“Qué Pasa” is our weekly roundup of news, opinion, and links from Spanish-Language online news publications:
La Opinión: Members of Congress ask Obama to stop deportations
Nearly thirty Democratic members of Congress have asked President Obama to suspend deportations for those people who would benefit from immigration reform. They have also asked the President to give them a temporary status or a “deferred action” similar to that of the DREAMers.
The request was headed by Congressman Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), via a letter written to the President where lawmakers argued that the suspension of 1,100 deportation every day is an immediate action that the President could take as we are waiting for Congress to take up legislation that recognizes the 11 million.
The letter reminds President Obama that the deportations of family members and neighbors “breaks our social conscience, and raids and arrests threatens the essence of our civil liberties.”
Legal experts have suggested that President Obama could extend DACA to include other groups beyond young DREAMers and military families.
The following outlets also reported on this subject: Univision
EFE: Boehner appoints a new advisor in an apparent gesture of support for immigration reform
Rebecca Tallent is an immigration policy expert who was hired as an advisor for Speaker of the House John Boehner. Tallent was previously the director of immigration policy at the Bipartisan Policy Study Center and has previously worked with Sen. John McCain and Congressman Jim Kolbe.
The news was received negatively by those who are against immigration reform and with cautious optimism by immigration reform advocates.
Rep. Luis Gutierrez told The Hill that her hire is “a step in the right direction.”
The following outlets also reported on this subject: Univision, La Opinion
Univision: Capitol bans children of immigrants from caroling
A group of children went to the office of Speaker John Boehner to sing Christmas carols in order to protest the deportation of their parents. These children were intimidated by the Capitol police, who threatened to arrest them for singing. The children later said they were angry and afraid because they were treated like criminals.
The following outlet also reported on this subject: Univision
America’s Voice: Thanks and hope
In last week’s Thanksgiving column, Maribel Hastings expressed her thankfulness in being a part of a the immigration reform movement. She says that after the 2012 elections people underestimated the Republican party’s commitment to block President Obama’s domestic agenda.
She also gives thanks to those activists who have refused to give up, and to the people who continue to fight. She says that while there is life, there is hope.
You can find Maribel’s piece published in some of the most widely circulated Spanish-language newspapers and online publications around the country, such as, El Nuevo Herald (FL), Radio Bilingue, Univision, Huffpost Voces, LatinoCalifornia.com, La Opinión, El Diario-La Prensa (NY), La Raza (IL), El Mensajero (CA), La Prensa (FL), Rumbo (TX), Contacto Magazine, Hoy Dallas.
