http://www.hispanictips.com Essential Hispanic & Latino News :: Relevant, Trusted, Comprehensive and Useful Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:29:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/07/george-mason-university-study-shows-deep-anti-immigration-sentiment-in-pockets-of-prince-william-county/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/07/george-mason-university-study-shows-deep-anti-immigration-sentiment-in-pockets-of-prince-william-county/#comments Sat, 07 Nov 2009 06:20:13 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66323 A study by George Mason University researchers has found that a majority of residents in two Manassas neighborhoods express deep-seated anti-immigrant sentiments, though fewer than half say immigration has affected them personally. The survey, which included life history interviews, was conducted from Spring 2008 to Summer 2009 to attain an in-depth understanding of the forces inciting a local movement to adopt legislation to "crackdown" on illegal immigration in Prince William County.

Forty-six percent of those surveyed indicated that immigration had had either no effect on them personally or has had a positive effect. A total of 79 percent stated that they like their neighborhoods and 56.9 percent said that they planned to stay in their neighborhood in the next 5 years.

Yet, 53 percent of residents in the Weems and Sumner Lakes neighborhoods surveyed stated that the U.S. should take decisive action to deport illegal immigrants, and/or blamed them for depleting local resources such as health care and education. Some expressed strong anti-immigrant sentiments as indicated by the statements: “The place is being barraged with Latinos…Everywhere you go, there are swarms of them,” and, “Can I send them on a bus and load it up until they all speak English?” Others were more moderate in their sentiments, citing the issue of immigrants having entered the country illegally as a key concern.

“Our research suggests that the changes that have taken place in Manassas in the last 20 years have been unsettling for some residents," says Debra Lattanzi Shutika, assistant professor of English at Mason. "Many of these residents seemed to be experiencing what I have identified as a type of ‘localized displacement'—they feel out of place in their home community. In some cases, residents told us that they found it difficult to adapt to the changes taking place around them, and that these changes that made their 'home' seem unfamiliar.”

Interviews were conducted in selected neighborhoods revealed by Census tract data and press accounts to have become home to both white, native-born Americans and Latino immigrants in the preceding decade. An unknown number of immigrants are alleged to have entered the U.S. without documentation. The survey employed an in-depth sampling strategy, the ethnosurvey, which requires in-person interviews at randomly-selected street addresses. The survey produced 104 responses for face-to-face interviews of approximately one hour in which residents were asked their opinions on a number of neighborhood quality of life measures. These findings were followed by 21 life history interviews that were taped and transcribed verbatim.

Shutika and colleague Carol Cleaveland are examining the discrepancy between the perceived high quality of life for most residents and the expression of strong anti-immigrant sentiments. One explanation, the researchers note, might be the patterns of residency – in particular the use of residential property to house large groups of men. Neighbors believed the men had been recruited for the construction industry, which had flourished in the area prior to the recession. Sixty-six percent of those interviewed complained of overcrowded houses, and 59 percent stated that too many cars are parked on streets as a result of this crowding. Fifty-three percent said some homes in their neighborhood were poorly maintained. Seventy percent cited foreclosures as a problem in their neighborhoods.

“Homeowners naturally want their investments to appreciate,” says Cleaveland, a faculty member in Mason's Department of Social Work. “What becomes problematic is turning this discussion into one about the presence of a particular group of people, and creating a social issue in which a certain segment of the population is targeted. We would have hoped for a debate and response that concerned trash pick-up, parking and overcrowding, instead of one in which a particular group is singled out as problematic."

Both researchers emphasize that that the work they’ve done is not meant to be a representative sample of the larger population in Prince William County. "Our intent was to gain a more in-depth understanding of how the controversy broke out in Manassas, and to understand how residents interpreted the events happening in their community," says Shutika.

