Prince William And Catherine Married

Millions viewed the wedding

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 29, 2011

Westminster Abbey, England  - On Friday, Prince William and Catherine Middleton were married at Westminster Abbey. Queen Elizabeth II gave Prince William the title of Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Her Highness the Dutchess of Cambridge. After the church wedding, the newly-weds took a fifteen minute ride in an open-top carriage to Buckingham Palace where they officially kissed twice to seal the marriage.
The wedding cost the British taxpayers more than $24 million.

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Obama Will Not Use Executive Authority To Stop Deportations Of Undocumented Students And Their Parents

Photo by Pete Souza

Influencial Hispanics failed to convince Obama to use executive power to stop massive deportations.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 28, 2011

Washington, D.C. - On Thursday for the second time in ten days, President Barack H. Obama failed to exercise his executive authority to stop massive deportations of noncriminal undocumented immigrants, students and their parents. Obama met with a group of Hispanics from accross the U.S. at the White House. The Latinos present at the meeting are recognized by White House officials as influencial and were there to discuss fixing the broken federal immigration system in the country, including comprehensive immigration reform for the future. Apparently, those attending the meeting lacked enough influence and failed to push for Obama to use his executive authority to stop deportations citing the president "can not change the law."
According to the Readout press release of the meeting, President Obama told the attendees that the only way to fix what’s broken about our immigration system is through legislative action in Congress, and that "he cannot unilaterally change the law." He made it clear that while his Administration continues to improve our legal immigration system, secure our borders, and enhance our immigration enforcement so that it is more effectively and sensibly focused on criminals, more voices are needed to elevate the immigration debate beyond the politics, false debates, and rhetoric that have dominated the issue.
The President urged meeting participants to help elevate the debate, and to reach out in their unique capacities and in a public way to forge partnerships across sectors and across demographics. There was broad agreement that more voices are needed to change the tone of the debate so that Congress acts to fix the broken system in a way that upholds America's history as nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. The President reaffirmed that he will continue to work to forge bipartisan consensus and will intensify efforts to lead a civil debate on this issue in the coming weeks and months.
The President talked about the broken immigration system including concerns he heard about when he met with leaders from the law enforcement, faith and business sectors last week.
Absent from the White House meeting was U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) who has publicly stated that Obama could used his executive authority to stop deportations of noncriminal undocumented immigrants, students attending colleges and parents of U.S. born children. Gutierrez went on a three state listening tour on April 16, and continued to advocate and vowed to pursue the passage of the DREAM Act. Last year, the DREAM Act was killed in the U.S. Senate, because it failed to get the needed 60 votes to prevent a filibuster inorder for the bill to proceed for a Senate vote.
In his stop in Wisconsin, Gutierrez said, President Obama has the executive privilege to use discretion and to stop the mass deportations of undocumented parents of more than 4 million U.S. born children. President Obama hasn't kept his word in passing immigration reform or hasn't used his discretion to allow millions of undocumented students to stay in the country while Congress can work out differences and pass the DREAM Act.
President Obama could actually issue an executive pardon as well for those in the country illegally. Being in the country illegally is a federal civil offense and not a felony offense. Obama can even issue an executive order for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to put priority in detaining and deporting undocumented criminals convicted of serious crimes such as felonies. Instead of ICE and DHS concentrating and detaining noncriminal undocumented immigrants and students raised in the U.S. and pursuing a college education to become productive residents.
About, 400 thousand undocumented immigrants are deported every year from the U.S. and with the Secure Communities Program (SCP) implemented by ICE, the deportations could rise to 800,000 per year. Gutierrez criticized the SCP for over reaching and not following the memorandum agreement with states including Wisconsin.
Under the SCP agreement, the program specified that undocumented immigrants considered criminals and convicted of a felony should be targeted for deportation. But in many cases noncriminals have been processed under SCP and hard working undocumented immigrants have been deported, separating families, according to Gutierrez.
Next Sunday on May 1st, over 100 cities around the nation will hold massive marches and rallies calling for immigrant and workers rights. Organizers want President Obama to stop massive deportations and they are also opposing similar Arizona SB 1070 immigration enforcement laws in their states. The law allows state and local law enforcement officers to ask for legal status documentation from people they suspect are illegally in the country during traffic stops or general investigations.

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96 Bodies Of Missing Persons Discovered In Clandestine Graves in Durango, Mexico

Photo: TV Azteca

Bodies of victims attributed to the drug cartel wars exhumed.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 27, 2011

Victoria de Durango, Durango, Mexico - Since April 11, at least 96 bodies have been recovered from Las Fuentes neighborhood (79 bodies), including the Provincial neighborhood (17 bodies) near the state Capitol of Durango, Victoria de Durango. Mexican federal police believe more bodies are expected to be recovered and that some bodies were buried about two years ago and forensic evidence indicates other bodies have been recently been buried. Police and the military recovered 58 bodies on Friday and 17 on Monday, according to the Durango State Attorney General's Office.
No one has been implicated in the crimes, but police say the deaths are attributed to drug cartel wars in the state.
In San Fernando, Tamaulipas, at least 183 bodies have been exhumed, and last year in August, another 72 bodies were recovered at the same municipality, according to federal police.

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Obama Releases Own Live Birth Certificate Assuring His Right To Run For U.S. President

Live birth certificate proves President Obama born in U.S.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 27, 2011

Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday morning, President Barack H. Obama released his live birth long form certificate to prove he was born in the U.S. as required to run for the Presidency. The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate from the many challenges the country faces today should be resolved. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to release a copy of his long form birth certificate.
"As many of you have been briefed, we provided additional information today about the site of my birth. Now, this issue has been going on for two, two and a half years now. I think it started during the campaign. I have watched with bemusement. I've been puzzled at the degree to which this thing just kept on going. We've had every official in Hawaii, Democrat and Republican, every news outlet that has investigated this, confirm that, yes, in fact, I was born in Hawaii, August 4, 1961, in Kapiolani Hospital.
We've posted the certification that is given by the state of Hawai on the Internet for everybody to see.  People have provided affidavits that they, in fact, have seen this birth certificate.  And yet this thing just keeps on going," Obama told the nation during a press conference.
Obama is hoping that the issues affecting the country will become the main focus from now on instead of where he was actually born.

President Obama officially released live birth long form certificate and posted at White House link: http://1.usa.gov/enpeUB

Barack H. Obama birth certificate

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El Chapo Guzman Loera, Sinaloa Drug Lord Sought In England, Had A Face Change

Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera before face change.

Multiple countries combine law enforcement intelligence in an effort to locate El Chapo in England.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 27, 2011

Mexico City - The Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR), several United States federal law enforcement agencies and European law enforcement agencies, including Scotland Yard in a joint operation are looking into allegations that Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera has been living in London undetected. Mexican federal sources indicate the Sinaloa Cartel drug lord "El Chapo" Guzmán Loera had a face change and is currently living in England. A $5 million U.S. dollars reward has been offered for information leading to El Chapo's arrest and conviction.
El Chapo had been in hiding since his daring prison escape 10 years ago. In 2001, he made a gran escape from the Puente Grande maximum prison in Jalisco. Guzmán Loera managed to hid inside a laundry truck and managed to escape without being detected by prison guards who by the most part were involved in the escape. Guzmán Loera was captured in 1993 and convicted on both drug and homicide charges in Mexico.

