Thread: Chicago:Latino issues go beyond immigration, new report

Latino issues go beyond immigration, report says
Education tops agenda, with health care, housing also priorities

By Vanessa Bauzá

Tribune reporter

12:15 AM CDT, April 11, 2008

In an election year full of debate about Immigration enforcement, area Latino leaders say other issues affecting their communities are getting short shrift, from high school dropout rates to job training.

A new report, set for release Friday, highlights recommendations gathered during meetings with more than 600 Chicago-area civic leaders, religious representatives, elected officials and community activists over the last two years.

Nearly 70 percent of Latinos in the Chicago area are U.S. citizens, and 90 percent of Latino children were born here, according to "An American Agenda From a Latino Perspective," by the group Latinos United.

But the report's authors say hotly debated crackdowns on illegal immigrants have overshadowed a broader discussion of improvements needed to raise Latinos' living standards.

"Our agenda has been reduced to Immigration," said Maricela Garcia, executive director of Latinos United and the report's lead author. "We are not addressing those major issues that are impacting our community, which are education, access to health care, housing.

"Many feel the perception of society is that we are all immigrants and all immigrants are Latinos."

In meetings held across the Chicago area, education topped participants' concerns.

Only 53 percent of Latino high school students in the area graduate in four years, and only a third of those go on to earn a college degree within six years, the report said.

Participants were frustrated with overcrowded schools and waiting lists for early-childhood education programs in Latino neighborhoods.

The report also noted that parents who did not attend schools in the U.S. or don't speak English may be ill-equipped to help their children with homework or offer guidance to pursue a college education.

With Latinos expected to make up about a third of the area's population by 2030, the report argues that success in the region is tied to investments in education, along with access to health care and affordable housing.

In the suburbs, many participants worried that new powers sought by police in Carpentersville, Waukegan and the Lake County Sheriff's Department to initiate deportations could lead to racial profiling and discourage Latino residents from reporting crimes.

"People are definitely afraid," said Sylvia Puente, director of the Center for Metropolitan Chicago Initiatives for the University of Notre Dame's Institute for Latino Studies. "It's not a healthy environment. I heard people say, 'I don't drive through Waukegan anymore.' "

Authors say they will use the report to advocate for more partnerships between regional Latino organizations and public and private institutions that may provide funding for projects.

"It's a multiyear agenda—it's not something that's going to be achieved right away," Garcia said. "It will require increased leadership and civic participation in the community and alliance building with non-Latino groups."

vbauza@tribune.com


www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/north ... 8911.story
chicagotribune.com

They are complaining because there is over crowding? They are complaining because parents are ill equipped to help their children with homework because they don't speak english? Ok I find these laughable. Perhaps they should go in to "Latino" communities and teach birth control and then they can also teach them that the USA doesn't bow to any one culture and that in order to succeed you need to learn ENGLISH, isn't that what we've been saying all along??? Are they just getting this? Perhaps if they weren't so consumed with bringing in more poor, uneducated people to raise their population their community would be prosperous because they would all speak english, limit the population rate so that services like healthcare and schools wouldn't be over crowded. This just boggles my mind, it's all about common sense but obviously they have none just back to their complaining about their high school dropouts etc. It's the parents responsibility to help their children graduate but when you have people who can't even speak english and who blame everyone else for their problems is it any stretch to assume these people also expect that it is the schools responsibility to educate their children and graduate them without any involvement in their child's education???

I'm just sick and tired of the whining, complaining and demands that seem to continously spew from the mouths of these people.

They enter this country illegally, commence reproducing in a manner that could only be construed as "irresponsible" and then wonder why they are no better off than they were in their beloved Mexico.

They come with virtually no education, refuse to learn English, and then wonder why their little anchor babies are dropping out of school, getting pregnant, joining gangs, etc.

And now the responsibility for such issues is no longer placed on the illegals, but instead is portrayed as "issues" in which government and elected officials are expected to address and resolve, despite the fact a great many of these peole have no legal right to even be in this country!


When is enough going to be enough with these people!

"We are not addressing those major issues that are impacting our community, which are education, access to health care, housing.

Participants were frustrated with overcrowded schools and waiting lists for early-childhood education programs in Latino neighborhoods.

In other words the health care, education and housing aren't free or in the case of housing aren't fancy or big enough. These people are cheapskates and freeloaders.

They are making a mistake by assuming that the same current statistical growth rates will continue indefinitely to 2030.


Immigration can be enforced and birthright citizenship by which a lot of the Latinos got theirs is vulnerable to re-exmination by the courts since it is based on a legal interpretation and a subsequent use as precedent not intrinsic in the constitution The best way that those Latinos citizens or immigrating up here legally can be comfortable that their concerns will be addressed is to make sure that the Latino illegals leave.

Of course that would be the logical and most productive way to think and address this issue, but the ethno-centrics and pro- illegal invader groups have proven time and time again to be illogical and irrational in their demands and desires.

Their agenda is race based and thus, does not distinguish between legal and illegal, convicted felon, etc. There agenda is designed to be completely inclusive based solely on race and nothing more. No hispanic shall be left behind, not illegals, not convicted felons, not gang bangers, etc.

Nearly 70 percent of Latinos in the Chicago area are U.S. citizens, and 90 percent of Latino children were born here, according to "An American Agenda From a Latino Perspective," by the group Latinos United.

Where did they come up with these stats? I doubt that 70% are U.S. citizens.

Originally Posted by butterbean

Nearly 70 percent of Latinos in the Chicago area are U.S. citizens, and 90 percent of Latino children were born here, according to "An American Agenda From a Latino Perspective," by the group Latinos United.

Where did they come up with these stats? I doubt that 70% are U.S. citizens.

Even if this number were to be true Butterbean, that still leaves 30% by their own admission, that are in the country illegally. It looks as if Vanessa Bauzá expects us to rejoice in the fact that 30% of the hispanics in Chicago are illegal!

Sorry, that's still too many illegals to ignore. When they get rid of that 30%, we can then talk about the perceived "hispanic issues."