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
Letter Text
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,
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:
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Lamar Alexander (TN) |
@SenAlexander |
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Michael B. Enzi (WY) |
No Twitter |
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Richard Burr (NC) |
@SenatorBurr |
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Johnny Isakson (GA) |
@SenatorIsakson |
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Rand Paul (KY) |
@SenRandPaul |
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Orrin G. Hatch (UT) |
@OrrinHatch @SenOrrinHatch |
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Pat Roberts (KS) |
@SenPatRoberts |
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Lisa Murkowski (AK) |
@lisamurkowski |
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Mark Kirk (IL) |
@SenatorKirk |
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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
The Diversifying Electorate—Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012
Washington, DC.– The U.S. Census released its Current Population Survey May 2013 report titled The Diversifying Electorate—Voting Rates by Race and Hispanic Origin in 2012 (and Other Recent Elections).
The report focuses on presidential elections since 1996 to provide analyses about how the American electorate is becoming increasingly more diverse. The report also highlights patterns of voter turnout by race and Hispanic origin.
The full report is available at:
http://hstrial-iinfo879.intuitwebsites.com/~local/~Preview/Census_-_Voting_in_2012.pdf
OVERALL VOTER TURNOUT (1996–2012)
Since 1996, the number of citizens eligible to vote has increased in every presidential election, as has the number of citizens who have reported voting. Table 2 displays these relative increases by race and Hispanic origin over the five most recent election cycles.3 Overall, 133 million people reported voting in 2012, a turnout increase of about
2 million people since the elec- tion of 2008. Between 1996 and 2008, turnout increases varied but were always larger than in 2012, reaching a high of about 15 million additional voters in 2004.
In comparison to the election of 2008, about 1.7 million additional Black voters reported going to the polls in 2012, as did about 1.4 million additional Hispanics and about 550,000 additional Asians. The number of non-Hispanic White voters decreased by about 2 million between 2008 and 2012. Since 1996, this is the only example of a race group showing a decrease in net voting from one presidential election to the next, and it indicates that the 2012 voting population expansion came primarily from minority voters.
For a copy of the report, visit the following link:
http://hstrial-iinfo879.intuitwebsites.com/~local/~Preview/Census_-_Voting_in_2012.pdf
With your support, Tom could become the first Dominican-American ever to serve on a Presidential Cabinet in USA
Dear U.S. Senators:
I write on behalf of the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and the National Dominican American Council (NDAC) in support of Tom Perez for U.S. Labor Secretary. DANR is the only non-partisan, non-profit national organization headquartered in Washington, DC advocating for the socio-economic and political development of Latinos and particularly Dominican-Americans in the United States.
DANR and NDAC are members of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda, a coalition of national Latino civil rights and advocacy organizations that have issued press statements and letters urging you and all of our U.S. Senators 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.
We know Tom very well. He has successfully conducted discrimination investigations; has set the three largest fair lending cases in the history of the Fair Housing Act; has been a champion of voting rights, disability rights, and educational equity; has prosecuted some of the most heinous hate crimes in recent memory; and has restored the integrity of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.
We’re watching the process very closely, while counting on you to confirm Tom, President Barack Obama’s nominee to serve as the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor.
With your support, Tom could become the first Dominican-American ever to serve on a presidential Cabinet in the United States of America, — and the only Latino nominated so far to serve on the President’s current second-term Cabinet.
Sincerely,
Nestor Montilla, Chairman
Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR)
National Dominican American Council (DANC)
1050 17th Street NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
www.danr.org
info@danr.org
202-238-0097
DANR & Its National Council Praise Introduction of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act
April 17, 2013 by DANR
Filed under Featured, Immigration, News, Postings
Washington, DC (April 17, 2013). The Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and its National Council praise the introduction of the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.
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, they have taken a step 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 3rd 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.
Support the 7th National Student Conference March 29-31, 2013 at Wesleyan University
Washington, DC. The Dominican American National Roundtable and its National Council (NDAC) cordially invite you to attend and support the 7th National Student Conference March 29-31, 2013 at Wesleyan University.
Click here to register now!
Each year, NDSC provides the highest quality in educational and empowering workshops, prominent and inspirational speakers, culturally influential movie screenings, art exhibitions, networking events, and parties – all of which serve to educate, uplift, and unite the Dominican student community.
