Aqui Estamos Y No Nos Vamos. The Struggle for Immigrant Rights in the U.S.

“Latino immigrants have launched an all-out fight-back against the repression, exploitation, and racism they routinely face in the United States with a series of unprecedented strikes and demonstrations. The mobilizations began when over half a million immigrants and their supporters took to the streets in Chicago on March 10. It was the largest single protest in that city’s history. Following the Chicago action rolling strikes and protests spread to other cities, large and small, throughout the country. Million came out on March 25 for a “national day of action.” Between one and two million people demonstrated in Los Angeles – the single biggest public protest in the city’s history, and millions more followed suit in Chicago, New York, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Tucson, Denver and dozens of other cities. Again on April 10 millions heeded the call for another day of protest. In addition, hundreds of thousands of high school students in Los Angeles and around the country have staged walk-outs in support of their families and communities, braving police repression and legal sanctions. The message is clear, as marchers have shouted: “aqui estamos y no nos vamos!” (“we are here and we are not leaving!”).”

• About 350 Latino underclassmen from 11 northwest suburban high schools explored the campus of Harper College, getting a sample of what their lives could be like if they pursue higher education. 8th annual Latino Summit
• In Argentina, One Person Dies Every 28 Hours from Police Repression
• At-risk Hispanic students get a hand up in after-school program at Bonnabel – Louisiana
• Miles de nicaragüenses protestan contra la dictadura sandinista – (~50,000)
• Police in Peru say gang members killed people to drain their fat for cosmetics
• Yeri Lopez: Student loan rules hamper best and brightest
• Do Long Island Police Ignore Hate Crimes?
• More Than 60,000 Americans in 45 States Organize for Immigration Reform
• The wave of crime besetting Puerto Rico seems to be out of control with 800 murders being committed here so far this year, but the island’s top police official says the problem does not fall exclusively within his department.
• The University of Panama indefinitely suspended classes on Wednesday after confrontations between students and police during a protest against alleged U.S. involvement in plans to build new military installations.
• Over the last 3 years, high schools that received the lowest marks from the city have been the ones with the highest percentages of poor, black and Hispanic students, despite an evaluation system that was meant to equalize differences among student bodies, according to an analysis by The New York Times of school grades released this week.
• Hispanics are 9% of the Virginia’s schoolchildren, but 5% of gifted students.
• Pennsylvania State Police officials meet with Chambersburg Area Hispanic leaders about traffic stop procedures
• After two days of deliberations, on Oct. 14 the Mexican Supreme Court made public its decision that Ulises Ruiz Ortiz (governor of the state of Oaxaca) is culpable for the human rights violations that occurred in Oaxaca as a result of teacher protests and political and social unrest in May 2006-January 2007 and July of 2008.
• Organizations alarmed by the increased violence against women and others in Mexico are traveling by caravan to demand justice for the victims. – The national caravan, which began in Mexico City, is part of the international Mujeres de Negro (Women in Black) campaign to protest violence against women, children and other vulnerable groups.
• Deporting undocumented students affects the chances for legal return if Congress doesn’t address it in immigration reform bill
• Hispanic Graduate Students Benefit from Online Education Grant – University of St. Thomas in Houston strives to improve retention and graduation rates for Hispanic graduate students. UST received a $2.8 million education grant to offer two options
• Speaking Out: Students Support Latino Studies Program – Cornell University
• A Chicago City Council committee wants federal officials to halt deportation proceedings against immigrant students. – The Human Relations Committed on Friday approved a resolution urging the Department of Homeland Security to allow immigrant students to stay in the U.S. – Rigo Padilla
• Oregon universities try to recruit more Latino students – In 2007, Latinos made up nearly 12% of the 12th-grade class and less than 6% of freshmen in the university system. About 20% of first-graders that year were Latino.