1. U.S. expands visa program for Iraqis
2. Voters find Obama, McCain similar
3. KS legislation may be stalled
4. Murderer tests support for santuary
5. AZ sheriff's critics go to supervisors
6. VA PD chief challenged by enforcement
7. VA county residents lobby for crackdown
8. CA city purchases day laborer site
9. Businesses integrate employees

1.
US expands immigrant visa program for Iraqis who worked for US government to 5,000 more a year
The Associated Press, July 24, 2008

Baghdad (AP) -- The U.S. Embassy on Thursday launched an expanded immigration program that provides 5,000 more visas each year for Iraqis who have put themselves at risk by working for the U.S. government.

The new guidelines represent a 10-fold increase in the number of visas and extend the applicable categories beyond an existing program for interpreters to include all Iraqis who have worked for the U.S. government, the military or related contractors and sub-contractors.

The Bush administration has come under criticism from advocacy groups and lawmakers for how it has dealt with Iraqi employees who have frequently been targeted by anti-U.S. insurgents seeking to derail American efforts to stabilize the country.

Richard Albright, the embassy's senior coordinator for refugee issues, called the new program "a significant step toward fulfilling our obligation of providing safehaven for those brave Iraqi citizens who risked their lives in order to serve the United states and a free Iraq."

"It is a response to the view that we have special obligations to Iraqis who have been employed by us," he added during remarks at a news conference outlining the program.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-iraq-us-immigr...

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2.
On immigration, McCain and Obama very much alike
By David Lightman
The McClatchy Newspapers, July 23, 2008

Washington, DC -- Like many voters who are concerned about immigration, Angelica Salis has warm feelings and nagging doubts about both John McCain and Barack Obama.

"McCain has been very much engaged in this issue for a long time," the Los Angeles community activist said. "But last year, when things got prickly, he seemed to let go of some of his leanings."

Obama, on the other hand, "has constantly stood on our side." But she doesn't really know him yet, and wonders "will he understand that with so many other issues, like Iraq and the economy, that immigration is one of those critical priorities?"

Immigration is a different kind of 2008 presidential campaign issue. The views of McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate, and his Democratic rival, Obama, are similar, and both men have lots of good will among pro-immigration activists, but not much from hard-liners.

"Both Senators McCain and Obama have credible claims to being champions and leaders of comprehensive immigration reform," said Frank Sharry, the executive director of America's Voice, which backs a "path to citizenship" for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in this country.

"The presidential race is obviously a problem," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for Federation for American Immigration Reform, which wants stronger measures against illegal immigration. His group plans to promote candidates for Congress and local offices who oppose any kind of legalization for undocumented workers. They hope to create a grass-roots groundswell that will make it difficult for comprehensive legislation leading to citizenship for illegal immigrants to succeed next year.

McCain and Obama voted for the landmark 2006 legislation that would have made it easier for undocumented workers to gain citizenship, would build a 370-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexican border and would tighten the employer-verification system.
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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/45266.html

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3.
Immigration issue may stay stalled
By Jeannine Koranda
The Wichita Eagle, July 24, 2008

It's a topic for feds, many legislative candidates say

Kansas legislators talked tough about immigration reforms before the last session started. But in the end, they couldn't agree on any. Changes in state law may be unlikely in the next session, too, if the views of south-central Kansas legislative candidates are any indication.

Roughly half of candidates who responded to an Eagle questionnaire said immigration is a federal issue.

"Per our U.S. Constitution, this jurisdiction is at the federal level," wrote Rep. Delia Garcia, D-Wichita. "I do not think we should put a Band-Aid on a huge problem that requires major surgery."

The thought exists on both sides of the aisle.

"States have very little control over immigration," noted Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita. He will face Democrat Melissa J. Flowers in November.

But many candidates advocated a wide variety of changes, including punishing employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants and making sure illegal immigrants can't get a driver's license or welfare payments. Many pushed for enforcement of existing law.
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http://www.kansas.com/news/legislature/story/472832.html

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4.
Suspect pleads not guilty to killing dad, sons
By Jaxon Van Derbeken
The San Francisco Chronicle, July 24, 2008

An alleged gang member accused of triple murder in the slayings of a San Francisco father and two sons pleaded not guilty Wednesday at a hearing in which the judge refused to issue a blanket gag order in the high-profile case.

Edwin Ramos, 21, is accused of the June 22 shooting deaths of Tony Bologna, 48, and his sons Michael, 20, and Matthew, 16, in the city's Excelsior district. In an appearance before Judge Lucy Kelly McCabe, Ramos spoke softly and slowly in denying each of the allegations.