For more information visit www.dominicanstudentconference.com
NOTED & QUOTED: A Voice for Latino Voters By Rodolfo O. de la Garza
February 26, 2013 by DANR
Filed under Advocacy, Featured, Press Releases
Washington, DC (Tuesday, February 26, 2013). Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 27, 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court will begin considering the case of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder demanding a review of the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The following note, sent to us via e-mail by the National Institute for Latino Policy (NiLP), was published by the New York Times on Sunday, February 24, 2013. The note entitled, “A Voice for Latino Voters,” was written by Rodolfo O. de la Garza, a professor of political science at Columbia University. It is available online at: the New York Times website.
Federal Voting Rights Act?
Note: On Wednesday, the United States Supreme Court is scheduled to begin review of the constitutionality of Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act in the case of Shelby County, Alabama v. Holder. A number of organizations, including NiLP, have signed on to an amicus brief in the case drafted by the attorneys at Sidley Austin upholding the act’s constitutionality (for a copy of the brief, click here . Those Latino groups besides NiLP signing on to the brief include ASPIRA, Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR)/National Dominican American Council (NDAC), Hispanic Federation, Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA), Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), LatinoJustice PRLDEF, MANA Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), National Association of Hispanic Federal Executives (NAHFE), National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP), National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Education Fund, National Conference of Puerto Rican Women (NACOPRW), National Council of La Raza (NCLR), National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), National Organization for Mexican American Rights (NOMAR), Inc., National Puerto Rican Coalition, Inc. (NPRC). SER, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) and United States Hispanic Leadership Institute (USHLI).
—Angelo Falcón
By Rodolfo O. de la Garza
New York Times (February 24, 2013)
To see the other essays in this “Room for Debate” feature, click here. They are by Guy-Uriel Charles, Richard H. Pildres, Luis Fuentes-Rohwer, Ilya Shapiro, Heather Smith and Elizabeth Wydra.
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments regarding whether federal officials should continue to be empowered to monitor and approve state electoral behavior regarding minority voting rights as they are by Section 5 of the Voting Rights. The plaintiffs argue that, although minorities were historically the victims of electoral discrimination, that is no longer the case as the increase in minority elected officials and greatly improved voter registration and turnout show.
This argument ignores Latino experiences. The nation does not acknowledge the discrimination Latinos have undergone. Today, many public officials from states across the nation seem to feel free to treat Latinos as unwelcome newcomers and view Latino voters with suspicion. Republicans are especially leery of Latino voters who are perceived to be noncitizens or, even worse, Democrats.
Without the law’s threat of federal intervention, I fear that the promise of Latino political equality will stagnate.
In Florida, The Miami Herald found that the Republican-controlled election supervisors targeted Hispanics much more than Anglos for removal from the eligible voter list. In Arizona, the Spanish language electoral materials the state is required to publish and distribute erroneously announced the election would be held on Nov. 8, but the English language section of the documents listed the correct date of Nov. 6.
Additionally, Latino communities across the nation are peppered with ads emphasizing that it is a crime to vote if you are not a citizen. Given that rapidly growing Latino communities make up 5 to 10 percent of the electorate in red jurisdictions like Arkansas, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, this kind of “dirty tricks” and fear-based intimidation is likely to increase.
Community organizers report that many Latino citizens stay home rather than risk being bullied, politically hounded or arrested if they try to vote. Latino history offers so many examples of such treatment that it is probably a major factor explaining why Latino voter turnout is 10 percent lower than Anglo’s.
The continuing Latino political struggle has not been burned into the nation’s memory as is the civil rights movement. This makes it harder for policy makers to prevent the continuation of electoral discrimination. Without Section 5′s threat of federal intervention, I fear that the promise of Latino political equality will stagnate. The nation will be less democratic if that happens.
Rodolfo O. de la Garza is a professor of political science at Columbia University.
More: www.danr.org
DANR Swears In Its 2013 Board of Directors and Announces Launching of DANR National Foundation
February 17, 2013 by DANR
Filed under Advocacy, Featured, News, Noted and Quoted, Postings, Press Releases
DANR Announces Launching of DANR National Foundation (DANRF) with initial commitment to fund the workings of the Foundation.
