ICE Grants 30-day Stay For Aspiring Marine Facing Deportation In Arizona

Pedro Gutierrez

Photo Youtube

Supporters had petitioned ICE to stay deportation of 22-year-old undocumented Arizona man.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 18, 2011

Phoenix, Arizona - On Tuesday morning, Pedro Gutierrez, 22, an aspiring U.S. Marine was granted deferred action for 30-days, according to his Immigration Attorney Maurice "Mo" Goldman. He was facing deportation and supporters had gathered in an effort to sway Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to stay his scheduled deportation to Mexico. He was scheduled to be deported from the U.S. on Tuesday. The U.S. has been the only home that he has ever known since, he was first brought to the U.S. at age six by his grandmother who died when he was 16. His parents were addicted to substance abuse and left him in the care of his grandmother. His grandfather took care of him after his grandmother died. The grandfather later disappeared and Gutierrez was left to fend for himself at age 17, until he graduated.
Gutierrez says that he lived with friends after his grandfather disappeared and never heard from him again. He also says, that he has no family to go back too in Mexico.
He was stopped for a traffic violation in Arizona, spent one month in jail and then was reported to ICE after it was discovered he was in the country illegally. Last Friday, the Arizona Dream Act coalition announced during a press conference that they were seeking a stay (deferred action) for Gutierrez. On Sunday, they held a vigil for him, which led to the 30-day stay for Gutierrez.
Gutierrez had tried to join the Marines, but was rejected because of his undocumented status. He had hoped to join the Marines, if the DREAM Act would have passed. The act failed to pass in December, thus preventing Gutierrez from fullfilling his dream.

Video of Gutierrez speaking about his plight at link: http://bit.ly/hNftOv

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New Mexico Governor Martínez To End Driver's License Issuance To Undocumented Immigrants

Governor Susana Martínez

Republican state legislator to introduce bill to revoke almost 83,000 New Mexico driver licenses issued to undocumented immigrants by 2012.

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 18, 2011

Santa Fe, New Mexico - On Monday, UPI reported that Governor Susana Martínez, 51, (R) has made her first step for "Bold Change" in New Mexico. She is heading the political movement to repeal the 2003 state law that allows undocumented immigrants the right to apply for a driver's license with two ID's like a Mexican Matricula Consular, birth certificate from a foreign country or a marriage license from the U.S.
Martínez became the first Hispanic woman to be elected as governor in U.S. history and will be the first to be considered as anti-immigrant for the GOP in the country. She would rather be known for what she can accomplish as governor, rather than just being a governor of Hispanic descent, according to a prior Fox News Latino interview.
Scott Darnell, Martínez' Director of Communications confirmed to UPI, that Governor Martínez wants to end the issuance of driver licenses to illegals and is pushing for the repeal of the 2003 driver's license law, which permits undocumented immigrants to get a valid license. Martinez would like the state to issue driving permits instead. The permits could not be used as official ID's.
UPI quoted Darnell as saying, "Governor Martínez has two goals on this issue. First, she wants to stop the practice of issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, and second, she supports revoking the licenses of those illegal immigrants who have already received them."
On Tuesday, the legislative session for 2011 begins and State Representative William "Bill" R. Rehm (R-Albuquerque) is planning to introduce a bill to end the issuance of licenses to illegals, would allow them five months to turn in licenses for permits and by 2012 all licenses issued will be revoked. Almost 83,000 undocumented immigrants with valid licenses will be affected, if approved by both Houses of the legislature and signed into law by Martínez.   

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Chicago City Council Passed Resolution For Feds To Stop Mass Deportations

Photo: ICE file

Florida state legislators backing off from supporting similar Arizona anti-immigrant law

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 17, 2011

Chicago, Illinois - Last week Thursday, the Chicago City Council voted unanimously to approve a symbolic resolution for the federal government to halt mass deportations. Since President Barack H. Obama's election, more than several thousand of undocumented immigrants have been deported yearly from the City of Chicago.
The resolution says, family members of U.S. Citizens who are undocumented should not be deported and students who would have qualified under the stalled DREAM Act should also not be deported.
Chicago houses a major government deportation center run by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which deports undocument immigrants from the tri-state area including Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.
Worth noting, the Mexican Counsul General Manuel Rodriguez Arriaga in Chicago has yet to publically oppose the massive deportations by ICE. Members and numerous organizations, including the Mexican Civic Society of Illinois in Chicago from the Mexican community have staged numerous protests against Arriaga in front of the Ashland Street Consulate for his inability to work, support or stand-by with the community on issues affecting Mexican nationals.
Mexican President Felipe Calderon has named Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomera from Denver, Colorado to take over the Chicago troubled Mexican Consulate. Arriaga was also named the Mexican Embassador to Peru. Both Palomera and Arriaga would have to be approved by the Mexican Congress.
In other news, Florida State Senator Mike Bennett (R-Bradenton) is backing off from supporting his own similar Arizona SB 1070 law, now he says it would hurt state economy. Last week, former Florida Governor Jed Bush who co-chaired the Hispanic Leadership conference in a Republican gathering told attendees that the GOP should begin to find ways to tap into the Hispanic community support. He admitted that anti-immigrant rhetoric and laws would not gain support for the GOP.
Other state legislators in Florida are backing away from a similar Arizona SB 1070 law as well citing it would hurt the economy, tourism, construction and undocumented workers are an asset to Florida's agriculture economy and growth. Even, Governor Rick Scott admits that if E-Verify is used by farmers to verify the legal status of farmworkers, their work force will fall and crops would spoil. Farmers won't be likely to be replaced undocumented workers with unemployed Americans willing to do the harsh work they are not accustomed to do.

