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WASHINGTON - One of Congress' leading immigrant-rights advocates introduced a bill Tuesday to allow millions of illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens and end a controversial program that enlists local police to enforce immigration laws.
But the 700-page bill by Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., is widely viewed as too liberal to pass.
"I don't think that even Congressman Gutierrez expects his bill to pass," said Harry Pachon, president of the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute at the University of Southern California. "He's showing a willingness to fight. And he's putting pressure on the Obama administration to act."
Administration officials have said they are working on a more moderate, bipartisan, immigration-reform bill to be introduced in the Senate early next year by Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that the House will defer to the Senate on immigration reform.
Still, Gutierrez made it clear that he and his allies expect a seat at the negotiating table as lawmakers and the White House seek middle ground on the polarizing issue.
His bill, endorsed by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Black Caucus and Asian Pacific American Caucus, also lets Democrats assure Latino voters that reform remains a top priority, despite being sidelined this year by the economy and the push for health-care reform. Congress watchers say that could go a long way to motivating Hispanic voters during next year's midterm elections.
Gutierrez's bill would allow immigrants who are in the country illegally to stay while they apply to become legal residents or citizens. Undocumented immigrants would have to pay a $500 fine and show that they have made a contribution to the country through their work, education, military or community service.
The legislation also calls for the repeal of the controversial 287(g) program, which enlists local police and sheriff's deputies to enforce federal immigration laws. The bill says that only the federal government has the authority to enforce those laws.
"As a candidate for president, Barack Obama promised comprehensive immigration reform, and we have brought him the bill to accomplish this," Gutierrez said Tuesday.
Hispanic voters helped propel Obama into the White House: He won two-thirds of the Hispanic vote in the 2008 presidential race, according to an analysis of exit polls by the Pew Hispanic Center. He beat Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., overwhelmingly among Hispanic voters despite McCain's generally moderate stance on immigration issues.
"People feel shocked and completely betrayed that any elected official would propose legalizing illegal immigrants, stopping local police from enforcing immigration law, and stopping increased border security when we have over 15 million Americans out of work," said William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee.
Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., who has co-sponsored immigration-reform bills with Gutierrez in the past, criticized the bill for watering down the penalties that illegal immigrants would face before they could become legal residents. Previous bills have called for a $2,000 fine and required undocumented workers to return to their home countries before returning to the United States.
Although the Senate bill is still being written, it is expected to be far more moderate and impose tougher penalties for illegal immigrants seeking legal status. It also will emphasize border security and could address the issue of how workers flow into and out of the country.
In a meeting last week with The Arizona Republic, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the Obama administration wants a bill that would require illegal immigrants to register with the government, undergo criminal-background checks, pay taxes and learn English, among other requirements. The bill also would include "some process by which, after that, they could apply for naturalization and to citizenship. But not in advance of people who are already waiting," she said.
Rep. Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., said he believes Gutierrez's bill is going nowhere.
"Congressman Gutierrez is an ardent supporter of immigrant rights and has introduced at least 20 major immigration bills in the past 10 years, but none has been cleared by a committee for a vote on the House floor," Lewis said.
But Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said the Gutierrez bill is the right path to reform. "Immigration policy must deal fairly and intelligently with the millions of hard-working, responsible, undocumented workers already in the country," Grijalva said. "Declaring war on the border is not an option."
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/12/16/20091216immig1216.html
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America's Voice.- "El tiempo de espera se acabó". Eso declaró el congresista demócrata de Illinois, Luis Gutiérez, al confirmar que el martes 15 de diciembre presentará un plan de reforma migratoria en la Cámara Baja que abre las puertas a un proceso legislativo difícil durante los próximos meses de un 2010 que también será escenario de elecciones de medio tiempo.
Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl are continuing to press Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the decision to limit Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's immigration-enforcement authority.
Amid controversy over Arpaio's ongoing crime-suppression sweeps, Immigration and Customs Enforcement dropped the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office from the 287(g) "task force model" that allowed deputies to enforce federal immigration laws on the streets. (The Sheriff's Office still can enforce immigration laws in the jails.) Homeland Security officials have said Arpaio's wide-reaching operations don't align with ICE priorities of targeting only "serious criminal aliens."
McCain and Kyl, both Arizona Republicans, have been exchanging letters with Napolitano on the topic since October.
"It is our desire that (the Department of Homeland Security) continue to have a productive working relationship with its local law-enforcement partners in Arizona," McCain and Kyl wrote last month in their most recent letter. "To that end, we would appreciate a specific response outlining what steps are necessary for all 287(g)-participating jurisdictions within Arizona to take part in the task-force model."
The senators have not received an answer, but on Thursday, Napolitano was asked what it would take for Arpaio's office to rejoin the model.
"It would require them to agree to the standards that the other law-enforcement agencies have agreed to do," Napolitano said during a meeting with reporters and editors at The Arizona Republic.
In other developments:
• Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group, on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against McCain over his recording of health-care-related robocalls (automated phone calls) in Arkansas, Colorado, Nebraska and North Dakota. In the calls, McCain urged listeners to petition certain senators to support his amendment to block proposed Medicare cuts. CREW argues that the robocalls, paid for by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, violate a Senate rule.
