RECENT ARTICLES

Made in LA: Hecho en Los Angeles

Hispanics targeted by Fraudulent Companies

Will Haitians be granted TPS?

Census 2010 should accurately represent Latino population

The Cost of Citizenship

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Made in LA: Hecho en Los Angeles

Made in L.A. is an Emmy award-winning feature documentary (70 min) that follows the remarkable story of three Latina immigrants working in Los Angeles garment sweatshops as they embark on a three-year odyssey to win basic labor protections from trendy clothing retailer Forever 21. In intimate observational style, Made in L.A. reveals the impact of the struggle on each woman’s life as they are gradually transformed by the experience. Compelling, humorous, deeply human, Made in L.A. is a story about immigration, the power of unity, and the courage it takes to find your voice.

Three immigrant women come together at L.A.’s Garment Worker Center to take a stand for their rights. Against all odds, these seemingly defenseless workers launch a very public challenge (a lawsuit and a boycott) to one of the city’s flagship clothiers, calling attention to the dark side of low-wage labor north of the U.S.-Mexico border and revealing the social fault lines of the new globalization.

As seen through the eyes of María, Maura, and Lupe, the workers’ struggle for basic economic justice and personal dignity yields hope and growth, but it is also fraught with disappointments and dangers. As the campaign drags on through three long years, meetings at the Garment Worker Center become more contentious and the women undergo dramatic moments of conflict and discouragement. But then the story takes a surprising turn, and the three women find the strength and resources to continue their struggle.

For Lupe, Maura and María, the long campaign is a turning point from victimization to empowerment, and each makes life-changing decisions that they never could have envisioned.

To see where there will be a film screening near you click here.

Hispanics targeted by Fraudulent Companies

Rosario Méndez, Hispanic outreach coordinator for the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection in Washington, D.C.,  said that a study by the FTC found that Hispanic consumers are twice as likely to be victims of fraud as non-Hispanic whites. And a new one-day survey of news media found hundreds of advertisements targeted to Hispanics that potentially could violate federal and state laws.

“ We’re looking for new opportunities to educate Latinos before they become victims,” Attorney General Rob McKenna said, “We recognize the advantage of coordinating with partners across all sectors, public, private and nonprofit, to be more effective. It’s a big job and a significant challenge, but together we can make a difference.”

Latinos may fall victim to fraud more often because of:

• Unfamiliarity with contracts, credit and banking systems in the United States;
• Limited literacy and linguistic barriers;
• Lack of knowledge of available services; and
• Reluctance to trust government agencies.

According to the study three out of the top four categories of fraud are related to credit.  Consumers with high levels of debt are more likely to be victims of fraud, because they buy into credit repair scams.   

Two resources that we trust here at Acceso Hispano to help clients fix their credit and help prevent foreclosure on their homes are:

Acorn Housing hotline 888-409-3557

and The National Foundation for Credit Counseling

English hotline 1-800-388-2227 Spanish Hotline 1-800-682-9832

By the numbers
Top ten types of fraud 1 Advance-fee loan scams - 4.55 million victims; 2 Buyers clubs - 4.05 million victims; 3 Credit card insurance - 3.35 million victims; 4 Credit repair - 2 millionvictims; 5 Prize promotions - 1.8 million victims; 6 Internet services - 1.75 million victims; 7 Pyramid schemes - 1.55 million victims; 8 Information services - .8 million victims; 9 Government job offers - .65million victims; and 10 Business opportunities - .45 million victims.

 

Source: Msnbc.msn.com

Will Haitians be granted TPS?

Temporary protected status (TPS) grants temporary protection from deportation to nationals of a country in which environmental or political events have occurred which make it temporarily unsafe to deport them or when armed conflict poses a serious threat to public safety. TPS has been granted to nationals of many countries including those of Nicaragua and Honduras in 1999 following Hurricane Mitch, and of El Salvador in 2001 following severe earthquakes.

Recent devastating environmental disasters from which Haiti has not recovered, continuing violence, and unstable political conditions pose a serious threat at this time to the personal safety of anyone forcibly repatriated to Haiti. Last year’s storms and hurricanes killed hundreds and rendered hundreds of thousands homeless. Fifteen percent of Haiti’s already fragile economy was destroyed, the equivalent of eight to ten Hurricane Katrinas hitting the United States in the same month. Haitian deportees face hunger, homelessness, and grave threats to their security. The Haitian government’s ability to provide basic governmental services–clean water, education, passable road and basic healthcare–has been severely compromised by the natural disasters and food crisis in 2008. Repatriating Haitians exposes them to these dangerous conditions, while imposing an additional burden on government resources that are already stretched too thin.