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OWI 22-year-old Undocumented Driver Held In Wrong Way I-894 And Loomis Road Accident

Joel Julian-Jorge

A Greenfield police officer had stopped the OWI suspect minutes before getting into an accident and Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office confirmed OWI driver undocumented.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 26, 2011

Greenfield, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, the Greenfield Police Department confirmed that an officer on Monday had pulled over Joel Julian Jorge, 22, on S. 76th Street for a traffic violation just minutes before he went the wrong way on the I-43/894 freeway. The officer was checking Jorge's ID and auto information when he saw another vehicle go the wrong way on a street. Just before the officer began to pursue the other driver, he ordered Jorge to stay parked until he returned.
Jorge took advantage of the moment and fled the scene. He ended up going the wrong way as well and caused a head-on collision on the freeway.
Milwaukee County Sheriff's deputies arrested Jorge after causing an accident along I-894/43 and Highway36, Loomis Road ramp. Jorge was traveling eastbound on westbound I-894 lane around 1:00 a.m. when he got into a head-on collision with an SUV going West. 
An unidentified 18-year-old passenger in Jorge's vehicle had to be rescued by firefighters using Jaws of Life to remove mangled metal obstructing his removal from the auto. An SUV driver was also rescued and Jorge including the two victims of the accident were taken to Froedtert Hospital. All are expected to survive.
Jorge was taken into custody on suspicion of drunk driving at the hospital and the sheriff's office has alleged that open bottles of an alcohol content were found in his vehicle. Jorge's blood alcohol concentration was 0.19, more than twice the legal limit allowed to drive, according to the criminal complaint. He is considered undocumented and illegally in the country.
He is facing several charges of operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) and causing bodily harm while OWI. Sheriff investigators are looking into Jorge's encounter with a Greenfield police officer during a traffic stop before the accident occured. No further comment was released from the sheriff's office.
A hold was placed on Jorge by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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SUV Driver Fled Scene After Two Killed In Milwaukee's Southside Auto Crash

Driver that fled fatal crash was arrested by police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 24, 2011
(Updated)

Milwaukee - On Sunday, police confirmed that two people in a vehicle died as a result of a fatal accident at the 1200 block of W. Rogers St. and another driver involved in an SUV survived, but fled the scene. The accident was reported shortly after 2:00 a.m., the driver, Ernesto Montejo-Cortes, 26, aka, Andres Santiago-Ramirez, and a passenger, Raynel Villareal-Lucas, 35, of a white Toyota Corolla involved died at the scene. The victims were identified by the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.
At least five vehicles were damaged including two that were totaled, according to police. Investigators say, a 35-year-old male driver of an SUV left the scene along with two of his passengers before police or emergency personnel arrived. Police later arrested the SUV driver involved in the crash and charges are pending for leaving the scene. The 35-year-old suspect is in the country illegally and a hold has been place on him by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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Mexican National Became Anchorage Police Officer In Alaska With Stolen Identity

Rafael Mora-Lopez

Photo: Anchorage Police

A mexican national working as an Anchorage police officer busted by feds after trying to renew U.S. passport.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 23, 2011

Anchorage - On Friday, Rafael Mora-Lopez, 47, pleaded not guilty to passport fraud in the U.S. District Court of Alaska. Lopez, a Mexican national using the name of Rafael Espinoza was arrested last Thursday after feds in the U.S. Department of State processing a passport renewal request by Lopez discovered the identity theft. Lopez who is married and has a child had been employed in the Anchorage Police Department since 2005, according to Anchorage Police Chief Mark Mew.
Chief Mew during a press conference on Friday described Lopez as a hard working officer and very professional, but he is not Rafael Espinoza. The real Rafael Ezpinoza does not live in Alaska.
Lopez was released on $50,000 bail and must wear a monitoring ankle bracelet. He is facing 10 years in federal prison, if convicted and then would be deported after serving his sentence. He is the second Mexican national to be caught illegally working as a police officer in the U.S.
In 2007, Oscar Ayala-Cornejo, 25, was arrested on May 31, and charged in the U.S. District Court of Wisconsin for using a dead cousins identity Jose A. Morales, to work as a police officer in the Milwaukee Police Department. He was facing three years in prison, but pleaded guilty in a plea agreement. Cornejo was sentenced to one year probation, but instead was deported to Mexico without serving any prison time.
His brother Alex Ayala-Cornejo, 27, a U.S. Citizen and a Milwaukee Police Officer was fired in September 2007 for not reporting Oscar to the department. Alex was reinstated and received a 10-day suspension for knowing his brother Oscar was undocumented and had become a police aide before becoming an officer in 2004.
Oscar is currently living in Mexico.
 
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Mexican Zeta Attorney Handled Property Transfers In Kidnappings As Ransom Payments In Quintana Roo

Attorney Marco Antonio Gómez Rodríguez

Photo: SSP

Zeta attorney arrested by Mexican feds in Quintana Roo.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 21, 2011

Mexico City, Mexico - On Wednesday, Mexican Federal Police arrested Attorney Marco Antonio Gómez Rodríguez for his part in transferring properties for ransom payoff's involving Zeta Cartel kidnappings. Rodríguez was taken into custody by police in the Benito Juarez municipality of Quintana Roo state, according to the Mexican Assistant Attorney General's Office Department of Special Investigations of Organized Crime (SIEDO). Rodríguez is accused of providing legal work for the Zetas and negiotiated payoff's for victims through the exchange of properties and cash for ransom.
Members of the Zeta's would kidnap local merchants or business owners and in return would later negiotiate their freedom with family members of the victims. Some family members would provide limited cash and the Zeta's would forced them to turn over land property ownership to make up the difference.
The Zeta's had Attorney Rodríguez handle their negiotiations and legal transactions in Cancún and the Playa del Carmen in Quintana Roo. Rodriguez would have his two secretaries Erika Castillo Acosta and Anabel Ruiz Magallanes take the land property titles to Notary Public # 46, Alma Lilia Luna Oliva in Puerto Morelos to notarize the title transfers, according to the SIEDO complaint.
The investigation began in 2008, when a female business owner was kidnapped and her family paid in cash $1.5 milliones de pesos ($125,000 U.S.), which included a property to complete the ransom at the time.
Rodríguez is also facing corruption charges involving state judicial police officials and a prison warden.

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Mexican Federal Police Rescued 68 Kidnapped Bus Passengers From Members Of Gulf Cartel In Tamaulipas

Photo: SSP

Two suspects detained in kidnappings

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 20, 2011

Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico - On Wednesday, the Mexican Federal Police (SSP) confirmed that 68 passengers traveling in a Reynosa bus were rescued Tuesday from kidnappers connected to the Gulf Cartel. The victims were being loaded into vehicles by suspects at the Privadas de las Americas neighborhood.
Police noticed two armed men near five vehicles sprayed with gunfire. When federal officers got close to investigate, the suspects tried to flee.
Both Henry Roberto Rodríguez García, 24, and José Ernesto Varela Herrera, 30, were taken into custody. The suspects were handed over to the Federal Public Ministry Department for further processing, according to federal police.
Police say, among the kidnapped victims were 12 undocumented immigrants, 8 of the passengers were from Guatemala, 2 from Honduras, 1 from El Salvador and 1 from Panama.

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Russian Villagers Find Alien Body And Video Leaked

A hoax or real alien?

