DANR & Its National Council Commend Senate Judiciary Committee for Advancing Senate Bill 744

Washington, DC (May 23, 2013). The Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and its National Council praise the introduction of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, and commend the Senate Judiciary Committee for advancing the bill for full U.S. Senate consideration.

Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act

“After debating in vain for over a decade, Republicans and Democrats have finally introduced what seems to be a historic bipartisan immigration reform bill in an attempt to fix U.S. broken immigration system,” said Nestor Montilla, DANR Chairman. “At least by introducing an 850-page bill, and advancing it from the Senate Judiciary Committee to the floor of the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats have taken a few steps closer to achieving much needed immigration reform.”

The bill was introduced by U.S. Senators Schumer, McCain, Durbin, Graham, Menendez, Rubio, Bennet and Flake.

“It’s about time that 11 million undocumented immigrants are afforded the opportunity to come out of the shadows into a society where they have been living and contributing for years,” said Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, DANR Vice President and Treasurer. “Join us in advocating for the passage of this bill.”

To contact your senators, click here.

The bill includes provisions of serious concerns to U.S. diverse communities:

Title I.  Border Security

This Title provides for border security measures that will achieve and maintain effective control in high risk areas of the Southern border.

• Border Plan: Stage one requires the DHS Secretary to develop a Comprehensive Border Security Strategy and Southern Border Fencing Strategy within six months before the registration period for Registered Provisional Immigrant status (RPI) begins.  These strategies must be designed to achieve persistent surveillance of the border and a 90% effectiveness rate for apprehensions and returns in high risk border sectors. The bill appropriates $3 billion for this plan which will include technology, personnel and other resources.
• Triggers: The Secretary’s border plan must be operational before any RPIs may apply for adjustment of status. The Secretary must develop and implement a fencing plan ($1.5 billion); E-Verify must be mandatory and operational; and a biographic entry-exit system at air and seaports must be implemented before RPIs may adjust to permanent residence.
• Southwest Governors Commission: After five years, if the specified goals of 90% effectiveness and persistent surveillance have not been met, a Southern Border Security Commission will be established to make further recommendations for achieving these goals.  The Commission would recommend up to $2 billion in additional DHS spending that would be available to achieve the border security goals if they have not yet been met.
• Additional Resources: To further ensure completion of these targets, Customs and Border Patrol personnel and resources will be increased, additional funding for border prosecutions in the Tucson sector are funded, and the authority of the National Guard to assist in border security operations is codified.
• DHS Oversight: To protect the integrity of the system, additional resources and training will be devoted to implementing a DHS-wide use of force policy and associated training in appropriate use of force and the impact of federal operations on border communities.  A Border Oversight Taskforce is established to take testimony and conduct hearings in order to review and recommend changes to existing border policies.  The current duties of the USCIS Ombudsman’s office will be expanded to encompass all DHS immigration functions. DHS will be required to issue regulations on racial profiling that are based on a study analyzing individualized data on DHS officers enforcement activity.

 

Title II.   Legalization (Registered Provisional Immigrant program) and Legal Immigration

This title provides a path to citizenship for the 11.5 undocumented immigrants in the United States. It establishes a new framework for future legal immigration by revamping the current family and employment based systems and creating two additional merit-based immigration systems.

 

SubPart A.  Creation of Registered Provisional Immigrant program

• Registration Requirements: Immigrants who entered the United States before December 31, 2011 and have been physically present in the U.S. since that time will be eligible to apply for Registered Provisional Immigrant (RPI) status provided they pass a background check, have not been convicted of a serious crime, pay any assessed tax liability, and pay appropriate fees and a $500 fine.
• Initial registration will be valid for six years. It provides for work and travel authorization, and includes spouses and children in the United States on the same application.
• Renewal: RPIs applying for renewal will be subject to a new background check, payment of processing fees, payment of taxes, and a $500 fine. RPIs must provide evidence of having been 1) regularly employed while meeting a requirement that he/she is not likely to become a public charge or 2) having resources to demonstrate 100% of the poverty level.
• Adjustment of Status to Permanent Residency: At the end of ten years, RPIs may apply for adjustment of status, provided that they demonstrate: 1) they are admissible, 2) pay an additional $1000 fine per adult plus application fees; 3) prove they are learning English; 4) pay their taxes; 5) pass a background check and 6) demonstrate compliance with the employment requirement. Specifically, they must show: 1) they have regularly worked in the U.S. such that they are not likely to become a public charge or 2) they have resources to meet 125% of the Federal Poverty Level. Under the revamped legal immigration system, individuals present in the U.S. for 10 years in lawful status can adjust status to lawful permanent residence including RPIs and other legal immigrants. RPIs may apply for naturalization after an additional three year wait, making the total path to citizenship about 13 years. The bill includes a “back of the line” requirement: RPIs may not adjust status until the family and employment backlogs are cleared.
• Timeline: DHS has 12 months to issue regulations. Then there is a one year initial application period which can be extended by the Secretary for up to 18 months.
• DREAM Act: Individuals who entered the U.S. before the age of 16 and who have completed high school or obtained a GED in the U.S. may register for RPI status through the DREAM Act.  There is no age cap for the program. Individuals who received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals are grandfathered into RPI status.  DREAM RPIs are exempted from penalties and the triggers.  Five years after registration, DREAM RPIs may apply for adjustment of status; their time in RPI status will count towards eligibility for naturalization, allowing them to become citizens immediately after receiving their green card. Children under age 16 have a five year path to citizenship and are exempted from certain requirements. The bill heightens child welfare protections to ensure parental rights are not terminated on the basis of a parent’s immigration status alone.
• Agricultural program: Undocumented farm workers who can demonstrate a minimum of 100 work days or 575 hours in the two years prior to the date of enactment would be eligible for an Agricultural Card. Workers who work at least 100 days a year for five years or workers who perform at least 150 days a year for three years can adjust status to permanent residency. To be eligible for permanent residence, agricultural workers must show that they have paid all taxes, have not been convicted of any serious crime, and pay a $400 fine.
• Integration: Creates an Office of New Americans, a New Americans taskforce and additional initiatives to help immigrants learn English, American civics and integrate into local communities. Provides funding for programs to help non-profits and local government with these initiatives.