About George Mason University

Named the #1 national university to watch in the 2009 rankings of U.S. News & World Report, George Mason University is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with global distinction in a range of academic fields. Located in Northern Virginia near Washington, D.C., Mason provides students access to diverse cultural experiences and the most sought-after internships and employers in the country. Mason offers strong undergraduate and graduate degree programs in engineering and information technology, organizational psychology, health care and visual and performing arts. With Mason professors conducting groundbreaking research in areas such as climate change, public policy and the biosciences, George Mason University is a leading example of the modern, public university. Aggregated by HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66323 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/mascotte-%e2%80%94-voters-in-this-south-lake-county-city-this-week-reversed-a-historical-decision-made-two-years-ago-when-they-elected-central-floridas-first-latino-mayor-the-tables-turned-for-fe/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/mascotte-%e2%80%94-voters-in-this-south-lake-county-city-this-week-reversed-a-historical-decision-made-two-years-ago-when-they-elected-central-floridas-first-latino-mayor-the-tables-turned-for-fe/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:10:56 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66298 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66298 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/why-are-hispanics-under-represented-in-yakima/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/why-are-hispanics-under-represented-in-yakima/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:09:42 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/why-are-hispanics-under-represented-in-yakima/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66296 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/hacia-cook-county-board-president-candidates-forum-illinois/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/hacia-cook-county-board-president-candidates-forum-illinois/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:08:59 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66293 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66293 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/tulsa-conference-helps-hispanic-boys-beat-the-odds/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/tulsa-conference-helps-hispanic-boys-beat-the-odds/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:19:03 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/tulsa-conference-helps-hispanic-boys-beat-the-odds/ HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66241 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/trenton-latino-political-leader-time-to-lick-wounds-and-focus-on-unity-rethinking-campaign-strategy-yesterday-after-three-latino-candidates-lost/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/trenton-latino-political-leader-time-to-lick-wounds-and-focus-on-unity-rethinking-campaign-strategy-yesterday-after-three-latino-candidates-lost/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:40:31 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66222 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66222 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/like-californias-30-years-ago-oregons-growing-latino-population-is-reaching-a-tipping-point-a-critical-mass-of-latino-professionals-is-starting-to-organize-and-influence-state-and-local-politics/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/06/like-californias-30-years-ago-oregons-growing-latino-population-is-reaching-a-tipping-point-a-critical-mass-of-latino-professionals-is-starting-to-organize-and-influence-state-and-local-politics/#comments Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:28:17 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66202 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66202 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/news-from-the-brown-side-of-town-los-angeles-part-1-november-2009-chismes-news-from-the-land-of-1000-dances/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/news-from-the-brown-side-of-town-los-angeles-part-1-november-2009-chismes-news-from-the-land-of-1000-dances/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:47:05 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66121 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66121 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/this-weeks-latin-picks-nov-4-10-nyc/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/this-weeks-latin-picks-nov-4-10-nyc/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:40:00 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66092 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66092 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/coalition-calls-for-public-oversight-in-new-san-bernardino-287g-agreement/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/coalition-calls-for-public-oversight-in-new-san-bernardino-287g-agreement/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:26:55 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/coalition-calls-for-public-oversight-in-new-san-bernardino-287g-agreement/ As the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors prepared today to vote on the county's new 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), members of the Justice for Immigrants Coalition of Inland Southern California, backed by faith leaders, activists, workers and families from around San Bernardino County, spoke out at the meeting in an urgent call for public oversight and a transparent complaint procedure to combat the kinds of civil rights violations and racial profiling that occurred under the previous agreement.

They requested three key amendments to the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that was under consideration: 1) Re-insert a stakeholder/steering committee that has input in the implementation of the MOA with ICE, and that includes community representatives; 2) Assure a consistent and transparent complaint procedure where complaints will be responded to within 30 days; and 3) Eliminate Priority #3 in the Standard Operating Procedure, which focuses on “aliens who have been convicted of or arrested for other offenses,” and instead keep the program focused on serious felony-level criminals as was intended in the program.

“At a time when public oversight is so important to all of us, it is only fair that the public have a greater stake in holding the 287g program accountable to its intentions and goals,” said Moisés Escalante, chair of the Justice for Immigrants Coalition. “The program was never intended to be used against innocent people who have committed no serious crimes and the agreement should be modified to reflect those values.”

287(g) refers to a section of the US Immigration code that allows the federal government to delegate certain immigration enforcement powers to local authorities. The 287(g) program has come under severe criticism this year, both locally and around the nation, because local law enforcement agencies that have been granted powers under the program are using them to target communities of color, including disproportionate numbers of Latinos in particular places, for arrest. Reports of racial profiling and other civil rights abuses by the local law enforcement agencies that have sought out 287(g) powers have compromised public safety, while doing nothing to solve the immigration crisis.

