Tag: President Obama

A New March on Washington

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supporters of immigration reform
supporters of immigration reform

This Sunday March 21st millions of protestors, the majority Latinos, will march in Washington DC to tell President Obama and Congress to finally make the changes in immigration reform that they were promised. The march will start at 2:00pm which is coincidently the same time that the House of Representatives will vote on the health care reform bill.

The protestors of the march are not just from the Latino community but many immigrants from different countries who feel that immigration reform needs to happen now and fast. However, a good portion of the protestors are documented children of undocumented citizens who are fighting for the rights for their parents to stay in the United States. With the increase in ICE raids and deportations in the United States many parents are taken from their families.

An article on Univision.com discussed the story of two brothers, Cecia and Ronald Sosa, whose mother was deported in January of 2008 and has yet been able to return to the United States.  Cecia states,

“We are going to ask the President to stop the raids and that my mother can return to our side.”

Supporters for immigration reform have been asking for action since the arrival of the Obama administration in 2009 but have yet to see any significant action take place. When asked about the issue of immigration reform President Obama has said that he needs Republican support in regards to bi-partisanship support for the bill.

Though there seems to be barriers to the immigration reform I believe that this march will show not only Congress but the rest of the American people how important and vital reform in immigration is and the magnitude of people it would affect in the United States.

To listen to an interview with Furman student Luis Gonzales on the immigration rally click here

For photos from my interview with Luis Gonzales and immigration rallies click here

Should Health Care Require Citizenship?

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Obama

When it comes to  Hispanics and health care many in the community feel they are getting the short end of the stick. This is largely due to President Obama’s new health care reform plan that he has put forth to Congress. President Obama’s proposal has caused quite a stir in Congress which is partly due to the issue of legal and illegal immigrants. Many  in the Hispanic community feel that when it comes to Hispanics the issue of illegal immigrants is always at the forefront.
This is largely due to the fact that there is the belief that illegal immigrants are taking advantage of the benefits of tax paying Americans and free loading. There is no better example of this sentiment then the outburst of Representative Joe Wilson during a session of Congress where he states,”You lie!” accusing President Obama of lying about the health coverage of illegal immigrants in the new heath care reform and that the reform would really give illegal immigrants coverage he believes they do not deserve.
However, there are some facts to be considered in the issue :
  • Latinos represent 15% of the population and between the year 2005 and 2050 it is expected to be 60%
  • 34% of Hispanics do not have insurance
  • Legal immigrants who pay full taxes tend to use public health services less than Americans
  • Legal immigrants are required to wait 5 years before applying for Medicaid and Medicare

Taking in all these factors it is apparent that adequate health care is a dire need for legal and illegal immigrants.  The fact of the matter is that access to  adequate health care should not be solely contingent upon residency status in the United States but on the needs of the citizens.

To see more photos about health care reform click here.

A New Kind of Harvest This Year

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feliz!!!
migrant worker Feliz Gutierez Gomez on Indiana farm

 

Do you know who picked your fruit today? Well you might be a bit more interested with the passing of new regulations for H2A Visa for migrant workers by President Obama.   President Obama reformed the past guest worker regulations from those of President Bush’s administration, which many felt favored the employer.

 President Obama changed the regulations so that employees had more rights in terms of wages and contracts, while employers now have more responsibility in terms of documenting workers’ hours and better salaries for workers.

 The majority of migrant workers in the United States are from Mexico and Central America and therefore the most affected by this new legislation. Many in the Hispanic community feel that the reforms are a much needed change to a system that exploited its workers. It would ensure that seasonal employees are paid fairly and treated as workers and not as pack mules.

 The Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis stated to Univision. com that the changes to this program reflect the promise of “fair salaries and strong labor safeguards for the most vulnerable labor group.”   However, those on the employer side of the situation feel that the H2A Visa’s.

 Tom Nassif, president of Western Growers, stated that President Obama’s new regulations reverse President Bush’s old policy on migrant workers which made it easier for farmers to hire foreign workers.  However I believe that this is only because the employers would now be forced to document the workers’ true hours and pay them accordingly and fairly.

 Who is Covered?

  • Worker must be temporary/less than one year
  • Employer can show that work is truly temporary or seasonal

 Requirements?

  • Employer must keep records of the hours each worker actually worked
  • Each worker must be provided a wage statement showing hours worked

Obama Falling Short in Immigration Reform?

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obama_beleid_207645e

 “Esperábamos más” or “We expected more” was the phrase that was in the minds of many Hispanic immigration activists after hearing President Obama’s first speech at the State of the Union Address.  According to an article I read on Univision.com many in the Hispanic community feel that President Obama focused more on issues such as the economy, homeland security, the war in Iraq, and the earthquake in Haiti.  Immigration activist Vanessa Cárdenas states, “This speech did not manifest the compromise that we wanted to see. There was no affirmative word. There are other priorities. To some extent he deceived us.”

Furthermore, the article states that he only spoke a few seconds on the issues of immigration reform and the legalization of undocumented citizens.  I read his speech and unfortnately the only time immigration reform is mentioned is when President Obama states “And we should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system -– to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation.”

After reading this article and President Obama’s speech I do believe that immigration activist such as Cárdenas have a point that it has been pushed to the side. However, I believe that this is due to the fact that the economy and issues such as health care and homeland security have been become more prominent to the majority of American citizens. However immigration reform is not an issue that can just be pushed under the rug. There still needs to be some work taking place to change the U.S. immigration system because it affects the lives millions of U.S. residents, legal or not.

President Obama’s State of the Union Address full text

Information about Immigration Reform Bill