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 19, 2011

Russia - A YouTube video showing what seemed an alien body in the snow has gone viral getting more than 1.5 million views. Siberian villagers in the Republic of Buryathia, Kabanskly District in Russia reported bright pink lights before witnessing an explosion in the horizon. They later discovered the lifeless body (2 meters long, 6.5 feet) near the village of Kamensk, just North of Lake Baikal, which was missing limbs attributed to an alleged UFO explosion in the area.
The images of the alien was recorded and a news article about UFO's sightings in the region was reported earlier in the month by Russia Today. Russian government officials and investigators arrived within several hours of the alleged alien discovery, but wouldn't confirm that an actual UFO crash was found in the area.
The alien body was removed and taken to an undisclosed location by government officials and they have yet to confirm the discovery or deny the body was an alien, according to media reports. Since then, the alien video was leaked on YouTube. Some media outlets are classifying the alien discovery as a hoax.

Video of alien discovery at link: http://bit.ly/hm0cJc

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Recall Against Alderman Witkowiak Thrown Out By Milwaukee Election Commission

City Election Commission determined, not enough valid signatures to recall 12th District Alderman Witkowiak.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 19, 2011

Milwaukee - On Tuesday, the Milwaukee Election Commission decided to throw out a recall petition aimed to remove Alderman James Witkowiak from the 12th Aldermanic District. The commission agreed with Alderman Witkowiak and Friends of James Witkowiak campaign committee that a large amount of signatures in recall petitions failed to meet verification and were voided. A significant amount of signatures gathered by recall organizers had been forged and others who signed the petitions showed fraudulent addresses with empty lots or businesses in which signators weren't residing at.
Witkowiak and members of his campaign committee went to more than 1,000 addresses found in recall petitions and discovered major discrepancies. Previously, the election commission had confirmed that 539 signatures of 1,603 signatures turned in were invalid. At least 1,064 were considered valid and only 1,040 valid signatures are required to force a recall, according to Susan Edman, executive director of the City of Milwaukee Election Commission.
Witkowiak needed to prove that more than 24 signatures were also invalid to force the commission to revoke the recall petition against him. Recall organizers failed to get the required valid signatures to proceed with the recall.
Alderman Witkowiak claimed, his campaign committee proved that more than half of the recall petitions with signatures were false, people who signed those petitions either didn't exist or did not live at addresses and some addresses were vacant lots.
Witkowiak said he will push for a full investigation into the fraudulent signatures in petitions. “I’m calling on the City Attorney and District Attorney to conduct a thorough investigation of who and what was involved here and consider criminal charges,” Witkowiak said. He plans to turn over copies of the documents submitted to the City Election Commission and examples of the fraudulent signatures to the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office.
A recall petition was filed by Mirna Santiago who lives in the 12th Aldermanic District and her daughter the recall treasurer Malinda Meller who lives outside of the district. Santiago claimed and alleged Alderman Witkowiak has used law enforcement resources in an attempt to close businesses and eliminate jobs...Witkowiak making false statements and using his staff Mike McGuire for political purposes and engaging to "eliminate jobs," according to the January 21 petition filing statement.
Santiago and recall supporters can appeal the city Election Commission's decision not to certify Witkowiak's recall petition. Santiago or Meller could not be reach for comment.

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Undocumented Immigrants Paid $11.2 Billion In U.S. State And Local Taxes In 2010

The Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy study estimates billions of dollars in state and local taxes paid by undocumented immigrant households.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 19, 2011

Washington, D.C. - On Monday, the Immigration Policy Center (IPC) reported estimates produced by the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) for state and local taxes paid in 2010 by households that are headed by undocumented immigrants (UI's) in the country. The ITEP study shows that UI households paid a combined total of $11.2 billion in state and local taxes, which included $1.2 billion in personal income taxes, $1.6 billion in property taxes, and $8.4 billion in sales taxes.
The IPC press release says, that Tax Day is an appropriate time to underscore the often-overlooked fact that undocumented immigrants pay taxes. UI's, like everyone else in the United States, pay sales taxes. They also pay property taxes—even if they rent. At least half of undocumented immigrants pay income taxes. Add this all up and it amounts to billions in revenue to state and local governments.
These figures should be kept in mind as politicians and commentators continue with the seemingly endless debate over what to do with unauthorized immigrants already living in the United States. In spite of the fact that they lack legal status, these immigrants—and their family members—are adding value to the U.S. economy; not only as taxpayers, but as workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs as well, according to IPC.
Another underscored issue, at least half of UI's submit their tax forms to state and federal revenue departments by April 18, but the rest don't submit income tax returns. Thus adding to billions of dollars taken by employers through deductions of federal and state taxes in earned income. The state and federal revenue departments (IRS) aren't able to refund some of those over paid taxes in returns, because half of UI's in the country don't file tax returns. The unrefundable funds remained in suspended accounts and don't get reported to the U.S. Congressional Budget Office by states or the IRS.
Nonrefundable tax returns can be estimated since the 1986 Amnesty expired for those UI taxpayers who couldn't qualify and for the millions of new UI taxpayers that continued to flow into the U.S. searching for work and a better life. In the last 25 years, those estimates can reach up to more than $280 billion of state and local taxes paid by UI's. No doubt, states and local governments have benefited from the UI's generated taxes.
Today, U.S. Hispanics including undocumented immigrants have an ability to flex more than $800 billion to $1.5 trillion dollars in purchasing power by 2013 and can no doubt use it to influence immigration reform in the next several years.
U.S. Census officials reported, that 50.5 million Hispanics were counted in 2010, 16.3% of total U.S. population and a 43% growth since 2000.

Unauthorized Immigrants Pay Taxes, Too: Estimates of the State and Local Taxes Paid by Unauthorized Immigrant Households (IPC Special Report, April 18, 2011) link: http://bit.ly/eJgnY0

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Live Station Via Crucis Procession Set For Good Friday In Milwaukee's Hispanic Community

Photo by HNG

April 19, 2011

Milwaukee (HNNUSA) - The Archdiocese of Milwaukee and the Hispanic Ministry Office have announced that on Good Friday, April 22, a Via Crucis will once more be observed in the southside predominantly Hispanic community. This Via Crucis procession reenacts the Passion of Our Lord Jesus, a tradition that in Latin America dates back many generations.
The procession will begin at 1:00 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Parish, 2114 W. Mitchell Street and will conclude around 4:00 p.m. at the Basilica of St. Josaphat, 2333 S. 6th Street.

Únase a la comunidad hispana de la Arquidiócesis de Milwaukee y la Oficina de Ministerio Hispano en esta procesión que conmemora la pasión de Nuestro Señor Jesús, una tradición que en nuestros países de origen se remonta por muchas generaciones. La procesión comenzará a la 1:00 p.m. en la Parroquia San Vicente de Paul, 2114 W. Mitchell Street y concluirá a las 4:00 p.m. en la Basilica de San Josaphat, 2333 S. 6th Street.

