http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=4080657&nav=3YeX

Click to Watch Video

Video

Newspaper publisher does not back away from immigration issues

(Danbury-WTNH, Nov. 6, 2005 10:30 PM) _ Some of the most important investigative journalism being done in Connecticut isn't being done in English.

A small Portuguese language newspaper in Danbury regularly uncovers stories in Danbury's huge Brazilian community.

Team 8 Investigator Alan Cohn tonight continues his look into the issue of illegal immigration in Danbury with a look at the newspaper many immigrants in Danbury turn to for their news.

Sometimes you make enemies reporting the truth and the publisher and staff of the newspaper Tribuna have made their fair share. Here's why.

It's not the only newspaper serving the Brazilian community in Danbury but it's the only one willing to expose Brazilians taking advantage Brazilians.

Tribuna has tackled subjects ranging from the sale of illegal drivers licenses, Green cards, and social security numbers to illegal housing.

"There are a lot of people selling dreams, fake dreams and those people who don't understand about the law, don't know about fake documents are buying those dreams," says Celia Bacelar. "I'm making them aware there are people out there who are not there to help them."

The woman behind Tribuna is a Brazilian emigre herself. Celia Bacelar has been publishing the newspaper for five years. Her two daughters, Emanuela and Elizabeth have written many of the stories that have taken on powerful forces within their own community.

Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is a regular columnist.

"Throughout history when you look at any new people who have arrived in this country there have been those people amongst the recent immigrants who seek to exploit there own and I think the one thing Celia does is blow the whistle on them and because of that it has put her in some difficult situations within the community," says Mayor Mark Boughton, (R) Danbury.

Not surprisingly, publishing stories about Brazilians taking advantage of fellow Brazilians is risky business.

"I am writing this letter to warn you and I hope it's taken seriously," the anonymous letter says. It came by fax and urges Bacelar and her family to take "proper precautions."

There have been actual deeds.

"We had an instance where we were delivering newspapers and they put a Molotov cocktail in the back of our van and luckily a passer by saw it was trying to catch on fire," says Emanuela.

And last March, there was a mysterious hit and run. Bacelar was struck and injured by a car with no head lights and no license plate. Police are still investigating.

"You have to be concerned about your own safety and your mom's safety," says Alan Cohn.

"We are because of that we were forced to change our lifestyle we were forced to change the hours we work at the newspaper," says Emanuela.

If that weren't enough, Celia suffers from multiple sclerosis and hypertension.

Still, she and her daughters vow to press on.

"I know many of the articles I have in my newspaper, many people are not happy about it. They believe because I'm Brazilian I would not tell what is wrong in the community but I would like them to understand I just want to help them achieve what I have achieved," says Celia.

"There is a price you pay for being in the land of the free and that is to abide by it's laws whether you are used to it by culture or not or there are different law in you country we have to adapt and that's what this paper fights for," says Emanuela.

The bottom line says Celia Bacelar and her daughter. There are no short cuts to become an American. There's no shortcut to getting a driver's license or legal Green card but as we discovered these things are on the market in Danbury. There are people making big money selling them and the immigrants buying them don't always know they are buying documents not worth the paper they're printed on.