Sunday, December 5, 2010

Milwaukee's Nfoque Latino Spanish Radio Program Aired Segment In Support Of The DREAM Act

(Front row: L-R) H. Nelson Goodson, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Eddiza Valadez and Zonia Lopez
(Back row: L-R) Joel Ramirez and Angel Cartegena

Photo by Fernanda Paniagua

DREAM Act student advocates and executive director of Voces de la Frontera push for passage of the bill

December 5, 2010

Milwaukee, WI (HNNUSA) - On Saturday, the popular Nfoque Latino radio Spanish talk show on WJTI 1460 AM aired the first special program to generate calls to both Republican Congressmen Paul Ryan and Tom Petri to push for their swing vote to approve the DREAM Act. The Democrat majority House of Representatives are expected to revive a vote on the DREAM Act by the middle of next week before the Republican control House takes office in January.
The Nfoque Latino program was hosted by H. Nelson Goodson and Zonia Lopez. Lopez says the show can be viewed live in Ustream and previous recorded talk shows concerning important issues affecting the Wisconsin Hispanic community. Lopez is the business owner of Flylda Travel Agency in Milwaukee giving her an opportunity to be involved with community issues such as immigration rights, education, economic and the spiritual growth of the Hispanic community.
Nationally, Goodson is one of the foremost respected immigration rights and reform journalist. Goodson made the following statement on the radio, "With the billions of tax dollars that have been collected by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) from undocumented workers throughout the last 20 years and the billions of dollars contributed into the Social Security (SS) account, which undocumented taxpayers don't even file for refunds or for Social Security when they retire, only adds to one colossal amount of money in both the IRS and SS accounts. Undocument parents tax contributions have already paid for their childrens education and Congress should pass the DREAM Act. I only ask one question, why hasn't Congress or the CBO provided a report on the total amount undocumented taxpayers have contributed to the IRS and SS accounts? The Latino community should demand accountability of the total, which would only prove that undocumented taxpayers have actually paid for the DREAM Act."
Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the founding Executive Director of Voces de la Frontera (VDLF) made a guest presentation informing and advocating for the DREAM Act to the predominately Hispanic South side community and surrounding metropolitan vacinity. Three students from various educational backgrounds also accompanied Neumann-Ortiz in the show. The students, Eddiza Valadez, Joel Ramirez and Angel Cartegena who are members of Youth Empowered in the Struggle (YES) are also part of Voces action group promoting the passage of the DREAM Act.
YES is a multiracial group dedicated to promoting social justice in Southeastern Wisconsin through youth led action. YES currently has chapters or affiliates at 7 Wisconsin high schools and one University, according to VDLF.
Valadez became involved in the movement to help create awareness for the need to provide educational opportunities for undocumented students in Wisconsin and nationally. She gave testimony about her experience with a close family member who is bright and could succeed in college, but her undocumented status has prevented her from working to support her way through college.
Ramirez was at Nfoque Latino to help encourage other youths to stand up for their rights and to join in the struggle to help pass the DREAM Act. He recited a powerful Rap style poem motivating everyone in the production studio and radio listeners at the end of the show.
Cartegena told listeners that he became involved in the struggle to pass the DREAM Act when he began to see friends trying to seek a higher education, but were kept from achieving their dreams just for having an undocumented status.
The DREAM Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who were brought to the U.S. at a young age of 16, and complete at least two years of college or military service, according to Neumann-Ortiz. The DREAM Act would actually effect more than 2 million undocumented teenagers.
Valadez told the Nfoque Latino radio listeners to call both Congressmen Tom Petri at 202-225-2476 and Paul Ryan at 202-225-3031 and urge them to support the dreams of the students of their districts.
On Thursday, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report indicated that the approval of the DREAM Act would help cut the federal deficit by $1.4 billion, and generate $2.3 billion in corporate and social insurance taxes within the next ten years. http://bit.ly/fk6B3N
The CBO report contradicted Congressman Steve King's (R-Iowa) notion that the DREAM Act would actually cost $20 billion to fund. The CBO report also contradicted an estimated study made by the Center for Immigration Studies that reported The DREAM Act would cost at least $6 billion per year.
The Center for American Progress reported that it would cost the federal government more than $48.6 billion to deport 2 million undocumented teenagers (students).
On Friday, the White House posted 10 Reasons We Need The DREAM Act, Internet link. http://bit.ly/gWFjGy
Next week Saturday, Nfoque Latino will focus on Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Wisconsin's Republican intend to introduce an anti-immigrant bill legalizing local authorities to detain for 48 hours suspected undocumented immigrants in order for them to prove their legal status in Wisconsin or in the country. The bill could lead to racial profiling and discrimination in the state.
Neumann-Ortiz, Valadez, Ramirez and Cartagena have been invited once again to discuss the issues.
Nfoque Latino Spanish radio talk show can be heard on Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., at WJTI 14.60 AM radio, La Nueva Ritmo (live on Ustream http://bit.ly/c1VwGx) in the Milwaukee and surrounding area.

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