40-year-old Harold García From Illinois Was Assaulted At Fiesta Carambola Rest. & Pool Hall Over His Anti-USICE And Anti-Trump Comments In The Southside Of Milwaukee

García says, that he was allegedly assaulted by at least five men including some employees from the Fiesta Carambola at the pool hall.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. 

November 30, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On early Sunday, Harold García, 40, from Illinois posted a video in his Facebook account saying that he was allegedly assaulted around 1:00 a.m. by at least five individuals including some employees from the Fiesta Carambola Restaurant And Pool Hall who were wearing the business name on their shirts at the 1900 block of W. Becher St. over comments against the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (USICE) and Trump including García's pro-support for the Colombian president. Apparently, the individuals at Fiesta Carambola (a Colombian venue) were pro-Trump and USICE who didn't like his comments, according to García.

García says he was with his ex-girlfriend at the Carambola pool hall celebrating his birthday when the incident (assault) occurred by the door while the business private security guards failed to intervene and stop the individuals from beating up García who suffered some injuries and facial bleeding as shown in his video in social media. (Video link: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1ZshSAxABX/)

The Fiesta Carambola Restaurant and Pool Hall has multiple surveillance cameras inside and outside, according to García.

García on Sunday told Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) that his cellphone was also stolen by one of the individuals that attacked him. García claims that the individuals were pro-Trump and USICE.

García says, he will be contacting the Milwaukee Police Department to report the assault, injuries and his stolen cellphone.

According to García who was visiting Milwaukee, he wasn't able to contact police or go to a local hospital for treatment because of the snow storm, but was able to use his ex-girlfriend's cellphone to video record outside the Fiesta Carambola after it closed.

HNNUSA did a business name, including  B Tavern and A liquor license search in the City of Milwaukee. According to the City of Milwaukee Clerk License Division record search, 1910 W. Becher Street was made part of the Class B at 1937 W. Forest Home Ave. via a permanent extension in 2019. It is licensed. It operates as Forest Home Ave. Chicken Palace LLC DBA Chicken Palace Forest Home, which is owned by Valdemar Escobar.

The trade name of Fiesta Carambola has not been registered with the City License Department, and must be updated by Escobar, according to the City License Department.

The following is García's Facebook post, which he mentioned Fiesta Garibaldi in the video that he recorded outside the Fiesta Carambola, but Fiesta Garibaldi responded to García denying any association with Fiesta Carambola Restaurant and Pool Hall.

Harold García dice, Fiesta carambola en Milwaukee south side apoya a trump. Me golpearon por representar la raza. Mi gente vamos a boicotear este negocio que apoya a ICE y va en contra de nuestra comunidad

This business in Milwaukee south side is collaborating with ICE and the Trump agenda. I got beat up for speaking against ICE.

Fiesta Garibaldi response to García.

Comunicado Oficial – Fiesta Garibaldi Lincoln

Fiesta Garibaldi Lincoln desea informar al público que no está asociado ni tiene relación alguna con los establecimientos Fiesta Carambola, Chicken Palace, Fiesta Café ni Fiesta Colombia. Cada negocio opera de manera totalmente independiente y bajo su propia administración.

Lamentamos profundamente lo ocurrido al individuo mencionado en el video que circula en redes. Reprobamos cualquier situación que ponga en riesgo la integridad de una persona y nos solidarizamos con quienes se hayan visto afectados.

Nuestra prioridad sigue siendo ofrecer un espacio seguro, respetuoso y familiar para todos nuestros clientes.

Gracias por su comprensión.

Comunicado Oficial de Fiesta Carambola

A nuestra valiosa comunidad, clientes y amigos:

En Fiesta Carambola, lamentamos profundamente el incidente que ocurrió recientemente en nuestro establecimiento, que ha generado confusión y rumores en redes sociales.

Queremos ser transparentes y categóricos en relación con las acusaciones que han circulado:

Aclaración de los Hechos

Es FALSO que nuestro personal o el establecimiento hayan estado involucrados en una disputa sobre temas de inmigración (ICE).

El conflicto se originó como una discusión personal entre dos grupos de clientes sobre asuntos de política de su país de origen, como lo confirman los testimonios de nuestro personal y el video de seguridad.

Nuestro Compromiso con la Seguridad

Nuestro equipo actuó de inmediato y con profesionalismo para contener la situación y garantizar la seguridad de todos nuestros clientes, siguiendo nuestros protocolos. El personal de seguridad intervino rápidamente para expulsar a las partes confrontadas y evitar que el altercado escalara dentro del local.

Fiesta Carambola está y siempre estará comprometido a brindar un ambiente seguro, respetuoso y de calidad para todos.

Agradecemos a quienes han apoyado a nuestro equipo y a la verdad. Continuaremos trabajando para ser su destino favorito, ofreciendo el mejor servicio a nuestra comunidad.

Update: The video showing the incident on November 29, 2025 with Harold García From Illinois and other individuals inside and outside was released by Fiesta Carambola and García posted it on his Facebook page for public viewing and to be shared. 

The video shows García inside Fiesta Carambola talking with other individuals (no sound), then several security guards asked García to leave and escorted García out of Fiesta Carambola. Then multiple individuals go outside, exchanged some words and then one of them strikes García and several more jumped on García while the security guards from Fiesta Carambola stayed inside and watch García get beaten by the unidentified individuals without intervening. It is not clear in the video, if any Fiesta Carambola employees wearing the Fiesta Carambola business logo were involved as well, as Carcía had claimed.

The video now becomes public evidence that García was allegedly criminally assaulted outside Fiesta Carambola by unidentified individuals.

Also, that the private security contracted by Fiesta Carambola and Fiesta Carambola management at the time failed to prevent the individuals that assaulted García from going outside. Both the private security and Fiesta Carambola employees failed to call police as well.

Fiesta Carambola video: https://youtu.be/DLzD6PH_vIc

43-year-old Ángel Olivares Fatally Shot At The 1900 Block of S. Winona Lane In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Olivares was shot multiple times in the upper torso inside a parked minivan, the driver's side window was shattered by gun shots, according to the homicide investigation.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 29, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Milwaukee police responded to the 1900 block of S. Winona Lane around 10:01 p.m. on Wednesday, November 26, 2025 after shots fired were reported in the Southside of Milwaukee. When police arrived at the location, they located a 43-year-old Ángel Ramon Olivares suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the upper torso inside a parked minivan by the driveway. The driver's side door window was shattered by gunfire, according to the police preliminary investigation.

The victim died at the scene after life-saving measures were unsuccessful.

Police are seeking unknown suspect(s) in connection with the homicide. The homicide investigation is ongoing.

Trump Allegedly Criminalized 53M Legalized Immigrants, Children And Foreign Born Naturalized Citizens On Social Media

Trump in a social media racist and ranting posted allegedly criminalized 53M foreign born legalized immigrants, children and naturalized citizens.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 28, 2025

Washington,  D.C. - On Friday, White House posted that Taco Trump is targeting 53 million legalized foreign born immigrants, children and naturalized citizens after two National Guards, Sarah Backstrom, 20, and Andrew Wolf, 24, were shot by Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, an Afghan refugee who came into the U.S. in the Summer of 2021 as a fleeing refugee from Afghanistan, and then he was vetted and given asylum by the Trump administration in April 2025.

