http://immigrationimpact.com/2010/09/03/all-mirth-and-no-matter-arizona-governor-jan-brewer-showcases-empty-anti-immigrant-rhetoric-in-gubernatorial-debate/

By JULIA PRESTON

"The Obama administration, responding to requests from Democratic and Republican lawmakers, has taken steps to make it easier for illegal immigrants who are spouses and family members of Americans serving in the military to gain legal status.

The new policy was described in an internal memorandum from Citizenship and Immigration Services that was released last week by SenatorCharles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, and caused a furor in Washington on Friday.

The memo outlined measures that the agency could take under existing laws to “reduce the threat of removal for certain individuals present in the United States without authorization,” instead of waiting for Congress to pass an immigration overhaul to give legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.

With the title “Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform,” the memo prompted protests from Mr. Grassley and other Republicans that the Obama administration was trying an end run around Congress, rather than confronting a divisive debate on immigration legislation during an election season. The memo was first reported on the Web site of The National Review, a conservative magazine.

Officials of the immigration agency denied on Friday that they were pursuing any plan to legalize millions of illegal immigrants by fiat.

Aside from a title that administration officials acknowledged was provocative, the memo describes possible changes to the immigration agency’s interpretation of immigration law, including several that have been recommended by lawmakers from both parties to make it easier for immigrants who are trying to work within the system to gain legal status.

According to the memo, one of those changes has been quietly put into practice since May. The new policy allows illegal immigrants who are spouses, parents and children of American citizens serving in the military to complete the process of becoming legal residents without having to leave the United States — a procedure that is known in immigration law terms as granting parole. The memo says agency officials approved the new parole approach “to preserve family unity and address Department of Defense concerns regarding soldier safety and readiness for duty.”...".

"Beside my brothers and my sisters, I’ll proudly take a stand. When liberty’s in jeopardy, I’ll always do what’s right. I’m out here on the frontline, sleep in peace tonight. American soldier, I’m an American soldier…”

So goes the ringtone of Arizona State Sen. Russell Pearce’s (R-Mesa) phone—as performed by Toby “we put a boot up your ass, it’s the American way” Keith. Seconds into any conversation with Pearce about illegal immigration, you’ll discover that the song fits. In his mind, Pearce is an “American soldier” fighting a war that he believes threatens the very fiber of the nation...".

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/6084/corporate_con_game

Pundit Stephen Colbert would – he's agreed to take the United Farm Workers' challenge to "Take their jobs."

Anti-immigrant forces have argued that immigrants, particularly the undocumented, have been taking jobs from Americans. Despite studies clearly showing that comprehensive immigration reform would help the American economy, they’ve insisted on using the economic crisis as a way to stall real reform. That’s why UFW – and now, Stephen Colbert – are showing the whole country that farm workers’ jobs aren’t easy.

http://act.reformimmigrationforamerica.org/cms/sign/agjobs/?akid=454.9907.AIuiSU&rd=1&t=2%27s%2Bnew%2Bjob&utm_campaign=E100712ANXX&utm_content=Stephen%2BColbert&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email&utm_term=action_link1

The State of Tennessee will have an estimated deficit of 1 1/2 billion dollars in 2011; http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=711

It is irresponsible for Governor Bredesen to continue to believe that incarceration of immigrants and US Citizens is fiscally possible. The next governor will have to deal with the mess that Bredesen has left behind.

Sitting in front of a dozen schoolchildren, with the first lady of Mexico by her side, Obama told the girl: "That's something that we have to work on, right? To make sure that people can be here with the right kind of papers."

"But my mom doesn't have any papers," the student blurted as soon as the first lady had finished.

In an instant, the spontaneous exchange crystallized the power of the immigration debate, sparking hours of cable news chatter, a rolling Twitter conversation and urgent questions about what, if anything, might happen to the girl's mother as a result of the unscripted moment...".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/19/AR2010051903314.html

"Published: May 17, 2010In an escalation of protest tactics, five immigrants dressed in caps and gowns held a sit-in on Monday at the Tucson offices of Senator John McCain, calling on him to sponsor legislation to open a path to legal status for young illegal immigrants.

Four of the protesters, including three who are in the country illegally, were arrested Monday evening on misdemeanor trespassing charges. The three were expected to face deportation proceedings...".

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/us/18dream.html?th&emc=th

By Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) May 11, 2010

http://thehill.com/opinion/op-ed/97325-our-immigration-system-is-broken-and-only-bipartisan-work-will-fix-it

We have a serious challenge in this nation, and I hear about it from Nevadans all the time: Our immigration system is broken. Democrats, Republicans and Independents all agree, and history has shown that neither a piecemeal nor a border-only approach will work to fix this problem. Furthermore, the immigration law recently enacted in Arizona is clear evidence this problem will become worse the longer we wait to comprehensively address this on a national level.

In 2006 and 2007, I was a part of an effort to push for a federal, comprehensive approach to fix our system, secure our nation's borders and institute tough, fair measures to govern our immigration process. The Senate passed a bill in 2006 that, unfortunately, the House refused to consider. And in 2007, mischaracterizations of our effort by the bill's opponents drove away some of the moderate Republicans who wanted to find common ground. President Bush supported this legislation. We spent more time on the issue of immigration in the 109th and 110th Congresses than any other because I felt it was that important. Three years later, it is no less important and still must be addressed. That's why, led by Senator Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and building upon the bipartisan negotiations he has led for a year, Senate Democrats recently unveiled an outline of concrete ideas to move this dialogue forward - and we asked Senate Republicans to join us...".

Tuesday, May 11th 2010, 9:25 AM

Backlash from Arizona's new immigration law could cost the Phoenix area a whopping $90 million in lost revenue.