 

SubPart B.   Legal Immigration Reforms

• New Merit-Based System: Creates a “Track One” merit based visa which will initially allocate 120,000 visas annually based on a points system, with the possibility of increasing the allotment by 5% (up to 250,000) in any year when unemployment is under 8.5%.  Points will be awarded for factors such as education, employment, family in the U.S. and length of residence in the U.S. Half of the merit visas will be set aside for high skilled individuals and half of the cap will be for lower skilled workers.
• A new “Track Two” merit-based system is created to clear the employment and family backlogs. In addition, this system allows individuals who are lawfully present in the U.S. for over ten years with work authorization to adjust status to permanent residence.
• Lawful Permanent Residents’ spouses and children: The current family based categories will be revised to permit the spouses and children of lawful permanent residents to immigrate immediately.
• Additional changes to the current family system: The current sibling category will be eliminated 18 months after enactment. The 3^rd preference family category (adult married children of U.S. citizens) will have an age cap of 31 beginning 18 months after enactment. The backlog reduction program will include processing of petitions in phased-out family categories. U.S. citizens can petition for a sibling for up to 18 months after enactment.
• New Family “V” Visa: Creates a new nonimmigrant visa for families with approved petitions to work and live in the U.S. while waiting for their green card. Allows other family members including siblings to visit the U.S. for up to 60 days per year.
• Employment-Based Reforms: Spouses and children of employment based visa applicants, STEM graduates with doctoral degrees, certain other professionals, and certain foreign doctors are exempt from the employment visa cap. The cap on low-skilled workers is raised.
• Additional Backlog Reduction and Improvements: Additional provisions to streamline processing and reduce backlogs include elimination of employment based country caps, an increase in family based country limits, and recapture of unused visa numbers. Popular programs for foreign doctors (Conrad-30), religious worker recruitment, and EB-5 investors are permanently reauthorized. Numerous other technical fixes to improve and streamline current visa programs are included (additional protections for stepchildren, widows, and other family members.)
• Judicial Discretion: Expands the authority of immigration judges and DHS to waive removal on humanitarian grounds.

 

Title Three. Interior Enforcement.

This title mandates E-Verify, provides additional worker protections, reforms the immigration court system and provides additional measures related to interior enforcement.

 

• Five year phase-in of mandatory E-Verify: An electronic employment verification system (E-verify) will cover all employers within a five year period, beginning with federal contractors and critical infrastructure employers. It requires identity verification through use of enhanced fraud-proof documents. Specifically prohibits creation of a national ID card.
• Anti-fraud measures: Expands ability to protect against identity theft of Social Security numbers by allowing employees to block their social security number and gives employees access to personal E-verify history.  It provides for an expansion of the photo identification mechanism as a component of E-verify and encourages states to provide photos to DHS.
• Due Process: Expands due process protections for employees to ensure that legal workers are not prevented from working due to errors in the system or because of employer negligence or misconduct. Provides for back-pay if an employee loses work unfairly due to system or employer error. Provides a stay of termination of employment to give the worker time to correct any errors in the system.
• Worker Protections: Includes protections for employers and employees, including pre-emption of state verification laws, expansion of U visas in employer abuse situations, and program funding. The bill also cracks down on labor recruitment abuse.
• Refugee/Asylum Issues: Streamlines processing in refugee and asylum cases by eliminating one year asylum filing deadline, eliminating family reunification barriers for asylees and refugees, authorizing streamlined processing of certain high risk refugee groups, authorizing asylum officers to grant asylum for eligible applicants during credible fear interviews, and permits qualified stateless individuals to apply for lawful permanent resident status.
• Immigration Court Improvements: Authorizes increase in immigration court personnel, additional resources, and more training for judges and other staff; access to counsel for vulnerable populations to improve efficiency of courts, and permanently codifies Board of Immigration Appeals and legal orientation programs.
• Interior Enforcement: Tightens certain grounds of inadmissibility relating to document and passport fraud, driving while intoxicated following three convictions, conviction for gang related activities, convictions related to domestic violence, child abuse, stalking, violation of protection orders and failing to register as a sex offender.  Prohibits and or increases penalties for abusive smuggling, illegal entry, and re-entry. Creates a mandatory exit verification system,
• Detention Reform: Increases oversight of detention facilities, expands the ability of immigration judges to conduct bond hearings, and expands alternatives to detention.

 

Title IV. Reforms to Non Immigrant Visa Programs.

This Title reforms current non-immigrant visa programs and creates a new worker visa that melds greater employer flexibility with worker protections and ability to apply for permanent residence.

