Thread: Funding shortfall hampers El Pueblo

RALEIGH -- El Pueblo Inc., a nonprofit advocacy organization working to ensure that Latino voices are heard in the state's public policy circles, has been noticeably quieter in recent months as debate about illegal immigration has grown louder and increasingly bitter.

The Raleigh-based group, which forms an important bridge between North Carolina's rapidly growing immigrant population and the rest of the state, is retrenching after a 30 percent drop in funding, staff cuts and the May departure of its high-profile executive director, Tony Asion. Asion said he left after a rift developed with board members who wanted him to do more fundraising, a duty he thinks is theirs.

"I strongly believe in the mission of the organization and will continue to do anything I can to help," Asion said. "I just don't think it should be me at the helm."

Pablo Escobar, the treasurer on El Pueblo's board of directors, has stepped in part time to run the statewide advocacy group. Meanwhile, board members and remaining staff members are looking to grass-roots groups to fill the void on programs the Raleigh organization has stepped away from.

"El Pueblo's taking a back seat right now," he said.

El Pueblo's money woes are mirrored by other Hispanic advocacy groups rocked by a recession that has triggered a reduction in funding from foundations and other donors. In Carrboro, El Centro Latino, a community center that offered English classes, after-school child care and employment assistance, closed its doors in November.

Immigration issues

These losses come at a crucial moment in the immigration debate on the state and national levels. President Barack Obama, facing criticism from many immigrant rights groups, called for comprehensive immigration reform in a speech Thursday. An already heated debate has been fueled by the president's recent decision to send more National Guard troops to the Southwest border and the passage of a bill in Arizona this spring that requires local law enforcement to check a person's immigration status.

In North Carolina, which the 2000 U.S. Census found had the fastest-growing Hispanic population in the country, illegal immigration has also been contentious. In 2008, the Pew Hispanic Center estimated the state's illegal immigration population at 350,000. Several counties, including Mecklenburg, Wake and Alamance, joined forces with immigration enforcement agents to begin deportation proceedings against jail inmates.

State Rep. George Cleveland of Jacksonville wants to see the state get tougher on immigration. He backs a bill that would require North Carolina businesses to make sure a person is legally allowed to work in the United States before hiring them.

"Why on God's green earth should an illegal alien have the same rights as a citizen of this country?" Cleveland asked. "There's no place in my constitution that says this is supposed to be."

Formed in the mid 1990s, El Pueblo reached its funding peak in 2009 with an operating budget of $1.3 million and a staff of 15, said Escobar, the interim executive director. But with the recession, funding dropped to about $1 million this year, and the staff was slashed to 10 positions.

Filling the void are grassroots groups from around the state. On Thursday, about 40 religious leaders met as part of an ongoing dialogue the N.C. Council of Churches is holding on immigration and how it factors into faith communities.

"We talk about separation of church and state, but that doesn't mean silence," said Bishop Al Gwinn of the N.C. Conference of the United Methodist Church.

But El Pueblo's doors aren't closed, Escobar said. The group is still keeping track of the state legislature and running programs that focus on public health issues. The group is also gearing up forFiesta, an annual event celebrating Hispanic culture and heritage that's held every September at the N.C. State Fairgrounds.

"The work is still getting done," Escobar said. "Our big concern is that people's human rights are being respected."

http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/07/06/ ... ueblo.html

ACTIVISM ALERT

All ALIPAC supporters who want to help fight against illegal immigration should contact members of the NC House and Senate to lobby for legislators to cut El Pueblo's budget. As of 2005, El Pueblo was receiving over $400,000 in NC taxpayer monies via grants issued by groups funded by the state.

El Pueblo is a front group for the racist national organization La Raza aka The Race or NCLR (National Council of La Raza).

It is unfair to all American citizens because taxpayer monies are being used by El Pueblo to lobby the North Carolina Legislature for benefits for illegal aliens, which is opposed by over 80% of North Carolinians and Americans.

STEP 1
Locate phone numbers, mailing addresses, and emails for members of the NC Senate and House at this link...

http://www.ncleg.net

STEP 2

Compose a short message and deliver it to lawmakers by A. Calling in to speak with someone or leave a voice message and then B. e-mailing, faxing, or mailing your message in.


ALIPAC's Sample Message being sent in on July 7, 2010


Dear NC Legislators,

I am writing today to request that you do all in your power to stop any taxpayer monies from going to the illegal immigration supporting group called El Pueblo, which is located in Raleigh and was recently headed up by Tony Ansion.

El Pueblo is an affiliate of a racist Hispanic supremacy group called the National Council of La Raza, which translates into the National Council of THE RACE, as in not your race if you are white, Asian, or black! El Pueblo was receiving over $400,000 in taxpayer monies through grants delivered by the Democratic leadership in North Carolina.

Those funds are used by a group that constantly lobbies NC Lawmakers for more state benefits for illegal aliens, licenses for illegals, and in-state tuition and grants for illegals. All of these agenda items pursued by El Pueblo and their full time staff of 10-15 people are opposed by approximately 80% of North Carlina's taxpayers and voters.

For several years, the Democratic leadership in Raleigh has refused to listen to or respond to public demands for state level action against illegal immigration.

For several years, the Democratic leadership in Raleigh has used our tax monies to fund radical racist groups like El Pueblo that are trying to use illegal immigration to gain more power and money by stealing power and money from innocent North Carolina residents.

In fact, any NC citizen or lawmaker who has spoken out against illegal immigration has been attacked in the biased newspapers by the leaders of El Pueblo Tony Ansion and Andrea Bazaan, since they have been given free reign by the Raleigh News and Observer to make outlandish accusations and insults against anyone opposed to their pro-illegal immigration and pro-Amnesty agenda.

We need our NC lawmakers and candidates for state house and senate to work diligently to strip all taxpayer funding from going to El Pueblo and any group like it in the state.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

William Gheen
President of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC
www.alipac.us

I started looking at this but I am going to have to run and monitor my back yard. Serious tree surgery is at work next door and they keep ringing my bell for access and other matters.

I called Sen Berger's office and the staffer told me if it was in the budget that it would probably be too late to change since the Governor already signed the Budget Bill for the year,but to keep trying. Sen Berger is definitely against any and all pathways for illegals. He is working on Bills to STOP ILLEGALS in their tracks but the Demcratic controlled Congress (state) forbids any of them to be introduced. Which means they are fighting against the wishes of the American citizens of this state. Just as they are doing in the federal levels.

She (staffer) told me to tell everyone to get out and vote come elections.

Called Rep Nelson Cole office and he may call me back later tomorrow. He is Democrat so it will be interesting to hear from him

Rep Nelson Cole office called me today and she told me they had an intern look in the new budget forecast for N Carolina and they did not see anything that was going out to this group. She said they looked for that name but it could be possible it would be under a different groups name. She was very sincere and said she would try to research it further for me or let me know if they find out any other info.

State Rep Holloway called me yesterday and we talked for awhile. He is definitely against any funding for these groups and has already introduced bills to stop illegals from getting benefits and food stamps and such.

It has been great talking to these guys. There are some out there that are really trying to make a difference and we do need to thank them for that.