McCain dismissed CREW as "a far-left group" and said the complaint is meritless.
"They might have a beef if I paid for it with Senate money or official money, but that was a political issue paid for with political contributions," McCain said. "It isn't any more complicated than that."
McCain also has made at least two rounds of robocalls to Arizona voters, paid for by his campaign organization Friends of John McCain.
• Kyl was one of five senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee who on Thursday opposed the Free Flow of Information Act of 2009, better known as the media shield bill. Kyl has criticized the measure, which the panel endorsed 14-5, for not providing adequate protection against the disclosure of sensitive national-security information. The full Senate still has to act on legislation.
• Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard goes back to Washington so often that one might get the impression he is more interested in federal office than the gubernatorial campaign he's exploring. Goddard, a Democrat, was in D.C. from Wednesday to Friday to meet with banking-industry officials about foreclosure issues. He also chatted by phone with McCain about Luke Air Force Base and met with Democratic Reps. Harry Mitchell, Gabrielle Giffords and Ann Kirkpatrick of Arizona on other issues.
Gov. Jan Brewer, the Republican who could face Goddard in next year's election, also was in Washington last week for the official Capitol Christmas tree-lighting ceremony and to meet with the state's delegation members about health-care reform and other issues.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/12/13/20091213nowicki1213.html
Un gran jurado acusó formalmente a la supervisora del Condado Maricopa, Mary Rose Wilcox, de no haber revelado ciertos intereses y de haber aprobado fondos para la organización sin fines de lucro Chicanos Por La Causa, de la cual recibía préstamos.
Wilcox fue acusada de 36 delitos mayores, incluidos conflicto de intereses, falso testimonio, falsificación y falso testimonio, anunció el martes el fiscal del condado Maricopa, Andrew Thomas, en una conferencia de prensa conjunta con el sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Un gran jurado también acusó formalmente a otro supervisor del Condado Maricopa, Don Stapley, de 22 delitos mayores por fraude, robo, falso testimonio y falsificación en la supuesta malversación de fondos que recaudó para postularse a la presidencia de un grupo defensor nacional.
La jueza Barbara Mundell, quien preside la Corte Superior del Condado Maricopa, derivó los casos Stapley y Wilcox a la Corte Superior del Condado Pima para su respectiva asignación.
Según la acusación, durante años Wilcox no presentó documentación a la Secretaría de la Junta de Supervisores del Condado donde informara su relación con la organización sin fines de lucro Chicanos Por La Causa ni tampoco detalló las decenas de miles de dólares que dicha organización le prestó en sus declaraciones anuales de su estado financiero. A su vez, Wilcox participó en las decisiones que se tomaron para entregarle a dicha organización miles de dólares
Wilcox declinó hacer comentarios al respecto. Su abogado tampoco devolvió las llamadas telefónicas.
Todos los años, las autoridades electas del condado deben presentar informes de sus estados financieros a la Secretaría de la Junta de Supervisores el 31 de enero a más tardar, dijo Fran McCarroll, secretaria de la Junta. Dichos formularios se exigen por ley para evitar un conflicto de interés o el surgimiento de alguno.
Una revisión realizada por el periódico The Arizona Republic mostró que Wilcox efectivamente no reveló los préstamos que le otorgó Chicanos Por La Causa. Una vocera de la mencionada organización dijo que Wilcox y su esposo, Earl, recibieron un préstamo de 7,500 dólares en noviembre de 2000, un préstamo por 50 mil en julio de 2005 y otro por 120 mil en octubre de 2008.
Los funcionarios públicos también deben enviar a la Secretaría cartas que detallen los conflictos de interés a medida que estos surjan, dijo McCarroll. Las cartas por lo general exponen el conflicto e indican que el funcionario no participará en temas de la agenda que estén relacionados con dicho conflicto.
http://www.lavozarizona.com/lavoz/noticias/articles/2009/12/11/20091211wilcox-CR.html
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday took delivery of its first Predator aircraft drone to scan U.S. waters for smugglers.
The Predator B is expected to begin testing in early 2010 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida and be used in the Caribbean to combat drug trafficking.
The plane has an enhanced radar system compared with the Predator B that has been used to combat drug smuggling and movement of illegal immigrants on land borders for four years. CBP operates three drones from Libby Army Airfield in Sierra Vista, Ariz., and two from Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota.
Another Predator B for maritime use is expected at Cape Canaveral in January, said CBP spokesman Juan Munoz-Torres. The agency plans to eventually have 12 drones for land patrols and six for maritime patrols.
The planes can be disassembled and flown in C-130 cargo planes to other locations, but it is unlikely that the first plane will be used in San Diego, Munoz-Torres said. The Southern California seas have been the site of a surge in illegal immigrant smuggling from Mexico.
The plane delivered Monday was made by General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles, for $13.5 million. Future deliveries are expected to cost $11 million to $12 million.