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Milwaukee County Deputy Sheriff Files Grievance For Being Skipped By Corrections Officer In Overtime

Grievance alleges Sheriff's Department breached contract

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 15, 2011

Milwaukee - On Saturday, a Milwaukee County Sheriff's deputy filed a grievance challenging the impromptu decision by Deputy Inspector Kevin Nyklewicz from squad five in charge of the jail (Detention Bureau) to deny him overtime. The county jail holds more than 800 inmates. The deputy who signed up to work extra hours was denied overtime and was skipped by a corrections officer who was awarded the extra time. The Nyklewicz' directive was initiated on Saturday and excludes all deputies regardless of seniority from working overtime and allows correction officers to replace deputies when overtime is available, which under union contract agreement is a clear violation.
The deputy has seniority over the corrections officer. Several other deputies indicated they will follow with grievances. Most likely, if the union and the department can't resolve the matter, it might result in a costly lawsuit for the department.
Sheriff David Clarke could not be reached for comment.

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San Diego County Deputy Sheriff Kidnapped In Michoacan, Mexico By Armed Commando In Military Uniforms

Photo: Tribuna Chihuahua

Military commando crashes party and takes 3 people, including two U.S. Citizens

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 15, 2011

Tancítaro, Michoacan, Mexico - The Secretary of National Defense (Sedena) in Mexico and the Mexican Attorney General's Office (PGR) have yet to comment on the disappearance of two U.S. Citizens and a 39-year-old Mexican national in Condémbaro township in the municipality of Tancítaro in Michoacan. The Americans were identified as Rogelio Segura Nava, 28, a San Diego County Sheriff's Deputy from California and Joel González Segura, 14. 
La Tribuna Chihuahua reported that Nava and Segura were in Mexico at a private family party on January 9, when an armed commando in military uniforms bust into the party at 2:00 p.m, and then robbed, beat partygoers, stole money and jewelry, fired shots into the air, took vehicles and kidnapped the three missing people. Those attending the party alleged that the armed commandos were from the Mexican army, according to attendees.
So far, neither Sedena or PGR have released any information concerning the kidnappings or have confirmed that Mexican armed forces were involved in the incident. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. State Department have not released any information or have confirmed that Nava actually is a deputy sheriff in San Diego or works for the sheriff's department and was reported missing in Mexico.
Family members have filed a report with the U.S. Embassy in Mexico and the Mexican government. 

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New Consul For Mexican Consulate In Chicago Named After Multiple Community Protests To Oust Current Consul Arriaga Prevailed

Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomera

(Photo: Denver Mexican Consulate)

Mexican President Felipe Calderon named new consul to head troubled Chicago Consulate

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 14, 2011

Chicago, Illinois - On Friday, Mexican President Felipe Calderon finally confirmed that Eduardo Arnal Palomera, the current Consul in Denver, Colorado has been named to take over the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, according to sources at the Chicago Consulate. The Nuevo Siglo Newspaper in Chicago reported that Palomera was selected by Calderon several weeks ago and is expected to go before the Mexican Congress for approval. Palomera is an attorney and a former Mexican Congressman with the National Action Party (PAN). He been the Denver Consul since August 15, 2007, when he was approved by the Congress.
The Nuevo Siglo also reported, once approved, Palomera could be in Chicago within a month and will be replacing the current Consul Manuel Rodríguez Arriaga, according to Denver's Consulate Adscribed Consul José Luis Cuevas. President Calderon has named Arriaga as the new Mexican Embassador to Peru. Calderon did not provide information why Arriaga was being replaced, but news and information of numerous protests against Arriaga had reached Calderon.
The Chicago Mexican Consulate provides services to Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois Mexican nationals. The Consulate under Arriaga has been under protest for weeks and as far back to several years by numerous Mexican groups and organizations for not working and recognizing community groups.
In early August, the Mexican Civic Society of Illinois in Chicago (MCS) and organizations had protested in front of the Chicago Consulate for leaving the MCS out from participating in the official Bicentennial "El Grito" event. 
Before midnight on September 15, they even protested at the night of El Grito Bicentennial Mexican Independence at the Millenium Park in Chicago. The protesters boo and continued to boo Consul Arriaga during his presentation and even yelled "¡Fuera, fuera, fuera Consul Arriaga!" (Out, out, out Consul Arriaga!). The protesters displayed large signs denouncing Arriaga and calling for President Calderon to remove Arriaga from his post.
Protesters alleged, Consul Arriaga was practicing depotism at the Mexican Consulate, lacked transparency in the Grito event, lacked to provide legal representation or condemn publicaly the deportation of thousands of undocumented Mexican immigrants from Chicago and two other states, slow and inedaquate services to Mexican nationals seeking services at the Consulate.
It seems, the Mexican community finally got their wish and Consul Arraiga will soon be history. 