Both Backstrom and Wolf  are MAGA National Guards from the red state of W. Virginia. Backstrom succumbed to her injuries on Thanksgiving Day 2025.

Lakanwal who lived in Washington state was a trained CIA operative in Afghanistan.

Trump on Friday posted a loco (crazy) frenzy rant and racist rhetoric social media post targeting 53 million legalized foreign born immigrants living in the U.S., which Trump falsely called illegal and allegedly criminalized most in his sickening rant over a deadly criminal act by one suspect, Lakanwal. Trump's usual racist remarks came out once again in his latest rants, not surprising American.

Let's make it clear, Trump, a 34-count convicted felon has deployed MAGA (Make Amerikkka Great Again) red states guardsmen to terrorize multiple blue states during immigration enforcement operations and to patrol the streets of America in states that have majority voting Democrats who rejected him in two presidential elections.

Trump has put red states National Guard in harms way and is definitely responsible for the death of Backstrom. Both Backstrom and Wolf including the rest of the active guardsmen in D.C. should have been at home spending Thanksgiving Day with their love ones instead of actively policing the streets of D.C., where they were not welcomed by local civilians.

Trump has deployed National Guardsmen from red states, simply because they are loyal to him and follow his orders instead of being loyal to the U.S. Constitution and abide by the law. Multiple federal courts have restricted Trump from using the National Guard to police and enforce laws in our domestic streets in America. It's not the job of the National Guard to police our streets, according to federal laws and the U.S. Constitution.

29-year-old David López Pérez Lost Control Of Minivan And Fatally Crashed Into Home In The Southside Of Milwaukee

López died at the scene after crashing into a home on W. Windlake Ave., according to the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 26, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On early Saturday, November  22, 2025, around 2:50 a.m., David López Pérez, 29, who was driving along W. Windlake Ave. in the Southside of Milwaukee apparently lost control of his minivan and crashed into a home at the 1900 block of W. Windlake Ave., according to Milwaukee police.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office pronounced López deceased at the scene.

Police were able to recover outdoor surveillance camera video showing the minivan traveling at a high rate of speed, losing control and crashing head on into the home.

López was originally from Rio Rama, Santos Domingo Tepuxtepec, Mexico.

Protest Held Against The MAGA Hostile Takeover At MATC, Which Eliminated The Soul And Heart Of Diversity At The Technical College

After 53 years of providing successful student services for students of color, the MAGA hostile takeover at MATC eliminated the Multicultural Student Services Office, which four student services specialists lost their full-time positions at the technical college.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 25, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Monday, a protest was held against the alleged MAGA (Make Amerikkka Great Again) hostile takeover at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in downtown Milwaukee, which resulted in the elimination of the Multicultural Student Services Office, that many MATC alumni believe it was the Soul and Heart of Diversity at the technical college, which provided crucial services to students of color from the Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American communities. The Multicultural Student Services Office was eliminated by MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz in late August 2025, and by September four student services specialists positions were eliminated. (Video of MATC protest, Monday, November 24, 2025 at link: https://youtu.be/SRET2niRdGA)

Since the termination of the four student service specialists, they filed a discrimination complaint against MATC with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Equal Rights Division claiming race discrimination. (Article link: https://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2025/11/four-former-student-services.html?m=0)

The Multicultural Student Services Office was replaced by the Office of Community Impact, which no longer provides the same student services as the previous Multicultural office did leaving a huge void at the campus, which bilingual services at the Community Impact are non-existent, since it can no longer focus of ethnic or race related services meaning that the Soul and Heart of Diversity at the technical college has been eliminated affecting students of color and disenfranchising and doing a disservice to the taxpayers from the communities of color who help pay for Dr. Cruz's $285,000 annual salary plus $50,000 bonus for travel expenses and other benefits. 

In other words, MATC can no longer strive as the most diverse technical college in Wisconsin, because Dr. Cruz eliminated ethnic and race related student services to comply with Trump's elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs that multiple federal courts have ruled that it was illegal and unconstitutional, including that Trump couldn't withhold federal funding to universities and colleges. If they didn't  comply, because the U.S. Department of Education federal guidelines violated free speech in classrooms.

It appears that a MAGA hostile takeover has infiltrated the MATC president's office, the administration at the technical college and the majority of the MATC Board of Trustees who are in mission to eliminate all Diversity programs at the college. It also appears, that some bilingual courses are now being eliminated as well, according to sources at MATC. For example, Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) learned that MATC eliminated a bilingual economic course for next year, despite having more than 75 students on a waiting list. How many other bilingual courses at MATC are facing the same fate.

On the contrary to MATC eliminating ethnic and race related service programs, Dr. Cruz had been pushing to get MATC certified as a 25% Hispanic Serving Institute in order to receive federal funding. How ironic!

Student population stats: MATC has about 63% majority minority student population including 24% of Hispanic student population.

MATC just released a video ad promo (alleged propaganda) with Dr. Cruz, which is very misleading with no mention of being a diverse technical college serving communities of color. Most likely, Cruz who is a Latino from Florida who came to Milwaukee for a job isn't to very proud today to be the president at MATC.

He has repeatedly ignored the communities of color demands to restore the Multicultural Student Services and restore the positions of the four student service specialists that were unjustly terminated. Dr. Cruz reluctance to meet and work with the communities of color will eventually lead to his failure at MATC. So far, Dr. Cruz hasn't done anything significant to earn his salary today.

Check out the current MATC video with a misleading narrative to promote the college, but in reality, after the smoke clears, we can definitely see the truth, that MATC is facing an alleged MAGA hostile takeover with a mission (agenda) to eliminate all Diversity programs. (MATC promo video posted in YouTube: https://youtu.be/6B-Mndm0Afc)

Today, Dr. Cruz, the MATC administration and the majority of the MATC Board of Trustees are on a mission to eliminate (erase) all Diversity programs and cultural activities at the technical college, disenfranchising the communities of color and students, which is also a disservice to local taxpayers.

In the MATC YouTube video, it shows students of color, but the fact is Dr. Cruz eliminated the Multicultural Student Services Office in late August 2025 without first informing the surrounding communities of color (betraying community trust), which provided student services to students of color, but yet Dr. Cruz says in the video, he is working for their success and community trust. How ironic!