Four major events have been canceled as calls for a boycott grow louder in protest of a strict law that lets police ask people for their citizenship papers, city officials told The Arizona Republic newspaper.

"We have an image and public relations problem of what might be unprecedented proportions," said deputy city manager David Krietor...".

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/11/2010-05-11_arizonas_immigration_law_boycotts_will_cost_phoenix_90m_city_officials.html#ixzz0ndJR6EKQ

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/05/11/2010-05-11_arizonas_immigration_law_boycotts_will_cost_phoenix_90m_city_officials.html#ixzz0ndJHZ9X4

Here are the links:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-10620.pdf

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-10619.pdf

Next my wife and I unplugged the filters to allow the pipes to drain the water. The crawl space is wet but it will dry out. The electricity went out numerous times as trees fell throughout the neighborhood taking electrical lines with them.

The power crews and tree cutters did a great job in reconnecting the lines and removing the trees. We rebuilt and expanded our retaining wall when we bought the home four years ago. Numerous neighbors homes were damaged as the hill collapsed into their houses. Across the street we smelled the odor of a gas leak; rotten eggs. I called Piedmont Gas and they sent out an inspector. I showed him where the odor was coming from. Their gas meter was spinning out of control. The hillside had come lose and broke the gas line which they used for their outside grill. The inspector closed the gas line to close the leak.

Later in the evening I met with my neighbors who had been out of town and told them what had occurred. They were grateful to have a home.

Across the city there has been flooding and the water is rising in downtown. It has reached fourth avenue in some parts. Lets hope that it does not increase.

Then I read a wonderful email (below) from Tennessee State Senator Douglass Henry against the English Only bill in Tennessee.

In 1995 we organized a Cinco de Mayo celebration at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. The only politician I recall who attended was Senator Henry. He and I spoke about the growth of the immigrant community which he had seen as a native of Nashville. Senator Henry recalled how the first Asian and Mexican restaurants had come to Nashville. I speak Spanish, French and English and was impressed to find out that Senator Henry spoke and enjoyed the art of languages. He spoke with confidence and without fear of immigrants.

At this time we had organized Hispanic advocacy group UNAMONOS (United) and were working on obtaining the drivers license test in Spanish for persons without a social security number. A collateral project was to translate the TN Drivers license manual into Spanish. To translate the manual we took the English version and following volunteers translated a page or two from English to Spanish;

Jacki Akbari Western Union, Norma Antillon, David Bermudez, Dr. Arturo Buenahora, Luis Bustillo, Cesar Castillo Metro Officer, Francisco Caicedo TN Probation Officer, Dave & Luce Fore, Melissa Fore, Peter Frelinghausen & Tannia Ortiz, Antonio & Rosa Garcia, Esperanza Garcia, Jill Hamilton, Gustavo & Blanca Hernandez, Heriberto & Genevera Hernandez, Luis & Martha Mascorro La Voz Newspaper, Corinne Martinez, Efrain Martinez Pastor Iglesia Hispana, Teresa Medina TennCare, Pastor Chuck & Lilia Padilla Judson Baptist Church, Gia Payne, Dr. Andres & Renee Ramos, Mario & Iris Ramos, Ana Rivera, Andy Robinson, Marlon Rodriguez, Martha Salazar Comunidad Hispana, Maggie Sapien President Hispanic Resource Center (which became Conexion Americas, 2002), Pete & Helena Tellez St Edwards Catholic Church, Begona Toral, Paul & Leonor Van Cotthem Buenos Dias Newspaper, Andy Yambure.

To proof read the translations W. Todd Turner “Tadeo” and Dr. David C. Julseth, Belmont University served as the editors. Then we distributed through out Tennessee the 10,000 copies sponsored by Western Union. Later on we got the Tennessee Department of Safety to make the test available in Spanish for persons without a social security number. On a trade mission to Asia Governor Sunquist expanded the test into Japanese and Korean. The Defense of Marriage Act signed by President Clinton made the test unavailable to those without a social security number. Senator Henry successfully guided into law a bill which made it legal at that time to obtain a drivers license without a social. Senator Henry gained the vote of Marsha Blackburn at that time. At this time Tennessee was the only state allowing in the US a driver’s license to be obtained without a social security number.

Since then the driver’s license struggle has gone back and forth and past supporters have become nemeses. Through out all this time Senator Henry has remained a bright light in support of the simple idea of allowing people to learn the rules of driving in Tennessee and to obtain proof of identity.

Here is the email I received from Senator Henry this morning; “English only sends wrong message about Tennessee

Friends,

Would the executives at Volkswagen or Wacker Chimie or Nissan have located large plants in Tennessee if we had sent the message that folks who speak another language aren’t welcome here? At a time when so many Tennesseans need jobs, we as a state should be trying to attract good companies. This is not the time to hang a sign on our front door that says “not welcome.”

A bill that would give preference to English only in the Tennessee driver’s test does just that. My colleague, Senator Jim Kyle put it well this week as we considered the legislation in the Senate Finance Committee: “What it does is put us in a column of states that have passed English-only drivers’ licenses. That’s the list I would start with if I was overseas and deciding where I don’t want to go.” I opposed this sort of thing when there was a move afoot to force Metro to handle much of its business in English only, and I oppose it now. Tennessee is a patchwork of rich cultures. Throughout my career serving you, I have been an advocate of recognizing all the distinct parts of our state.

If you would like to help me continue to bring this perspective to the legislature, I hope you will join my re-election campaign. Reply to this e-mail or visit our Web site if you would like to volunteer. Or, get in touch with us by phone at 615-460-1114 or 615-305-5062. We’ll look forward to hearing from you! Douglas Henry””.

On May the 4th I and my wife Iris will vote to re-elect Senator Henry to finish the job he began long ago.