The DREAM is still alive

According to Fox News,

Sen. Dick Durbin plans to make a full-court press Tuesday to revive the debate over a controversial proposal to give illegal immigrants who came to the U.S. as children a path to legal status, as the Obama administration moves on a separate track to grant what some describe as "amnesty" to the same group. 

Durbin, D-Ill., in announcing the first-ever Senate hearing on the so-called DREAM Act, said his proposal would "make our country stronger." Under the plan, which passed the House last year but died in the Senate, illegal immigrants who came here as children and complete two years of college or military service could earn legal status. 

It's a good start from the Georgetown alum, but it's unlikely to pass the Republican-controlled House. While that doesn't mean that it's not worth doing, it just means that we shouldn't get our hopes up.

Oh no, not phonebooks!

From Buffalo News

Police here turned five illegal aliens—four from El Salvador and one from Honduras— over to the U. S. Border Patrol after discovering them delivering phone books Wednesday morning.

Officers, responding to a call at about 7:50 a. m. regarding a suspicious person wearing a mask jumping in and out of a van on Buffalo Street, stopped the van on Pratt Avenue and determined that the two men inside were Salvadorans working for a delivery company from Georgia. The three other men were detained after a second van was stopped on Rowland Road, police said.

After confirming that the men were delivering phone books, why wouldn't you just let them go? Seriously. And if in the first van you found two men working, why pull over a second van?

Watson Update

Robert Watson provided an update about his arrest on the floor of the Rhose Island House this morning say that he was not intoxicated when he was pulled over on Friday night. Connecticut police simply had it out for him when they somehow realized that he was a member of the Rhode Island legislature. His ID must have accidentally slipped out when he was handing the police his driver's license.

Oh and about the marijuana - it was to treat flare-ups of the pancreatitis that had landed him in the hospital several months ago. He somehow thought it would be less embarrassing to get caught illegally purchasing and smoking marijuana than to be the 3,429th Rhode Islander "legally authorized to use marijuana under the state’s medical-marijuana program because he feared his personal medical information would somehow leak out of the state Department of Health."

I still don't understand, however, why there only remained trace amounts of marijuana in his possession if he hadn't smoked any that day. Is "trace amounts" enough to reduce the pain from a peacreatic attack? I'm obviously not an expert.

I've had my own run in with CT cops so I am sympathetic to a certain extent, but his story still doesn't add up.

Watson Can't Hold his Liquor

Two months ago, Rhode Island House Minority Leader Robert Watson infuriated Guatemalans, Latinos, and many others for insensitive remarks he made about the operations of the Rhode Island legislature.

Watson plays the role of minority leader for the 10 hugely outnumbered Republicans in the House with tremendous zeal, a passion that sometimes sounds to the uninitiated like anger, and a talent for the cutting, albeit, occasionally politically incorrect phrase.

He drew fire, for example, in February when he said, “I suppose if you’re a gay man from Guatemala who gambles and smokes pot, you probably think that we’re onto some good ideas here,” referring to the General Assembly. Watson refused demands to apologize.

Of course on Friday, he was arrested for marijuana possession and driving under the influence after being stopped at a police checkpoint in Connecticut.

According to Watson, he only had a drink or two. According to police, he had blood alcohol level of .05 (below the state's .08 level) and failed several field sobriety tests.

According to the police report, Officer Vincent Ferrara stopped Watson’s Ford Ranger pickup truck about 9:36 p.m. on Friday and “immediately observed that the operator’s eyes were extremely glassy and bloodshot.” When asked if he had been drinking, “Watson said he had one or two drinks, but was OK to drive.”

After detecting “a distinct odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from his breath,” and noticing that Watson was “slurring his words when he spoke,” Ferrara asked Watson to submit to some field sobriety tests and Watson agreed.

“While speaking with Watson,” the officer said he also “smelled the distinct odor of marijuana on his person.”

Ferrara said Watson failed to perform a number of the tests up to sobriety-test standards, including the “one-leg stand.”

The officer said he observed Watson “bend his knee, raise his arms several times for balance, raise his foot lower than the six inches instructed and count incorrectly.”

