Author: mopress

First of all, a quick thank you to the new facebook readers here at the Texas Civil Rights Review. One nice thing about the software we use is the careful documentation we get about our readership. Which leads us to the next item…

Charles Kuffner, master of the Texas blog world, has posted some kind words about the Texas Civil Rights Review. Kuff was following work posted by blogger Racy Mind, who wrote:

The early heavy lifting on the Texas Elections Administration Management System (TEAM) project was best done by the Texas Civil Rights Review back in 2005. They followed this issue from way back, before IBM-Hart InterCivic even won the contract. I have put alot of time in reviewing this work, and I can only say ‘wow!’. An issue as important as this received minimal attention from the rest of the world, so I can only say that anybody who cares about the Texas democratic process should thank Greg Moses for what must have been a massive amount of work. A long list of links to this work is below. The vendor selection process as outlined by the Texas SOS is here.

Thanks again to facebook folks, Kuff, and Racy Mind. Having readers like you is the blog world equivalent of a merit raise.–gm

ANDREA BECERRIL, La Jornada

Austin, 8 de junio. El gobierno de Felipe Calderón solicitó formalmente al Congreso de Estados Unidos incrementar la ayuda para el combate al narcotráfico, reveló el presidente del Comité de Inteligencia de la Cámara de Representantes, Silvestre Reyes, para quien es factible implementar en México un proyecto similar al plan Colombia, aunque sin presencia militar.

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Bill Weinberg’s Blog June 10

The government of Mexican President Felipe Calderón has issued a formal request to the US Congress for a huge increase in military aid to combat narco-gangs. The request came in a recent US-Mexico Inter-Parliamentary Meeting held in Austin, TX, and was revealed to the Mexican daily La Jornada by Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), leader of the House Intelligence Committee. La Jornada called the request a “Plan Colombia” for Mexico, although without an actual US military troop presence. (La Jornada, June 8)

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John Ross, CounterPunch, June 18

Like Plan Colombia, Mexico will be gifted with tons of military equipment, whiz-bang technology, and billion buck grants to battle the cartels, although U.S. troops will be held out of the package (for now) because of Mexico’s long-standing resistance to such deployment. The U.S. military has invaded Mexico eight times since both countries won their independence from Europe 200 years ago.

We have linked back to the Unapologetic Mexican before, who crafted a righteous X-Mas card of Hutto rebuke.

And today we welcome readers thrown our way by a link hooked directly from the heart. Yes, we don’t mind saying how warmed we are to be found connected underground to the following flow of spirit from an entry titled, “18 de Junio, 2007,
La Nación es de Quien lo Trabaja”:

Chances are good that if you say “read this or that or the other blog to get a better idea of ‘what to think about immigration,’ and because we are personally and emotionally connected to these events and so not only will we have a focus that will not waver but a passion that drives it”—they will say you are link-thirsting, and whining. If you talk (continually) about humane reasons why we absolutely should care about Mexican immigrants, or why caring for this huge group of people is the most important issue right now—even if you tie it to family you have, or dreams, or even ideas about historical wrongs, or kids in prison—you will be told that this is your pet issue, or that you are offering useless editorializing, or else that you should stop complaining and…lead the way?

Anyway, I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about that type of criticism. I’m not here to dance, and I’m not here to draw divisions deeper. But check yourself. Just because you bigger blogs have more of the mainstream that is comfortable with your views doesn’t mean you have the right views all or even most of the time. Don’t be like the Right: afraid of hearing voices that might not vote a predictable way; don’t be afraid of your own precious Democratic ideals, and of truth, and of change.

Ultimately, more of us are talking about this, and that is a beautiful thing.

Email from Jay Johnson-Castro

Today we celebrate World Refugee Day…

Freedom Ambassadors are grateful to Amnesty International for their support in this celebration…here in Texas…at the Hutto prison camp that imprisons innocent children from all over the world…and their mothers…who are seeking asylum.

Freedom Ambassadors will keep celebrating the World Refugee Day to the end of the week…when we hold Hutto Vigil X in Taylor, TX on Saturday, June 23…sponsored by Amnesty International. Hutto Vigil X is essentially an all day event. The Amnesty International sponsored program is from 1-3pm. We expect a record turnout…in solidarity with the children immorally and criminally imprisoned there by Chertoff and ICE.

