News (Noticias) for Mississippi

“If an officer pulled you over and asked, “Pudiera ver su licencia o identificacion por favor?” you might not know he was asking for your drivers license or identification.

- “Y si un oficial lo para y le dice?” Could I please see your drivers license or identification?

With Northeast Mississippis growing Hispanic population, police officers and Spanish speaking citizens are finding it harder to communicate with one another. However, law enforcement knows the skill is important.”

“Companies in Mississippi that hire illegal immigrants would be prohibited from doing business here and could lose some incentives offered by the state for one year under a bill passed Tuesday by the state Senate.

The proposal, which also would create a task force to study illegal workers, passed 37-7 after senators made changes to a House version that was approved last month. The two chambers have to resolve their differences before a bill can go to the governor.”

“The Hispanic Outreach Coalition is young, but that is not stopping its members from trying to make a broad impact immediately.

Formed by nearly two dozen faith-based, nonprofit or governmental organizations that provide services specifically for the Latino community, the coalition met for the second time Tuesday afternoon in Biloxi.”

“Bilingual AIDS testing will begin for the first time on the Coast in two weeks, but in the meantime, the South Mississippi AIDS Task Force is setting up a health support group for the Latino community.

There will be Spanish speakers every Thursday evening beginning tonight at the task force on Fernwood Drive, allowing the normally working-class community a chance to get off work and make it to west Biloxi, said Lywanda White, director of the Task Force.”

“Crimes against the city’s Hispanic residents surged this summer, angering Mayor Melvin Mack.

“I am very disturbed about this trend, and I want it stopped,” Mack said. “About 99 percent of these robberies are being done by young black men - some as young as 14 years old - who are taking advantage of this group of people.”"

“Last week, Laurel Police Department patrolmen came upon a lone Hispanic man who said he’d been confronted by several black men, beaten and robbed of his money. The victim recovered from his injuries, but the case was just the latest example of crimes targeting Hispanics in Laurel.

According to authorities at the LPD, there have been approximately 50 cases since June involving Hispanics victimized by black assailants. And those are just the ones the LPD knows about.”