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El Kilo, Zeta Leader In Tamaulipas Arrested In Victoria Mexico By Mexican Marines

Martín Omar Estrada Luna, aka, "El Kilo"

Photos: Publimetro dot com/Semar

Body count could rise as investigators uncover graves.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 18, 2011

Mexico City - On Sunday, the Mexican Department of Navy (Semar) presented Martín Omar Estrada Luna, aka, "El Kilo or El Comandante" during a press conference. Luna, the leader of the Zeta cartel in the state of Tamaulipas is accused of kidnappings and the murder of more than 220 victims in San Fernando. He was taken into custody by Mexican marines on Saturday in the city of Victoria.
He was arrested along with five other suspected members of Los Zetas. They were identified as Luis Manuel Salazar Sánchez, 26, Heber Alfredo Ahumada Banda, 26, aka, “El Cholo,” Julieta Maricela Almaguer Reyes, 25, Juana Marlene Celaya Saldaña, 18, and Lucero Peña Martínez, 18.
In a second operation, marines arrested the following suspects also implicated with the San Fernando Zeta homicides. They were identified as Miguel A. Hernández Hernández, 40, aka, “El Chimuelo,” Víctor Cuitláhuac Montoya Torres, 22, aka, “Degollado,” Yezenia Vianey López Romero, 21, Claudia Valeria Fuentes Martínez, 19, aka, “La Popis,” Delia Selene Rodríguez Carlos, 18, and José Eduardo González Fuentes, 18,
Three vehicles were confiscated, 6 high power rifles, 10 bullet magazines, 344 rounds of various types of ammunition and drugs including cocaine and marijuana, according to Semar.
Last week, 16 San Fernando municipal police officers were taken into custody for being on the Zeta payroll and for covering up the massacre that claimed the lives of more than 220 people. They were also implicated in the cover up of 72 homicides in 2010. In August, the bodies of victims mostly immigrants were discovered in clandestine graves in San Fernando.
Mexican authorities believe the body count could rise as investigators continue to uncover graves.
On April 14,  Mexican marines arrested 24 suspects implicated in the recent discovery of 148 bodies buried in clandestine graves in San Fernando. They also confiscated 13 vehicles, 15 high power rifles, 100 bullet magazines, 1,230 rounds of various types of ammunition.
The Mexican Attorney General's Office (PRG) has confirmed, that 55 suspects, including 16 municipal police officers and 39 alleged Zeta members have been detained in connection with the multiple homicides, since the first clandestine graves were discovered on April 6. A Mexican federal judge has ordered 22 suspects held for 40 days allowing federal prosecutors time to gather evidence for homicide convictions.

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Gutierrez Called On President Obama To Use His Discretion And Executive Power To Halt Deportations

Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)

Photos by HNG

Illinois congressman to continue to pursue the DREAM Act.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 17, 2011

Milwaukee - On Sunday, U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) attended a Voces de la Frontera community gathering as a guest speaker during his listening tour of testimonials and deportations. His tour began in Chicago on Saturday and will head to Detriot and then Charlotte N.C. after Milwaukee. The meeting was held at St. Adalbert Catholic Church basement, 1923 W. Becher St. for members of the southside predominantly Hispanic community to raise their voices and to show support for Gutierrez's quest to pursue passage of the DREAM Act. Last year, the DREAM Act was killed in the U.S. Senate.
Gutierrez said, President Barack Obama has the executive privilege to use discretion and to stop the mass deportations of undocumented parents of more than 4 million U.S. born children. President Obama hasn't kept his word in passing immigration reform or hasn't used his discretion to allow millions of undocumented students to stay in the country while Congress can work out differences and pass the DREAM Act, Gutierrez told the crowd.
One important strategic issue that was not mentioned at the gathering was the economic impact Latinos have in the country. Today, U.S. Hispanics including undocumented immigrants have an ability to flex more than $800 billion to $1.5 trillion dollars in purchasing power by 2013 and can no doubt use it to influence immigration reform in the next several years.
Gutierrez did mentioned that the Hispanic vote can determine a presidential election in 2012 as it did in 2008.
Neither Gutierrez or Voces de la Frontera focused on the economic empowerment Hispanics have generated and the billions of U.S. dollars Latinos contribute into the economy. It seems, they overlooked or just came short of promoting regulated spending by Latinos during the immigration reform movement.
Almost five years have passed since Hispanics united nationally against anti-immigrant bills, marched, and voted in large numbers electing the first African-American president who had promised immigration reform. Even today, "President Obama has failed to keep that promise," Gutierrez said.
Latinos do have an economic impact in the country, but have yet to fully excercise their purchasing power to influence immigration reform. The economic equation is simple to learn, buy from Latino owned businesses and businesses that support the community plus buy only essential items and don't over spend at businesses who don't support immigration reform and the DREAM Act equals economic influence for Immigration reform. Hispanics should learn not to buy from businesses, that won't reinvest in the economic and educational growth of the local community. The economic practice of managing expenditures should last until Congress passes a bill for immigration reform, including the DREAM Act.
About, 400 thousand undocumented immigrants are deported every year from the U.S. and with the Secure Communities Program (SCP) implemented by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the deportations could rise to 800,000 per year.
Gutierrez criticized the SCP for over reaching and not following the memorandum agreement with states, including Wisconsin. Under the SCP agreement, the program specified that undocumented immigrants considered criminals and convicted of a felony should be targeted for deportation. But in many cases, noncriminals have been processed under SCP and hard working undocumented immigrants have been deported, separating families, according to Gutierrez.
Congressman Gutierrez affirmed, that he will pursue the passage of the DREAM Act for millions of undocumented students allowing them to remain in the U.S. to continue their studies at universities and colleges. Currently, Gutierrez is facing an uphill battle, because the Republicans control the U.S. House of Representatives and don't support immigration reform.
Voces organizers say, the broken immigration system is causing harm to millions of U.S. born children and their families through saparations and deportations. Hispanics around the country are facing similar proposed Arizona immigration enforcement copycat type of bills that can lead to profiling and discrimination, if enacted.
In Wisconsin, State Representative Donald Pridemore (R-Hardford) confirmed that he will introduce a similar Arizona SB 1070 by next week in the state. Pridemore's bill will allow police to ask for legal status of suspected undocumented people during traffic stops and investigations. Police could hold a person for 48 hours and can then turned them over to ICE, if they can't prove their legal status in the state and country. Public and city service providers would be required to ask for legal status from people seeking city services.

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El Comandante Kilo, Zeta Leader Implicated In The San Fernando Massacre Of 220 Victims Arrested By Mexican Navy

Martín Omar Estrada Luna, aka, "El Kilo and El Comandante Kilo"

Photos by PGR

Zeta leader in the municipality of San Fernando also involved in the 2010 homicides of 72 victims.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 16, 2011

San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico - On Saturday, Mariano Saynez Mendoza, the Secretary of the Mexican Navy (Semar) announced the arrest of the Zeta leader Martín Omar Estrada Luna, aka, "El Kilo and Comandante Kilo." Luna was wanted in connection with the recent discovery of 148 bodies in clandestine graves in San Fernando. The feds say, the body count could reach more than 200. The Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) had offered a reward of $1.2 million dollars ($15 milliones de pesos) for Luna's arrest.
Luna was arrested with four other members of the Zetas. He is also implicated with last year's discovery of 72 bodies found in a ranch and clandestine graves in the property. A total of 220 bodies have been found, including 72 bodies from August 2010.
So far, 36 Zeta suspects have been implicated and arrested in the mass murders, including 16 municipal police officers from San Fernando. The officers are accused of covering up the mass murders and were paid by the criminal organization known as the Zetas. They provided protection and information about the military, federal and state operations in the region, according to the PGR.
During the week, the Tamaulipas state PGR identified several of the bodies as the remains of Elvis Martinez, 33, Gonzalo García Casanova from the state of Matamoros and Feliciano Tagal Ovalle, 44, of Guatemala. The rest of the bodies are considered to be Mexican nationals.
Authorities in 2010 identified 40 victims of the 72 bodies found in San Fernando from ID documentation the victims were carrying. The PGR confirmed that 13 were from El Salvador, 15 from Honduras, 5 from Guatemala, 6 from Ecuador and 1 from Brazil.  