Washington, DC.- (Tuesday, February 19, 2013).– To the sound of applause from over two hundred attendees of the Welcome Reception of the 13th Annual New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs at Newark City Hall Rotunda, the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) held its Induction Ceremony to swear in its 2013 Board of Directors, Nestor Montilla, Sr., as Chairman, Hon. Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos as Treasurer and Vice President for Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands, and Francesca Pena, Secretary.
U.S. Civil Rights leader Martin Perez, Esq. administered the Oath of Office.
She also praised the launching of the Dominican American National Roundtable Foundation (DANRF).
The grant-making mission of the DANRF is to endow DANR, the National Dominican American Council (NDAC), community based non-profit organizations, projects and grant recipients with vital funding to conceive and implement intended advocacy initiatives. An initial commitment will be allocated to fund the workings of the Foundation.
The DANR Board of Directors for 2013 is composed of professionals drawn from different U.S. states, including New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Washington, DC, Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The officers and members of the Board of Directors are, Nestor Montilla, Chairman, Hon. Claribel Martinez-Marmolejos, Treasurer and Vice President representing Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Francesca Pena, Secretary, Dr. Dilcia Granville, Maria Moreno, National Youth President, Dr. Maria Teresa Feliciano, Hon. Julio Guridy, Hon. Kendrys Vasquez, America Schroh, Carolina Pichardo, Dr. Miguel Hernandez, and Professor Alejandro Benjamin.
The ceremony included a special performance by Maestro Rafael Solano. He regaled the audience with his signature hit Por Amor (For Love) and other of his most popular melodies. Maestro Solano was joined by singer Cristina Necula, Director of Alumni at Lehman College of The City University of New York. They mesmerized attendees when both took to the stage for an impromptu performance.

Caption: Moment when DANR Chairman Nestor Montilla took the oath of office from Civil Rights Leader Martin Perez, President, Latino Leadership Alliance de NJ. Photo by Eduardo Hoepelman.
Silvio Torres Saillant, Nestor Montilla, Ramona Hernandez and Rafael Nunez Cedeno in Washington, DC during DANR 2012 Leadership Summit.

Silvio Torres Saillant, Nestor Montilla, Ramona Hernandez and Rafael Nunez Cedeno in Washington, DC during DANR 2012 Leadership Summit.
GOVERNOR CHRISTIE USES APPOINTMENT AUTHORITY TO NAME LLANJ PRESIDENT MARTIN PEREZ TO RUTGERS BOARD OF GOVERNORS
December 20, 2012 by DANR
Filed under Advocacy, Featured, Press Releases
NOTED & QUOTED
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: 973 432 7688
New Brunswick (Thursday, December 20, 2012).- Yesterday morning, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie used appointment authority and made history by naming Civil Rights Attorney Martin Perez to serve a six-year term on the prestigious Board of Governors of Rutgers University.
Governor Christie opened his remarks with, “Nearly 19 months ago I nominated Martin Perez to serve on the Board of Governors of his Alma Mater –Rutgers University. I did so because he represented the type of leadership I want all across government: qualified, experienced leaders that expand diversity and commitment whenever possible.”
Martin Perez is a respected lawyer in his community and a respected leader as President of the Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey; his supporters came out in droves and filled the student hall auditorium to capacity.
Nearly 600 days had passed since the Governor’s announcement yesterday, resulting from Senate Democrat politics which had continued to block, via senatorial courtesy, nearly every important nomination that Gov. Christie has made over the past three years. In this instance, the apparent lack of respect that had been shown by Senate Democrats to Martin Perez and to the entire Latino community in New Jersey, had been noted and protested against by the members and organizations of the Coalition for Martin Perez for Rutgers Board of Governors. Governor Christie addressed the community’s voice prompting his decision to fully commit his power to act on behalf of the Latino community.
“I am proud today to tell all of you that I have signed the letter this morning and you are seeing a Rutgers Board of Governors member: Martin Perez.” (Watch Video)
The Governor’s announcement was received with a sustained standing ovation.
