Category: Uncategorized

After an 18-month study (ending Jan. 2006) of five prisons used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in California, Florida, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, , the Homeland Security Office of Inspector General released the following summary on Dec. 22, 2006:

Regarding health care standards, we identified instances of non-compliance at four of the
five detention facilities, including timely initial and responsive medical care [including improper treament of hunger strikers in seven of eight instances; insufficient monitoring of prisoners on suicide watch in five out of 36 instances.]

Also, we identified environmental health and safety concerns at three of five detention facilities reviewed [including undercooked poultry two weeks after inspectors ordered the problem fixed; and when inspectors asked ICE to provide ladders and safety bars to prevent injuries from prisoners falling from top bunks, ICE replied that it wasn’t required and would be too expensive.]

We identified instances of non-compliance with ICE Detention Standards regarding general conditions
of confinement at the five facilities, including disciplinary policy, classifying detainees, and
housing together detainees classified at different security levels [for some prisoners ICE had no files to show; and generally, on laundry day, prisoners usually sat around in their underwear for two-to-six hours while clothes were washed.]

Two facilities also had inadequate inventory controls over detainee funds and personal property.

We further noted that the ICE Detention Standard on Detainee Grievance Procedures does not provide a process for detainees to report abuse or civil rights violations.

In addition, two detention facilities did not issue handbooks specifically addressing detainee’s rights, responsibilities, and rules; and three facilities did not translate handbooks and orientation material into Spanish and other prevalent languages. See Treatment of Immigration Detainees Housed at Immigration and Customs Enforcement Facilities [OIG_07-01_Dec06.pdf]

On Sunday border Wall-ker Jay Johnson-Castro became the border talker in a three-way conversation between activists on the USA side of the border wall, Mexicans on the Mexican side, and a troupe of USA Congresspersons who were escorted to the scene by the Border Patrol.

It was at the end of Johnson-Castro’s border wall-k in protest of the already-built walls in California. Protest wall-kers were chatting through the wall with Mexicans on the other side, when up comes a delegation of seven Congresspersons, including Rep. Ciro Rodriguez of the Rio Grande Valley.
“How is it your government lets the new, modern KKK roam free and harass us?” asked the Mexicans through the wall to the Congresspersons.

Johnson-Castro, who has just completed a caravan from “sea to shining sea” along the length of the USA border with Mexico, pledged to the activists, the Mexicans, and the Congresspersons that we will see the day come when the wall between the USA and Mexico is torn down.

“We feel that we can have the rejoicing that people felt when the Berlin wall came down,” said Johnson-Castro. “We the people have to take action.
I even told the congressman that.”

Johnson-Castro says he was touched by the sight of Mexicans stranded “up against the wall” and separated from friends and family.

“They subject themselves to indignity of our country to be with their families or just to feed their families,” said Johnson-Castro via cell phone from California. “This just has got to stop. But we don’t have a government at this point that will stop it. Not even Democrats will stop it until we raise enough hell.”

“You know, it was Clinton who first had the wall put up in San Diego. Democrats and Republicans share this warped mentality of barriers. And they’re building it as fast as they can.”

We look forward to receiving a full report from Johnson-Castro via email. He had a busy weekend protesting the wall and double-checking the mass grave at Holtville, CA.

Stay tuned….

complete schedule from Roberto Calderon

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CHICANA & CHICANO STUDIES

NACCS-Tejas Regional Conference
University of North Texas
March 1-3, 2007

Conference Program

[Revised: January 19, 2007]

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Plenary 1—Bienvenida: A Conversation with Mexican American Legislators
University
Theatre, 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Reception,
Golden Eagle, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Friday, March 2, 2007

