Latino support among Democratic Party

The Obama administration is keeping a close eye on recent data about Latino support for the Democratic Party. The Associated Press recently published an article that focus on some of the challenges the administration faces in order to keep Latino Democratic approval high, the number one challenge being immigration reform.

Currently Latino support for president Obama is high with some estimates indicating as much as seventy percent approval rating, but that could change if immigration reform is not addressed within the next year. The AP article quoted National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia saying, "Our community will judge him based on how he delivers on the promise he made to see immigration reform early in his administration."

High office appointments of Latinos is one reason that Obama's approval has remained high among Latino groups. According to an article on news website Arizona dot com, Obama has appointed 43 Latinos to top levels in his administration, the highest number of any president.

Another example of Obama's efforts to retain Latino support is the attention he has given to Hispanic media. Since taking office, Obama has given interviews to Telemundo, Univision, and the popular radio show Piolin.

Latino approval ratings will continue to be a huge issue to both Democrats and Republicans heading into next year's Congressional elections, and with the Latino population estimated to double by 2050 expect to see a larger effort made by both parties to acquire the Latino vote.

NPR related material:

Taking The Pulse Of Obama\'s Latino Support

November 2, 2009 | NPR· Going into Election Day last year pundits questioned whether then-candidate Barack Obama would appeal to Latino voters. In the end, he received 70 percent of the Latino vote, but where does that support lie today? Host Michel Martin talks with Linda Chavez, chair of the Center for Equal Opportunity, and Fernand Amandi, executive vice president of Bendixen and Associates, a public opinion research firm that specializes in multi-cultural and multi-lingual polls.

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Latino Voters Defy Pundits, Vote For Obama

November 7, 2008 | NPR· Latino voters were a crucial demographic that helped Barack Obama win the White House. Luis Clemens, a journalist who covers Hispanic politics, tells Renee Montagne that the bad economy influenced Latinos more than other demographics to vote for Obama.

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Credit:

Obama image: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-05/26/xin_4520506270621140269582.jpg

Mexico updates border infrastructure

In a move to slow the flow of weapons and drug money to cartel gangs, the Mexican government is updating their border entry points with new infrastructure. The improvements include newer gates, vehicle scales and cameras that will be used to prevent and detect illegal items from getting into Mexico.

One port that will see a significant change in border security will be in the Tijuana region. The Los Angeles Times reports that, "license-plate photographs will be run against a criminal database in Mexico City; a scale and vehicle-scanning system will determine if the car may be overloaded with contraband; and canine units will roam the area.”

In a separate move to combat cartel activity, Ciudad Juarez, across from El Paso, Texas, is set to test an anonymous international crime tip system. The system’s purpose is to allow people in Mexico to report crimes without having to worry about corrupt police officers intercepting the call and retaliating. The program will begin in December.

Credit: post image: http://www.welt.de/multimedia/archive/1237976118000/00779/eng_mexico_teaser_B_779148g.jpg

U.S. assistance to Mexico to continue

The Merida Initiative established under the Bush administration to help combat drug cartels in Mexico is set to end next year. Recent announcements from the Obama administration, however, detail continued support toward Mexico’s drug battle by means of funding and training.

An article by the Dallas Morning News quoted a senior Obama administration official saying that the U.S. and Mexico are going to employ tactics different from those under the Merida Initiative. “U.S. and Mexican officials are looking for ways to gradually move the focus of their efforts from dismantling and disrupting cartels to strengthening Mexico's weak democratic institutions and weeding out corruption.”

One way that the U.S. hopes to help improve Mexico’s military and police operations is by assisting in the development of Platform Mexico, a computer network used to connect Mexican Authorities with U.S. law enforcement databases. An article in the Washington Post quoted the director of Platform Mexico, José Francisco Niembro González: "This is one of our most important reforms because if you don't have the intelligence, the information, you are just reacting. This will make us proactive."

In addition to Platform Mexico, the U.S. has funded a training academy for Mexican police officers in San Luis Potosi which plans to have more that 10,000 graduates by Spring 2010. The cadets must participate in an intensive 7-week training course in basic detective work taught by instructors from Canada, the United States and Columbia, working together with Mexican agents.

Image Credit

Mexico Flag: http://www.flickr.com/photos/esparta/367002402/sizes/s/

U.S. Flag: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3415734920/sizes/s/

Border update

The BBC recently put out a multimedia story titled Mexico’s Juarez on a path to anarchy, which explains the perspective of people living in the town. The article points out that one belief is that the drug war is the result of poverty and political corruption.

On poverty, one Mexican journalist is quoted in the article:

"We have an unsustainable economy - a globalised economy - which pays very low wages. That allowed an alternative economy to be created which also globalised - drugs. Both economies are playing here. Juarez is a very important place for both."

And on corruption, a Mexican business man is quoted:

"Nothing functions well, therefore anyone can take advantage of the system. So what we're seeing now is a [illegal] drug industry that's taking advantage of the system - of the way things work.