 

• H-1B: Changes to the H-1B high skilled visa program include expanding the current cap from 65,000 to 110,000 with an option to ultimately increase the cap to 180,000 visas annually based on a High Skilled Jobs Demand Index. Allows for work authorization for spouses and children.  Increases requirements for recruiting and offering jobs to U.S. workers at higher wages prior to hiring foreign workers. Increases fines and wage requirements for companies that are heavy-users of H-1B visas. After 3 years, companies whose workforce is more than fifty percent H-1Bs are barred.
• Deterring Abuse: Establishes significant new authorities and penalties to prevent, detect, and deter fraud and abuse of the H-1B and L-1 visa systems by fraudulent employers.  Increases wages for foreign workers to help protect Americans.
• H-2B: Makes permanent the H-2B returning worker provision.
• New Worker Program (W Visa): Establishes a new nonimmigrant W classification for lesser-skilled foreign workers performing services or labor for a registered employer in a registered position. Spouses and minor children are included and are work-authorized. It is a three year visa with three year renewal periods. Initially, 20,000 W visas will be made available, rising to 75,000 visas in four years. The visa program cap can rise to 200,000 depending on a formula based on unemployment, job openings, number of applications and the recommendations of a newly established Bureau of Immigration and Labor Market Research. Shortage occupation employers can hire workers outside the cap. W visa holders may switch from one registered employer to another without penalty and apply for the merits-based lawful permanent residence program or the Employment-Based system.
• Agriculture: A new agricultural guest worker visa program would be established to provide a more stable agricultural workforce. A portable, at-will employment based visa (W-3 visa) and a contract-based visa (W-2 visa) administered by the Department of Agriculture would replace the current H-2A program. It will provide growers with a streamlined process to petition for worker while ensuring critical worker protections. The H-2A program would sunset after the new guest worker visa program is operational.
• INVEST Visa: This bill creates a new INVEST visa for foreign entrepreneurs who seek to come to the U.S. to start their own companies. This 3-year visa would be available to immigrant entrepreneurs who have a qualifying investor in the US and can be renewed if it can demonstrate certain benchmarks related to the number of jobs it creates and revenue it produces.

 

Save the Date for DANR 16th Annual National Strategic Leadership Summit in Puerto Rico: Oct. 9-13, 2013

Washington, DC (May 22, 2013).–The Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and its National Council (NDAC) happily announce that the 16th Annual Dominican American Strategic Leadership Summit will take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico from Wednesday, October 9th through Sunday, October 13, 2013.

The theme of the Conference this year is Breaking Barriers to Succeed/Venciendo Barreras para Avanzar. 

Every year, the DANR and its Council (NDAC) host the premier national forum for Dominican Americans in the United States. With members in over 20 U.S. states, and Puerto Rico, the DANR and its National Council are  America’s only national voices advocating on behalf of over two million Dominicans residing in the U.S.

“The gathering is considered to be among the most important events of the year on the Dominican American and Latino calendars in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said the Honorable Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, who is currently DANR Treasurer and Vice President, and also the National Co-Chair of DANR 2013 Annual Conference.

“We are happy to host our national conference in Puerto Rico this year.”

During the Conference, sponsors will be able to take full advantage of the numerous opportunities to market, recruit from, and network with hundreds of Dominican American and Latino professionals, educators, artists, elected officials, community leaders, businesspeople, union leaders, sports celebrities, and college students coming from all over USA, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Europe and the Dominican Republic.

The Summit includes this year an impressive roster of speakers and a substantive agenda encompassing forums, an award ceremony, a Signature Dinner Concert, a DANR Fellowship Program Alumni Reunion, a dominoes tournament, special performances for the youth and students, a National Educators’ Network forum, a business and art exhibit, a Business Owners Special Forum, VIP receptions, a silent auction with unique priceless items, a power plenary session with Dominican elected officials from across the United States and Puerto Rico, and among many other highlights, a general national membership meeting, and the publication of DANR 16th Anniversary Commemorative Journal highlighting DANR history, accomplishments, strategic plans, policy statements, essays, sponsors’ special messages and reports about the state of Dominicans in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and mainland USA.

The inaugural program will kick off on Wednesday, October 9th with an extraordinary meeting of the DANR National Board of Directors, followed by a welcome reception.

On Thursday, October 10th, a delegation of DANR officers, community and business leaders, educators and students will participate at First ever Dominican American Legislative Day at the Capitol in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

On Friday, October 11th, there will be several meetings, forums, and activities at universities, government agencies and in neighborhoods where Dominicans reside in Puerto Rico.

Confirmed panel discussions include, for the first time in history, a plenary on “DOMINORICANS”. This important forum will follow up conversation about the existence and influence of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who are today of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent and or vice versa, but nobody is talking about it. It’s time for DOMINORICANS to come out of the shadows!”

This plenary session will be complemented with the screening premiere of a short documentary about the historical ties of Puerto Ricans and Dominicans.

The list of participants is growing by leaps and bounds, and will be published via www.danr.org.

Early bird registration will open last week of June.

Stay tuned for more information and updates!

DANR Co-Signs Letter Urging the U.S. Senate to Confirm Tom Perez

Washington, DC (May 17, 2013).- The Dominican American National Roundtable and its National Council continue to advocate with the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda and dozens of Latino organizations to urge the United States Senate to vote in support of Thomas E. Perez’s confirmation as the next Secretary of the Department of Labor.