Registration: Wooten Hall 111, 8:30 am – 9:00 am

Session 1: A Critical Conversation on Gloria Anzaldúa’s
Work
Wooten
Hall 267, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Chair, Norma E. Cantú, University of Texas at San Antonio
Glenda Serna-Schaffer, “On the Other-Side of the Bridge,” University
of Texas at San Antonio
Fabiola Torralba, “The New Mestiza Consciousness: Radical Transformations
for a Movement of Inclusivity,” University of Texas at San Antonio
Venetia June Pedraza, “The Borderland Is a Space, Culture, and Theory:
The Social Construction of History, Gender, Sexuality and Memory,” University
of Texas at San Antonio
T. Jackie Cuevas, “Chicana Feminism in the Post-Borderlands: Or, What
Was Chicana Feminism?” University of Texas at San Antonio

Session 2: Cruzando Sierras Voy de Mojad@! Practice, Politics,
and the Unpacking of Popular Immigration Discourse
Wooten
Hall 262, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Alex E. Chávez, “Huapango Arribeño: Performing
the Mexican Immigrant Experience,” University of Texas at Austin
Santiago Guerra, “Contrabando y Coyotes: Trafficking and the
Contemporary Immigration Debate,” University of Texas at Austin

Session 3: The Chicano Movement in South Texas & Struggles for
Immigrants Rights
Wooten
Hall 211, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Patricia Dunn, “The Tenth Anniversary of the César E. Chávez
March for Justice Exhibit,” Institute of Texan Cultures, University of
Texas at San Antonio
Noe Ramírez, “Research Findings on the Community Organization
Activities of the Chicano Movement in South Texas and Their Implications for
Organizing Immigrant Groups,” University of Texas-Pan American

Session 4: Framing the Immigration Debate: Terms of Engagement
Wooten
Hall 230, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

David J. Molina, “The Impact of US-Mexico Economic Integration on the
Flow of Labor and Capital on Each Country,” University of North Texas
Celina Vásquez, “Framing the Immigration Debate—No Soy ‘Illegal
Alien,’” Texas Woman’s University
Paul Dunbar, “Immigration: An American Dilemma,” University of
North Texas
Amalia Guirao, “Policies of Social Exclusion: A Comparative Analysis
of Spanish and U.S. Marginalization of Immigrants in Society,” University
of Texas at San Antonio

Break: 10:15 am – 10:30 am

Session 5: The Living Conditions of U.S.-Born Children of Mexican
Immigrants in Unmarried Families
Wooten
Hall 262, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Yolanda C. Padilla, University of Texas at Austin
Melissa Radey, Florida State University

Session 6: Broadening the Definition of Chicanismo: Immigrants Beyond
Aztlán
Wooten
Hall 267, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Yazmín Lazcano, Texas State University
Barbara Lundberg, Texas State University
Gina Guzmán, Texas State University
Paul Velásquez, Texas State University

Session 7: The Latina/o Chicana/o Oral History Project: Nuestro
Derecho a la Educación
Wooten
Hall 211, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Chair, Mariela Nuñez-Janes, University of North Texas
Baltazar Flores, University of North Texas
Chase Walding, University of North Texas
Nezahualcoyotl Paniagua, University of North Texas
Erbin Ayala, University of North Texas
Elizabeth Rovira, University of North Texas
Ryan Gilbert, University of North Texas

Session 8: Mexican American Lawyering I: Las Cuatro Esquinas de
Nuestra Cultura
Wooten
Hall 230, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Isidro Aguirre, “Las Cuatro Esquinas de Nuestra Cultura: Gus
García, J.J. Herrera, Carlos Cadena y Maury Maverick Jr.,” Dallas
Independent School District (DISD)

Break: 11:45 am – 12:00 / Walk to Noon Plenary Session

Plenary 2: Keynote Address – Golden Eagle Suite, University
uni*n (Lunch Served)

Michael A. Olivas, “‘Colored Men’ and ‘Hombres Aquí’: Hernández
v. Texas and the Emergence of Mexican American Lawyering,” University
of Houston School of Law

Break: 1:30 pm – 1:45 pm / Return to Wooten Hall

Session 9: What Does It Mean to Become American? Cultural Deposits
and Withdrawals in the Americanization Process of Young Immigrants
Wooten
Hall 262, 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm

Dolores E. Godinez, University of Texas at Austin
María Luisa Illescas-Glasscock, University of Texas at Austin

