Please visit our YouTube and Facebook pages.

1. Feds waffle on prosecution
2. Cuban musical visitors allowed
3. MA candidate backs amnesty
4. CA state law under scrutiny
5. MD co., police union at odds

1.
Washington Raid Brings Deportations, Mixed Signals
The Associated Press, December 5, 2009

Bellingham, WA (AP) -- First they were arrested and faced deportation under what has proven to be the Obama administration's only workplace raid. Then they were given work permits, and told they could stay in the United States while their employer was being prosecuted.

Now, the more than two dozen undocumented workers arrested during the February raid here at Yamato Engine Specialists Ltd. are again facing deportation.

''Well, what can you do? You can't run, that'd be worse,'' Gerardo Arreola Gonzalez, one of the 28 workers arrested, said about the raid. ''I had to face it. Yes, I felt fear, thinking, 'The dream is over.'''

Gonzalez's unusual journey through the immigration system symbolizes just how much immigration policy has changed under President Barack Obama -- and how it's still a work in progress.

The deportations and likely removals are a conclusion to a case that displeased both advocates for illegal immigrants and those who lobby for stricter immigration enforcement.

In this case, the company, the workers, and even the Seattle U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office that conducted the raid came in for some sort of punishment or special scrutiny.

Two days after the raid, ICE officials traded urgent e-mails going over answers to questions sent by an apparently miffed White House, according to e-mails obtained by the Associated Press through a federal records request.

In all, 28 men and women -- mostly from Mexico -- were arrested that February morning. One man opted to leave the country shortly after the raid. The 27 who remained were given work permits until the case against Yamato ended.

Now, five of the 27 workers have been deported. Seven have been allowed to leave the country voluntarily and 15 await court dates with an immigration judge, said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Lorie Dankers.

Dankers declined to comment further on the case.

''We're disappointed. We really did think that things would be different under the Obama administration,'' said Pramila Jayapal, executive director of OneAmerica, a Seattle-based immigration advocacy group. ''It's very mixed signals ... we thought we were getting an administration that was supportive.''

Immigration advocates were elated when Obama took office, thinking he'd bring immigrant-friendly enforcement policies. The raid shocked them, and they protested loudly.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano then ordered an internal review of the raid. The workers arrested were given work permits, and the company became the focus of the investigation.

But those who favor strict immigration enforcement saw Napolitano's review as a signal for lax enforcement, and a rebuke to the Bush administration's immigration policy.
. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/12/05/us/AP-US-Worksite-Raid.html

********
********

2.
Friendlier Obama Tune on Cuba Brings Musical Detente
Reuters, December 4, 2009

Havana (Reuters -- Cuban musicians are returning to perform in the United States after a long freeze on such visits, seizing the opportunity of friendlier overtures toward Havana from U.S. President Barack Obama.

Well-known Cuban musicians are being granted visas to perform at U.S. venues in a sign that Obama's administration is quietly promoting cultural contacts as part of a strategy of warmer "people to people" ties with the Communist-run island.

The more relaxed atmosphere between the Cold War era enemies is perhaps most evident in the arts, which in the past has provided a bridge between the two neighbors which have not had formal diplomatic ties for close to half a century.

Omara Portuondo, the 79-year-old diva of the legendary Buena Vista Social Club group, was invited to help host the Latin Grammy awards last month in Las Vegas, a ceremony off-limits for Cuban artists during the hardline relationship that marked the Bush administration years.

After taking office in January, Obama promised to "recast" U.S.-Cuban ties and softened some sanctions, although the 47-year U.S. trade embargo remains in place and Cuba is still on a U.S. list of "state sponsors of terrorism."

Obama's easing included lifting restrictions on family visits by Cuban Americans to the island, and has now been followed by a string of U.S. visas for cultural exchanges.

Portuondo's visit was soon followed by one by the Septeto Nacional, another legend of Cuban 'son' rhythm that has just returned from touring New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and even Miami, a stronghold of die-hard Cuban exiles that in the past has often been hostile to such appearances.

Another well-known Cuban singer-songwriter, Carlos Varela, is currently on a three-week U.S. visit.

Varela, whose songs have captured the disenchantment of many young Cubans, met a White House official for lunch at a Washington restaurant, according to the organizers of his trip, He also met two members of Congress.

"Everywhere we played it was packed. The main newspapers in the U.S. wrote about our work. The atmosphere was very positive, even in Miami," Ricardo Oropesa, manager of Septeto Nacional, told Reuters.

While still far apart ideologically, the U.S.-Cuban relationship seems to have warmed enough for Los Van Van, Cuba's most famous salsa band ever, to be planning a 70-stop tour in the United States next year.
. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/12/04/arts/entertainment-us-cuba-usa...

********
********

3.
In Final Weekend Push, Capuano Says He’s ‘Within The Margin Of Error’
By Fred Thys
The WBUR News (Boston), December 7, 2009

Boston -- Friday night found Rep. Michael Capuano in East Boston, at a Christmas dinner held by Latinos United in Massachusetts. The group asked him to promise he would get immigration reform passed next year if elected to the U.S. Senate.