Related article: Second Protest At Mexican Consul In Chicago Over Bicentennial "El Grito" Ouster Of Mexican Civic Society http://bit.ly/9ESaRF

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Court Commissioner Ordered Competency Exam For Salas Gayton Before Proceeding With 1-94 Wrong Way Vehicle Homicide Case

Leopoldo R. Salas Gayton

Preliminary hearing rescheduled by Commissioner who ordered competency exam for suspect

By H. Nelson Goodson
January 13, 2011

Milwaukee - On Thursday, Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Barry Slagle suspended the preliminary hearing for Leopoldo R. Sala Gayton, 41, and ordered a competency exam. Gayton was charged with two counts of vehicle homicide while intoxicated in the New Year's Day Interstate highway I-94 wrong way crash death of Corrie A. Damske, 34.
Gayton confessed that he had drank at least 14 cans of beer and his blood alcohol tested .14, almost twice the legal limit of .08 allowed to drive in Wisconsin. He was also seen throwing empty beers cans outside his vehicle, after stopping and making a u-turn and heading eastbound on the westbound I-94 lane near the 20th Street exit. Gayton side slammed into several westbound vehicles and killing Damske.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department released information on Thursday that Damske's autopsy revealed she had a blood alcohol level in her body above the legal limit while driving, but declined to comment further until the investigation is completed.
In court, Gayton's Attorney Heather Johnson told the Commissioner that her client was not competent to stand trial. Milwaukee County Assistant District Attorney Mark S. Williams was ready to proceed with the preliminary hearing and had brought several witnesses to testify against Gayton.
Commissioner Slagle found probable cause, but suspended the proceedings and ordered Gayton to be examined for competency by the Wisconsin Forensic Unit. Slagle rescheduled the hearing until January 20, at 8:30 a.m. in court Branch 19 to review the doctor's evaluation report to determine, if Gayton is competent to stand trial.
Gayton was remanded to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department on a $200,000 cash bail bond. Gayton has been unable to post bail.
Gayton, a Mexican national has admitted to being in the country illegally for 13 years and was previously cited twice for driving without a license. The most recent citation was on April 22, 2010, when a Wisconsin State Patrol officer stopped him and gave him a ticket for operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license. Gayton ended up in custody and was later released. He entered an alcoholic rehab center, but resumed to consuming alcohol (beers) on New Year's Day.
A hold by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been place on him.
Gayton is facing 25 years in prison and $100,000 fine, if convicted on all charges.
Gayton's case has been used and exploited by Republican conservative WTMJ 620 AM radio talk show hosts Charlie Sykes and Jeff Wagner to push for a similar Arizona SB 1070 law in Wisconsin. The law would allow local law enforcement officials to question and hold illegal immigrants that they suspect are in Wisconsin and in the U.S. illegally during traffic stops or any minor and domestic call investigations.
What Sykes and Wagner should actually push is for stricker laws against drunk driving and harsher penalties in accidents causing death by intoxication and driving. Wisconsin leads with lesser penalties for repeated drunk driving violations and homicide by vehicle while intoxicated related accidents. For example, if a person is busted a third time for intoxicated driving it becomes a state felony.
On January 3, the Wisconsin State legistature in both Houses became Republican controlled, including the Governor's Office. Several state representatives are planning to introduce a similar Arizona immigration enforcement law (Wisconsin Immigration Enforcement Law) in the session beginning this year. The bill, a similar Arizona SB 1070 law is expected to be introduced by Wisconsin State Representative Donald Pridemore (R Hartford). 
Pridemore's Wisconsin version of SB 1070 will allow local law enforcement officers to detain suspects for 48 hours when they come into contact with them in minor or serious infractions of the law, if officers suspect they are in Wisconsin and in the country illegally. If illegal, then undocumented immgrants will be turned in to ICE. Governor Scott Walker (R) has vowed to sign a similar Arizona immigration enforcement law, if passed by the state legislature.
U.S. Hispanics in Wisconsin, civil rights and immigration rights groups have also vowed to filed lawsuits against Walker and the state, if the law is deemed discriminatory and will lead to racial profiling by law enforcement officers.

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