"And to get rid of it like the federal government is trying to do now is going to cause a lot of problems. So this violence is a consequence of all this."

The problems occuring at border areas in Mexico has led officials in the U.S. to try and find ways to help remedy the situation. One idea that keeps coming up is gun control. Former head of U.S. Custom and Border Protection under both Bush administrations, Robert C. Bonner, is advocating for the reinstitution of a ban on assault weapons. An article from the Washington Times wrote that Bonner is calling for the United States to tighten security along its border and to further investigate gun sellers in the U.S.

Bonner was quoted as saying that the solution to these problems must be tackled by both the U.S. and Mexico.

"But successful efforts will require closer collaboration between U.S. and Mexican border law enforcement agencies, and this will depend on strengthening law enforcement capacity in the border region, including enhancing the professionalism of enforcement agencies to make them more corruption-resistant," he said.

One growing issue of concern is a press release put out by the Texas Department of Public Safety titled,Mexican cartels and gangs recruiting in Texas schools (pdf). The warning states that there is a growing trend of cartels trying to entice young people into becoming drug smugglers along the border. "The Mexican cartels constantly seek new ways to smuggle drugs and humans into Texas are now using state based gangs and our youth to support their operations on both sides of the border."

Napalitano announces "three legged stool approach"

In an announcement at the Center for American Progress, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napalitano told attendees that the Obama administration will push for legislation to overhaul the immigration system early next year.

Napalitano’s laid out a so called “three-legged-stool” approach:

“Let me be clear: when I talk about 'immigration reform,' I’m referring to what I call the 'three-legged stool' that includes a commitment to serious and effective enforcement, improved legal flows for families and workers, and a firm but fair way to deal with those who are already here,” said Napalitano.

In response to the news, two north Texas churches have developed a holiday postcard campaign. The churches hope to send 250,000 cards to members of Congress urging immigration reform. The primary message of the card will be that families in the U.S. are being torn apart by current immigration laws. This separation usually occurs when families are of mixed status. Put another way, when one or both parents are undocumented and children in the family are documented.

NPR Related Material:

Increasing Drug Seizures, Decreasing Arrests Along Border

The number of arrests along the United States –Mexico border has declined by 23% so far this year. An article in the Wall Street Journal reports that:

“U.S. border apprehensions dropped to 556,041 in fiscal year 2009 -- which ended Sept. 30 -- compared with 723,825 in the 2008 fiscal year. Border apprehensions have fallen nearly 67% decline since fiscal year 2000, when the border patrol made 1,675,438 arrests.”

Government officials have also said that as the number of arrests has fallen, the number of drug seizures has actually risen. The reason for increasing drug seizures, according to the Wall Street Journal article, is because the drop in arrests due to illegal border crossings has allowed the government to shift more of their resources toward illicit trafficking.

The decrease in arrests and increase in drug seizures has been attributed to a weak economy in the U.S. combined with tighter security along the border. The number of border patrol agents has increased from 11,000 in 2004 to 20,000 in 2009. Additionally, funding for the border patrol has risen from $6 billion in the 2004 fiscal year, to $10.9 billion in the last fiscal year.

Two recently reported drug seizures along the border were in the El Paso Times yesterday. The seizures both took place along the Fort Hancock Port of Entry, and included

• Two individuals caught crossing the border on Friday carrying 218 pounds of marijuana worth $170, 752.
• Two individuals being pulled over during immigration stop. After the vehicle was pulled over the driver and passenger fled. Later, 375 pounds of marijuana worth more $300, 275 were found inside the abandoned vehicle.

In the near future, expect to see this data being used by the Obama administration as a strategy to win support from Congress for an immigration overhaul. Also expect to hear some details about the administration’s plans this Friday when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano gives a speech at the Center for American Progress.

Related Material:

Border-crossers-bring-fear-of-Mexican-gangs

credits: border patrol image:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ocosma/1427410581/

Texas Tribune Reports on Border issues

Surrounded by a lot of hype, the online non-profit news start-up The Texas Tribune launched today. There is much to be said about the website's fresh approach to the news, but for the sake of this blog I will discuss the attention that the site has paid to U.S. - Mexico issues.

Perhaps the first thing I noticed on the site was the topics page. Here, you have Tribune coverage organized by topic sections. In the leader to the topics page there were three issues that jumped out at me: border cameras, immigration, and the Texas-Mexico border.

When you click on each topic you will be directed to a page that gives some history and recent developments regarding the topic. I was really impressed by the use of links in the descriptions because each link was extremely relevant and very useful in understanding the topic at hand. Underneath each description you will find a list of relevant stories written by Tribune staffers. So far there aren't many stories, but the site was just launched today and expect to see many more in the future.

I was happy to come to this site today and find that the Tribune has a devoted an area to U.S. - Mexico relations. It will be interesting to see how well the Tribune reports on the issue, and to observe how much coverage they devote to this extremely critical topic.