Fortunately, no one was hurt. It's possible that he failed the tests simply because he had been helping a friend move all day, he was tired, he's 50-years old, and/or there was too much pressure performing with so many officers watching. The marijuana will be more dificult to explain away but there's probably some family member or friend out there who left the weed and pipe in his right pants pocket without his knowledge.

Watson also said that “At the proper time, I look forward to the opportunity to explain and comment further.” I wonder if that explanation will include an explanation about how he was not returning from helping a friend move but instead returning from a weekend getaway at Foxwoods resorts and casino with his male partner. Doesn't it just feel like the story should end that way?

Keep the DREAM Alive!

Daniel Altschuler at Americas Quarterly has an update on new momentum behind the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act.

While the details of the various proposals differ, the DREAM Act would basically provide a path to legal residency and eventually citizenship for minors who were brought to the country illegally by their parents. Among other things, they would have to successfully complete a few years of military service or college education.

After passing the House late last year, the legislation failed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate. The Dreamers are now preparing for round two after the United We Dream (UWD) network held a national congress earlier this month.

Now, their movement is larger than ever—over 200 DREAM activists from over 30 states gathered at UWD’s national congress. Felipe Matos, a Dreamer from Florida, proclaimed to his peers: “The lame duck vote was just a setback…Now we’re going to build power.”

The Memphis event aimed to solidify a national network in which local and state leaders learn from one another and coordinate efforts. Such capacity building is part of working toward consolidating individual organizations and fighting together to achieve three movement goals.

First, like other immigrant rights groups, Dreamers will focus on state and local legislative battles. With dozens of states considering anti-immigrant bills—copycats of Arizona’s SB 1070, challenges to birthright citizenship, and cutting undocumented immigrants from public services, including primary education—mobilizing immigrant communities and allies will be critical.

Second, with deportations under President Obama outpacing President Bush’s tally, Dreamers have launched the Education Not Deportation (END) campaign to help undocumented students fight deportation and stay in school. UWD hopes that END will protect undocumented students while, in Felipe’s words, “unveil[ing] the moral crisis caused by the current enforcement, detention, and deportation policies.”

But Dreamers also see hope in immigrant-friendly states. Already, 10 states, including Texas, Utah, and Kansas, offer in-state college tuition to undocumented students. Legislators in certain states, like New Mexico, are calling for repeal. But, with strong organizing, Dreamers hope to repel these opponents and expand the number of states that offer them an affordable college education. Winning even one or two such state-level fights would be a huge accomplishment.

At the heart of the Dreamers’ strategy will be efforts to raise up their powerful stories.

Supporting the DREAM act is both the right thing to do for these kids and for our country.

Another Big Loss for Democrats in PA

While PA faces tough redistricting decisions,

Little changed in the big races this week, except that Republican Pat O'Malley got back in the Lackawanna County commissioners race - for real this time, he says - and Frank Adamo switched to the Republicans for the county coroner race

Democrats must really be in trouble if Adamo believes that he needs to run as a Republican to win in the county coroner's race.

Mr. Adamo said he met over the weekend with county Republican Party chairman Lance Stange.

"They welcomed me with open arms," he said.

Mr. Adamo said he has always been a Democrat, but has long harbored conservative Republican beliefs, so the switch seems natural.

"It feels like a huge weight off my shoulders. I'm truly relaxed," he said.

Why in the world do we have to elect a county coroner? And even if we do, why in the world does it matter whether he or she is a Democrat or Republican?

McCain and Palin Still Lost

Earlier in the week, there was a story that Tom Loertscher (R-Iona) of Washington didn't know where Guatemala was located on a map. Turns out the writer had the story wrong and Loertscher was speaking about his hairdresser. She didn't know Guatemala's location until meeting her future husband who was from there.

We'll look for more evidence next time. Like now. Here are some recent gaffes from Senator McCain, 1/2-term Palin, and the American public. Sometimes you just feel bad for the Senator.



To be fair, I can't correctly identify all 200 or so countries in the world. And when I do mix up countries and leaders in class, I correct myself.

On the other hand, I don't recall too many video clips where McCain or Palin actually seemed to know what they were talking about in terms of foreign policy. Must be the media's fault.