On Thursday, April 18th, 2013, Tom testified before the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

On Thursday, May 16th, after two delays, the Senate HELP Committee voter 12-10 to move Thomas Perez’s confirmation forward to the Senate floor for consideration.

Some Senators have threatened to filibuster his nomination, which means that 60 out of the 100 Senators will need to vote in favor of ending a filibuster in order to allow an up-or-down vote on Tom’s confirmation. If that vote is successful, then the full Senate will hold an up-or-down vote, in which it will take a simple majority to confirm Tom as our next Secretary of Labor.

National Latino Group Sign On Letter

He has served the public at the county, state and federal levels — a unique combination of experience that will enable him to make Labor Department policies work effectively for local communities. ·

At the local level, from 2002 to 2006, Mr. Perez was the first Latino ever elected to the Montgomery County Council in Maryland and served as Council President in 2005, where he was an energetic and innovative leader on behalf of the county’s working and middle class families.·

· Throughout his career he has worked in a bipartisan manner, bringing different sides together dating back to his time as Special Counsel for the late Senator Edward Kennedy, when he worked with Senators Hatch and Faircloth while serving as Senator Kennedy’s principal adviser on civil rights, criminal justice and constitutional issues.

· Mr. Perez’s work with business and labor communities as Maryland’s Secretary of Labor has earned him accolades from the Maryland Chamber of Commerce and the state’s largest employers. In this role, Mr. Perez led proactive and reasonable responses to the impending national economic crisis and created a culture of thoughtful and common sense governance.

· As Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, he has stood up for our community, and those who face discrimination, by increasing the Justice Department’s productivity in taking on voting rights, hate crimes, human trafficking and racial profiling cases. He achieved record settlements for victims of unfair lending practices and for people with disabilities so that they can be integrated into their communities. He has also been a strong defender of veterans’ rights to civilian employment and the rights of students to a school environment free from bullying and harassment.

· Earlier in his career, Mr. Perez spent 12 years in federal public service, mostly as a career attorney with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division where he moved up the ranks to serve as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and as Assistant Attorney General. He also spent two years as the Director of the Office for Civil Rights at the Department of Health and Human Services.

· To help support the next generation of attorneys and public servants, Mr. Perez worked as a law professor for six years at the University of Maryland School of Law and as a part-time professor at the George Washington School of Public Health.

In March of 2009, Thomas Perez was confirmed for his most recent post as Assistant Attorney General at the Department of Justice by a bipartisan 72-22 vote.

Now, in 2013, we ask you to join your colleagues in ensuring strong bipartisan support for Thomas Perez’s confirmation as the nation’s next Secretary of Labor.

Sincerely,

 

Background notes on Perez.

Dear DANR and NDAC members, friends and supporters:

Today, Thursday, April 18, 2013 at 10 a.m., 
the U.S. Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) will hold its hearing on the nomination of Thomas Perez, President Barack Obama’s nominee to replace Hilda Solis as Secretary of the Department of Labor.

The Full Committee Hearing will be held at 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510.  You should be able to watch the hearing online via the Senate HELP Committee web site and C-Span 3.

If the Senate HELP committee votes to move his confirmation forward to the full Senate, a majority of Senators would have to vote to support him as our next Labor Secretary.

As a member of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of 34 national Latino civil rights and advocacy organizations, the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and the National Dominican American Council (NDAC) have issued press statements and a letter urging the Senate to support Tom.

He has a strong record for protecting the civil and human rights of all Americans as the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division’s assistant attorney general and as Maryland’s labor secretary. He is also the only Latino nominated so far to serve on the President’s current second-term Cabinet – and he could become the first Dominican-American to ever serve on a presidential Cabinet in the United States of America.

Can you join us in urging the Senate to confirm Tom? You can help by:

1. Attending Tom’s hearing in Room 430 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC (see map here).

2. Joining the conversation on Twitter using #ConfirmTom #TomPerez,  @NHLAgenda and @DANRroundtable in your posts.

3. Visiting and sharing our online action center ~ http://nationalhispanicleadership.org/confirmtom/ ~ 
where you can…

Learn more about Thomas Perez and his diverse coalition of supporters.

Write, call and tweet your Senators (click here for a complete list and contacts)
, particularly to the following Senators, who are members of the Senate HELP committee:

 

Lamar Alexander (TN)	@SenAlexander
Michael B. Enzi (WY)	No Twitter
Richard Burr (NC)	@SenatorBurr
Johnny Isakson (GA)	@SenatorIsakson
Rand Paul (KY)	@SenRandPaul
Orrin G. Hatch (UT)	@OrrinHatch @SenOrrinHatch
Pat Roberts (KS)	@SenPatRoberts
Lisa Murkowski (AK)	@lisamurkowski
Mark Kirk (IL)	@SenatorKirk
Tim Scott (SC)	@SenatorTimScott

 

Co-sign our Latino organization coalition letter to the Senate
.

Submit letters to the editor.

Mobilize your online networks to support Tom.

We know that 
discrimination investigations; settling the three largest fair lending cases in the history of the Fair Housing
Act; being a champion of voting rights, disability rights, and educational equity; prosecuting some of the most heinous hate crimes in recent memory; and restoring the integrity of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Tom is on the verge of making history, but we need you to help us push the Senate to act.

Visit http://nationalhispanicleadership.org/confirmtom today and join us in sending a strong, united message to let the Senate know we’re watching and counting on them to #ConfirmTom.