Also Dr. Cruz indicates, MATC is working for the well being of its employees, but the fact is that four former Multicultural Student Service specialists recently filed discrimination complaints with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Equal Rights Division. (Press conference video:  https://youtu.be/VyTtNJw0H9s)

Dr. Cruz and the MATC Board have heard employees, faculty and others testify before them about the continued hostile work environment at MATC, work place discrimination and retaliation practices against employees who complain, and the continued practice by the administration of not promoting part-time faculty to full-time within the technical college and etc... (MATC Board public comments testimony links: https://youtu.be/ed93-NODo8M and https://youtu.be/Lm_ImpZGXn4)

MATC Alumni and community activist Samuel A. Alford public comment testimony regarding the elimination of the Multicultural Student Services Office by MATC President  Dr. Cruz, during the November 24, 2025 MATC Board of Trustees meeting in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

(https://youtu.be/6B-Mndm0Afc)

The members of the MATC Board of Trustees are, Erica L. Case, Chairperson; Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, Vice-Chairperson; Dr. Waleed Najeeb, Secretary; Gail Pence, Treasurer; Lauren Baker; Mark F. Foley and Wisconsin State Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde (D-Milw). (MATC Board of Directors | MATC https://share.google/JBtolZmTGaz4lo885)

Back The Badge Wisconsin Facebook Page Posted Federal Immigration Enforcement Operations Are Set To Ramp Up In Milwaukee

Multiple social media posts indicate that federal immigration enforcement agents are set to ramp up in Milwaukee and Southeast Wisconsin, according to the Back the Badge Wisconsin, known for posting alleged MAGA (Make Amerikkka Great Again) rhetoric propaganda.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 23. 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Recently, the Back the Badge Wisconsin (BBW) Facebook page, which is currently administered by Jessica Clover from Florida posted multiple posts that "Federal immigration ICE agents are set to ramp up enforcement in Milwaukee", "Hey ICE, there are a few huge production facilities in Milwaukee County allowing illegal work. Connect with us", and that "Trump is sending ICE to Southeast Wisconsin to round up South American illegals who are breaking into homes." 

The BBW Facebook page was originally created by Kyle William Beckett, 39, a Trump supporter who on Sunday, November 23, 2025, contacted Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) and confirmed that Clover is the current administrator of the BBW and that he is no longer associated with BBW page.

BBW even posted that Tom Homan, the Border Czar will be visiting Milwaukee by the end of the month to plan the deployment of USICE-CBP agents in the city.

Back the Badge Wisconsin apparently supports USICE-CBP immigration enforcement operations, which 95% of arrests have been made without a judicial warrant in violation of the NAVA Consent Decree in Chicago, Illinois, and confirmed illegal arrests made by MAGA Gestapo masked USICE-CBP agents in California and other states.

The USDHS and the USICE-CBP are the most corrupt departments in federal immigration enforcement in the U.S., and most of the time the USDHS lies about the arrests and criminal records of individuals arrested. The USICE-CBP elicit acts come from their intentional decision to ignore federal laws and ignore the U.S. Constitution, which Back the Badge Wisconsin allegedly supports their illegal tactics and BBW doesn't condemn them for breaking the law.

All these alleged USICE-CBP masked criminals are known as outlaws with a badge.

Four Former Student Services Specialists From The Office Of Multicultural Services At MATC Claimed Race Discrimination In WIDWD Equal Rights Division Filing

The four former Office Of Multicultural Services student services specialists claimed they were terminated because of race discrimination.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 21, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Four former full-time the Office of Multicultural Services (OMS) student services specialists at the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) who were terminated claimed race discrimination by the MATC administration after the OMS was eliminated in late August of 2025 by MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz. Cruz eliminated the OMS to comply with the unenforceable and illegal Trump elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. 

According to the filed discrimination complaints, Annabel Chávez claimed that on September 18, 2025, she was terminated from her full-time position as a student services specialists after the Office of Multicultural Services was eliminated in lated August 2025. Chávez who is Mexican-American began working for MATC in 2000. At the beginning of 2025, Chávez held the title of Latinx Student Services Specialists, a title she held since 2013, according to the filed discrimination complaint.

The filed complaint states, that on February 27, 2025, MATC President Cruz announced the hiring of Michael Rogers as the Vice-President of Student Engagement at the technical college. Rogers' responsibility was to manage the office then known as the Office of Multicultural Services. Based on his conduct, it is clear that Rogers was brought in to play a clear role in using the race of the Complaintant as a basis to eliminate her position, and to retaliate against her for opposing past race discrimination at MATC. 

Over the course of Chávez employment at MATC, she had raised concerns of race or national origin discrimination. In 2013, she filed a grievance over unfair treatment, implying that it was a result of race discrimination. She prevailed in her grievance over unfair treatment. Then in a recent Annual Evaluation, Chávez unfairly received a "does not meet expectations." She complained to her supervisor, implying that her race or national origin was the cause of the poor evaluation, when she has had a history of receiving positive evaluations.

On August 19, 2025, Chávez was notified by Rogers that her position was eliminated, although she had the same skills and experience to serve all students as effectively similarly situated peers, Chávez was not given the opportunity to transfer to an open full-time position for which she was qualified. The filed discrimination complaint says, Chávez was terminated because of her race, national origin and/or in retaliation for her complaints of unlawful discrimination. Her termination at MATC caused economic harm.

Chávez has kept her part-time job as faculty (instructor since 2000) at MATC. 

On August 20, 2025, Laquitha Bonds-Jones, Vice-President of Human Resources at MATC in an email shared by sources with Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA), she confirmed that four Student Service Specialist staff positions at the Office of Multicultural Services have been eliminated to comply with the U.S. Department of Education guidelines "that prohibits positions with duties that provide services exclusively to students based on race or ethnicity. The four student service specialist roles in question were designed solely to serve students of a specific race/ethnic group. Because those roles could not be restructured to comply with the guidance, the duties themselves were eliminated, and the positions tied to them no longer exist." (Article link: http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2025/08/dr-cruz-and-matc-board-allegedly.html)

In the discrimination filing by Tanya Torres, who is Native-American, she started working at MATC in June 2003, and at the beginning of 2025, Torres held the title of American Indian Student Services Specialists.

Torres claims that on August 19, 2025, she was notified that her position at the Office of Multicultural Services was eliminated. Torres was terminated because of her race and MATC refused to transfer her into another position because of her race causing her economic harm. 

Der Vang who is Hmong American began working at MATC in 1998, and in 2025 she held the title of Asian American Student Services Specialists, a title she held since April 2007.

Over the course of Vang's employment with MATC, she raised concerns that she was being treated adversely because of her race. In the Spring of 2025, Vang raised concerns about mistreatment, implying that it was because of her race. She later received an unjustified counseling letter and other unjust discipline in response. Rogers accused Vang of not trusting him when she reluctantly refused to share her contacts with him when she faced differential racial treatment from Rogers.

Also Vang on August 19, 2025 was notified that her position at the Office of Multicultural Services was eliminated. Vang was not given to opportunity to transfer to another open position for she was qualified. She claims that MATC terminated her because of her race, and/or in retaliation for her complaints of race discrimination.

On November 10, 2025, Vang was rehired as a new employee under a different title earning half the wages that she earned when she worked at the Office of Multicultural Services. Vang had worked for MATC for 27 years, and she lost all her sick leave pay and will most likely lose her seniority as well.

 In the discrimination complaint case for Floyd Griffin III, who is African-American, he began working at MATC on November 9, 2020, and at the beginning of 2015, he held the title of African-American Student Services Specialist, a title held since November 2023. 

Griffin had raised concerns over race discrimination with respect to a denied promotion to a manager position, filing a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) in March 2025 that alleged discrimination.