Furthermore, granting TPS to Haitian refugees would help Haiti recover, as Haitians in the United States could obtain work permits and would increase the already significant flow of remittances to their family and friends back home. Many depend on those remittances for their very survival. That flow of dollars is among the best foreign aid that the United States can provide, and it costs taxpayers nothing. TPS would be extended only to those Haitians currently residing in the United States, so any concerns about a mass exodus to the US are unfounded.
Congressman Alcee Hastings (FL) introduced legislation to grant TPS to Haitians (H.R. 144).

to take action click here naacp.org or sign a petition

Census 2010 should accurately represent Latino population

Wednesday the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) in Washington, D.C. convened to discuss how Latinos have been under-counted in previous census counts and efforts by LULAC and other national Latino organizations are aimed at making the next population count more accurate.

“April 1, 2010, is a critical date for all of us,” said Brent Wilkes, executive director of LULAC, referring to Census Day. “We have to make sure that every person is counted because it’s going to transform what is known about our diverse and growing population.”

Latinos represent an estimated 15 percent of the U.S. population, or 45.5 million people.

Wilkes noted that an accurate census count in 2010 is critical because those numbers will be used to address the needs of communities for the coming decade. The federal government uses census data to allocate about $300 billion in funds every year for vital services, including disaster relief, health care, schools, transportation, libraries and senior centers.

Panelists agreed that many Latinos, regardless of their immigration status, will be suspicious of the letters the Census will be sending out to households in March 2010. If they don’t respond to it, the Census Bureau will follow up by sending a specialist to their address for an interview. Such visits sometimes help the agency locate new members of the community.

One of the Census Bureau’s strategies for overcoming such fears is to deploy bilingual specialists around the country to do follow-up home visits. The agency has already hired personnel who speak 55 of 59 languages it has determined are needed for interviewing. “We want to make sure that the person who comes to your door looks just like you,” Ramos said.

In communities where Latinos represent more than 20 percent of the population, the agency will send the forms in both English and Spanish. Communities with smaller percentages of Latinos or other non-English-speaking groups can request bilingual forms.

The Census Bureau is also setting up local offices, with 145 already open and a total of 485 expected to be operating by the end of the year. These offices, located in the middle of communities, will help the agency do the hyper-local part of the job. But they also offer job opportunities.

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Author: Cristina F. Pereda

Source: www.alternet.org

The Cost of Citizenship

Barriers — financial and physical — could influence the makeup of newly naturalized Americans. After citizen application rates rose 70 percent, from $440 to $675, half as many people have applied for US citizenship in the beginning of this year compared to last year.

Under the increases, which cover almost all immigration benefits, the cost of bringing a foreign fiance or fiancee will jump to $455 from $170. The price tag for a green card, or permanent resident visa, will rise to $930 from $325, and the cost of citizenship papers will increase to $675 from $440.

To become eligible for citizenship, a person must be a legal permanent resident who has lived continuously in the US for 5 years. Those that do apply sometimes use loans to foot the bill. Immigrant advocates say the fee exceeds processing costs, and they want the cost to be tied to federal minimum wage and funded by Congress.

Critics reacted quickly. Rep. Joe Baca (D-Rialto), head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, said the group was concerned that the fee increases would put citizenship out of reach for many. “Many Hispanic families will be hurt by this decision,” Baca said, adding that the agency should have worked with Congress “to provide a more workable, just solution.”

Crystal Williams, deputy director for programs at the American Immigration Lawyers Assn., called the decision disappointing. “The fees are simply too high for the level of service provided and too high for the affordability for a lot of the people it’s supposed to be serving,” she said.

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez (D-Ill.), co-author of a bipartisan immigration bill in the House, criticized the agency for its inefficiency. It has a backlog of about 1 million applications. “These fees are a glaring example of the government imposing a higher price on its customers, while continuing to offer inefficient services,” he said.

Source: CitizenSugar.com and Los Angeles Times