Sincerely,

 

Nestor Montilla, Chairman

Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR)

National Dominican American Council (DANC)

 

Background articles:

http://www.acento.com.do/index.php/news/60891/56/El-dominicano-Perez-nominado-por-Obama-y-rechazado-por-republicanos.html

‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s’, said DANR Chairman Nestor Montilla, citing the Bible.

Washington, DC. (May 16, 2013).—After four hundred years after his arrival in 1613, in the shores of what later became New York, and 12 years before the Dutch founded New Amsterdam, Juan Rodriguez was honored with a stretch of prominent Broadway Avenue re-named after him. The portion of Broadway extends from 159th Street in Washington Heights to 218th Street in northern Manhattan.

The honor by the New York City Council, made possible thanks to the leadership of NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, was prompted by original research about the untold story of Juan Rodriguez released last year by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at City College.

“Juan Rodriguez was a Black immigrant from the Caribbean. The first immigrant settler in New York,” said Councilman Rodriguez.

“Kudos to Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez; kudos to Dr. Ramona Hernandez, Anthony Stevens-Acevedo and their research team at the City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute at City College!,” said Nestor Montilla, Chairman of the National Dominican American Council and the Dominican American National Roundtable, the only non-profit nonpartisan advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC, advocating for the socio-economic and political development of over 2 million Dominicans in the United States and territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The story of Juan Rodriguez is indeed an exceptionally extraordinary research achievement of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute,” said Chairman Montilla, quien actualmente tambien funge como Director de Relaciones Corporativas y Comunales de Lehman College of The City University of New York, the largest urban University system in the United States (CUNY). ”It definitely speaks well of the high quality research taking place at CUNY, and the Dominican American and Latino communities in the United States.”

“Dominicans and Dominican Americans are paying their taxes in USA in accordance to the biblical teaching of ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s’,” added Chairman Montilla, citing the Bible at Matthew 12:17, and applying his Mother’s religious teachings. “In other words, as people say in the Bronx and urban America: ‘You gotta give credit where credit is due.’”

Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, DANR Treasurer and Vice President representing DANR in Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands, stated: “With such a unique research study, Dr. Hernandez and her team are righting history in the United States and in the whole world. Schools, colleges, universities, institutions of learning and publishing companies around the world should update their curriculums and scholarship on migration to include the unprecedented research study about Juan Rodriguez.”

The event was attended by a sizeable group of elected officials, leaders, educators, higher education officers, people from New York diverse communities, and dozens of media representatives from the New York Times to Telemicro, a Dominican Republic international television network broadcasting live to regional and local newspapers and media outlets. The partial list of attendees included Dr. Ramona Hernandez, Executive Director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, and her assistants Anthony Stevens-Acevedo and Chief Librarian Sarah Aponte, NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat, NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, NYC Councilwoman Diana Reyna, NYS Assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa, NYC Councilman Robert Jackson, DANR Chairman and Lehman College Director of Corporate and Community Relations Nestor Montilla, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, NYC Councilman Mark Weprin, Dominican Republic Consul General in New York Félix Antonio “Ronny” Martínez, Ana Garcia Reyes, Associate Dean at Hostos Community College, NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’ Chief of Staff Seny Taveras, Esq., community Leader Maria Luna, community leader Dr. Nurys DeOleo, cherished Dominican American photographer Eduardo Hoepelman, and among dozens of others, community leader and Executive Director of the Dominican Women’ Development Center, Rosita Romero.

Following are some links to press coverage articles published about Juan Rodriguez and the May 15, 2013 street unveiling event in New York:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/nyregion/in-washington-heights-4-mayoral-candidates-woo-hispanics.html?_r=0

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/05/15/stretch-of-broadway-renamed-for-man-believed-to-be-citys-first-immigrant/

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/182154/broadway-section-named-for-man-who-officials-say-was-first-nyc-immigrant

http://www.northjersey.com/news/international/207615561_Street_named_for_1st_NYC_immigrant__officials_say.html

http://jornadadiaria.com/nombran-calle-en-honor-al-dominicano-considerado-el-primer-inmigrante-de-la-ciudad-de-nueva-york/

http://trapitocom.blogspot.com/2013/05/nombran-con-nombre-de-dominicano.html

http://www.abc.es/internacional/20130516/abci-nueva-york-honra-calle-201305160823.html

http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=1424187&GUID=AB469443-02CF-4D70-B7EC-D0045B52B63C&Options=&Search=

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325467/Finally-recognised-400-years-New-Yorks-immigrant-honoured-mile-stretch-Broadway.html

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/honoring-a-very-early-new-yorker/

“Dar al César lo que es del César y a Dios lo que es de Dios”, Dijo Néstor Montilla, Chairman de DANR citando la Biblia

Washington, D. C. (16 mayo, 2013) .- Cuatrocientos años después de su llegada en el 1613, a la costa de lo que más tarde se convirtió en una Nueva York, y 12 años antes que los holandeses fundaran a Nueva Amsterdam, Juan Rodríguez fue honrado con nombrar un tramo de la Avenida Broadway, Juan Rodríguez Way. El tramo se extiende desde la Calle 159ª en Washington Heights hasta la calle 218th en el Norte de Manhattan.

El honor, conferido  por el Concejo de la Ciudad de Nueva York y gestionado por el Hon. Ydanis Rodriguez, Concejal de la Ciudad de New York, fue motivado por el estudio investigativo sobre la historia inédita de Juan Rodríguez publicado el año pasado por el Instituto de Estudios Dominicanos CUNY en el City College de Nueva York.

