Original Title:
Immigration strategies taking shape
In separate rooms on overlapping morning hours at the National Press Club this week, two very different groups were launching the next rounds in the simmering immigration fight. In the Zenger Room, named for German immigrant John Peter Zenger, who helped establish free speech law, Californians for Population Stabilization released a study claiming there are 20 million to 38 million illegal immigrants in America, not the 12 million the federal government says (http://www.cap-s.org/newsroom/press_releases/CAPS_Report.html).
"Immigration is in a state of anarchy," organization member James Walsh, a former Immigration and Naturalization Service lawyer, fervently told the room. "Not chaos, anarchy."
Two doors down in the Murrow Room, named for American broadcaster Edward R. Murrow, the Spanish-language network Telemundo debuted a series of upbeat public service announcements urging their audience to register and vote. News anchor Jose Diaz-Balart said Telemundo wants to leverage the passion from last year's immigration rallies into a stronger turnout among Latinos, who historically vote at disproportionately low rates.
"Hispanics in the U.S. will now have a way to channel all that frustration and do some good," Diaz-Balart said.
Whether the two groups were aware of each other, neither side let on. But each represents emerging new strategies stirring out of the void left by the failure of immigration reform. The population group from California believes its more alarming population figures, which are not credited or supported by other independent research, will result in tougher policies on immigration.
Result of mistrust
Diana Hull, a behavioral scientist and former Houstonian who is president of Californians for Population Stabilization, said the federal government's alleged undercount of illegal immigrants is partly the result of mistrust.
"We have a very large group of people who don't have the same feeling about responding to legitimate questions from their government," Hull said.
For example, she said, large numbers of illegal immigrants living in a single house may not tell a census-taker how many people are really living there.
"The fact of the matter is they don't answer the question," she said.
The population figure presented by the group was tabulated by Fred Elbel, a computer specialist and anti-immigration activist from Colorado. The Social Contract Press, which published his report, also publishes racist works, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Around the corner at the Telemundo event, cheery VJ "Crash" had her own statistic that would no doubt alarm the population stabilization group in the Zenger room.
She said 50,000 Hispanics turn 18 in this country every month, and not enough are registering to vote.
"I am super-excited for this upcoming election, and I really feel like this time we are going to make a difference," Crash said.
Added Alfredo Richard, senior vice president of communications and talent development for the network, "It's not enough to grow in numbers, but to gain in political strength."
Julie Mason <julie.mason@chron.com>
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
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funkymunky wrote:
Abolish the 14th amendment; What part of ILLEGAL aren't these people getting?
10/9/2007 1:27:33 PM
Recommend (2)
NotMyRealName wrote:
Here's a video of Karl Rove giving a speech to the La Raza Convention. I'm not sure of the U.S. Code's exact wording for treason, but in the minds of honest ethical American Citizens who abide by their Pledge of Allegiance to their fellow Americans, this is, in no uncertain terms, pure Treason. Impeach Bush and recall all the BuyASenator's who supported amnesty. The clock is ticking down to the genocide of American Citizens.
mecromagnon wrote:
Just want to recomend www.numbersusa.com to anyone that really wants to help in stopping illegal immigration. It takes only a couple of minutes to send free faxes on their site. I did it and will be recommending it to everyone I know. The time is now to let our so called representives know who they are supposed to be working for. Please, get involved, don't complain if your not willing to do something about it.
10/9/2007 4:30:53 AM
texfou80 wrote:
Commiekill, if you are shocked at what La Raza told you yesterday, now hear this: I attended a political coffee in Rollingwood, Texas (suburb of Austin)in 1970 or it may have been 1968. It was the first time La Raza ran a candidate for the Governor of Texas. There were two females there representing the La Raza candidate. The audience was informed that a plank in their candidate's platform was to take away the farms and lands that belonged to the Anglos in the valley of Texas and give it to the Mexicans. I was shocked speechless. This was during the Cold War. What is bewildering is that such a plan was and is acceptabled to the News Media and the Powers that be. Spain owned Texas and the Southwest for around two hundred years or maybe longer. Mexico owned Texas only 14 years and the Southwest only 24 years. In that brief time, What did Mexico do that was beneficial for the Indians? Do the Mexicans really care about the Indians today? Did Mexico really care about what became New Mexico, Arizona & Colorado? The Anglos who settled Texas came from Spanish Territory in 1821, many spoke Spanish and were adapted to living under Spanish law. Poor Mexico, to be such a failure at governing. Texfou80
10/9/2007 4:15:05 AM
Recommend (6)
mtm1973 wrote:
I am sorry, but my overwhelming feeling here is "DUH!"
I live in LA and it has gotten such a massive problem in the past few years.
It costs our county about a billion a year.
As long as big business gives it a pass, it will never change.
10/9/2007 12:06:02 AM
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