On August 19, 2025, Griffin also received notification by Rogers that his position at the Office of Multicultural Services was eliminated. MATC didn't give an opportunity for Griffin to transfer to another full-time open position.

The discrimination complaint claims that Griffin was terminated because of race, and/or in retaliation for her complaints of race discrimination. His termination also caused Griffin economic harm.

MATC student population stats: The technical college has 63% majority minority student population with 24% being Latino/Hispanic students.

The members of the MATC Board of Trustees are, Erica L. Case, Chairperson; Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, Vice-Chairperson; Dr. Waleed Najeeb, Secretary; Gail Pence, Treasurer; Lauren Baker; Mark F. Foley and Wisconsin State Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde (D-Milw).

Previous HNNUSA article link: http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2025/11/press-conference-discrimination.html

Press conference video link: https://youtu.be/VyTtNJw0H9s

Press Conference: Discrimination Complaints Filed Against MATC Board And President Dr. Anthony Cruz By Four Multicultural Affairs Office Student Services Specialists Unjustly Terminated!

Discrimination complaints filed against MATC Board and President Dr. Anthony Cruz by four Multicultural Affairs Office student services specialists unjustly terminated!

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, Attorney Mark Thomsen at a press  conference addressed the four discrimination complaints filed against MATC. Attorney Thomsen is representing the four MATC Multicultural Affairs Office student services specialists who last week filed discrimination complaints with the State of Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development Equal Rights Division after getting unjustly terminated when the Multicultural Affairs Office was eliminated by Milwaukee Area Technical College President Dr. Anthony Cruz. The press conference was held downtown MATC. (Video link: https://youtu.be/VyTtNJw0H9s)

Speakers:

• Rev. Walter J. Lanier — Community Leader & President/CEO, GLUE

• Attorney Mark Thomsen — Civil Rights Attorney

• Pam Fendt — President, Milwaukee Area Labor Council

• Minister Greg Lewis — President, Souls to the Polls; President, Pastors United for Change

• Former MATC DEI/Multicultural Services staff

• Samuel A. Alford, MATC former student & alumni

MATC's Culture at a Crossroads: Community Responds to DEI Dismantling and Discrimination Complaints

Second Such Complaint Filed Against MATC in 2025

The speakers addressed:

• The loss of culturally grounded student support

• A long string of retaliation concerns at MATC involving employees who raised issues of race, equity, or workplace culture

• Harmful and confusing public messaging surrounding diversity and federal guidance

• The broader cultural crisis at MATC

• Coalition demands for transparency, accountability, and restoration of the eliminated positions

MATC's statement: "Like other universities and colleges across the country, we continue to work to carefully balance and incorporate directives coming from the U.S. Department of Education, aligning federal guidance with local priorities. Our goal, which we believe we are achieving through the office of Community Impact and other programs, is to avoid jeopardizing the critical funding needed to maintain operations and student aid at MATC, while still providing the necessary support to our students...We can confirm we have offered support to each of the four affected employees. In fact, two of the four are currently working at MATC in ongoing or new capacities."

What's misleading by the MATC's statement is that the two employees were terminated from full-time positions at the Multicultural Affairs Office and one of them kept her part-time job as faculty (instructor since 2000), and the second employee had to reapply as a new hire for a full-time position that now pays half the wages compared to the full-time job at the Multicultural Affairs Office where she was terminated from by Dr. Cruz and lost all her earned sick leave hours and might not recover her years of seniority at MATC as well.

Also MATC asserts it's one of the most diverse technical colleges in the Midwest, which continues to provide necessary resources and support needed for students to be successful at MATC and beyond. With uninterrupted services provided by the newly created Office of Community Impact that replaced the Multicultural Affairs Office.

Through the Office of Community Impact, students continue to receive holistic services, academic support, one-on-one coaching, peer mentoring, student-parent resources, community partnerships, and access to programs like emergency funds and food pantry to ensure srudent success and deliver a college experience...that services to students have not been reduced and will remain committed to meeting students needs, according to the MATC released statement.

What the MATC statement fails to say is, that under the Office of Community Impact, multicultural student services are no longer provided to recruit and help retain students of color, it no longer promotes diversity and multicultural understanding, bilingual assistance can no longer be provided due to ethic (race) affiliation under the illegal Trump DEI prohibition federal guidelines. Students of color are no longer receiving student services based on race, and diverse cultural events are no longer assisted by the new Office of Community Impact, including culturally diverse activities with other ethnic groups based on the race identity factor, which is prohibited under the illegal Trump federal guidelines to eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). The Native-American students including the African-American, Hispanic and Asian-American students are no longer being fully serviced by their own academic counseling and advicing peers to meet their cultural needs and learning experience that were previously provided by student services specialists from the now eliminated Multicultural Affairs Office due to their race factor. 

In other words, today the creation of Office of Community Impact serves only one purpose for MATC Dr. Cruz and the MATC Board of Trustees, and that is to erase diversity, equity and inclusion based student services including the gradual cleansing campaign to eliminate all multicultural student services and programs at the technical college to comply with the unenforceable and illegal Trump order to eliminate DEI programs at universities and colleges.

MATC has now officially deviated from its vision of becoming a local and national leader in graduating successful multicultural students who transform the technical college and our communities.

Multiple federal courts have ruled that Trump's era  elimination of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs at universities and colleges, and threatening to hold back federal funding, if they don't comply is unenforceable and unconstitutional because it violates instructors free speech in the classrooms.

It seems, that the MATC administration wants to continue to comply with Trump's unenforceable federal guidelines that eliminate DEI programs, eventhough multiple federal courts say it's illegal.

MATC student population stats: The technical college has 63% majority minority student population with 24% being Latino/Hispanic students.

49-year-old Miguel Angel Roman Arocho Fatally Shot By His Own Son, Miguel Ocasio, 28, In The Southside Of Milwaukee

Roman Arocho was fatally shot by his own son, 28-year-old Ocasio.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 16, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, Miguel Angel Roman Arocho, 49, was fatally shot before 6:36 p.m. at the 1900 block of S. 16 Street in the Southside of Milwaukee. His son, Miguel Angel Ocasio,  28, was taken into custody in connection with Roman Arocho's murder, according to the preliminary homicide investigation.

Update: On November 18, 2025, Ocasio was criminally charged with one felony count for 1st-degree reckless homicide including use of a dangerous weapon. 

If convicted, Ocasio is facing up to 60 years in prison with confinement up to 40 years and 20 years extended supervision, according to Milwaukee County court records.

According to the criminal complaint and privious testimony by Ninoska Valentin that was reported by Telemundo Wisconsin, Ocasio fatally shot his father. Roman Arocho was shot several times after attempting to keep his stepdaughter Ninoska Valentin, 34, from getting harm by his son Ocasio who was having a relationship with her.

Valentin told police that she was having a conversation about her lost cellphone with a friend inside his vehicle. Then Ocasio came over and began an altercation with Valentin when she got out of the vehicle. That's when Roman Arocho came out of the home and attempted to protect Valentin from getting harm by Ocasio. Ocasio and Roman Arocho then began to argue about some prior incidents between them, that's when Valentin says, she saw Ocasio take out a handgun and fired several shots into the air.

