Five years after the May 1 immigration marches of 2006, much has changed – and hasn’t

By Leslie Berestein Rojas Sunday marks five years since the massive immigration reform marches of May 1, 2006. It was that year, amid a wave of activism, that May 1 first became closely associated with immigration rallies. Things have changed quite a bit since, something I discussed in detail during a recent segment on KPCC’s Madeleine Brand Show. But with this year’s march coming up in two days, it’s worth revisiting the history of the May 1 marches, as well as what to expect this yea...

Voter Guide: Brown, Whitman clash on immigration

Jerry Brown and Meg Whitman have both struggled to define their position on immigration during an election year in which the Latino vote is critical and tough laws in a neighboring state have made headlines. Whitman arguably has had a more difficult road, trying to find a middle ground between conservatives who favor stricter regulations and Latinos whom she needs to win. The GOP candidate, who has advocated penalizing employers who hire illegal immigrants, was also dogged by several da...

Another Step Towards Comprehensive Immigration Reform

By Attorneys Robert Reeves and Jeremiah Johnson When President Obama first took office, he made a promise to “pursue genuine solutions day in and day out [including] immigration reform that will secure our borders, and punish employers who exploit immigrant labor; reform that finally brings the 12 million people who are here illegally out of the shadows by requiring them to take steps to become legal citizens.”  Although President Obama may have been pursuing immigration solutions day i...

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 ...