DHS Documents: Local Police Not Required To Hold Undocumented Immigrants For U.S. Government

By Elise Foley WASHINGTON -- Local law enforcement agencies are not required to hold undocumented immigrants at the request of the federal government, according to internal Department of Homeland Security documents obtained by a coalition of groups critical of the Secure Communities enforcement program. The documents could provide ammunition for jurisdictions that no longer want to participate inSecure Communities, which allows federal immigration authorities to use fingerprints to scan th...

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...

The President’s Actions on Immigration Will Speak Louder Than Words

By Frank Sharry Yesterday, the president met with Latino celebrities and news personalities to talk about his push for comprehensive immigration reform. This followed a similar meeting with other leaders last week, a meeting which I attended. As many have pointed out, these were not the first meetings the White House has held on immigration, and they certainly won't be the last. At our meeting, the president made it clear he is willing to use the political capital he has to make th...

Latinos Saved Jerry Brown, Michael Bennet, Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid

By Ed Coghlan on Nov 5 2010 State Senator Gil Cedillo of California The Republican electoral tsunami that swept the country slowed down noticeably once it reached the Rocky Mountains and the West Coast. And there appears to be a reason. A record breaking Latino voter turnout probably saved Democratic U.S. Senate seats in Colorado, Nevada and California. Senator Michael Bennet seems to have survived a challenge from Tea Party Republican Ken Buck in Colorado. There are o...