Roman Arocho ran back inside the home and then came out again, and stepped between Valentin and Ocasio who were arguing when Ocasio fired several shots striking Roman Arocho who then died at the scene. 

Valentin told Telemundo Wisconsin that her stepfather, Roman Arocho will always be her hero because he attempted to help and keep her safe.

Now Valentin wants justice for Roman Arocho and wants Ocasio to pay for the murder of his father, according to the Telemundo Wisconsin news report.

Undocumented Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, From Milwaukee Deported To Mexico, USDHS Announced

The undocumented immigrant connected to Milwaukee County Court Judge Dugan who was charged by feds with allegedly helping Flores-Ruiz evade USICE-ERO arrest at the Milwaukee County Courthouse has been deported.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 15, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, had been deported back to Mexico. Flores-Ruiz was the undocumented immigrant that led immigration enforcement feds to criminally charge Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah C. Dugan, 65, with allegedly helping Flores-Ruiz to evade arrest by U.S. ICE-ERO at the courthouse.

According to federal court documents, the charges stem from events occurring on April 18, when members of the Milwaukee office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), along with federal partners from the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, attempted to execute a lawful arrest warrant for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national previously removed from the United States and recently charged in Milwaukee County with multiple counts of domestic abuse-related battery.

The feds actually attempted to execute an USICE-ERO administrative arrest warrant for Flores-Ruiz at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, which is not valid, since the Courthouse is considered State and county private property and only a federal judicial warrant signed by a federal judge is valid to execute in private properties and inside buildings including the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

The federal case against Judge Dugan is ongoing.

MAGA Infiltrated Milwaukee Police Association Endorsed MAGA Toney For Wisconsin Attorney General And MAGA Tiffany For Wisconsin Governor In 2026

MAGA Infiltrated Milwaukee Police Association headed by Det. Alexander Ayala endorsed MAGA Toney for Wisconsin Attorney General and MAGA Tiffany for Wisconsin Governor in 2026.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Thursday, November 13, 2025, MAGA  Eric Toney (R), the District Attorney in Fond du Lac County announced that the infiltrated Make Amerikkka Great Again (MAGA) Milwaukee Police Association (MPA-union) is supporting and has endorsed his candidacy for Wisconsin Attorney General in 2026.

Toney was defeated by Josh Kaul (D) in the November 8, 2022 election by 50.64 % of the vote to 49.31%.

Kaul has announced that he is running for a third term in 2026.

Milwaukee is a majority voting Democrat city (Milwaukee is also known as having a majority Antifa (Anti-facist) population in Wisconsin and is a friendly immigrant metropolitan city in Milwaukee County.

Also on Thursday, the MAGA MPA headed by MPD Det. Alexander Ayala, President of the MPA, a known MAGA and Board Member of the Wisconsin Hispanic Scholarship Foundation, inc., which runs the three-day Mexican Fiesta at the Summerfest grounds has announced that the police union in Milwaukee has endorsed MAGA Tom Tiffany (R) for Wisconsin Governor in 2026.

Governor Tony Evers (D) has announced that he will not run for re-election in 2026.

In 2007, Ayala (then a police officer) himself was fired from the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) on December 2007, after it was discovered that he lied and didn't notified the MPD at the time that his brother Oscar Ayala-Cornejo, who was undocumented used his deceased cousin's name Jose Morales, a U.S. Citizen from Chicago to become a Milwaukee police officer. A tip to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to the arrest of Ayala-Cornejo (then Jose Morales) in May 2007 at the Milwaukee Police Department District Station 2 in the Southside of Milwaukee. Ayala-Cornejo was eventually deported to Mexico.

Alexander Ayala was rehired by the MPD under appeal, but he was suspended for ten days without pay and was not placed in the Brady list, despite his deported brother being placed in the list.

In September 2025, Ayala, as President of the MPA made national news for his attempt to call on Trump to deploy the MAGA National Guard to Milwaukee for crowd control of chaotic street takeovers, which Trump eventually ignored. (Article link: http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2025/09/alexander-ayala-president-of-maga.html)

The MPA also had endorsed Trump in 2020 and in 2024. (Article link: http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2024/08/alexander-ayala-president-of-milwaukee.html)

In addition: The MAGA/Republican political party has become known nationally as the party that protects pedophiles and the political party that shutdown the federal government because they don't want to extend the Obama ACA subsidies for healthcare, and withheld SNAP benefits to 42M Americans.

Note of interest: MAGA law enforcement agencies and departments can be easily identified when their agents, deputies and law enforcement officers exhibit the thin blue line in police patches, flags and units. The blue thin line was used by MAGA insurrectionists during the January 6, 2021 insurrection (takeover) of the U.S. Capital building in D.C. in an attempt to stop the Electoral College vote certification that Joe Biden (D) had won the election in November 2020.

Source: Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

¡Pa Fuera Cruz de MATC! / "MATC President Cruz Must Go!"

¡Pa Fuera Cruz de MATC!

MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz is failing the downtown technical college, students and communities of color. Cruz is just milking a salary of more than $285K plus other benefits a year and hasn't earned it. 

Shame on the MATC Board of Trustees for not holding Cruz accountable in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The members of the MATC Board of Trustees are, Erica L. Case, Chairperson; Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, Vice-Chairperson; Dr. Waleed Najeeb, Secretary; Gail Pence, Treasurer; Lauren Baker; Mark F. Foley and Wisconsin State Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde (D-Milw).

Posted on November 12, 2025.

Source: Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

Deputy Chief Elias Agalianos And Officers Caught Assisting MAGA Gestapo USICE Immigration Enforcement Operations In Illinois

Waukegan has a large undocumented taxpaying population, and Deputy Chief of Police Agalianos and his officers were video recorded assisting MAGA Gestapo USCBP in immigration enforcement operations.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 8, 2025

Waukegan, Illinois - On Friday, November 7, 2025, the Waukegan Police Department assisted a MAGA Gestapo USCBP immigration enforcement operation at Fulton Ave. and Catalpa Street in Waukegan. According to a video posted by Gtz Nancy in her Facebook account, multiple Waukegan police officers including Waukegan Police Department (WPD) Deputy Chief Elias Agalianos were at the scene assisting USCBP.

Also, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (USCBP) Commander Gregory Bovino, who recently lied (that he got struck in the head with rock, video evidence from the scene showed he was never struck with a rock) in a federal court testimony showed up at the scene as well. WPD Deputy Chief Agalianos is shown in the Gtz Nancy video telling USCBP Chief Bovino, "I wish you could have given a little more of a heads up for certain things, but I understand...God bless you for all you do for the U.S.A.." In other words, WPD Deputy Chief Agalianos apparently believes all of the alleged illegal acts committed under Bovino's command, that includes arrests of individuals without judicial warrants, illegal vehicle break-ins by USCBP agents to arrest individuals, engaging in domestic terrorism by shooting tear gas balls and canisters at peaceful protesters and fatally shooting a victim, and the shooting of Marimar Martinez in Chicago by a USCBP Supervisor Charles Exum, and including using excessive force by USCBP agents, entering private properties without a judicial warrant, lying by Bovino himself and also constant lying by the USDHS, the kidnapping of individuals throughout Waukegan and Chicago without due process must be Ok, according to WPD Deputy Chief Agalianos friendly talk with Bovino.

