Illinois Immigrant Advocates Say ¡Ya basta! Enough!

Illinois immigrant advocates call on ICE to stop the expanding raids and deportations that are separating hard-working families and terrorizing whole communities.

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Hall of Shame: Sheriff Steve Bizzell - Johnston County, NC - Hates tacos and spaghetti

The sheriff has aimed racist remarks at the minority group that is only 11 percent of one of our region's neighboring counties, including charges that Hispanics "rape, rob and murder" Americans, dodge taxes, "breed like rabbits" and drain social services. Editorial, The Fayetteville Observer - 9.23.08

6th immigrant found dead in Mt. Kisco

The body of Guatemalan immigrant, Emilio de Jesus Bueso, 37, was discovered in the backyard of a home in Mount Kisco, which is about 40 miles north of New York City.

Local police are investigating the death--one of six mysterious deaths of Guatemalan immigrant men in the Westchester, New York town.

In June, a jury acquitted a local police officer in the death of 42-year-old Guatemalan immigrant Rene Perez, whose body was found on the side of the road in April 2007.

Perhaps, the DOJ should take over these investigations as well.

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2nd Shenandoah Latino Beaten; Authorities Again Claim No Bias; LULAC, MALDEF Demand DOJ Investigation

Javier Alcala Jr., 21, of Shenandoah, PA, was assaulted September 12, 2008. He was jumped by three men, who hit him on the head, bound him with duct tape on his legs and arms, blindfolded him with duct tape and beaten to the point of unconsciousness.

It's the second beating of a Latino migrant in recent months. On July 12th, Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala, 25, a Mexican immigrant, was murdered by four Shenandoah racist thugs.

The League of United Latin American Citizens and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund have called for the U.S. Department of Justice to conduct a civil rights investigation.

Of course, the hapless Shenandoah police doesn't believe that this latest crime was racially motivated. But then again, they didn't believe that the murder of Luis Ramirez was due to his race.

Two questions:

1) How likely is it to get the Bush DOJ to act quickly and responsibly in this matter? I suspect that Shenandoah Latinos may have to wait until an Obama presidency in order to get the DOJ to act.

2) Could this type of assault be used as a political tactic to galvanize the White working class vote? Anti-immigrant Lou Barletta is running for Congress on the GOP line in a district that is heavily White working class and Democratic. Additionally, John McCain needs to carry NE Pennsylvania in order to neutralize Barack Obama's overwhelming support in the Philly area.

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