Hispanic organizations split on Munoz's loyalty
Fri, 11/25/2011 - 16:40
By KRISTIAN HERNANDEZ, Hispanic Link News Service


Long-time civil rights advocate Cecilia Munoz has stirred mixed emotions in the Latino community since she declared her definitive stance on the immigration policies being administered under President Barack Obama.

White House-approved policies such as Secure Communities that encourage racial profiling of immigrants have led to the deportation of 396,906 people in fiscal year 2011, just 3,094 away from the 400,000 goal set by Congress.

"As long as Congress gives us the money to deport 400,000 people a year, that's what the administration will do," Munoz told "Frontline" correspondent Maria Hinojosa Oct. 18 in the PBS documentary "Lost in Detention."

That comment confirmed for some former supporters that Munoz has abandoned her role as a "forceful voice for justice" and become the "chief Latina defender of immigration policies that have devastated our community," as stated in a letter signed by 40 Latino organizations including Presente.org, Action America, Vivir Latino and Puente.

Representatives of Puente and Presente.org led a group of 25 undocumented immigrants in trying to deliver the letter to Munoz when she spoke Nov. 3 at the National League of Cities' annual expo in Phoenix, but they were blocked.

"I guarantee that the 40 organizations and hundreds of thousands of Latinos all around the nation will not rest until Cecilia tells the truth" about Safe Communities, said Roberto Lovato of Presente.org.

Munoz, Obama's intergovernmental affairs director and his chief immigration consultant, has failed to concede that the White House could or should do more to halt deportation of Dream Act students who have no police records.

But a newly released letter -- signed by leaders of 18 national civil rights and Latino organizations -- defends Munoz and describes efforts to target her as "profoundly counterproductive."

Signatories include: Janet Murguia, her former boss at the National Council of La Raza; Deepak Bhargava of the Center for Community Change; and Arturo Vargas of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.

"I think this controversy has distracted much of the media and many organizations on how to deliver relief," Bhargava told Hispanic Link News Service, alluding to Latinos in Alabama being targeted and frightened out of their homes. "Our best bet is to put pressure on Homeland Security."

Under Secretary Janet Napolitano, Homeland Security has deported more than 1 million adults and children since 2008.

Both letters express deep concerns about the effects of S-Comm and the lack of progress toward immigration reform. The letter representing the 40 grassroots groups stops short of calling for Munoz's resignation. Nor does it call her a "traitor" or a "turncoat," as some news reports have suggested.

"There is actually a tremendous amount of agreement and unity about the core policies here," said Bhargava. "What is being blown up in the press is small potatoes to the key issues."

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) defended Munoz. "I think Cecilia is someone who is passionate about the Latino community, who works every day to try to promote within the administration the interest of the community -- and that's a tough job," he told Hispanic Link News Service. "So far, there's a lot of competing interest and a lot of elbows on the table.

"I think she advocates every day about our community," he added. "I think her voice is as strong inside the administration today as it was at La Raza."

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