Residents in Waukegan are accusing Police Chief Edgar Navarro of lying when he has told them that Waukegan police doesn't assist USICE or USCBP in immigration enforcement operations. Local residents are now calling for Chief Navarro to resign after his department has failed to respond to numerous emergency calls that USICE and the USCBP agents have been committing alleged illegal acts against local residents. No police officers are sent to the scene to investigate criminal activity by USICE or USCBP, according to Facebook posts by local immigration rights advocate Margaret Carrasco in Waukegan.

Gtz Nancy on Saturday,  also confirmed to Hispanic News Network U.S.A.  (HNNUSA) that Waukegan police blocked the streets at Fulton Ave. and Catalpa Street during the USCBP immigration enforcement operation, and one individual was taken into custody by USCBP.

Also on Friday, a Facebook video posted by Marcos Rodríguez showed that Edward Ramirez, who says he is a U.S. citizen being escorted (arrested) by USCBP agents and their Commander Bovino around 2:00 p.m. at the vicinity of Fulton Ave. and Catalpa Street in Waukegan.

The USDHS, USICE and USCBP including its federal partners have a history of ignoring local, state and federal laws including not abiding by the U.S. Constitution and not affording due process for those individuals arrested during illegal immigration enforcement operations in the country.

Full video link: https://youtube.com/shorts/Bl824O4x-NU

MATC President Anthony Cruz Eliminates The Multicultural Affairs Office After 53 Years Of Student Services, Communities Of Color Contemplating Cruz's Resignation

Cruz and the Milwaukee Board of Trustees continue to ignore the demands by communities of color to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services at Milwaukee Area Technical College.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

November 10, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Since July 2024, Dr. Anthony Cruz has ignored complaints by faculty, students and workers who have suffered retribution, harassment, discrimination, retaliation and employment discrimination under a systematic hostile work environment perpetuated by the corrupt Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) administration including from Laquitha Bonds-Jones, the Vice-President and Chief Human Resources Officer, who has been accused by the AFT Local 212 union of altering policy documents without authorization by Dr. Cruz and the MATC Board of Trustees. Also, Bonds-Jones was allegedly responsible of wage-pay reduction by 7.23% affecting part-time faculty in 2025, which nearly $900 of reduction hourly wages were cut for more than 700 part-time faculty employees totalling an estimated $622,688.57. Since the AFT Local 212 union revelation of the wage-pay discrepancy and Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) news report, the MATC administration has agreed to refund the wages to part-time faculty.

Despite Bonds-Jones alleged ineffectiveness and incompetence operation of the Human Resources Office, she remains employed at the technical college. Bonds-Jones has an estimated salary of more than $182,155 per year.

To add injury to the open wound, Dr. Cruz without informing the communities of color in the Milwaukee metro area decided to just eliminate the Multicultural Affairs Office after 53 years of providing multicultural student services and terminated 4 student services specialists without giving them the option to transfer to other open qualified positions at MATC to comply with Trump's end of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs, which is deemed illegal and unconstitutional by three federal court rulings.

To date, Dr. Cruz hasn't earned his salary, simply because he hasn't improved the internal turmoil, toxic and the systemic hostile work environment created by his administration affecting faculty, students and workers at MATC. Currently, Dr. Cruz earns more than $285,000 in salary per year, with $15,000 travel allowance and $55,000 retirement annuity.

The Multicultural Affairs Office was created at MATC after a successful sit-in by Native-Americans in 1973 demanding space for indigenous students to gather, organize and to be allowed to receive multicultural student services in order to succed at the technical college. The creation of the Multicultural Affairs Office after 1973 was also welcomed by the Latino, African-American and growing Asian communities.

Today, more than 15 local organizations have joined the Coalition to Reclaim MATC. The coalition is composed of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, Wisconsin Indian Education Association, Milwaukee Teachers Education Association, Voces de la Frontera, Shee Yee Community of Milwaukee Inc, Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Milwaukee Chapter, Progressive Baptist Church, Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, Hmong American Friendship Association, Black Men Organizing, MIRACLE Mental Health Network, Pastors United, Souls to the Polls and Students for Democratic Society-UWM, who have been organizing to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services at MATC.

MATC wrongfully replace the Multicultural Affairs Office with the Office of Community Impact and eliminated all ethnic based student services for Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American students.

The Coalition to Reclaim MATC held a protest at the technical college during the MATC Board of Trustees on October 28, 2025, and will stage another protest on November 24, 2025 at the 700 block of W. State Street and S. 6th Street during the Board meeting at Room M210 at 4:00 p.m..

The MATC Board of Trustees under Chairperson Erica L. Case continues to ignore the communities of color demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and to rehire those that have been terminated including a liberian who had applied more than 60 times for a full-time position, and finally received a position, but was terminated without just cause. (October 28th Board meeting, public comment testimony by former MATC Librian Jennifer Wayd and members of the Coalition to Reclaim MATC at link: https://youtu.be/5Hq89U8ONw8)

According to MATC and community sources, if Dr. Cruz continues to ignore the communities of color demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and rehire the 4 student services specialists that were terminated in September 2025 including the terminated liberian, with full back pay wages, and seniority, the Coalition to Reclaim MATC will have no alternative then to seek Cruz's resignation, including the resignation of the hostile and corrupt MATC administration.

So far, Dr. Cruz has failed to address the MATC faculty hostile work environment complaints and to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office student services.

The Coalition to Reclaim MATC has reached out to Dr. Cruz in order to meet and resolve the pending issues with no avail by Cruz.

Carlos Aranda, a counselor at MATC released the following statement on Saturday, "The Milwaukee Area Technical College administration has an obligation to act with integrity and uphold the standards of fairness and accountability that define true leadership."

"Over the past several months—August, September, and October—community members and advocates have met with Milwaukee Area Technical College President Dr. Anthony Cruz and attended District Board meetings to request the reinstatement of three women of color and one man of color whose employment was terminated under the current administration. These individuals have suffered significant financial and psychological harm as a result of those decisions.

"Many in the community believe that, during his first year at MATC, President Cruz has demonstrated a limited understanding of Wisconsin's community college mission, particularly its role in serving underrepresented populations. In addition, there are growing concerns regarding the District Board's commitment to ethical governance, transparency, and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. Questions have been raised about potential conflicts of interest among certain board members and how these relationships may influence decisions that affect the college community.

"The current situation has not only damaged the reputation of the college's leadership but also eroded public trust in the integrity of its governance.

"We invite all concerned members of the MATC and Milwaukee community to join us on Monday, November 24, at 4:00 p.m. in Room M210 on the Milwaukee Campus.

"This will mark the fourth time that community members have come before the District Board to respectfully urge the administration to restore the Four + 1 employees—with back pay and benefits—consistent with the principles of justice and accountability.