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36 Suspects Including 16 San Fernando Municipal Police Officers Implicated In 148 Homicides And Disposing Bodies

Mugshots of 16 suspects arrested earlier in the week in connection with the homicides.

Military police arrested 16 municipal police officers connected to mass murders

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 15, 2011

San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico - The Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) announced the arrest of 16 San Fernando municipal police officers connected to Zetas and the homicide cover up of 148 victims discovered buried in clandestine graves. The suspects were on the payroll of los Zetas and provided protection and information to the criminal organization about military, federal and state police operations in the area. 
The PGR identified the officers as Guadalupe Hernández Ibarra, Remigio Camarillo Mireles, Óscar Jaramillo Sosa, Martín García Badillo, José Luis Aguilar Vélez, Jesús Ramos Pérez, Eliodoro Robles Sánchez, Elpidio Reyes Sáenz, Gilberto Rivera Hernández, Lázaro Flores Peña, María Guadalupe Galván Hernández, Mario Alberto Romero Hernández, Santos Maldonado Reyes, Julio Guadalupe Jaramillo Vela, José Manuel Ávila Lugo and Rogelio de la Portilla Heredia.
The Mexican government is offering a reward for information leading to the arrest of four members of los Zetas involved in the homicides. They were identified as Salvador Alfonso Martínez Escobedo, aka, “La Ardilla,” Omar Martín Estrada Luna, aka, “El Kilo,” Román Ricardo Palomo Rincones, aka, “El Coyote,” and Sarahí Fabiola Díaz Arroyo, aka, “Fila or Muñeca.” A reward of $1,281,065 U.S. (15 milliones de pesos) each was posted for the arrest of La Ardilla and El Kilo, $854,043 U.S. (10 milliones de pesos) reward for the arrest of El Coyote and $427,021 U.S. (5 milliones de pesos) reward for La Muñeca, according to the PGR.
On Tuesday, the PGR arrested 16 other alleged members of los Zetas implicated in the San Fernando mass murders. So far, 36 suspects have been implicated, 32 have been arrested and four are being sought in connection with the 148 bodies found in clandestine graves in the municipality of San Fernando. Authorities believe the body count could reach more than two hundred.
The victims were kidnapped from several buses between March 24 through the 29 and later killed by the suspects, according to the PGR. Several of the bodies were identified as the remains of Gonzalo García Casanova from the state of Matamoros and Feliciano Tagal Ovalle, 44, of Guatemala. The rest of the bodies are considered to be Mexican nationals.
People from throughout the region who have reported family members missing have been providing DNA to state investigators to try and identify bodies.
Last year in August, 72 bodies were found in clandestine graves in San Fernando.

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Armed Robber Fled Without Cash From Hamdan Bros. Foodmarket On Chavez Drive In Milwaukee

Armed robbery suspect walks into the foodmart.

Ragheb Hamdan

Photos by HNG

Foodmart owner ignored armed robber demands to hand over money because he knew the suspect.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 14, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, a black male suspect was arrested shortly after going into the Hamdan Bros. Foodmart, 1230 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive at 12:27 p.m. and showed a handgun to rob the place, but left empty handed. Ragheb Hamdan, the foodmart owner said, the suspect first walked in with three other men and then left. The suspect came back and walked around the store asked for a box of cigarettes and left without purchasing anything.
Minutes later, he came back and ordered Hamdan to hand over the cash while exhibiting a handgun from his waist. Hamdan ignored his demands and told him, "I know you and I'm not going to give you anything."
The suspect tried to open the cash register, but failed. Hamdan then pick up the phone and started dialing 911 and told the suspect police were on their way to the store. The suspect immediately turned to the exit and walked out securing the handgun in his waist.
Police arrived in several minutes brandishing shotguns and Hamdan was able to tell police officers where the suspect actually lived. Within minutes, the suspect was arrested by police at the 1200 block of S. 17th St., which is just one block West of where the foodmart is located. Several other suspects were also taken into custody for questioning.
Hamdan says, the suspect comes into the store almost everyday and buys a cigar and chips. Even family members of the suspect come to buy items at the store in a regular basis.
The armed suspect was captured by surveillance cameras in the foodmart. Police took a video copy of the armed robber attempting to rob Hamdan.
Hamdan has operated the foodmart for 28 years and had been robbed four times including Thursday. "I told the suspect, uncover your face because I already know who your are. The suspect was wearing gloves," Hamdan said. The suspect must have not cared about robbing the foodmart, even when cameras are placed inside and outside the building, according to Hamdan. Hamdan feels very lucky that he wasn't shot by the suspect for refusing to hand over the cash. The surveillance cameras and the recorded video helped police identify the suspect very quickly.
Hamdan who suffered a knee injury while falling from a ladder several months ago while trying to find a leak in the roof, still uses crutches to move around. He is currently selling the store and is retiring from operating the foodmart.
On Wednesday, several aldermen from the South side announced that more surveillance cameras will be installed along S. Chavez Drive business district, between W. Greenfield Ave. and W. National Ave.

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OpenSky Police Radio Emergency Call Busy During South Side Hardware Shooting

The Milwaukee Common Council passed request for Police Department to issue communication radios to public officials.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 14, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office released a video that captured moments inside the Mamayek Ace Hardware store after a man was shot on April 4 by police. The video showed an officer trying to use his OpenSky radio at least three times to communicate with the police operator, but couldn't get through because it was busy. The incident brought a heated debate on Tuesday's Common Council meeting.
Alderman Robert "Bob" G. Donovan critcized the failure of the OpenSky to allow police to communicate with the department during an emergency. The failure of the radios to operate properly puts officers safety at risk and danger, according to Donovan.
Several weeks ago, a 23-year-old man got into an argument with his mother inside a hardware store at the 2100 block of W. National Ave. and ended up stabbing her. When police arrived, the man came at officers with the knife and was shot by one of the officers. The suspect survived and is expected to be charged.
An officer tried to communicate with the department, but couldn't get through. The OpenSky system has been known to fail numerous times and has cost the city taxpayers more than $18 million.
The police department recently enable an emergency button system on the OpenSky radios that automatically cuts through to the operator during emergencies. But, officers haven't been fully trained on how the system works, according to Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn who defended the failed OpenSky system. Flynn admitted, OpenSky is not a perfect system and has failed at least 10 percent of the time.
Alderman Donovan wanted to initiate a probe into the failed OpenSky system and had requested for Flynn to provide him with information and documents concerning the operation of OpenSky. Flynn has denied the request citing it was to broad, would take 1,500 staff hours to compile and would be too costly to get the information.
On Tuesday, the Common Council on a vote of 10-3 approved a resolution to allow the police department to issue a police radio to any public official requesting one to monitor calls. A Common Council subpoena to force Flynn to comply with the information request of a probe by the Public Safety Committee into the OpenSky system was tabled until next month.

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State Democrat Legislators With Latino Leaders Oppose Copycat Arizona Immigration Enforcement Law For Wisconsin

State Representative JoCasta Zamarripa spoke against a proposed immigration enforcement bill.

