U.S. Supreme Court Justices

New Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. April 27, 2012: This June, U.S. Supreme Court justices are set to deliver their ruling on whether Arizona’s controversial immigration law, SB 1070, can be upheld and enforced after listening to arguments from both sides on Wednesday, April 25th.

So far, the justices, with the possible exception of Hispanic Justice, Sonia Sotomayor, reportedly seemed ready to agree with Arizona and allow them to enforce the most controversial part of this law – the requirement that police officers check the immigration status of people they suspect are in the country illegally.
Such a ruling would be utter madness on the part of the justices and would certainly point to their interpretation of the constitution as regards racial profiling, a factor that this law leaves the door open to and cannot be ignored.

It would also codify the type of local enforcement that some local authorities in Arizona have carried out over the last six years and open the door to such enforcement in states with similar laws, such as Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah and be utterly frightening for every immigrant in the United States, whether legal or illegal.

The Obama administration has stupidly ignored the racial profiling aspects of the law to date and instead argued that it conflicts with a more nuanced federal immigration policy that seeks to balance national security, law enforcement, foreign policy, human rights and the rights of law-abiding citizens and immigrants. In other words, they are sticking to their guns that only the feds. have the right to enforce immigration laws.

Yet, even the President, in a recent interview with Univision Television in Cartagena, has slammed the law, saying it “potentially allow (s) a person to be stopped and be asked for their documents based on an assumption.”

Amnesty International, in a new report, ‘In Hostile Terrain: Human Rights Violations In Immigration Enforcement In The US Southwest,’ also posits that “recent legislation enacted or proposed in several states targets immigrant communities and places them, indigenous communities and other minority communities at risk of discrimination.”

The report clearly highlights instances where immigrant-born naturalized U.S. citizens are facing discrimination by law enforcement who assume because they are foreign, they are illegal.

Alfredo G., a U.S. citizen of Dominican descent featured in the report, encountered this bias first hand. He said when he went to assist three of his father’s employees who had been involved in a car accident, a Texas State Trooper continually delayed completing the accident report and three hours, four sheriff’s deputies arrived and surrounded Alfredo and the rest of the group with their vehicles.

Minutes later an unmarked silver pick-up truck pulled up and a man got out who was dressed in khaki – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents often wear khaki uniforms. According to Alfredo: “He was very disrespectful.

“He asked, ‘How are you in the United States?’ and said ‘Sit down or I’ll hit you’ to everyone. Initially he didn’t believe that I was a US citizen. When he found out that I was, he just said, ‘I’m sorry’ and identified himself as an ICE officer by showing me his badge… He tried to intimidate everyone. He made comments that we were all illegal. He treated us worse than animals.”

For the Justices to not see this reality and to make such a comment that gives Arizona the feeling it can win at the Supreme Court, is utter insanity. As Justice Sotomayor posited, should this law be upheld, a person stopped for an offense and held on suspicion of unlawful residence could wind up in custody for long periods of time. Of course this could mean anyone – even a U.S. citizen. Let’s all pray and hope the esteemed justices get in touch with reality and see this law for what it is – a clear attempt to legalize racial profiling and undoubtedly a violation of an individual’s constitutional and human rights.

The writer is founder of NewsAmericasNow, CaribPR Wire and Hard Beat Communications.

“It is an honor for HBO Latin America to once again have two original productions like Profugos and Mulher de Fases be nominated for this award,” stated Luis Peraza, HBO LA’s executive vice president of Original Production. He also added, “This honor is a true recognition of HBO’s commitment to create the highest quality content in the region.”

Profugos is a dramatic series filmed entirely in Chile, which revolves around a failed drug trafficking operation that triggers a frantic pursuit by the mafia and by law enforcement for those responsible, causing them to desperately flee across the Chilean countryside. The series, which combines drama and action, has allowed HBO to have solid impact on its audience with the content of impeccable quality that is produced regionally.

Mulher de Fases was the first comedy by HBO Latin America Originals, and it was the channel’s first incursion into the genre. Mulher de Fases follows the adventures of Gracia (Elisa Volpatto) a real estate agent, who after her divorce, is searching for the ideal man to start her life over with. The fun begins when the protagonist transforms herself and changes her personality depending on the current suitor.

Mulher de Fases was also nominated for Outstanding International Producer and Outstanding Actress in a Comedy TV Series, while Profugos was nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Drama TV Series and also for Outstanding International Producer.

For more information about Mulher de Fases and Profugos as well as other HBO Original Series, subscribe to HBOLAPRESS, HBO Latin America’s press room.

About HBO Latin America

HBO Latin America is the leader in paid, Premium television network broadcasting in the region, who as well as being recognized for the quality and diversity of its original programming, movies, and documentaries, delivers services of the highest technology in SD and HD formats in over 23 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean through its channels HBO®, HBO2®, HBO® Signature, HBO® Plus, HBO® Family, HBO Caribbean®, Cinemax®, MAX®, MAX HD®, Max Prime (SM) and HBO OD.

News Americas, Tues. April 24, 2012: Here comes another slew of promises from President Obama on immigration reform – this time as the November election draws nearer and as the Latino votes continue to be up for grabs.

The President, who was at the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, managed to move the spotlight away from his seemingly sex starved Secret Service agents, and directly on to the issue of immigration reform – an issue that for many months now has sat on his back burner.

Speaking directly to Latinos and Latin American viewers of Univision Obama aced the political game, blaming who else but the Republicans.

“We have most of the Democrats ready to vote in favor but do not have any Republican who is willing,” he also told Univision.

And he did not stop there, choosing to slam his opponent, Mitch Romney. “We now have a Republican candidate that has said that laws like Arizona are a model for the country. And these are laws that potentially allow a person to be stopped and be asked for their documents based on an assumption,” he said.

As he has done in the past, the President also affirmed his support for the DREAM Act, a bill allowing minors who entered the U.S. as undocumented to become residents of the country due to the fact that they have been raised as Americans.
“It’s a shame we cannot move forward,” Obama told Univision, in a direct appeal to the sentiments of immigrants frustrated with the lack of progress under his 3 and a half year watch, “Are a nation of laws, but also of immigrants.”

But then he made the biggest political chess move yet – not even Romney with Marco Rubio by his side could see this move.
The President shared his plan to push for immigration reform with Mexico and Central American countries as well as Latino voters in the United States and said that in his first year of his second term in 2013, he will push harder to make it happen – that is, should he be re-elected.

What an awesome power play! No one plays politics and these games as well as Obama. In his three-day trip to South America, he offered nothing much to that region but successes from that distance in attacking the GOP frontrunner’s stance on immigration reform and courting Latino voters who will be crucial in the upcoming election.

The Romney camp shot back through spokeswoman Andrea Saul, saying: “President Obama only talks about immigration reform when he’s seeking votes. Then-candidate Obama promised to tackle immigration reform in his first year. More than three years into his term, America is still waiting for his immigration plan.”

Saul may be right and many may share this sentiment but at the end of the day the stance of the GOP and Romney on immigration and the candidate’s failure to endorse an immigration proposal from potential running mate Marco Rubio that would allow young illegal immigrants to remain in the United States to work or study, does nothing to win the immigrant and Latino vote.

So at the end of the day, this voting bloc will have to swallow Obama’s string of promises again and hope that this time, should he be re-elected, he delivers!

The writer is founder of NewsAmericasNow, CaribPR Wire and Hard Beat Communications.