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2009/12/08/20091208border1208.html
MÉXICO, D.F.- El gobierno estadounidense deportó en promedio a 1,719 mexicanos indocumentados cada día de los primeros 10 meses de 2009 informó el último boletín de estadísticas migratorias de la Secretaría de Gobernación que hace pública su contabilidad mensual oficial desde el presente año.
Aviones no tripulados comenzarán rastrear a inmigrantes indocumentados y traficantes que intenten ingresar a Estados Unidos por suelo o mar, indicaron autoridades federales.
Denominadas Predadores B o Drones, las dos naves que estarán vigilando la frontera californiana desde esta semana, son el mismo prototipo militar empleado por soldados de EEUU en las guerras de Irak y Afganistán y tiene un costo superior a los cuatro millones de dólares cada uno.
Sin embargo, el uso esta tecnológica ha sido blanco de numerosas criticas por expertos en materia de seguridad tras el derrumbamiento de varias de estas naves, así como fallas de visibilidad durante la noche o frente a malas condiciones climáticas, aspectos que han puesto en duda su efectividad y señalado su alto costo.
En abril de 2006, uno de los dos aviones que se destinaron a resguardar la frontera en Arizona se estrelló contra una colina al norte de Nogales, zona poco poblada en donde por fortuna no se registraron daños a personas o viviendas.
El incidente, se sumó a reportes oficiales que indican que de los 12 Predadores desplegados en Afganistán entre 2001 y 2002 la mitad (6) terminaron estrellándose por fallas humanas o de diseño.
"Esta fue una llamada de atención con la esperanza de todos. El avión se estrelló sin ningún tipo de daños, pero el potencial [de daños] de vehículos y personas sobre el terreno es considerable ", dijo Kitty Higgins, miembro de la junta de La National Transportation Safety Board (NTS
en su presentación.
Marc Herold de la Universiad de New Hampshire afirma que el prototipo de aviones a control remoto no ha demostrado una alta efectividad en el terreno de guerra, ya que de la flota de 48 Drones, el 12% se han perdido por errores técnicos, una inversión que recae en los contribuyentes.
Pero las autoridades migratorias calificaron esta tecnológica como un arma excepcional. Michael Kostelnik, comisionado adjunto de la Oficina de Aire y Marina de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza (CBP), indicó que tras finalizar la Operación Escudo Imperio en la frontera con Canadá, las aeronaves no tripuladas excedieron los objetivos planteados al demostrar la capacidad de volar por más de 20 horas, es decir, aproximadamente el doble de la resistencia de la mayoría de los aviones tripulados.
Además, CBP estableció un hito al operar tres aeronaves simultáneamente en el espacio aéreo nacional a través de satélite, indicó Kostelnik en su informe.
Los Drones serán manipulados por un equipo de dos personas, uno para el manejo de la aeronave y el otro para manipulación de cámaras y censores de radar, informaron funcionarios ayer durante una rueda de prensa.
Actualmente, CBP cuenta con seis aviones Predadores B, equipados con visores ópticos, uso de radares y cámaras de video de largo alcance para detectar contrabandistas en mar y tierra.
De acuerdo a los planes desvelados, las aeronaves vuelan a una altura de 19,000 pies y pueden transportar hasta 3,000 libras de censores de tierra y marítimos.
Por su parte, organizaciones pro inmigrantes catalogaron la medida como una táctica más del gobierno federal para militarizar la frontera.
"Hay una validez por cuestiones antiterroristas. La seguridad en el país es algo que nos concierne a todos, pero así como están poniendo tanto esmero en la militarización de la frontera y en recurrir a tácticas de guerra deben ponerlo en avanzar una política migratoria en donde hasta hoy se no ha resuelto nada", comentó Marvin Andrade, director ejecutivo del Centro de Recursos Centroamericanos (CARECEN).
Andrade calificó la estrategia federal como un doble discurso al proclamar por un lado necesitamos inmigrantes y al mismo tiempo hacer todo lo posible por evitar la llegada de extranjeros bajo una bandera de lucha contra el terrorismo y ahora el narcotráfico.
"La lucha al narcotráfico no se va acabar sólo con esto, hay mucho trabajo en la educación a nuestros jóvenes y la educación comunitaria", apuntó.
En tanto, organizaciones como el grupo Minuteman aplaudió el operativo aéreo "El avión no tripulado será una herramienta de vigilancia muy eficaz", expresó Britt Craig, un miembro del grupo Minuteman.
La inmigración de indocumentados hacia Estados Unidos ha tenido una caída histórica del 18% al registrarse un descenso en el número de intentos de cruces de 859 mil a 705 mil el pasado ciclo fiscal.
http://www.impre.com/noticias/2009/12/8/vigilancia-aerea-para-persegui-162694-1.html
WASHINGTON, D.C.- En una audiencia del Comité Judicial del Senado, la Secretaria de Seguridad Interna, Janet Napolitano, especificó los elementos que una reforma migratoria debe tener en el área de protección del país. Entre ellos mencionó "recursos duraderos y dedicados a la frontera y herramientas legales críticas que no tenemos a nuestra disposición en la actualidad".