“Felicitaciones al Concejal Ydanis Rodríguez, a la Dra. Ramona Hernández, Anthony Stevens-Acevedo y su equipo de investigación del City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute at City College!”, dijo Néstor Montilla, Presidente de la Dominican American National Roundtable, la única organización nacional sin fines de lucro, no partidista y con sede en Washington, DC, abogando por el desarrollo socioeconómico y político de los más de 2 millones de dominicanos en los Estados Unidos y sus territorios, incluyendo Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes Americanas.

“La historia de Juan Rodríguez es, sin duda, un extraordinario éxito de una investigación excepcional del Instituto de Estudios Dominicanos de la Universidad Municipal de Nueva York, donde actualmente cursan carreras universitarias más de 30 mil dominicanos”, dijo el Chairman Montilla. “¡Es testimonio del calibre de trabajo científico del City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute at City College, de los Dominico-Americanos y la comunidad latina en los Estados Unidos de América. Me quito el sombrero ante la Honorable Dra. Ramona Hernández y su equipo de investigaciones científicas”.

“Los dominicanos y Dominico-Americanos contribuyen con sus impuestos en los Estados Unidos, de acuerdo a la enseñanza bíblica de ”dar  al César lo que es del César y a Dios lo que es de Dios”, agregó Presidente Montilla, citando la Biblia en Mateo 12:17, y aplicando las enseñanzas religiosas de su madre: “En otras palabras, como se dice en el Bronx y en los Estados Unidos: “hay que dar mérito, al que mérito merece”.

Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, Tesorera y Vice Presidente de DANR en Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes, declaró: “Con este estudio original, la Dra. Hernández y su equipo de trabajo, corrigen la historia de los Estados Unidos y el mundo. Las escuelas, colegios, universidades, instituciones de enseñanza y empresas editoriales en todo el mundo deberían actualizar sus currículos y erudición sobre migración e incluir el estudio de investigación sin precedentes de Juan Rodríguez”.

El evento contó con la participación de un nutrido grupo de funcionarios electos, líderes, educadores, funcionarios de educación superior, gente de las diversas comunidades de New York, y decenas de representantes de los medios de comunicación, desde el New York Times a Telemicro, la red internacional de televisión dominicana, transmitiendo en vivo a los periódicos regionales y locales y a los medios de comunicación. Una lista parcial de los asistentes incluye a la Doctora Ramona Hernández, Directora Ejecutiva del Instituto de Estudios Dominicanos CUNY, y sus asistentes Anthony Stevens-Avevedo y Bibliotecaria Sarah Aponte, El Senador Estatal Adriano Espaillat, Concejal de New York Ydanis Rodríguez, Concejal de New York Diana Reyna, Asambleista Estatal Gabriela Rosa, Concejal de New York, Robert Jackson, Chairman de DANR y Director de Relaciones Corporativas y Comunitarias de Lehman College, Néstor Montilla, Presidente del Concejo Municipal de New York, Christine Quinn, Defensor Público de New York, Bill de Blasio, ex Presidente del Condado del Bronx, Adolfo Carrión, Concejal de New York,  Mark Weprin, Cónsul General de República Dominicana en Nueva York, Félix Antonio “Ronny” Martínez, Ana García Reyes, Asistente a Decano en Hostos Community College, Jefe de Personal del Concejal Ydanis Rodríguez, Seny Taveras, Esq., líderes comunales María Luna y Dra. Nurys DeOleo, y, entre decenas de otros, líder comunal y  Director Ejecutivo Centro de Desarrollo de la Mujer Dominicana, Rosita Romero.

A continuacion, enlaces a algunos artículos publicados sobre Juan Rodríguez y el evento del 15 de mayo de 2013 en NewYork:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/nyregion/in-washington-heights-4-mayoral-candidates-woo-hispanics.html?_r=0

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/05/15/stretch-of-broadway-renamed-for-man-believed-to-be-citys-first-immigrant/

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/182154/broadway-section-named-for-man-who-officials-say-was-first-nyc-immigrant

http://www.northjersey.com/news/international/207615561_Street_named_for_1st_NYC_immigrant__officials_say.html

http://jornadadiaria.com/nombran-calle-en-honor-al-dominicano-considerado-el-primer-inmigrante-de-la-ciudad-de-nueva-york/

http://trapitocom.blogspot.com/2013/05/nombran-con-nombre-de-dominicano.html

http://www.abc.es/internacional/20130516/abci-nueva-york-honra-calle-201305160823.htm

http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=1424187&GUID=AB469443-02CF-4D70-B7EC-D0045B52B63C&Options=&Search=

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325467/Finally-recognised-400-years-New-Yorks-immigrant-honoured-mile-stretch-Broadway.html

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/honoring-a-very-early-new-yorker/

Honoring a Very Early New York Immigrant From Hispaniola

Washington, DC. (May 16, 2013).—After four hundred years of his arrival in 1613 in the shores of what later on became New York, and 12 years before the Dutch founded New Amsterdam, Juan Rodriguez was finally honored yesterday with a stretch of famous Broadway Avenue re-named after him. The portion of Broadway extends from 159th Street in Washington Heights to 218th Street in northern Manhattan.

The honor by the New York City Council, made possible thanks to the leadership of NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, was prompted by original research about the untold story of Juan Rodriguez released last year by the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute at City College.