Session 10: The Texas Bilingual Education Story: Celebrating Our
Legacy (2005)
Wooten
Hall 211, 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm

Rudy Rodríguez, Producer, University of North Texas
Guadalupe San Miguel, Commentator, University of Houston

Session 11: Mythic Journeys, Political Resistance & Modernity
in Literature & Film
Wooten
Hall 267, 1:45 – 3:00 pm

Ignacio López-Calvo, “Literary and Political Resistance in Alfredo
Véa’s Gods Go Begging,” University of North Texas
Cordelia Barrera, “Landscape, Dreams, and Mythic Journeys in the Works
of Rudolfo Anaya,” University of Texas at San Antonio
Javier Rodríguez, “Becoming the Undocumented: Passages into Mexico
in the Two Recent Films The Gatekeeper and The Three Burials of
Melquiades Estrada,” Notre Dame University

Session 12: Minority School Achievement: An Examination of Culture
and Language in San Antonio
Wooten
Hall 230, 1:45 pm – 3:00 pm

Carmen Guzmán-Martínez, University of Texas at San Antonio
Esther Garza, University of Texas at San Antonio
Hsiao-Ping Wu, University of Texas at San Antonio

Break: 3:00 pm – 3:15 pm

Session 13: “Excavating a Hymn”: Recent Bibliographic
Work in Chicana/o Studies
Wooten
Hall 262, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Larissa Mercado-López, University of Texas at San Antonio
Megan Sibbett, University of Texas at San Antonio
Marco Cervantes, University of Texas at San Antonio

Session 14: Exploring Cultural Citizenship through Theatre
Wooten
Hall 267, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Lorenzo García, University of North Te
xas
Glor
ia Benavides, University of North Texas
Dante Martínez, University of North Texas

Session 15: Expanding the Picture of Chicano/a Studies: Teaching Writing
with Images of Immigrants
Wooten
Hall 211, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Chair, Jaime Armin Mejía, Texas State University
Lupita Murillo Tinnen, Collin County Community College District, Plano
Jennifer Johnson, Texas State University
Lisa Roy-Davis, Collin County Community College District, Plano

Session 16: Unheard Voices: A Documentary Film about Immigrant
Rights, Civil Rights, and Youth
Wooten
Hall 230, 3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Chair, Mariela Nuñez-Janes, University of North Texas
John Skrobarczyk, University of North Texas
Jorge Ledesma, University of North Texas
Esther Reyes, University of North Texas
Rumana Rahman, University of North Texas

Break: 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm

Meet Authors & Book Signing: Wooten Hall 267, 6:00 pm – 7:00
pm

Tardeada y Baile: University uni*n, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Conjunto
Aztlán & Others TBA

Saturday, March 3, 2007

Registration, Wooten Hall, First Floor Foyer, 8:30 am – 9:00
am

Session 17: Who’s Really Invading Our Space? “Intelligence
Community,” Environmental Racism, Human/Civil Rights Abuses & Anti-Immigrant
Infrastructure in the Lower Rio Grande Valley
Wooten
Hall 214, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Kamala Platt, University of Texas-Pan American
Nadeshda I. Garza, University of Texas-Pan American
Pedro Sandoval, University of Texas-Pan American

Session 18: South Texas’ Spatial Politics of Domination and
Resistance
Wooten
Hall 213, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Chair, María Quezada, University of Texas at San Antonio
Lori Rodríguez, University of Texas at San Antonio
Andrea Figueroa, University of Texas at San Antonio
Jennifer Vásquez, “Conroe: Ex-urbanization of a Small Texas Town,” University
of Texas at San Antonio
Francisco Aranda, “Family Photos/Records of Place,” University
of Texas at San Antonio
Jesús Reyes, “’People of Earth’: Texas and Northeastern
Mexico Coahuiltecan,” University of Texas at San Antonio

Session 19: A Border (Reality) Checkpoint
Wooten
Hall 262, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Sara Inés Calderón, Reporter, ¡Ahora Sí!,
Austin, Texas
G. Daniel López, Photographer, The Brownsville Herald, Brownsville,
Texas