About seven Latino leaders and three state Representatives held a press conference to oppose a similar Arizona immigration bill

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 13, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, Wisconsin State Representatives JoCasta Zamarripa (D-Milw.), Sandy Pasch (D-Whitefish Bay) and Jon Richards (D-Milwaukee) along with several religious and Latino leaders, including Attorney Peter Earl and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera held a press conference to oppose a similar Arizona immigration enforcement bill for the state. The conference was held outside the Milwaukee County Court House.
Zamarripa says, Wisconsin does not need an Arizona SB 1070 copycat law citing the latest ruling by the U.S. District Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that upheld the lower courts injunction to block major provisions of the SB 1070 law and calling it "unconstitutional."
Recently, State Representative Donald Pridemore (R-Hardford) has received the needed support from other Republican legislators to introduce a similar Arizona SB 1070 immigration enforcement bill for Wisconsin. The state is not fiscally prepared to implement such a bill and will cost taxpayers to enforce it. Pridemore should focus on creating jobs and boosting the state economy instead of proposing a law that will create more costs and add to the state's $3.6 billion deficit, according to Zamarripa.
Most state residents and local business owners oppose the proposed Pridemore bill because Wisconsin can't fiscally afford a lenghty legal challenge or a federal lawsuit. Pridemore confirmed Wednesday, that he will introduce his version of the Arizona SB 1070 by next week. He believes it will survive a legal challenge despite Arizona's SB 1070 latest legal setback to implement the law, costs, economic and revenue loss adding to their $33 billion state deficit.
Under Pridemore's immigration enforcement bill, police can ask for legal status from people they suspect are illegally in the state and country once they are stopped for a traffic violation, responding to domestic calls, investigatng minor ordinance violations or major offenses. A suspect can be detained for 48 hours, if they can't proof their legal status and the will be turned in to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Public officials and workers will be authorized to act as immigration agents and could deny public services to suspected undocumented immigrants. The bill was revised to prevent racial profiling, but Zamarripa, Earl and Neumann-Ortiz say it will lead to illegal profiling, discrimination and won't likely survive a legal challenge.
On Monday, a three judge panel of the U.S. District Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in California upheld the lower court decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton in Arizona to block major controversial provisions of the state law SB 1070 immigration enforcement bill. The bill allowed police to ask for legal status from people they suspect are in the country and state illegally during traffic stops, domestic calls and investigations for minor and major offenses. 
Both Court of Appeals 9th Circuit Judges Richard Paez and John T. Noonan agreed that each of the provisions blocked by Judge Bolton in July 2010 were “unconstitutional” and that SB 1070 is preempted by federal law and foreign policy. Bolton in her decision did not abuse her authority, according to the judges.
The Court of Appeals decision gave a big blow and setback to Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's (R) anti-immigration law. In the Court of Appeals, Brewer had tried to overturn Judge Bolton's temperary restraining order blocking key parts of SB 1070 making it useless.
Monday's ruling is a major legal victory for the U.S. Department of Justice who challenged SB 1070 in federal court and the majority of the public who opposed the Arizona state law.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion at link: http://1.usa.gov/es3c1q

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Surveillance Cameras Installed Along S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive Business District In Milwaukee

A surveillance camera at the 1000 block of S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive captures a hit and run death in February.

Police and private surveillance cameras installed in the predominately Latino community.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 13, 2011

Milwaukee - On Wednesday, both Aldermen Robert "Bob" G. Donovan and James Witkowiak announced that surveillance cameras will be installed along S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive business district between W. Greenfield Ave. and W. National Ave. More than 17 cameras should be installed and operating along Chavez Dr. by July 17, according to the aldermen. Witkowiak says, the cameras will help catch vandals spraying graffiti on buildings along the stretch and would eventually deter crime. Some business cameras have already been installed and operating.
On February 20, a surveillance camera from the Sixteen Street Community Health Clinic on Chavez Dr. and W. Washington St. captured a hit and run death. Five days later, Nathaniel Walden, 19, was arrested and charged with the hit and run traffic death of Rufino Dominguez-Rosa, 34. Dominguez-Rosa was crossing Chavez Dr. when Walden going Northbound ran him over and never stopped. The victim was thrown more than one hundred feet from the impact. Walden later confessed to police about hitting Dominguez-Rosa. He is facing 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines, if convicted.
Three years ago, Alderman Donovan began the Operation Impact Project, which privately funds cameras. Under the project, numerous cameras have been installed outside businesses in the South side 12th and 8th Aldermanic Districts. Business owners pay a discount price for the equipment and installation from Cornerstone company.
Police are allowed by business owners to have access to monitor the privately operated cameras as well from the Milwaukee Police 2nd District station, according to Donovan.
Police operated cameras have been also installed at the 1600 block and 2700 block of W. National Ave., S. 13th St., S. 7th, and S. 16th along W. Historic Mitchell St., and other areas.

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Mexican Feds Discovered 32 Bodies Totaling 120 In San Fernando Tamaulipas Clandestine Graves

16 suspected Zetas implicated in mass murder of bus passengers taken into custody. Photos PGR

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 12, 2011

San Fernando, Tamaulipas, Mexico - On Tuesday, the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) and the National Military Defense Secretary (Sedena) confirmed that 32 bodies were found today in clandestine graves within the municipality of San Fernando. The total of bodies found so far in more than four graves has raised the body count to 120 since last week.
Several of the bodies were identified as the remains of Gonzalo García Casanova from the state of Matamoros and Feliciano Tagal Ovalle, 44, of Guatemala. The rest of the bodies are considered to be Mexican passengers from several buses who were reported kidnapped between March 24 through the 29, according to military police.
Investigators confirmed that 16 suspects connected to los Zetas including two women have been taken into custody. Armando Morales Uscanga, one of the suspects confessed that he along with other suspects had participated in the mass murders.
Last year in August, 72 bodies were found in clandestine graves in San Fernando.

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Mora Sentenced To Life In Prison For South Side Double Homicide

Phillip Steven Mora

Mendoza, accomplice in double homicide awaiting trial

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 12, 2011

Milwaukee - On Friday, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Dennis Cimpl sentenced Phillip Steven Mora, 25, to life in prison for the January 23, 2010 first-degree intentional homicide of Salvador Chavarin, 47, outside a South side tavern. Mora must served at least 40 years, before being eligible for parole. He was also sentenced to an additional consecutive 35 years for the murder of Benjamin Nuñez, 20, but will serve 25 years.
Mora was also sentenced to another 40 years on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and two counts for attempted armed robbery, but will serve 15 years on those counts concurrently, and 15 years of supervision on all combined sentences. Mora will actually serve 80 years in prison in the double homicide due to sentence reductions, according to Judge Cimpl's sentencing.
Mora's accomplice in the homicides, Andrew Mendoza, 20, will go on trial in july, according to court records.
On January 23, Nuñez at 2:00 a.m. had just left Los Arcos Tavern located in the 700 block of W. Greenfield Ave. to go pick up his girlfriend when Mora and Mendoza approached him and tried to rob him. While Nuñez was walking to his truck in a nearby parking lot.
The bartender at the tavern noticed both Mora and Mendoza assaulting Nuñez, and told other patrons of an attempted robbery. Chavarin, one of the patrons came to help Nuñez and was able to grab one of the suspects. Mora then shot Chavarin in the chest in the parking lot before also shooting Nuñez several times in the head and neck.
Mora fled to Texas and was later arrested in July 2010 in Brownsville on a parole violation for a drug and firearm charge. He was taken to the Cameron County Jail where it was determine Mora was wanted in Milwaukee for a double homicide, according to the Cameron County Sheriff's Department.