“Kudos to Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez; kudos to Dr. Ramona Hernandez, Anthony Stevens-Acevedo and their research team at the City University of New York Dominican Studies Institute at City College!,” said Nestor Montilla, Chairman of the Dominican American National Roundtable, the only non-profit non partisan advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC advocating for the socio-economic and political development of over 2 million Dominicans in the United States and territories, including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The story of Juan Rodriguez is indeed an exceptionally extraordinary research achievement of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute,” said Chairman Montilla. ”It definitely speaks well of the strong high quality research taking place at The City University of New York, and the Dominican American and Latino communities in the United States.”

Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, DANR Treasurer and Vice President representing DANR in Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands, stated: “With such a unique research study, Dr. Hernandez and her team are righting history in the United States and in the whole world.  Schools, colleges, universities, institutions of learning and publishing companies around the world should update their curriculums and scholarship on migration to include the unprecedented research study about Juan Rodriguez.”

The event was attended by a sizeable group of elected officials, leaders, educators, higher education officers, people from New York diverse communities, and dozens of media representatives from the New York Times to Telemicro, an Dominican Republic international television network broadcasting live to regional and local newspapers and media outlet. The partial list of attendees included Dr. Ramona Hernandez, Executive Director of the CUNY Dominican Studies Institute, and her assistants Anthony Stevens-Avevedo and Librarian Sarah Aponte, NYS Senator Adriano Espaillat, NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez, NYC Councilwoman Diana Reyna, NYS Assemblywoman Gabriela Rosa, NYC Councilman Robert Jackson, DANR Chairman and Lehman College Director of Corporate and Community Relations Nestor Montilla, NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn, NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, former Bronx Borough President Adolfo Carrion, NYC Councilman Mark Weprin, Dominican Republic Consul General in New York Félix Antonio “Ronny” Martínez, Ana Garcia Reyes, Associate Dean at Hostos Community College, NYC Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez’ Chief of Staff Seny Taveras, Esq., community Leader Maria Luna, community leader Dr. Nurys DeOleo, and among dozens of others, community leader and Executive Director of the Dominican Women’ Development Center Rosita Romero.

Following are some links to press coverage articles published about Juan Rodriguez and May 15, 2013 street unveiling event in New York:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/16/nyregion/in-washington-heights-4-mayoral-candidates-woo-hispanics.html?_r=0

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/05/15/stretch-of-broadway-renamed-for-man-believed-to-be-citys-first-immigrant/

http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/182154/broadway-section-named-for-man-who-officials-say-was-first-nyc-immigrant

http://www.northjersey.com/news/international/207615561_Street_named_for_1st_NYC_immigrant__officials_say.html

http://jornadadiaria.com/nombran-calle-en-honor-al-dominicano-considerado-el-primer-inmigrante-de-la-ciudad-de-nueva-york/

http://trapitocom.blogspot.com/2013/05/nombran-con-nombre-de-dominicano.html

http://www.abc.es/internacional/20130516/abci-nueva-york-honra-calle-201305160823.html

http://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=1424187&GUID=AB469443-02CF-4D70-B7EC-D0045B52B63C&Options=&Search=

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325467/Finally-recognised-400-years-New-Yorks-immigrant-honoured-mile-stretch-Broadway.html

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/10/02/honoring-a-very-early-new-yorker/

 

DANR Congratulates Mayor Alex Blanco for his Re-election and Two New Dominican American Councilmembers

Washington, DC (May 15, 2013). The Dominican American National Roundtable congratulates two new Dominican American council members and Dr. Alex Blanco, who was re-elected Mayor of the City of Passaic at Tuesday, May 14, 2013 municipal election in Passaic County, New Jersey.

Mayor Blanco, who made history in 2008 after becoming the first Dominican ever elected mayor in the United States, was re-elected last night to a second four-year term as Mayor of Passaic, a New Jersey city of 67,000 inhabitants.

Tania Melo was elected councilwoman in the City of Passaic,

On the other hand, Rafael Marte was sworn-in Councilman in the Borough of Bergenfield, NJ to fill the vacancy left by former Councilman Carlos Aguasvivas who is now the Mayor of Bergenfield. Both will be running in the November 2013 elections to finish the rest of their current terms.

“On behalf of DANR National Board of Directors I would like to congratulate Dr. Alex Blanco on his re-election as Mayor of the City of Passaic; Blanco made history in 2008, in 2009, and again in 2013,” said Nestor Montilla, Chairman of the Dominican American National Roundtable.  ”Let’s also congratulate Tania Melo and Rafael Marte, who as councilmembers of their respective cities add up now to the roster of over 40 Dominican American elected officials currently serving at different levels in the United States.”

About Dr. Alex Blanco

Dr. Blanco was born in 1972 in the Dominican Republic. At the age of 12, he moved with his family to Passaic, NJ, where he grew up.

He graduated from Passaic High School, Kean University and New York College of Podiatric Medicine.

Alex resides in Passaic with his wife Aurora, and their four children—Daniel, Ethan, Allen, and Sebastian.

 

About Tania Melo

To be updated shortly.

 

About Rafael Marte

 

 

 

 

NOTED & QUOTED: The White House Honors Dominican Scientist Praised as a Global Leader in Freight Modeling, Transportation Economics, and Humanitarian Logistics

Washington, DC (May 13, 2013).  The Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and its National Dominican American Council (NDAC) congratulate Dr. Jose Holguín-Veras for his many professional accomplishments, exemplary leadership in the field of transportation, and recognition by the White House for being a transportation champion of change.