The defense sought the gag order after The Chronicle revealed that Ramos was an illegal immigrant who was found to have committed two felonies at age 17 - a gang-related assault of a Muni passenger and the attempted robbery of a pregnant woman - but was not surrendered by San Francisco juvenile justice authorities to federal officials for possible deportation.

The report has triggered outrage on local and national talk shows, and Danielle Bologna said city officials "need to take responsibility" for actions that she says led to the killings of her husband and sons.

Ramos' attorney, Robert Amparan, told the court Wednesday the case was fast "becoming national media fodder" and said he was concerned about an atmosphere of "vigilantism."
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/24/BAGF11TF78.DTL

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5.
Supervisors are asked to rein in sheriff
Arpaio critics pack meeting, hope to end migrant sweeps
By Yvonne Wingett and Jourdan Rassás
The Arizona Republic (Phoenix), July 24, 2008

Hundreds of critics of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio packed the county chambers Wednesday to try to persuade the Board of Supervisors to put an end to his controversial immigration sweeps, to better monitor lawsuits related to his office, and to more closely examine his emergency response times and jurisdictional reach.

The protesters are using the supervisors' routine meetings as vehicles to speak out and be heard by the media. Their attempts likely are in vain: Arpaio is elected by voters, and the supervisors cannot tell him how to set policies or how to enforce laws, even if they wanted to.

The protesters came out with a group called Maricopa Citizens for Safety and Accountability, a new and well-organized coalition of community groups, labor unions and religious leaders who are regularly appearing before the supervisors to vent about Arpaio.

"We can't imagine that given the most recent evidence on racial profiling and reports of rape victims' complaints going uninvestigated by the Sheriff's Department, that you all still think we don't have a problem in Maricopa County," said Donna Gratehouse, an Ahwatukee insurance agent.

She referred to a recent investigation of the Sheriff's Office by the East Valley Tribune, which uncovered slow response times on emergency calls, falling arrest rates and excessive overtime costs as the agency has focused more on illegal immigration.

"Now more than ever, we need strong and independent leadership from the Board of Supervisors," Gratehouse said.

Arpaio would not comment on the newspaper's stories, which document his office's evolution into an immigration-enforcement agency and the hidden costs to taxpayers. He said only "you can't always believe what you read in newspapers," adding that data and statistics provided to the paper were "misinterpreted."

Arpaio told The Arizona Republic that he will continue to arrest illegal immigrants regardless of the critics and said protesters are wasting their time by complaining to the supervisors.
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http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2008/07/24/20080...

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6.
Pr. William Chief In Uneasy Position
Crackdown on Illegal Immigrants Tests Deane's Skills as Law Enforcement Leader
By Kristen Mack
The Washington Post, July 24, 2008; B01

Prince William County Police Chief Charlie T. Deane spent many sleepless nights in a spare bedroom last fall. He would lie awake, churning over the county's crackdown on illegal immigrants, not wishing to disturb his wife.

Occasionally, he would call home from work on a Friday morning and tell Cathy to pack for the weekend. The pressure of enforcing the policy was too great. He needed to leave town, head to the family farm near Charlottesville, catch a bluegrass show.

When Deane joined the force 38 years ago, Prince William was a white farming community that considered itself part of central Virginia. But as Deane rose through the ranks, Prince William rose, too. Swept into Northern Virginia against the will of many old-timers, it has become one of the fastest-growing counties in the country, with a vibrant biotechnology corridor and a diverse, upwardly mobile population. It was here that Barack Obama held his first campaign rally after sealing the Democratic presidential nomination, seeing in Prince William a symbol of Virginia's political progress.

The changes that are unfolding in Prince William, including tensions over immigration, were unimaginable when Deane began his career. Now 62 and eligible for retirement, he is struggling to maintain the simple, honored traditions of police work even as he contemplates an uncertain future.

"Police work is about getting the right person to say the right thing," said Deane, who, after 20 years, is the longest-serving chief in the region. "It's about dealing with people and getting them to trust police."

Trust was foremost on Deane's mind in October when the Board of County Supervisors directed police officers to check the legal status of any criminal suspect, whether arrested or not, if there was reason to think the person was in the country unlawfully. Deane wondered: Would the county's Hispanics, who make up 19 percent of the population, feel threatened? Would the police force be accused of racial profiling?

Although he cautioned supervisors that residency checks would work better if handled by corrections officers at the jail, Deane carried out the crackdown without public criticism of those who crafted it. Even today, he refuses to characterize the plan as good or bad. "I don't debate the policy," Deane said. "I enforce it."
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/23/AR200807...