Session 20: The Emergence of a Student Social Movement: A Case Study
of Walkouts in Dallas, Texas
Wooten
Hall 267, 9:00 am – 10:15 am

Hortencia Jiménez, University of Texas at Austin
Laura Barbarena, University of Texas at Austin
Michael Young, University of Texas at Austin

Break: 10:15 am – 10:30 am

Session 21: Memoir & Autobiography: Personal, Family & Community
Narratives
Wooten
Hall 230, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Josephine Méndez-Negrete, “Reading from her book, Las Hijas
de Juan,” University of Texas at San Antonio
Francisco R. Aranda, “Family Photos/Records of Place,” University
of Texas at San Antonio

Session 22: Mexican American Lawyering II: Education, Labor & Justice
for Immigrants
Wooten
Hall 262, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Virginia Marie Raymond, “Dangerous Innocence and the Limits of Equal
Protection: Plyler v. Doe at Twenty-Five,” University of Texas
at Austin
Benny Agosto, Jr., “Can Undocumented Workers Sue for Lost Wages?” Abraham,
Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Matthews & Friend, Houston, Texas & Chair
of the Editors Board, Texas Bar Journal

Session 23: Gender, Political Activism & Electoral Politics
in Tejas
Wooten
Hall 267, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Juanita Luna Lawhn, “Emma Tenayuca: Leftist vs. Nationalist,” San
Antonio College
De Ann Rose, “A City Divided: The Murder of Santos Rodríguez in
Dallas, Texas,” University of North Texas
José Angel Gutiérrez, “Ciro Rodríguez’s Political
Lifesaver: Mid-Decade Redistricting in Texas,” University of Texas at
Arlington

Session 24: Art & the Literary Postmodern: Neoindigenism & the
Mexican Diaspora
Wooten
Hall 214, 10:30 am – 11:45 am

Jesús Cantú Medel, “Neoindigenism in Chicano/a Art: A
Site for Praxis in Art Education in Pro-Immigrant Activities,” Houston
Community College, Northline
Micaela Pérez, “Journey of Self Consciousness: Self, Identity,
and Community,” University of Texas at San Antonio
Luis Velarde, “Representations of Displacement, Migration, and Diaspora
in Gómez-Peña,” University of North Texas

Break: 11:45 am – 12:00 Noon

Plenary 3—Despedida: The State of Mexican American Studies in
Texas
Wooten
Hall 222, 12 Noon – 1 pm

TBA

Exhibits

Exhibit 1: Patricia Dunn, “The Tenth Anniversary of
the César E. Chávez March for Justice Exhibit,” Institute
of Texan Cultures, University of Texas at San Antonio

Exhibit 2: Michelle Mears, “Mexican American Holdings
in the University of North Texas Archives,” University Archives, University
of North Texas

Exhibit 3: Noemí Martínez, Río
Grande Valley Zines & Projects

Exhibit 4: University of North Texas Book Store

Note: Exhibits and the registration table will be found in
Wooten Hall 111 on Friday, March 2, 2007. On Saturday, March 3, 2007,
the exhibits and registration table will be located in Wooten Hall’s
first floor foyer.

Williamson County Commissioners not only renewed the one-year lease with Corrections Corporation of America, they made it a two-year lease. The Austin American-Statesman rushed to the web with the news, which was a service in two respects. It was a quick report, and it reminded us why we prefer to cover activists, not authorities. Or, to put it in the paradigm of the Gospels referenced below, we’d be much more interested in covering Jesus, not Pilate, you know, that Jerusalem commissioner who washed his hands of the matter, muttering something about it being Rome’s business, not his. Anyway, here’s an email from Jay J. Johnson-Castro, including activist accounts of what happened today–gm

Hey Jessica…and Jane…

Thanks to both of you for the eyewitnesses accounts ( below for ) what transpired today at the Williamson County Commissioners Court. Many have wanted to know.