“I am honored by the action taken by Governor Christie yesterday to directly appoint me to the Board of Governors of Rutgers University,” said Perez. ”I am deeply touched and appreciative of the overwhelming statewide support for this appointment by the organizations of the Coalition. I especially thank the leading team of the coalition who lead -and continue leading- the fight to make this appointment possible, including Elisa Charters, Chairwoman of the Coalition, Maria Teresa Feliciano, Spokeswoman of the Coalition; Luis Vargas, John Connelly, John Aspray, Richard Rivera, Jose Morales and Pablo Albilal.”
Coalition Chair, Elisa Charters noted, “Coalition members and its 18 supporting organizations have worked hard to create a voice for Latinos and Latinas across the state, one that Governor Christie has heard and has acted on. Over 200 participants from across our State took the time during this busy holiday season to personally support Martin Perez.”
Dr. Maria Teresa Feliciano, DANR President, and Coalition spokeswoman said, ”On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Dominican American National Roundtable (DANR) and the National Dominican American Council, I praise Governor Christie’s decision to use his appointment authority to make history in naming Martin to the Rutgers Board of Governors.”
Reverberating the Latino community’s satisfaction were the comments of several Coalition’s organizations: “We applaud Governor Christie’s decision to confirm the overdue appointment of Martin Perez, Esq. to the Rutgers Board of Governors,” said Maria (Charo) Juega, Executive Director, Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund (LALDEF) stated via email from Spain. “We cannot think of a more eminently qualified candidate to enhance the board’s diversity of perspectives, understanding of the issues affecting higher education, and intimate knowledge of the institution itself.”
The Central Jersey Latino Civic Engagement Forum (LCEF) denoted, “In the Latino community there is no greater pride, no greater inspiration than to see one of our own succeed…As a bipartisan group of Latino advocates, LCEF applauds Gov. Christie’s leadership in taking action when other politicians did not.”
Students and alumni in attendance also were enthusiastic about the direction the Governor has placed on the university. “As an alumna of RU, a former RU Varsity athlete and committed supporter of all things RU- Academic and Athletic- I am thrilled to see the Governor’s continued commitment to RU. With the recent RU/UMDNJ merger & RU’s inclusion in the Big 10, RU is poised to be on a par with the best Universities in the country and will need a very strong Board of Governors to shepherd RU through this period of change. Gov. Christie’s appointment of Perez signals the Governor’s understanding that the RU BOG must be comprised of the most talented persons available and should also reflect the diversity of the students at RU, and the residents of NJ. Perez experience and skill set meets all criteria, and I applaud both Gov. Christie’s and Mr. Perez’s service to RU and NJ.” stated Carol {Snedeker} Ewertsen RC ’82.
John Connelly, President of the Rutgers University Student Assembly, said, “RUSA members are incredibly pleased by the announcement today…As the student government of Rutgers University, we feel that Mr. Perez reflects the spirit we like to see in a member of the Board of Governors, and his history as an advocate and activist gives us hope for our future working relationship with him. We were further encouraged by the words the Governor spoke yesterday.”
All look forward to Martin Perez’s induction to the Rutgers Board of Governors in July 2013.
ORGANIZATIONS OF COALITION
UWUA Local 601 (Utility Workers Union of America)
CONLAMIC (National Coalition of Latino Clergy and Christian Leaders)
LPOA (Latino Peace Officers Association)
DANR (Dominican American National Roundtable)
NDAC (National Dominican American Council)
CODA (Conference on Dominican Affairs)
CATA (The Farmworkers Support Committee)
RUSA (Rutgers University Student Assembly)
LLANJ (The Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey)
CASA DE LA EDUCATION Y CULTURA LATINA
HISPANIC HEALTH PROFESSIONALS ASSOCIATION INC
DOMINICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITARIAN ASSOCIATION
PUERTO RICAN CIVIC ASSOCIATION OF CENTRAL NJ
LAZOS AMERICA UNIDA
PAMA (Perth Amboy Merchants Association)
LALDEF – Latin American Legal Defense and Education Fund
HERMANDAD COMUNITARIA
Hispanic Pastors Association of Hudson County
NOTED & QUOTED: You Are Invited to 13th Annual NJ Conference on Dominican Affairs
November 28, 2012 by DANR
Filed under Advocacy, Featured, Noted and Quoted
REGISTER HERE – INSCRIBASE AQUI
The 13th Annual New Jersey Conference on Dominican Affairs will take place at Rutgers University on Sunday, February 17, 2013 from 8:30am to 4pm.
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