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Facebook Censors Mexican Narco Trafico News Reporting Page

Page administrators create second Facebook page after losing friends and followers

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 11, 2011

Mexico - On Monday, the administrator of Narco Trafico en Mexico dot blogspot dot com reported that their Facebook page had been censored and shutdown over the weekend. Narco Trafico Facebook apparently couldn't log in or post any news reports coming out of Mexico concerning homicides, drug trafficking, drug cartel busts, Mexican government and police corruption and other related articles.
Narco Trafico is an alternative news source for Mexican nationals, general public and the government. News articles and photos appear without by lines to protect the reporters and were published by national and local newspapers in Mexico.
The Narco Trafico administrator wrote that they have set up another Facebook page to continue with their reporting citing freedom of the press and expression on the social network. Facebook administrators have not commented on the censor. 
Have major drug cartels paid off Facebook to censor Narco Trafico's reporting on their illegal activities or is it just Facebook regulating content for its social network?

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U.S. Court of Appeals Upholds Decision To Block Major Controversial Parts Of Arizona's SB 1070 Immigration Enforcement Law

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton

Arizona legislators violated U.S. Constitution

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 11, 2011

Phoenix - On Monday, a three-judge panel for the U.S. District Circuit Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in California upheld the lower court decision by U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton in Arizona to block major controversial provisions of the state law. The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) filed a legal challenge against Arizona's SB 1070 immigration enforcement law claiming it was unconstitutional.
Both 9th Circuit Judges Richard Paez and John T. Noonan agreed that each of the provisions blocked by Judge Bolton in July 2010 were “unconstitutional” and that SB 1070 is preempted by federal law and foreign policy.
In their opinion under Preemption of Section 2 (B), "[6] By imposing mandatory obligations on state and local officers, Arizona interferes with the federal government’s authority to implement its priorities and strategies in law enforcement, turning Arizona officers into state-directed DHS agents. [...]
[8] The record unmistakably demonstrates that SB 1070 has had a deleterious effect on the United States’ foreign relations, which weighs in favor of preemption. [...]
[10] Finally, the threat of 50 states layering their own immigration enforcement rules on top of the INA [Immigration and Nationality Act] also weighs in favor of preemption."
The Court of Appeals decision gave big blow and setback to Governor Jan Brewer's anti-immigration law, which required state and local police officers to ask for legal status, if they suspected someone was illegally in the country during an investigation. In the Court of Appeals, Brewer had tried to overturn Judge Bolton's temperary restraining order blocking key parts of SB 1070 making it useless.
Monday's ruling is a major legal victory for the USDOJ and the majority of the public who opposed the Arizona SB 1070 state law.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals opinion at link: http://1.usa.gov/es3c1q

For Judge Bolton's ruling click: http://bit.ly/aWVo5q

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Independent Riders of Wisconsin Riding The Hot Wave

April 10, 2011

Milwaukee, WI (HNNUSA) - H. Nelson Goodson, co-founder of the Independent Riders of Wisconsin took first HD ride of the season with 78 degrees and sunny weather. Winter street salt washed away. Background picture at the 1600 block of S. Cesar E. Chavez Dr. :)
Heavy rain, high winds and thunderstorms expected in the tri-state area late afternoon.

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Voces de la Frontera Closed Milwaukee M&I Bank Account In Protest

Photos by HNG

Demonstrators gathered outside the South side M&I Bank to protest executives campaign contributions for Governor Walker and his anti-immigrant budget and policies.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 9, 2011

Milwaukee - On Saturday, Wisconsin Jobs Now and Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of Voces de la Frontera held a joined press conference before closing the organization's M&I Bank account at 2701 W. National Ave. About one hundred people chanted "El Pueblo Vive, La Lucha Vive, Si Se Puede...Escucha Furlong estamos en la lucha" in front of the bank.  Neumann-Ortiz called it a day of action against M&I Bank by closing accounts due to the fact that M&I CEO Mark Furlong and other executives from the bank were the largest corporate contributors to Governor Scott Walker (R) and other Wisconsin republicans during the 2010 campaign season.
In a letter to Furlong signed by those closing their accounts on Saturday said, "I am closing my account with M&I in protest against Governor Scott Walker's anti-immigrant budget and polices. While posing behind a facade of "fiscal responsibility," this administration has created a policy disaster for immigrants and working families in this state."
Neumann-Ortiz said, Governor Walker was promoting and institutionalizing discrimination against immigrants by denying life-saving medical care for low-income non-U.S. citizens who have legal status and eliminating prenatal care for pregnant women who are undocumented, endangering the life of the woman and child.
M&I executives have said, they don't control the right for employees to contribute and support political campaigns of their choice. Voces wants M&I to publicly oppose Governor Walker's campaign promise to sign into law a similar Arizona immigration enforcement bill, if the controlled Republican legislature approves the measure.
More than a hundred Hispanic M&I Bank account holders have recently closed accounts. Voces and the Latino community are angered by the recent controversial budget repair bill passed in Wisconsin and how it will hurt low income and working class immigrant communities. Voces de la Frontera also wants to send a clear message to lawmakers that may be considering other legislation that hurts the immigrant community.
Walker's two year budget is proposing to cut in-state tuition for undocumented students attending universities and colleges. The budget cuts FoodShare for legal immigrant residents.
Voces is anticipating that State Representative Donald Pridemore (R-Hartford) will most likely introduce a similar Arizona immigration enforcement bill for Wisconsin. Voces has been gearing up for a major boycott, protests and an awareness for the Wisconsin Hispanic community to spend less at businesses that don't support the community in wake of a proposed anti-immigrant bill.
Voces confirmed that it gained support by more than 200 businesses, including Latino owned businesses that are opposing a Pridemore immigration bill for the state.
Pridemore has been trying to get legislators to sponsor his immigration bill. But most state residents agreed that the state is not fiscally ready to handle a long legal challenge, a combined major national and state economic boycotts for Wisconsin as Arizona has experienced costing them hundreds of millions in state business revenues, tourism and legal fees.
Arizona is facing more than $32 billion state deficit compared to Wisconsin's $3.6 billion state deficit.

Copy of Pridemore's Wisconsin illegal immigration bill (PDF) at link: http://bit.ly/eyjCGo

Statistics:

More than 3,000 Hispanic owned businesses in the state generate more than $1 billion in annual sales. In Milwaukee, over 850 Hispanic owned businesses generate more than $225 million in annual sales. It is abundantly clear that the immigration of Hispanics and undocumented immigrants to Southeastern Wisconsin is tied to a large degree to the available resources that Hispanics have in the area.
A city economic study reported that the South side households in the predominately Latino community located inside Postal Zip Code 53204 in Milwaukee spend more than $91 million annually in retail goods, according to the 2006 Department of City Development statistics. In one day, they spent approximately $249,315.06. The biggest tax-generating base for the city comes solely from the South side.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported in March 2010, that the Wisconsin Hispanic population in the state grew by 74%, 336,056, an increase of 143,135 from 2000. Hispanics now account for 5.9 percent of Wisconsin's total population.
The Hispanic population in Milwaukee County rose by 126,039 and the Dane County Hispanic population grew by 28,925.
The City of Milwaukee saw a increase of 40%, 103,107 in Hispanic population, and saw a loss of 6%, from 605,013 to 594,833 of population now residing in the city, according to the 2010 census. Compared to a census report in 2009, that the Hispanic population rose about 48%, 285,827 or 5.1% of the population in the state.
Milwaukee County saw an increase of 39%, 114,238 or 12% of the population, Racine County saw a 35% increase, 20,262 in population. Waukesha saw a 42% increase of 13,458 in population. Ozaukee County saw a 58% increase of 1,669 in population and in Washington County a 76% increase with 2,693 in population.