"It is time for the MATC administration to act with integrity and do what is right. Each day that passes without resolution deepens the harm and weakens public confidence in the institution's moral and civic responsibilities."

The members of the MATC Board of Trustees are, Erica L. Case, Chairperson; Citlali Mendieta-Ramos, Vice-Chairperson; Dr. Waleed Najeeb, Secretary; Gail Pence, Treasurer; Lauren Baker; Mark F. Foley and Wisconsin State Representative Supreme Moore-Omokunde (D-Milw).

Editor's note: It's time for the communities of color to organize a major march from the Southside of Milwaukee to downtown MATC in solidarity with the Coalition to Reclaim MATC demands to restore the Multicultural Affairs Office and rehire the 4 + 1.

Protest Held Opposing The Elimination Of The Multicultural Affairs Office At MATC, 15 Organizations Demand Reinstatement Of 4 Student Services Specialists

Protest held at the Milwaukee Area Technical College to demand reinstatement of the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and to also reinstate 4 student services specialists who were unjustly terminated by MATC President Dr. Cruz.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 29, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, members representing 4 communities, Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Asian-American and Native-American gathered at the Milwaukee Area Technical College located at the 700 block of W. State Ave. to protest MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz's decision to eliminate the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and the unjust firing of 4 student services specialists. 

The Multicultural communities want the MATC Board of Trustees and Dr. Cruz to reinstate the Multicultural Affairs Office and reinstate the 4 student services employees that were terminated in September 2025.

The MATC Board of Trustees held a meeting on Tuesday, while a protest was staged outside to draw attention that the technical college is unjustly eliminating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs to appease Trump's illegal act to phase out diversity programs.

The members of the Coalition to Reclaim MATC are:

• Milwaukee Area Labor Council 

• Wisconsin Indian Education Association

• Milwaukee Teachers Education Association

• Voces de la Frontera

• Shee Yee Community of Milwaukee Inc 

• Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, Milwaukee Chapter 

• Progressive Baptist Church 

• Milwaukee Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression

• Hmong American Friendship Association

• Black Men Organizing

• MIRACLE Mental Health Network

• Pastors United 

• Souls to the Polls

• MICAH – Milwaukee Inner-City Congregations Allied for Hope 

• Students for Democratic Society - UW-Milwaukee 

3 members from the Coalition to Reclaim MATC spoke against the elimination of the Multicultural Affairs Office and the termination of 4 student services specialists at the MATC Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.

• Melanie Leyva representing Voces de la Frontera

• Pam Fendt representing Milwaukee Area Labor Council 

• William Xiong representing Shee Yee Community, Inc.

MATC Board public comments video at link: https://youtu.be/5Hq89U8ONw8

YouTube video of MATC protest at link: https://youtu.be/vCY0HqVCW8A

Article link (dated 10/27/2025): https://tinyurl.com/yc5vshb9

MATC Board Chair Erica Case Continues To Ignore The Unjust Elimination Of The Multicultural Affairs Office Affecting Communities Of Color

Case in a response to the Coalition to Reclaim MATC says in an email that the MATC Board of Trustees will not allow any discussion of personal matters concerning MATC personnel at Tuesday's meeting including the 4 student services specialists unjustly fired when the Multicultural Affairs Office was eliminated in mid-August 2025.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 27, 2025

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Monday, Erica L. Case, the Chairperson of the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Board of Trustees responded to a letter by the Coalition to Reclaim MATC in regards to add an agenda item to deal with the elimination of the Multicultural Affairs Office in mid-August 2025 and the unjust termination of 4 student services specialists affecting the Latino/Hispanic community including the African-American, Asian-American and the Native-American communities in the metropolitan area of Milwaukee County. 

The Coalition to Reclaim MATC (CRMATC) composed of 15 organizations on October 20, 2025 submitted a letter to the Milwaukee Area Technical College President Dr. Anthony Cruz and the Board of Trustees demanding for the Multicultural Affairs Office and 4 student services specialists that were terminated in mid-August 2025 be reinstated. The CRMATC wrote, "This coalition does not agree that the proposed services to replace the Multicultural Center will adequately serve the needs of the student body. We are calling on MATC to recommit to an improved environment for students and staff of color...Services for multicultural students must be restored to revive the MATC principles for serving the community...There have been previous calls for an audit of MATC HR actions, and we jointly echo that call. Without responsive action, many stakeholders are concerned that they will not be able to recommend MATC as a place for higher education."

In response, Case, the Chairperson of the MATC Board of Trustees responded on Monday, October 2 7, 2025 wrote to the CRMATC, "Your request for an agenda tem to discuss personnel matters is declined. The MATC Board is a policy governance board, not a direct management board, and therefore it is outside of the jurisdiction of the Board to direct individual personnel decisions of College departments. The Board cannot direct MATC's administration to reinstate specific individuals or to provide particular benefits to certain individuals Moreover, personnel decisions are generally confidential in nature and inappropriate for open discussion at board meetings. MATC cannot discuss with third parties matters involving individual personnel."

"Additionally, MATC's administration has the delegated authority to handle requests such as interna audits, which are shared in various ways with the college.

"Given that these requests are not within the purview of the Board, and that such matters are also nappropriate as Board agenda items, this topic will not be added to the October 2025 meeting agenda."

The continued stand by MATC President Dr. Anthony Cruz and the MATC Board to ignore multiple requests by local community members, instructors, students and organizations for transparency and to publicly address the unjust elimination of the Multicultural Affairs Office elimination and the termination of 4 student services specialists has ignited a community at large and a multi-organization campaign to continue to address the matter and a planned peaceful protest to demand reinstatement of the Multicultural Affairs Office student services and the reinstatement of the 4 student services specialists who were unjustly terminated on mid-August. 

The MATC administration has had a history of ignoring Latino staff and faculty, and they don't take them into account regarding decisions made that would affect them at any level.

Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) received a copy of a resignation letter by Josephine Gomez, Director of High School Relations, Transfer and Articulation, and International Programs dated Agust 26, 2023, which Gomez claimed she was being mandated to take on a candidate for an open position that she wasn't taken into consideration whether she wanted to participate in that decision. So, she submitted her resignation and did not comply with the MATC's administration's corrupt practices at the time, which ignoring Latino faculty and staff at the technical college has become a standard practice, which continues today, and has reached the MATC president's office and the Board.

As a response to Gomez's resignation in 2023, the MATC administration offered her the position as dean of community education and strategic engagement since December of 2024, and currently is also in charge of the MATC Education Center at Walker’s Square in the Southside of Milwaukee.

According to a large consensus by multi-sections of the community in the metropolitan Milwaukee area today, it seems that the community has lost confidence in President Dr. Cruz's ability to lead with fairness and compassion. To many, his continued leadership at MATC represents a barrier wall to healing, progress, transparency and trust. Therefore, a call for his resignation or removal, so that MATC can begin the process of genuine recovery and reconciliation continues to echo across Milwaukee.