Where's Guatemala you ask?

Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, who chairs the State Affairs Committee and the House Ethics Committee investigating Phil Hart's tax problems, doesn't know where Guatemala is, according to Dustin Hurst of the Idaho Reporter.

 Hurst was reporting on a State Affairs Committee when Chairman Loertscher dropped the bomb shell about 15 minutes ago. In a self-deprecating manner, Loertscher provided a recount of a conversation he had with his hair stylist.

Seems the hair stylist said she was bad at geography and didn't know that Idaho Falls is north of Pocatello. As they continued talking, Loertscher learned that the woman's husband was from Guatemala. Which Loertscher thought was in Europe. Rather than Central America. Seems he can't see Guatemala from his kitchen window in Iona (wherever Iona is). (The Spokesman-Review)

Maybe he was just joking. I imagine that he was thinking of Central Europe and not Central America.

Missouri Court Rules in Favor of Guatemalan Mother

The Missouri Supreme Court has sided with a Guatemalan immigrant in a child custody case, ruling the state failed to follow its laws in terminating her parental rights and allowing her son to be adopted by someone else.

But Tuesday’s decision does not automatically return the child to the mother. Instead, the court ordered the state to follow proper procedures and hold a new trial on whether the mother’s parental rights should be terminated. (Kansas City Star)

Encarnacion Bail Romero was arrested during an immigration raid in May 2007 at a chicken plant in Barry County, Missouri. Romero's family in the US ended up taking care of her son while she served a two-year prison sentence for using forged documents. At some point, the family could no longer care for the baby and the baby boy was adopted by the Mosers, a Missouri family. Romero said that she was okay with her son staying with the family temporarily, but that she did not agree to his adoption.

The seven-judge panel agreed that Romero's parental rights should not have been terminated by the state. However, they were divided over whether Romero should have been given immediate custody of the child. According to one of the judges,

"Every member of this Court agrees that this case is a travesty in its egregious procedural errors, its long duration, and its impact on Mother, Adoptive Parents, and, most importantly, Child.

The dissenting members of this Court rely significantly on information outside the record to find that Mother has been victimized repeatedly and that her rights have been violated. The dissenting members believe passionately that custody of Child should be returned to Mother without further proceedings. That result can be reached only by disregarding the law."

Unfortunately, for all involved, the case will again have to be heard by a trial court.

Civi Literacy Report

See how you compare here (h/t from Kids Prefer Cheese and The Monkey Cage).  My 93.94% wasn't too bad (31 out of 33).  Like several others I missed #33.  Embarrassingly enough, I also tanked on #7.

Jesuit Alumni take D.C.

Fifty-three members of the 112th Congress are alumni of the nation's twenty-eight Jesuit colleges and universities.  Thirty-five attained graduate or professional degrees from Jesuit universities. Twelve serve in the Senate and forty-one in the House.

Here are the Senators:

• John Barrasso, (R-WY) Appointed 2007, Elected 2008, B.A. Georgetown University (1974) and M.D. Georgetown University (1978)
• Scott Brown, (R-MA) Elected 2010, J.D. Boston College (1984)
• Robert P. Casey, Jr., (D-PA) Elected 2006, B.A. College of the Holy Cross (1982)
• Richard J. Durbin, (D-IL) Elected 1996, B.S.F.S. Georgetown University (1966) and J.D. Georgetown University (1969)
• Michael (Mike) Johanns, (R-NB) Elected 2008, J.D. Creighton University (1974)
• John F. Kerry, (D-MA) Elected 1984, J.D. Boston College (1976)
• Patrick J. Leahy, (D-VT) Elected 1974, J.D. Georgetown University (1964)
• Mark Steven Kirk, (R-IL) Elected 2010, J.D. Georgetown University (1992)
• Robert Menendez, (D-NJ) Appointed & Elected 2006, B.A. Saint Peter's College (1976)
• Barbara A. Mikulski, (D-MD) Elected 1986, B.A. Loyola University Maryland (1958)
• Lisa Murkowski, (R-AK) Appointed 2002, Elected 2004, B..A. Georgetown University (1980)
• Jim Webb, (D-VA) Elected 2006, J.D. Georgetown University (1975) 

Jesuit alumni also serve as House leaders.  Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) graduated from Xavier University and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) graduated from Georgetown.  You can see the rest of the house alumni by following the link.

