Whitman housekeeper says she was fired, treated like ‘garbage’

Nicky Diaz, the household worker who alleges she was fired by Meg Whitman, the Republican nominee for California governor, after telling her that she was undocumented has recounted her version of what happened when she asked Whitman and her husband for help in June 2009: "I told her I don't have papers to work here and need her help," the worker said at a press conference in attorney Gloria Allred's office. Whitman's husband "was very angry and said, 'I told you, I told you she was goin...

San Diego Cops Rail Against Student Raid Pamphlets

by Seth Freed Wessler In the face of an increasingly roughshod immigration enforcement system, San Diego Country educators and advocates are taking it upon themselves to protect young non-citizens from deportation. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported this weekend that students and teachers have received illustrated, wallet-sized pamphlets filled with useful information about how to respond to immigration agents and avoid deportation. Predictably, the area...

Gay-inclusive Uniting American Families Act included in Senate immigration reform bill

Immigration Equality Action Fund Hails Introduction of LGBT-Inclusive Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill Legislation from Senator Robert Menendez Includes Uniting American Families Act Washington, DC – The Immigration Equality Action Fund today hailed the introduction of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in the Senate, by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), which includes the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), a measure to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual...

U.N. warns states on undocumented immigrant rights

(Reuters) - The United Nations said on Thursday governments must respect the rights of all migrants, in a statement apparently targeting measures including Arizona's crackdown on illegal immigrants and French expulsions of Roma. The statement from the Global Migration Group -- combining 12 U.N. agencies, the World Bank and the International Organisation for Migration -- said it was concerned about the rights of tens of millions of migrants in 'irregular' circumstances around the globe...

Murdoch to Hill: Reform immigration

By: Scott Wong Billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch sparred with congressional Democrats on Thursday over why his support for a broad immigration overhaul – with a path to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants – is at odds with the anti-immigrant rhetoric often espoused on his Fox News network. At a hearing on Capitol Hill, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) asked News Corp.’s chairman and CEO to explain the “contradiction” and why he didn’t do more to promote his views through...

Stephen Colbert Speaks Up for Farm Workers as Himself: Democracy Now!

From Democracy Now! Transcripts: Comedian Stephen Colbert testified on Capitol Hill Friday during a hearing examining the effect of American immigration policies on agricultural businesses. Colbert recently took up a dare from the United Farm Workers union to live the life of a farm worker. Colbert lasted one day on the job. Steven Colbert: "I like talking about people who don’t have any power, and this seemed like one of the least powerful people in the United States are migrant workers ...