Then, as many that can, Freedom Ambassadors will head down to Raymondville, TX on June 24th where 2000 refugees from some 50 countries are imprisoned by Chertoff and ICE in a 10-tent concentration camp. We will join up with the Valley coalition that will be holding a vigil from 6-8pm.

The attached statement (below) and letter which features the innocent little victims of Chertoff and ICE is from Amnesty International. The Amnesty International contact information follows at the end of this letter.

In every other country of the world…we call them refugees. As Americans…we sincerely want to help. The elitist supremacists call refugees in America “illegals”…thereby desensitizing the Americans’ natural spirit and desire to reach out and help. This allows ICE to inhumanely round up refugees in American..and imprison them in “for-profit” concentration camps.

We do not really celebrate this inhumane treatment of refugees in America by Chertoff and ICE. We celebrate their inalienable rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

Freedom Ambassadors will be launching our new web site this week. Stay tuned.

Hoping to see you Saturday and Sunday…

Jay

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Amnesty International USA’s
REFUGEE ACTION

600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Ste. 500
Washington, DC 20003
T. 202.544.0200
F.202.546.7142
E-mail. refugee@aiusa.org

June 18, 2007

UNITED STATES: Oppose the Detention of Refugee and Migrant Children

SUMMARY: Amnesty International is concerned about hundreds of migrant children and their parents who are detained at the Don T. Hutto Residential Center in Taylor, Texas. The Hutto building used to hold criminals before being converted to a temporary residence for refugee and migrant children. Children from Central America and other parts of the world including Greece, Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq, Russia and Romania are detained at Hutto in prison cells for months at a time.

BACKGROUND: Every day, the United States government detains over 600 migrant children and their parents who are asking permission to remain here legally. Some families flee violence and war in their home countries and come to the United States hoping to be protected by our government. Others come because they want to have a better life than they left behind. When immigration officers find families who don’t have permission to stay, they can lock them in facilities like Hutto until they decide whether to allow the families to remain in the U.S. Sometimes this process can take years.

The detention of families expanded dramatically in 2006 with the opening of the new 512-bed T. Don Hutto Residential Center. Prior to the opening of Hutto, the majority of immigrant families were arrested and then released from custody while they worked through their immigration cases. Hutto is a former criminal facility that houses immigrant children in prison cells. Some families with children have been detained in the facility for up to two years. The majority of children in the facility appear to be under 12 years old.

According to international standards to which the United States has agreed, asylum seekers, in particular, are not to be detained unless warranted by special circumstances. Migrants in detention are to be afforded the same rights as nationals who are detained, and even in detention, children have the right to be with their families, to get an education, to have recreational time, and to live in a place that is safe.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please contact the Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, asking the government to stop holding migrant children and their parents in prison-like facilities. You can also copy your letter to the head of Hutto, and the Juvenile Coordinator for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

SAMPLE LETTER:

Michael Chertoff, Secretary
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
245 Murray Lane, SW
Washington, D.C. 20528

Dear Secretary Chertoff:

I write with regard to the detention of migrant families and children in the Don T. Hutto Detention Facility in Taylor, TX. Since Hutto opened, the detention of families in the United States has increased. The use of a prison-like facility that has not been updated to meet the needs of detained migrants and asylum seekers is not appropriate, especially for children. The majority of children detained at Hutto appear to be under 12 years old, and they have a right to be with their families in a place that is safe, with education and recreational opportunities.

Additionally, I remind you that international standards for the treatment of asylum seekers recommend against detention except under special circumstances. And migrants in detention are to be afforded the same rights as nationals who are being held.

I urge you to investigate the conditions at Hutto to determine whether it is appropriate to hold migrant families with children there, and if not, to resolve the situation immediately.

Thank you for your prompt attention to my concerns,

cc:

Simona Colon
T. Don Hutto Residential Center
1001 Welch Street, P.O. Box 1063
Taylor, TX 76574

John Pogash
ICE National Juvenile Coordinator
Department of Homeland Security
Immigration and Customs Enforcement
800 I Street NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20536