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The push in Mexico & Central America is fierce for amnesty. Our ‘leaders’ are meeting with their leaders. Too bad they don’t ask the American people what they think about it!

Immigration Reform – The pressure is on!

Posted: 05 Jun 2009 09:17 AM PDT

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL OFFICERS
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Foreign News Report

La Hora (Guatemala City, Guatemala) 6/4/09 – full transl.; a 3 headline article –

- MIGRANTS: Reform could begin to take shape - Expectations due to meeting with Obama - Leaders of undocumented immigrants in the United States keep asking themselves what working plans, what periods of time and requirements will the Guatemalan government , by means of its Chancery, ask for so that the migratory reform will favorable them.

The undocumented person keeps waiting without knowing what tactics and concrete diplomatic strategies will demonstrate the efficiency of the Department of Foreign Relations and its operational arm originated by Conamigua ( Guatemalan National Council for attention to Migrants ). One cruel reality is that the total number of Guatemalan immigrants in the United States could surpass one million 500 thousand between children, adolescents, adults, the elderly; women and men.

The coming days of June 8 and 23rd will be of expectation or possibility for 60 percent of more than that number of undocumented Guatemalans who are waiting to legalize their stay in the United States. HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY Julio Cesar Villatoro, a representative of the Legislative Organism to “Conamigua”, reports that more than 20 American Democrat congressmen and also Republican who are in favor of migratory reform will meet with President Barack Obama in the White House next Monday. He explained that it’s foreseen that the American congressman, Luis Gutierrez, will preside over the work group on immigration and that he will describe to the president about the items analyzed which justify the need to modernize the immigration policy of that country, obsolete in the 21st century.

Then, the Guatemalan deputy added, on Tuesday, June 23rd, deputies of the area congresses, including Guatemala, will meet with congressman Gutierrez and Nydia Velasquez, president of the Caucus which brings Hispanic congressmen together, who will report items dealt with in the oval office with president Obama. The parliamentarian underlined that our countries have gone to fight for a TPS many times, as did president Colom in his first meeting held in Washington with president Bush; to talk about TPS is not a migratory claim, to talk about stopping deportations is not a migratory reform, the integral migratory reform that is wanted is that a legalization be brought about.
CRUDE REALITY Pursued by ferocious dogs, highlighted by satellite with a Global Positioning System (GPS) on land, electronic eyes with heat sensors, police without much human sensibility, a metal barrier and at best the solitude of the desert with cold at night and intense heat during the day, are the trials that the undocumented must deal with to enter the American dream.

The Mexico-U.S. border is armored, when the undocumented ends his trajectory aboard the famous “train of death” which leaves from Tapachula, Chiapas, Mexico, and is free of any accident he finds the famous “border” full of vehicle patrols and mounted police, real and not as in a Hollywood movie. Arizona has become the territory where more undocumented of all nationalities have been concentrated in an inhuman manner with denunciations and charges. On top of that is the unemployment estimated to date at near 14 million of ceased jobs, according to the Sub-Secretary of Foreign relations of Guatemala. Juan Garcia, leader of immigrants in Rhode Island, United States, recently thanked the Guatemalan Chancery for having provided US $15 thousand to help alleviate the hunger of the detainees in Arizona some months ago. But he also warned that the time for massive “lobbying” with congressional members is drawing to a close, while some members of “Conamigua” Assessment Council have limited themselves to having coffee in hotels and have not taken the issue seriously “because a negotiator who speaks English is urgent”, he emphasized.

DIPLOMATIC PROMISE Haroldo Rodas, Guatemalan Chancellor, (Sec. of State) in a recent visit to Guatemala’s Congress, asserts that the Guatemalan president has exchanged correspondence with the American government so that an integral migratory reform may be considered. Rodas said –“What is left is a continuity about what has to be done in Washington with the Central American ambassadors, and, if it is possible, the coordination of all the very powerful leaders who are already in the United States, not only from Guatemala but from El Salvador.”

The Foreign Relations Minister added that afterward a joint meeting of area heads of state with president Obama ought to be brought about “when considered convenient, to be able to push for the proposal to be brought about.”