Georgetown University leads the way with eighteen alumni, followed by Boston College (7), and the College of the Holy Cross (4).  Four schools (Creighton University, Fordham University, Marquette University, and the University of Detroit Mercy) each have 3.

Not bad. Unfortunately, neither my alma mater not current employer make the list.

At least another thirty alumni serve in the Obama administration including

• Department of Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates (Georgetown University, 1974, PhD)
• Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano (Santa Clara University, 1979, BA)
• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Leon E. Panetta (Santa Clara University, 1960, BA)
• White House Chief of Staff William Daley (Loyola University Chicago, 1970, BA)

A few questions come to mind.

First, how does the percentage of Jesuit alumni serving in Congress today compare to previous sessions?  Is ten percent high? low?

Second, do individuals interested in public service choose to attend Jesuit colleges and universities or does the Ignatian experience cause them to pursue a life of public service?  Maybe we're doing something right.

Finally, how important is the Jesuit alumni network (current and former congressmen) in getting elected?  Are members of congress, in any way, more likely to work with each other because of their shared college experiences?  

You can see a global list on Wikipedia that includes Externado San Jose and UCA alumnus Mauricio Funes.

DREAM Act Goes to a Vote

ISN ACTION ALERT 12/1/10

Senator Harry Reid announces that he will move for a vote on the DREAM Act this week!

Senator Harry Reid announced today the will move for a vote on the DREAM Act this week. This could happen as early as Thursday December 2nd. Please take action in support of this critical piece of legislation.

Click here to read today's Washington Post's article on Reid's announcement.

Click here to read a compelling and moving article in the Los Angeles Times by Fr. Stephen Sundborg, SJ, President of Seattle University, advocating for passage of the DREAM Act.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

We need to make phone calls, fax letters of support and make our voices heard over the next few days. To contact your Representative or Senators directly call the U.S. Senate at 202-224-3121 and the House of Representatives at 202-225-3121. To send an e-mail or letter, please refer to the following websites for more information and talking points.

* Jesuit Advocates

* Justice For Immigrants

* NETWORK Catholic Social Justice Lobby


Thank you,

Ann Magovern
Executive Director
Ignatian Solidarity Network

Keeping the Birther Story Alive

Is there any particular reason CNN keeps this conspiracy alive?

Guatemala and the Death Penalty

Guatemalan government officials have been debating the wisdom of reinstating the death penalty in hopes that its application will bring violence under control.  Political parties on the right, the Libertad Democrática Renovada and Partido Patriota in particular, have pushed to reinstate the death penalty as a means of crime prevention and to position themselves as the parties of law and order before the 2011 election.  The URNG was one of the few political parties to criticize the new law.

On October 5th, Congress passed legislation giving the president the authority to issue pardons for those on death row.  The last execution in Guatemala occurred at least ten years ago (1998 or 2000 according to different sources).  The new law would have created a path to execute ten or twenty Guatemalans currently on death row. 

Two weeks ago, the United Nations Office for Human Rights in Guatemala called on the government to promote more effective measures to bring the violence under control such as strengthening its police forces, improving the Public Ministry's capabilities, and attacking the causes of youth violence.  Amnesty International also on the Guatemalan Congress "to abolish the death penalty instead of regulating it."

Colom has said that as a social democrat he does not support the death penalty.  He also said that the power to issue pardons and commute sentences should be decided by the Supreme Court and not the president (Prensa Libre).  In 2005 the IACHR ruled that Guatemala could not apply the death penalty until it had a procedure in place for the granting of presidential pardons. Congress tried to pass a similar law in 2008 to give the president this power, but Colom vetoed the bill.

Guatemala is reconsidering the use of the death penalty at the same time that Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero announced the creation of an International Commission Against the Death Penalty, The commission's goal is to help achieve a "global moratorium" on its use by 2015.


And in the US, Alejandro Enrique Ramirez Umana of El Salvador is scheduled to be the first member of MS-13 to be sentenced to death under the federal system of capital punishment.