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Hispanic civil rights group convenes here today October 13, 2005 — The largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the country will be here today, seeking ways to improve the lives of Hispanics in the state. The National Council of La Raza will hold discussions at the Raúl Yzaguirre School for Success today from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with statewide groups that work with Hispanics. That meeting is closed to the public, but there will be an open reception featuring several Hispanic leaders at 7 p.m. today at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel. In the earlier closed...

The nation's television screens many days recently have been filled with scenes of huge crowds carrying the colorful green and red flag of Mexico viewers could well have thought it was a national holiday in Mexico City. It was instead, downtown Los Angeles, Calif., although the scene was recreated in numerous other cities around the country with substantial Mexican populations. Hordes of Mexican expatriates, many here illegally, were protesting the very U.S. immigration laws they were violating with impunity. They found it offensive and a violation of their rights that the U.S. dared to have immigration laws to begin with....

Welcome, we invite you to join us at the 2006 NCLR Annual Conference! The NCLR Annual Conference serves as a catalyst for new thought and progress for over 23,000 community organization leaders and activists, elected officials, members of the corporate and academic communities, senior citizens, and youth. The Conference will be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall at 1201 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, 90015. We can't wait to see you there!

Saturday, July 8 Café Con Clinton Location: West Hall B Time: 9:00-10:15 a.m. The Honorable William Jefferson Clinton, Former President of the United States National Affiliate Luncheon: Stronger Communities. Stronger America. Location: West Hall B Time: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Emcee: Lupe Ontiveros Father Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., Founder and Executive Director, Jobs For A Future/Homeboy Industries Janet Murguía, President and CEO, National Council of La Raza Gloria Molina, Los Angeles County Supervisor Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles Town Hall: Toward Immigration Reform and Beyond: Latinos and Labor Unions Working Together Location: Concourse Hall 152 Time: 3:30-5:00 p.m. Moderator: Cecilia Muñoz,...

April 10, 2003 The Honorable Chris Cannon 118 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Howard Berman 2221 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Lucille Roybal-Allard 2330 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 Dear Congressman Cannon, Congressman Berman, and Congresswoman Roybal-Allard: Representing a broad alliance of educators, businesses, labor groups, civil rights organizations, faith-based groups, children and youth groups, and various community-based organizations from across the country, we write to express our strong support for the Student Adjustment Act.You recently reintroduced this important legislation to address the federal barriers to education and work confronted...

THE POLITICS OF IMMIGRATION REFORM changed on March 27. That's the day the Senate Judiciary Committee approved (in a vote of 12-6) an immigration reform bill that included increased border security and law enforcement, a guest-worker program, and a path to legalization for the roughly 12 million illegals who live in the United States.Almost immediately, polling on the immigration issue shifted toward the pro-immigrant side. Specifically, when voters were asked whether they favor "enforcement only" (like the bill passed by the House in late 2005), a guest-worker program only, or a bill similar to the Senate bill that embodied both...

Washington, DC - The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., is appalled by the "Border and Immigration Enforcement Act of 2005" (H.R. 4437), a bill introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner (R-WI). Instead of providing a comprehensive, effective approach to immigration problems, the bill is a laundry list of mean-spirited and intrusive provisions concocted by the most radical immigrant restrictionists in Congress. Among its many provisions, H.R. 4437 would: Make it harder for legal immigrants to become U.S. citizens. Disrupt American communities and put all Americans...

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, a Mexican-American who overcame high obstacles on the road to success, is urging Hispanic parents to join the battle against the drug abuse, crime and street gangs that have harmed Latino communities. "If we allow drugs, gangs and crime to ravage our communities ... we will not realize the leadership potential of our community," he said Tuesday night at the National Council of La Raza's Capital Awards Gala. Gonzales was the featured speaker at the NCLR event, where Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) were recognized for their work in Congress to...

An immigration reform organization is concerned that the man President Bush has tapped to be the next U.S. attorney general has been involved with an organization that opposes the enforcement of immigration laws.The pro-life community has already expressed its concerns about White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, noting that while a Texas Supreme Court justice he chose not to rule against abortion, in any situation. Now the Washington, DC-based Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is calling Gonzales to task for his reported involvement with the National Council of La Raza, which has endorsed his nomination for attorney general.FAIR spokeswoman Susan...

A federal judge in Tucson on Tuesday temporarily barred the state from implementing a ballot initiative aimed at cutting illegal immigrants off from public benefits.

White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales, President Bush's nominee for attorney general, got the backing of a group that promotes driver's licenses for illegal aliens, no immigration law enforcement by local and state police and amnesty programs broader than the administration's proposal. The National Council of La Raza, which bills itself as the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., welcomed the nomination of Gonzales to succeed John Ashcroft. "We are very encouraged by the Gonzales nomination," said the glowing endorsement by La Raza. "We previously criticized the Bush administration for not having an Hispanic in the...

(Washington, D.C.) Yesterday, during full committee markup, the House Appropriations Committee defeated an amendment by a vote of 26-25 which would remove a harmful provision in the 2005 appropriations bill for transportation and treasury agencies. The misguided language, originally authored by Congressman John Culberson (R-TX) during a subcommittee markup last week, attempts to block financial institutions from accepting the Mexican Consular ID card, also known as the matrícula consular, as a valid form of ID for opening bank accounts. NCLR supported efforts by Congressman Ed Pastor (D-AZ) and other members to remove the Culberson amendment language, which undermines the final...