We’re all disappointed…of course…but not surprised. Nonetheless … however it would have turned out today … we all should know that we were going to win … and win handily. This flies in the face of all true lovers of freedom and justice. We have simply seen a much finer demarcation between the champions of the children, of morality, and of democratic freedoms in this country, and those that … will not defend them.
I heard Ex Governor of Arkansas and presidential hopeful, Huckabee, say last night…that we have two Americas . It becomes no clearer than on the imprisonment of innocent children…for corrupt, greedy and obscene profits. Are you against imprisoning innocent children? One America . Do you approve of children in cells for 22 hours a day in a prison camp on the pretense of national security? Another America .

One thing for sure. Williamson County …and Taylor , Texas …is going to suddenly wake up and find itself in the national and international spotlight. Anyone ever heard of Auschwitz ? Yet…I also believe that the majority of citizens of Taylor and Williamson County will show the spirit of the American Constitution…that of “We the people”.

How often have we heard…and said it ourselves…”It’s all about the money”? Commissioners that would sell out innocent children for a buck a day…are little different than a court of Judases. A political elitist like DeLay who would take $100,000 from CCA is a criminal. An administration that would funnel $7000 a month of American tax payers’ money to a CCA, GEO or Halliburton to imprison a 2-y-o innocent child is a criminal administration. Every decision maker who is complicit in this international crime should have to live as these children have been living.

If there is any metal in this new Congress…it should be shown here and now…on this very issue. There is no other like it in our modern history. If the new Congress wants to be recognized as a champion of democracy…let them act now…and free these children and their mothers. Who cares where they go. A wrong cannot be corrected by an evil.

For the sake of Texas and the American dream…the children MUST be freed…NOW!!! The Ibrahim and Suleiman families MUST be released to go back to their lives as productive immigrants…NOW!!! They must not be deported.

Again…I ask. Where is our national media? Where are the Governor of Texas and the legislators? Where is the Congress? Where are the champions of the innocent? You know why Lou Dobbs isn’t speaking about this…and defending the actions Chertoff and ICE on this. His real strength of character couldn’t hold up. If he tried…he’d be mocked off of CNN by the viewer-ship. Come on Laura Ingram, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh. Take a crack at it. I’d be glad to debate this American tragedy with you. I’m just a grassroots guy. No techno tower tricks. Real dialogue.

Hey Nancy Grace? How about these kids?

All the more reason for Vigil IV on Feb 12th. I’ll be in touch…

Jay

P.S For those with a Bible based faith…how did Jesus treat the little children? JJJ

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes I got a chance to speak. We were limited to 5 speakers. The place was packed! We got our say – I must say that our defense was strong, articulate and full of passion… but it was fruitless…. they agreed to renew the lease for 2 more years.

They on the other hand had a conspiracy theorist who stated that “Mexicans” were planning to take over Texas . Kidnap women and steal stuff and take them back to Mexico . The surprise of the day was Mrs. Ella Jez, Taylor City Council woman from Taylor who spoke “in favor” of the prison. She painted a pretty rosy picture of the facility…. it almost made me want to plan my next vacation there.

No one has had a chance to read the new lease as it was not offered for review.

Sincerely;
Jose Orta

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jessica wrote:

Hello all, just a little addition to Jane’s email.

….The woman representing CCA is Laurie Shanblum. I believe she was actually the person in charge of preparing the prison to become a “residential facility”.

After the vote, many gathered outside the court. Sherry and I observed a man asking many specific, hard hitting questions about the facility. His name is Mark Smith. He is an I-TEAM producer from WFAA – TV in Dallas . He has been following a story of Dallas residents that have relatives in the facility. Tomorrow night they are running a piece on the family and he is interested on keeping up with what is going on at TDH. He has information that those being held are given 24 minutes to eat…they can shower between 6-6:30am…twenty children share 2 toy cars to play with…guards tell residents that if their children don’t behave they can send them away. The rebuttal from CCA is that ICE has the decision making ability to separate families if there are any problems. It is a privilege, not a right for families to be together. If there is a problem woman can be in one facility, men in another, and children with a CPS like facility.