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7.
Sterling Residents Seek Help
Supervisors Hear Of Area's Decline
By Sandhya Somashekhar
The Washington Post, July 24, 2008; LZ01

Dozens of Sterling area residents pleaded with the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to take steps to improve conditions in their community, where some say aging homes, a spate of foreclosures and illegal immigration have worsened crime and diminished the quality of life.

At a special board meeting at Park View High School, residents -- most of them from Sterling Park -- described a once-peaceful and pleasant community that has degraded. They complained of heavy traffic, violent crime, unkempt yards, garbage-strewed streets, graffiti-stained fences and crowded homes. They urged supervisors to take swift action to restore the community's tranquil suburban atmosphere, which they said has vanished over the past five years.

"I consider Sterling Park my home town, and what legacy will these youths grow up with?" Rose Castellano said. "Must they hang their heads with shame when someone says, 'Where do you live?' I'm so tired of being Loudoun County's stepchild."

Howard Manas, who lives in Sterling Park, said a small number of residents in the community have treated it with disrespect.

"Why can't they do what's necessary to make Sterling Park what it can be, rather than destroying what it was?" he asked.

Illegal immigration "drives all of the other stuff," resident George Jahnigen said. "It drives the condition of housing, it drives the increase in crime and gangs and it drives the overcrowding. They are all a direct consequence."

The meeting, attended by about 300 people, was the board's last before its August recess. It was part of a months-long effort to refocus attention on the county's eastern communities. Future meetings will focus on Ashburn and Dulles.

Frustration over deteriorating conditions erupted in the Sterling area last year when activists lobbied the county to take steps to drive out illegal immigrants. Republican leaders were poised to follow the lead of neighboring Prince William County, which has garnered national headlines for its efforts to curb illegal immigration.

But a Democratic majority that took office in January said immigration enforcement was not a local priority and was best handled by federal authorities. Since then, several of the Democrats have said they support improving conditions in eastern Loudoun largely through zoning enforcement.
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/23/AR200807...

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8.
Laguna Beach buys dayworker site from Caltrans
The city, which has helped fund parcel's use by workers, pays $18,000 to Caltrans.
By Susannah Rosenblatt
Los Angeles Times, July 24, 2008

After years of controversy, the sliver of Laguna Canyon where dozens of men gather most mornings in search of work will become Laguna Beach property in a deal finalized Wednesday.

Laguna Beach's day laborer hiring site on Laguna Canyon Road has been partially funded by the city for nearly a decade, drawing illegal-immigration protesters and sparking lawsuits.

But until this week, the rugged property, now outfitted with portable toilets and a paid monitor, belonged to the California Department of Transportation.

The California Transportation Commission approved the $18,000 sale of the parcel, which has been a flash point in the region's illegal immigration debate.

The deal closes a chapter for the center, where Wednesday morning, a couple of dozen men lounged on benches, read religious texts, threw dice and ate rice from a food truck as commuters whizzed by.
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http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-laborer24-2008jul24,0,768001.story

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9.
Miller & Long, Others Help Acclimate Immigrants
By Alejandro Lazo
The Washington Post, July 23, 2008

As U.S. businesses grow increasingly dependent on Hispanic workers, some are taking steps to integrate immigrant laborers into American society by offering on-site English courses, job training in Spanish, financial literacy courses and information about social services and citizenship.

A report released Wednesday by the New York-based Council of the Americas, and its non-profit arm, the Americas Society catalogs the efforts of U.S. employers and features the efforts of some Washington area businesses.

Concrete giant Miller & Long was held up as a model, as was Bethesda-based Marriott Hotels International and the credit card company McLean-based Capital One.

Through its human resources department, Miller & Long for instance offers more than 60 different courses to its large Hispanic workforce. It has sponsored scholarships and subsidized courses for Hispanic workers at schools such as Montgomery College.

Romina Byrd and Myles Gladstone discussed their efforts to integrate Hispanic workers at Bethesda-based concrete company Miller & Long. Byrd is director of education and training. Gladsone is vice president of human resources.

Myles Gladstone, the company's vice president of human resources and a former Spanish teacher and Peace Corps volunteer in Venezuela, has even traveled to the Central and Latin American countries where many of his workers are originally from, sometimes taking photographs or making recordings of family members left behind.

"In some cases, [for] the fathers who work for us, it is the first time, it is the first words that they have heard from their son, or their little daughter," Gladstone said Wednesday morning during a roundtable discussion on the integration of the Hispanic workforce, convened at the District offices of the Council of Americas. "You can't imagine what an impact that has on somebody, and how loyal they become to Miller & Long."
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http://blog.washingtonpost.com/washbizblog/2008/07/miller_long_others_he...