Capuano told the audience he is happy to stand with them on the issue but warned it would be tough to get it through Congress in 2010, because it’s an election year.

“I’ll tell you one thing,” Capuano told banquet hall of mostly empty tables, “I am one of the few people around who I know who I am. I’m the grandson of immigrants, who actually came to East Boston first, before they moved to Somerville.”

Lucy Pineda, founder of Latinos United in Massachusetts, said her organization can’t endorse anyone, but she did predict a winner:

“Capuano,” Pineda said. “Capuano, he’s in Washington. He’s the person that is there, and he knows what’s going on with immigration reform. He knows what’s going on with the problems with the immigrant community, and we have a survey with the four candidates, and when I read the survey, Martha, she never answered nothing about immigration reform in the survey.”

The next morning, at the South Coast forum at UMass Dartmouth, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca talked about his own immigrant roots.

“My grandfather was a shoemaker,” Pagliuca said. “He came from Italy in 1922 with nothing, worked on a factory floor.”

When the candidates there were asked about higher education, Capuano emphasized the importance of vocational schools instead.
. . .
http://www.wbur.org/2009/12/07/candidates-weekend

********
********

4.
In-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants questioned
By Stephen Wall
The San Bernardino Sun (CA), December 6, 2009

At a time of unprecedented peril for the state's education system, a growing number of school districts are going the extra mile to promote a law that allows illegal immigrant students to receive subsidized tuition at California colleges and universities.

The move is viewed by some state lawmakers and others as wasting scarce tax dollars on a program that benefits illegal immigrants at the expense of legal residents and U.S. citizens.

Last year, state Republican lawmakers proposed abolishing the nearly 8-year-old law as part of a package of spending cuts to balance the budget. Repealing the law would have saved $75 million, according to Republican legislators. The attempt to get rid of the law failed, but some still want to eliminate it.

"I think it's a misuse of resources," Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, said of the law. "A lot of school districts aren't doing a very good job with the kids they have now. They need to focus their limited resources on the fundamentals, not reaching out to illegal immigrants."

The law is also being challenged in the courts.

In 2005, students who were legal residents of other states filed a class-action suit against the California public college and university systems. The students maintain they were unfairly denied a benefit that was granted to illegal immigrants.

Last year, the state appellate court agreed, saying the law "thwarts the will of Congress."

The University of California appealed the decision to the California Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case. The law remains in effect until resolved by the courts.

Meanwhile, Latino activist Gil Navarro, a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Education, is leading a renewed push to get the word out about the law known as Assembly Bill 540.

The law enables undocumented students to pay the same college tuition fees as California residents if they meet the following criteria:

Attend a California high school for at least three years;

Graduate from a California high school;

Register or enroll at a higher education institution in California;

File a form with the college or university stating they will apply for legal immigration status as soon as they are eligible.

There are about 15,000 to 20,000 students in the state's community colleges receiving the tuition break. The UC system has about 1,600 students using the benefit. The Cal State system does not track the number of students who take advantage of the law.

The San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools last year put out a "Know your Rights" brochure explaining the law. It is available through the department's Parent Information Resource Center.

The San Bernardino City Unified School District also published a similar brochure for the families of immigrant students.

In recent weeks, Navarro has pushed two other districts with large immigrant student populations to do additional outreach.

The Colton Joint Unified School District in September unanimously approved a student intern program to inform high school students about the law.

Under the program, which is expected to start Jan. 1, the district will hire qualified Colton and Bloomington high school students as well as college students who graduated from those schools. The students will serve as mentors for their peers and educate them about college opportunities.
. . .
http://www.sbsun.com/ci_13939732?source=most_viewed

********
********

5.
County, police union in showdown over illegal-immigration policy
By Alan Suderman
The Washington Examiner (DC), December 7, 2009

Montgomery County and the Fraternal Order of Police union could be headed to court over the county police department's policy for handling illegal immigrants, according to the union's lawyer.

FOP attorney Paul Stein said the county's policy was "unconstitutional" and dangerous to the county's police officers and residents.

In a letter to County Attorney Leon Rodriguez, Stein asked for justification of the policy, which limits officers' ability to contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.

Union officials have complained that the county's immigration policies are politically motivated and hamper efforts to gather information on suspected criminals.

In February, the county changed its policy so ICE would be contacted when police arrested anyone, including illegal immigrants, in a violent or handgun-related crime. The policy came in response to a string of high-profile violent crimes committed by illegal immigrants in the county.

In September, the police department sent out a memo to officers emphasizing that federal immigration authorities should not be contacted after arresting someone based on solely gang affiliation or immigration status.

The September memo also indicated that officers needed to first get approval from the department before assisting ICE agents.

That memo came after an illegal immigrant, who said he was a former gang member, accused police of assaulting him and turning him over to ICE after he complained about the department.
. . .
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/County_-police-union-in-showdown...