After CCA squirmed and ran, I moved on to the warden to listen to what he had to say. He speaks off the record. His information was there are about 400 currently being held and half that number is children. There is a physician and a physician’s assistant from I believe he said the US Public Healthy Services. Once a week, women who need prenatal or gynecological care go to a clinic.

The decision to renew this lease was clearly made in executive session. Today Judge Gattis made a motion to renew the lease with a few considerations provided by “lawyers” without discussion. Lisa Birkman, fearing for her seat, made some statements that was supposed to make us feel better…there are no US Citizens being detained, she stated classrooms were comparable to classrooms in Round Rock, and a few other remarks to make her seem less blameworthy for her vote to renew. I believe the action of the Commissioner’s Court violates the open meeting rule. Again, I contend that this decision was made behind close doors without public access.

As I was leaving the Annex, KLBJ was reporting that Williamson County had voted to renew the lease. This story is growing daily. Thank you Jose, Sherry and Jane and all of the others who have brought this to the attention of the public. It is sickening that Williamson County is participating in this abuse of rights and making themselves lackeys of evil.

As Jim Stauber pointed out when he spoke, Valerie Covey said a prayer that she was thankful enjoy the freedom of this country and that she prayed God would help them make good decisions for Williamson County. Jesus would slap the shit out of them….

Oh and Jane, even though it says you can contact the warden for a tour, the warden would refer

you to ICE.

Jessica

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On 1/30/07, Jane L Van Praag wrote to Jay:

Perhaps one or more of the attendees who got to their computer before I did has already told you that the WC Commissioners’ Court did vote to let the CCA contract continue; I do think I heard Judge Gattis say something to the effect of ‘with modifications as discussed today’ but don’t bank on it because my hearing is really deteriorating. Jose Orta, on behalf of LULAC had called for several improvements at least during the interim and that may be what the Judge was referring to but I am copying Jose and all the others named herein to make sure.

The five speakers opposed were a lady from Round Rock whom I had not met before and I couldn’t hear much of what she said including her name, etc. Then Peter Dana spoke, followed by Jose Orta, Jim Stauber, and Frances Valdez of the UT Law School Immigration Clinic. Before the convening I’d also placed a copy of a letter Melissa Irion wrote on each court member’s portion of their dais.

I think only 3 people spoke for the facility; one was this staunch Constitutionalist Party guy who just ran for governor and received around 300 votes from the Florence area, a woman from Taylor who was able to tour the facility and reported favorably, and another woman whose name I didn’t catch but she’s the Austin liaison for CCA and presented a broad background working in juvenile justice. However, three pews were almost filled with young men and women dressed in the CCA uniform. I guess they were prepared to speak or just to make a showing, don’t know.

In addition to the above named and myself, also present were Efrain Davila, Billie Reaney, Jessica Stempko, Tracey Storie, Richard Torres, and I may be overlooking one or two others.

Soon I am going to contact TDH and arrange to tour the facility now that I see it’s so easy to do.

Good luck on your trip,

Jane

******************

The following email was circulated separately–gm

Jay,

KXAN Austin was at the Commissioners Mtg and did a fair report at 6 and will probably repeat it at 10. I didn’t get the call letters of the Spanish language TV station that came late but its channel 60. Lisa Ogle from the AAS was there and Ben Trollinger from the Williamson County Sun . The media had a press release in their hands on the approval of the contact BEFORE the meeting ended.

The woman from Taylor who spoke glowing of the conditions in the prison is Ella Jez. She is a rich Republican Taylor city council member. I have it on good authority that Judge Gattis, head of Williamson County Commissioners Court , spoke to her at the Taylor Chamber of Commerce Banquet last Thursday and asked her to get info and present at the commissioners court. Warden Liles and other CCA people were at the Banquet but I don’t know if she got her tour before or after Gattis asked her to speak. I think I can get more information soon.

According to Commissioner Birkman, the rest of the Court wanted the contract to remain in effect indefinitely but she got them to change it to a 2-year contract.

Progress is slow but definitely heading in the right direction.

Sherry