENT - Senate leaders and the White House announced an agreement that opens the door to immigration reform. The bipartisan project prioritizes an immediate increase in border security, a system to ensure that employers hire only workers with documents, and the immediate concession of provisional visas to millions of undocumented immigrants who live in the country. Some of the plan's provisions would radically modify the current criteria for distribution of immigrant visas. Patricia Guadalupe reports from Washington.
UNION WORKER KILLED - U.S. legislators are demanding that Mexican president Felipe Calderón and Nuevo León state governor José Natividad González Parás conduct a thorough investigation to clarify the murder of union worker, Santiago Rafael Cruz. A group of Democrats will travel soon to Mexico to meet with federal and state authorities in charge of the investigation of Cruz' murder. Rubén Tapia was in Morelia, Michoacán when the announcement was made.
RESIDENTS CALL FOR PESTICIDE RESTRICTIONS - Inhabitants of the agricultural town of Lindsay, California have been concerned for years about living among fields sprayed with toxic pesticides. Tired of not getting answers, a group of residents took on the task of looking for proofs of toxicity. Several residents offered to examine their urine, and the results confirmed their fears. Almost all of those tested reported high concentrations of a dangerous pesticide applied on the orange trees surrounding the town. Zaidee Stavely investigates the issue.
MARCH IN LOS ANGELES - Hundreds of families that led recent immigration marches in Los Angeles returned to Mac Arthur Park, the scene of the violent police repression that ended the May 1st march. The demonstrators reiterated their call to reform immigration laws and demonstrated a desire to heal wounds. This time around, mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and other notable leaders led the procession. Carlos Quintanilla reports.
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May 25th | Listen to the program
FIRST WEEK OF IMMIGRATION DEBATE – The first week of immigration reform debate in the Senate ended in heated discussion on the bipartisan proposal made public a few days ago. The proposal was the result of an agreement between Senate leaders and the White House. Now, influential senators from both parties are trying to make changes that some say mean to improve the law, and others warn are putting the fragile equilibrium of the agreement in danger. Rubén Tapia has followed the debate and has this report.
PROBABLE CAUSE OF DEATH: HEAT STROKE – Just as the hot season begins in California, the death of a farm worker in an orchard in Kings County was reported a few days ago as a possible result of heat stroke. The death of the farm worker Eladio Hernández concerns his coworkers and tests the effectiveness of state regulations approved last year to protect people who work under the sun. Alma Martínez has the story.
DAIRIES REQUIRED TO PROTECT WATER – This month the water quality authority in California’s Central Valley released a ruling to monitor toxic waste from the growing dairy industry. For the first time, the dairies will have to monitor how much nitrate they are applying to the soil. Environmental and community groups say the agency’s norms don’t do enough to keep ground water clean. Zaidee Stavely visited a cow corral near Tipton, California, and brings back this report.
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