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Consul Arnal Palomera To Takeover Chicago Mexican Consulate Within Days

Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomera

Former Mexican Consul General Manuel Rodriguez Arriaga no longer at Chicago Consulate

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 8, 2011

Chicago - Several months ago, Mexican President Felipe Calderon had named Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomera from Denver, Colorado to take over the Chicago Mexican Consulate. Now the Chicago consulate is expecting Arnal Palomera to takeover within days. He was ratified by the Mexican Congress on April 1, and is no longer at the Denver consulate, according to the Denver Consulate website.
Former Chicago Mexican Consul General Manuel Rodriguez Arriaga has left his post to take up his new position as the Mexican Embassador to Peru. Arriaga led a troubled consulate and gained a reputation of not working with most Mexican community organizations. More than twenty organizations had previously complained to President Calderon about his policies, which kept most organizations apart from the consulate.
Arriaga had been criticised for not acting or publically condemning the illegal deportations of thousands of Mexican nationals in the Chicago area, including the illegal private corporation deportation of quadriplegic patient Quelino Jimenez Ojeda, 23, in December by AeroCare and Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Since then, Christ Medical Center executives have admitted that they didn't have permission from a court, Ojeda or his family to illegally deport him to Mexico. Legal action against Christ Medical Center is pending,
The Chicago Mexican community is hoping that Arnal Palomera can reach out to the community and become more active in advocating and providing protection for Mexican nationals. The Consulate under Arnal Palomera is expected to provide better services to the Mexican population in the tri-state area.
The Chicago Consulate makes between $5 to $7 million U.S. annually on visas, Mexican legal documents and services to Mexican nationals from Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois.

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Waukesha County Clerk Confirmed Prosser Received 10,859 Votes From Brookfield Not Counted On Election Night

Kathy Nickolaus

Prosser unofficially leads with 7,759 votes over Kloppenburg for State Supreme Court, according to statewide canvassing certifications on Thursday.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 7, 2011

Waukesha - On Thursday, preliminary canvassing voter returns from several of the 72 counties around the state have put David T. Prosser Jr. ahead by 7,759 votes over JoAnne F. Kloppenburg. The largest votes counted for Prosser came from the City of Brookfield, but due to an error by Kathy Nickolaus, Waukesha County Clerk who admitted in a press conference that she failed to save and check that the Brookfield votes were counted on election night. The next day, Nickolaus said, she discovered the error after a canvassing to certify the totals and contacted the GAB of the error. She then registered a total of 14,315 votes from Brookfield with the GAB. The breakdown of the Brookfield votes are, 10,859 votes for Prosser and 3,456 votes for Kloppenburg.
Votes added from other areas gave Prosser an unofficial lead with 7,759 votes, which included 224 votes from Winnebago County and 12 more votes from Milwaukee County over Kloppenburg who gained almost 300 votes from several counties. The latest statewide vote change is just an example that voter totals could change back and forth as counties do their canvassing to certify totals.
The 72 Wisconsin counties have until April 15 to turn in their certifications to the GAB and candidates have until April 20 to ask for a recall. A recall will most likely take place, according to both the Prosser and Kloppenburg election campaigns.
About 1.5 million people voted in the statewide election.
On Wednesday, Kloppenburg was unofficially declared the winner by 204 votes for the State Supreme Court race by the Wisconsin Governement Accountability Board (GAB). Director and General Counsel Kevin J. Kennedy with the GAB confirmed that unofficially JoAnne F. Kloppenburg had won the election defeating David T. Prosser Jr. by more than several hundred votes in the Spring Election.
The Tuesday reported totals showed, Kloppenburg with 740,090 votes and Prosser with 739,886 votes. Kloppenburg had a lead with 204 votes.

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City of Milwaukee Alderman Witkowiak Claims Fraud In Recall Effort And Wants DA To Investigate

Alderman Witkowiak confident the recall effort against him will fail and calls on Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office to probe recall organizers for alleged fraud.

By H. Nelson Goodson
April 7, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, Alderman James Witkowiak from the 12th Aldermanic District in the South side was knocking on doors trying to confirm signatures at addresses in a recall petition against him. Witkowiak has until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday to turn in any other signatures deemed invalid to the City Election Commission. Alderman Witkowiak has challenged over 800 signatures submitted in recall petitions and so far, the election commission has confirmed that 539 signatures of 1,603 signatures were invalid. At least, 1,064 were considered valid and only 1,040 valid signatures are required to force a recall, according to Susan Edman, executive director of the City of Milwaukee Election Commission.
Witkowiak said, he is confident that more than 24 signatures could be found invalid before the dateline today. Just before noon, he had talked with a man at an address who said the signature wasn't his and he had live in the address for the last six months. Two other signatures were also in the recall petition for the same address, which the man confirmed they were also false, according to Witkowiak.
Witkowiak said, he is confident that the recall effort against him will be thrown out by the City Election Commission. He is filing a complaint with the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office (DA) against the recall organizers for engaging in fraud. Witkowiak claims, his campaign committee can prove that half of the recall petitions with signatures were false, people who signed those petitions either didn't exist or did not live at addresses and some addresses were vacant lots.
Witkowiak supporters went to addresses found in the petitions and discovered the discrepancies or talked to signators who said, they thought they were signing a Governor Walker recall petition or Witkowiak supported prostitution in the district. Alderman Witkowiak sent some of the alleged fraudulent petitions to the DA requesting an investigation and seeks possible criminal charges, if the evidence is conclusive.
In late March through a press release, Friends of James Witkowiak (campaign committee) claimed the recall effort against Witkowiak would fail because more than half the signatures on petitions seeking the recall are fake, fraudulent or otherwise invalid and many were obtained under false pretenses, according to sworn affidavits  and other documents submitted to the City Election Commission on March 31.
“This organized conspiracy is a threat not only to me and the people in my district it is a threat to our city and our way of government,” said Alderman Witkowiak. “It’s nothing more than a sham and a conspiracy to intimidate our city government in a way that is fraudulent and I believe illegal.”
Witkowiak’s campaign volunteers, aided by legal support had combed through hundreds of signatures and visited scores of addresses to find many of those to be vacant lots or buildings where the signators did not live.
“First things first – we’re asking the City Election Commission to review these documents and throw out the recall,” said Witkowiak. “After that, I’m calling on the City Attorney and District Attorney to conduct a thorough investigation of who and what was involved here and consider criminal charges.”
Witkowiak said he was turning over copies of the documents submitted to the City Election Commission and examples of the fraudulent signatures to the Milwaukee County District Attorney.
The recall petition was filed by Mirna Santiago who lives in the 12th Aldermanic District and her daughter the recall treasurer Malinda Meller who lives outside of the district. She claims and alleges Alderman Witkowiak has used law enforcement resources in an attempt to close businesses and eliminate jobs...Witkowiak making false statements and using his staff Mike McGuire for political purposes and engaging to "eliminate jobs," according to the January 21 petition filing statement.

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