A protest will take place on Tuesday, October 28, 2025 at the Northwest corner of S. 6 Street and W. State Street outside of MATC, 700 W. State Street at 3:30 p.m. and during the scheduled 4:00 p.m. Board meeting at Room M210.

39-year-old Armando Barragan, Latin Kings Fugitive From Wisconsin Evaded Arrest For 20 Years In Mexico, He Was Taken Into Custody And Facing Extradition To U.S.

Barragan fled to Mexico in 2005 to avoid prosecution before the FBI was able to arrest him on federal charges for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and connected to a homicide incorporated to a racketeering federal charge.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 25, 2025

García, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico - On Thursday, Armando Barragan, 39, was taken into custody without incident by Mexican state authorities in the state of Nuevo León in Mexico in a joined fugitive apprehension operation with the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Consulate. Barragan was located and arrested in the City of García in the municipality of Monterrey, State of Nuevo León in Mexico, according to the Nuevo León Attorney General's office.

Barragan who fled to Mexico in 2005 to avoid state and federal prosecution was turned over to the U.S. Consulate and the U.S. Marshals Service, on Thursday, October 23, 2025 by Mexican authorities, and is being possessed for extradition to Milwaukee, Wisconsin in the U.S., to face state and federal charges.

On September 9, 2004, Barragan, then 18, and a 19th Street Latin Kings gang leader was criminally charged for one felony count for harboring/aiding a felon in Milwaukee County. A felony warrant was issued for Barragan on December 20, 2025 in Milwaukee County.

If convicted, Barragan is facing up to 18 months in prison for harboring and aiding a felon.

Barragan in 2003 ordered Latin Kings members to kill a innocent bystander, Kevin Hirschfield, 26, at a gas station in Cudahy during an altercation with rival gang members. Timothy Vallejo,  25, Emmanuel Martinez, 17, and Mario Banda fired dozens of gunshots striking Hirschfield who died at the scene. Both Vallejo and Martínez are serving federal life prison sentences for Hirschfield's homicide.

Hirschfield's homicide led to a federal criminal investigation that indicted 59 Latin Kings members by the feds.

Then in 2005, Barragan fled to Mexico after federal authorities charged him along with other Latin Kings members with multiple federal crimes including racketeering.

Barragan is also facing a homicide charge for  Hirschfield's murder in federal court, if convicted, he is facing life in a federal prison.  

36-year-old Rachel L. Amell Sentenced To 6 Years In Prison For Attempting To Protect Her 4-year-old Child From An Abusive Father In Waukesha County

Amell claimed she was attempting to protect her 4-year-old child from an abusive father in Wisconsin, but she was charged in Waukesha County with interfering with custody beyond visitation, and was convicted, then sentenced to 6 years in prison.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 21, 2025

Waukesha, Wisconsin - On October 2, 2025, Rachel L. Amell, 36, was sentenced to 6 years in prison, with 3 years in confinement and 3 years supervision for one felony count for interfering with custody beyond visitation, according to Waukesha County Court records.

Amell hasn't released any information, if she will be appealing her conviction.

Amell was convicted on June 3, but she claimed that she was just attempting to protect her 4-year-old child from an abusive father. In her X account (formerly Twitter), she posted on July 22, 2024 that she found her son alone on July 2, 2024 at his father's residence. (HNNUSA article link: http://hispanicnewsnetwork.blogspot.com/2024/08/34-year-old-rachel-amell-from-kentucky.html)

In August 2024, Amell contacted Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA) and compared her plight similar to the Julie Valadez case in Waukesha County. Amell said, that what she has experienced in Wisconsin (Waukesha County Family court) is corruption and collusion to violate her Constitutional rights as a mother, and she claims that her case is similar to the ongoing Julie Valadez v. Ricardo Valadez divorce case in Waukesha County, which Julie was the first to publicly expose the corruption and collusion by Waukesha County Family Court Judges Michael J. Aprahamian and Ralph M. Ramirez who were both forced from further presiding over the Valadez divorce case due to multiple erroneous decisions and not abiding by state laws to protect a domestic abuse spouse and her children (Wisconsin State of Appeals Court rulings in the Valadez divorce case). In this case, Julie Valadez was charged with two felony charges for interfering with the custody of another, and is currently residing in Canada, seeking refugee status. Julie's 4 children were illegally placed with the abusive father by both Judges Aprahamian and Ramirez, Judge Jennifer R. Dorow, is now presiding over Julie's case.

On July 18, 2024, Amell posted on her FB account, I deeply resonate with this story. One of the many reasons I left my ex-boyfriend, with whom I share a 4-year-old child, was his negligence and recklessness with my children. He would spend countless hours on video games, neglecting their needs. Unfortunately, nothing has changed. Recently, my son was left home alone, with the car garage doors wide open, and I discovered him in that situation. Despite this and many other instances of negligence, the court still continues to grant my ex-boyfriend full temporary custody of our child. To which, they have done illegally, as I have an Order on Stipulation which states that I have sole legal and sole physical custody of our child, and the right to move out of the state of Wisconsin without my ex boyfriend's approval. I left an unsafe relationship to protect my children, but now the court's decision has placed my son in danger. If anything happens to my son, I hold Waukesha County, in Wisconsin fully responsible.

On Sunday, Jacob Allen Trzebiatowski, 30, contacted HNNUSA and wrote, "I thought you all should be aware that Rachel Amell was tried by jury and convicted." He claimed that Amell had made false claims in the HNNUSA article, but he never attempted to challenge her claims due to the ongoing criminal case against Amell. 

So far, in his Facebook messenger massage to HNNUSA, Trzebiatowski didn't explained what false claims Amell had published in her social media accounts and had told HNNUSA in regards to her experience with the alleged corrupt Waukesha County family court system. Which, the Julie Valadez divorce case in Waukesha County had exposed to be one of the most corrupt family court systems in the state. The Waukesha County family court has had a history of not following state laws and Court of Appeals rulings in order to protect children in such cases where alleged abusive fathers are granted custody of children.

Update: On Thursday, October 23, 2025, Trzebiatowski in response to his side of the story told HNNUSA by messenger, "Your article simply says abuse, nothing specific. I had only taken her court because her oldest daughter told me to. Long story short, she was moving to Connecticut to be with someone she met online, and was leaving her kids (including my son) alone in waukesha while she took trips to Connecticut. Waukesha issued temporary orders that my son would not leave Wisconsin. She disobeyed the orders, taking him from my home while I was sleeping. I overslept a supervised visit she had. I never once tried to blame anyone for my fault in that matter. There are several other details that are public knowledge at this point, as anyone in Wisconsin is able to get court transcripts for her criminal trial and the custody matter. I'd recommend reading through those to get an unbiased, factual explanation of what happened. In my opinion, Ms Amell used your network, fabricated things to bring similarity to the Valadez case, and made a mockery of Hispanic heritage knowing that her side would be taken without question. Her name used to be Ramirez, which she changed to Amell to hide criminal records and hide her race. The criminal charge has her listed as Caucasian. It's a very messy situation with anything revolving Rachel and in my opinion, this story won't do your network any good. Hopefully you see the same thing after turning over enough stones for the facts she's hidden from you."