Illegal immigration

A group of 87 Democratic lawmakers presented Tuesday a draft bill for comprehensive immigration reform that would pave the way to legalize undocumented immigrants in the United States. President Barack Obama has said he wants to "recognize and legalize" undocumented immigrants in the United States, but the White House's intentions have been hampered by a host of other pressing issues including stabilizing the US economy, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and tense climate change negotiations. Congressman Luis Gutierrez introduced the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009" in the Capitol building, surrounded by scores of activists and families ... Read Full Story

Hispanic, black, Asian and other House lawmakers backing immigration overhaul called Tuesday for legalizing illegal immigrants in the U.S., despite a weakened economy and joblessness. The coalition of lawmakers said Tuesday immigration reform can protect American workers as well as bring into the mainstream economy productive immigrant workers who have lived in the shadows because of their illegal status. "For those who say that given the state of our economy, given the unemployment rate, this is not the time, I would say to you there is no wrong or right time. There is a moral obligation," said Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., chairwoman of the ... Read Full Story

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Complaints of torture, murder and illegal detention by the Mexican army have jumped as soldiers have been dragged into a long, gruesome battle with powerful drug cartels, Amnesty International said on Tuesday. Mexico's national human rights commission received some 2,000 accusations of abuse by the military in 2008 and the first six months of 2009, a sharp jump from 367 complaints in 2007 and 182 in 2006, the rights group said in a report. In one case documented by Amnesty, 31-year-old Saul Becerra was picked up in an army raid at a car wash in Ciudad Juarez, near the U.S.-Mexico ... Read Full Story

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Complaints of torture, murder and illegal detention by the Mexican army have jumped as soldiers have been dragged into a long, gruesome battle with powerful drug cartels, Amnesty International said Tuesday. Mexico's national human rights commission received some 2,000 accusations of abuse by the military in 2008 and the first six months of 2009, a sharp jump from 367 complaints in 2007 and 182 in 2006, the rights group said in a report. In one case documented by Amnesty, 31-year-old Saul Becerra was picked up in an army raid at a car wash in Ciudad Juarez, near the U.S.-Mexico border. ... Read Full Story

Last Thursday, a coalition of groups led by the Immigrant Raids Rapid Response Network, formally threatened to organize a boycott Greyhound buses because Border Patrol agents have taken up residence at many bus stations to check travelers' immigration status. Contra Costa Times reports : "If companies like Greyhound don't take measures to protect their passengers, they will lose the trust and business one of one of their most faithful customer bases: the Latino community," said Emilio Amaya, executive director of the San Bernardino Community Service Center, which provides legal help to immigrants. Greyhound issued a statement responding to the group's concerns. "Greyhound only recently ... Read Full Story