On August 25, over 500 civil rights organizations implored President Obama to end the flawed 287(g) program. On September 28, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus sent a strongly worded letter to the President calling for complete termination of the 287(g) program. In early October 2009, the New York Times published an editorial urging the same. Also in October, DHS released a report on detention conditions and announced its intention to limited subcontracting of immigration detention responsibility. The same report noted that the vast majority of immigrants processed through 287(g) programs were never charged with a criminal offense.

Among those who spoke out during the public comment period were local families, day laborer workers, and other members of the community who have been negatively impacted by San Bernardino’s previous 287(g) agreement and the abuses of its powers by local law enforcement.

“Innocent people have been stopped by the local police for something as simple as a broken tail light or loitering on a sidewalk, transferred to the county jail, put through the 287(g) interview process and deported. Two brothers were arrested for a traffic violation and then detained by ICE in the county jail for two days because they did not speak English,” said Eddie Gonzalez, day laborer organizer in the Inland Empire. He continued, “Does the punishment really fit the so-called ‘crime’?”

The Justice for Immigrants Coalition of Inland Southern California has already submitted a letter to all the members of the Board of Supervisors with the same call for public oversight, and has offered to work with the county and provide any additional information or recommendations needed. They will lead a similar effort in Riverside County, which is also in negotiations to re-sign its 287(g) agreement.

The Justice for Immigrants Coalition of Inland Southern California consists of around twenty groups from all sectors of the community, dedicated to providing direct service to the local immigrant community while working toward a just solution to the broken immigration system that is separating families and punishing hard workers. 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Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66071 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/hispanic-voter-turnout-remains-low-voter-turnout-rate-of-just-21-in-yakima-wa/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/hispanic-voter-turnout-remains-low-voter-turnout-rate-of-just-21-in-yakima-wa/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:07:46 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66056 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66056 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/an-immigrants-rights-group-has-launched-a-campaign-to-educate-workers-about-their-rights-and-encourage-local-employers-to-treat-them-fairly-connecticut/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/an-immigrants-rights-group-has-launched-a-campaign-to-educate-workers-about-their-rights-and-encourage-local-employers-to-treat-them-fairly-connecticut/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:13:34 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=66023 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=66023 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/borimix-puerto-rico-fest-2009-a-celebration-of-puerto-rican-heritage-nyc/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/borimix-puerto-rico-fest-2009-a-celebration-of-puerto-rican-heritage-nyc/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:01:56 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=65992 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=65992 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/cuban-tomas-regalado-was-elected-mayor-of-miami-with-a-pledge-to-control-spending-limit-property-tax-increases-and-curtail-development/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/05/cuban-tomas-regalado-was-elected-mayor-of-miami-with-a-pledge-to-control-spending-limit-property-tax-increases-and-curtail-development/#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:53:23 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=65974 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=65974 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/04/study-finds-lehigh-valleys-hispanic-students-are-progressing-but-struggles-persist-in-areas-such-as-reading-valley-area-review-is-called-eye-opening-pennsylvania/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/04/study-finds-lehigh-valleys-hispanic-students-are-progressing-but-struggles-persist-in-areas-such-as-reading-valley-area-review-is-called-eye-opening-pennsylvania/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:42:05 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=65928 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=65928 0 http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/04/hispanic-women-run-for-nevada-office-several-candidates-hope-to-alter-the-composition-of-the-nevada-state-legislature-there-are-currently-no-hispanic-women-serving-in-the-legislature-but-four-have/ 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http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/04/after-nearly-a-quarter-of-a-century-lebanons-hispanic-outreach-program-is-moving-to-a-new-home-with-a-new-sponsor-pennsylvania/ http://www.hispanictips.com/2009/11/04/after-nearly-a-quarter-of-a-century-lebanons-hispanic-outreach-program-is-moving-to-a-new-home-with-a-new-sponsor-pennsylvania/#comments Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:38:19 +0000 Tomas http://www.hispanictips.com/?p=65920 HispanicTips :: Hispanic & Latino News & Information]]> http://js-kit.com/rss/www.hispanictips.com/p=65920 0