“Kudos for the White House and President Obama for Honoring Jose Holguín-Veras, a Dominican-born scientist praised as a Global Leader in Freight Modeling, Transportation Economics, and Humanitarian Logistics,” said Nestor Montilla, Chairman of DANR and NDAC.

“Please join us in congratulating Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Professor Holguín-Veras for being selected by the White House to receive a citation of honor lauding his research and leadership in the development of a sophisticated off-hour freight delivery system,” stated Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, DANR Treasurer and Vice President representing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Send your congratulations to info@danr.org.”

The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where Dr. Holguin-Veras is currently a faculty member, published the following press release available at http://news.rpi.edu/update.do

José Holguín-Veras

-NOTED & QUOTED-

Rensselaer Professor Jose Holguín-Veras Honored by White House as “Transportation Champion of Change”

The White House on Wednesday honored Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty member Jose Holguín-Veras as a “Champion of Change” in the field of transportation.

Holguín-Veras, the William H. Hart Professor at Rensselaer, was one of 12 individuals recognized for “exemplary leadership in developing or implementing transportation technology solutions to enhance performance, reduce congestion, improve safety, and facilitate communication across the transportation industry at the local, state, or national level.”

As part of the honor, Holguín-Veras visited the White House and participated in the two-day Transportation Technology Solutions for the 21st Century event. Additionally, the White House will soon feature a blog post by Holguín-Veras titled “Taking Steps toward Sustainable Urban Freight Systems.”

“These champions represent the very best in American leadership, innovation, and progress,” said Ray Lahood, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation. “I’m proud to recognize these transportation leaders who work every day to grow our economy and help us reach our destinations more quickly, efficiently, and safely.”

“It is a tremendous honor for Dr. Holguín-Veras to be recognized by the nation’s highest office as a Transportation Champion of Change,” said Rensselaer President Shirley Ann Jackson. “His transformative, multifaceted research in the area of traffic and freight systems is a shining example of the world-class, world-changing research taking place at our university. We congratulate Dr. Holguín-Veras on this outstanding achievement.”

In its citation, the White House lauded the leadership of Holguín-Veras toward the development of an off-hour freight delivery system in Manhattan that combines global positioning system (GPS) remote sensing monitoring with GPS-enabled smart phones. This transportation technology solution has facilitated a shift in deliveries from the congested daytime hours to the off-hours of 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. Since the system has been implemented, freight receivers enjoy the superior reliability of off-hour deliveries, carriers benefit from increased productivity, and daytime travelers and pedestrians enjoy reduced congestion, noise, and pollution. Holguín-Veras’ influential research has led to substantial improvements in the ability to model and induce changes in the behavior of the freight industry, the citation read.

“The entire School of Engineering family—faculty, staff, students, and alumni and alumnae—joins me in congratulating Dr. Holguín-Veras on this recognition,” said David Rosowsky, dean of the School of Engineering at Rensselaer. “Jose is known around the world as a leader in transportation systems, policy, and economics and his research is having a significant impact on the way urban traffic systems and disaster response logistics are understood by academics, lawmakers, and the public.”

Holguín-Veras is known as a global leader in the areas of freight demand modeling, transportation economics, and humanitarian logistics. He also studies behavior relating to sustainability policies and the impact of transportation on the environment. As part of his supply chain research, Holguín-Veras led the multidisciplinary teams that investigated the cause of logistical failures in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the catastrophic 2010 Haiti earthquake, and the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake in Japan. He is the director of the Center for Infrastructure, Transportation, and the Environment and the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Urban Freight Systems at Rensselaer, and is actively working to develop new theories and methods for expediting the flow of critical supplies to the site of extreme events.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) recognized Holguín-Veras in 2001 with a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award. In 1996 he received the Milton Pikarsky Memorial Award from the Council of University Transportation Centers, and in 2001 was the recipient of a proclamation from the City Council of New York, honoring his research accomplishments and contributions to local communities.

Holguín-Veras is active in leadership positions at several key international research organizations. He is president-elect of the newly created Pan-American Association of Transportation Research, an elected member of the Council of the Association for European Transport, and a member of the board of directors of the Intelligent Transportation Society of New York. Holguín-Veras is a fellow of the International Road Federation (IRF), Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the Organization of American States (OAS).

He served as conference chair of the 13th Pan-American Advanced Studies Institute on Transportation Sciences, as well as vice president for the Pan-American Conferences of Traffic and Transportation Engineering. He is a member of the board of directors of the University Transportation Research Center, Transportation Infrastructure Research Center, and the Community University Consortium for Regional Environmental Justice. Additionally, Holguín-Veras was appointed by former New York Governor David Paterson to serve on the New York State Thruway Authority Board. He is also a member of several journal editorial boards.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Holguín-Veras received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, his master’s degree in transportation from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, and his doctoral degree in transportation from the University of Texas at Austin.

Published May 13, 2013

Contact: Michael Mullaney Phone: (518) 276-6161 E-mail: mullam@rpi.edu

The Diversifying Electorate—Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012

http://hstrial-iinfo879.intuitwebsites.com/~local/~Preview/Census_-_Voting_in_2012.pdf

Volunteering for CUNY/Daily News Citizenship Now Call-in Drive

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