Joaquin Luna was a bright high school student who killed himself in Mission Texas last month over fears about his undocumented immigration status.

BNHR will be honoring Luna’s memory at our annual commemoration of International Human Rights Day on December 10.

Sen. Durbin has been a long-time supporter of the federal DREAM Act, which would give undocumented immigrant youth a path to citizenship if they attend school or join the military.

Watch his emotional tribute to Luna below.

Garza's Republican Party membership card, via Somos Republicans: http://bit.ly/qcYiBc

Peter Malof, Public News Service – TX

KATY, Texas – The Texas director of the nation’s largest Latino Republican organization abandoned his party this week.

Lauro Garza remains a staunch conservative, but says he’s fed up with what he calls a hostile “Tea Party nativism” toward which the GOP has been tilting in recent years – at the expense of immigrants and Latinos.

“The party has left us behind. Our credibility among Latinos is strained because we identify with the Republican Party. Saying it’s strained is putting it mildly.”

Garza remains state leader of Somos Republicans, and says the future direction of the organization still is being worked out. While he does not excuse illegal immigration or advocate open borders with Mexico, he says politicians are guilty of exploiting ungrounded fears when they suggest comprehensive immigration reform must wait until the border is safe and sealed. On the contrary, Garza insists, reform is essential for taking the load off the border.

Garza has criticized his now-former party in recent months. He took Gov. Rick Perry to task for moving away from a relatively immigration-friendly agenda. But Garza says this week’s reaction to comments from a leading GOP presidential candidate was the last straw. Herman Cain had suggested building a lethal electric border fence. Although he later insisted he was joking, Cain continued to stand by his general concept.

“The comment was met with cheers, not with laughter. Further, it’s reprehensible that the Republican Party and the other candidates have let him get away with it, and for the news media to let him get away with this stupid explanation that it was a joke. It’s not a joke.”

Garza believes Latinos tend toward conservatism, and thus should naturally be drawn to the GOP. However, he says the party is driving them away in search of short-term political gain. While Republicans are openly hostile, he says, Democrats are apathetic and weak when it comes to immigration issues.

Cristina Parker, media director for the non-partisan Border Network for Human Rights, agrees, saying few leaders are talking honestly about what needs to happen.

“Immigration reform is absolutely needed in this country, and, unfortunately, we’re at a stalemate – with the Republicans catering to nativism, and the Democrats are no better. No one’s willing to step up and get the hard work done.”

EL PASO, Texas – Hundreds of border-community residents are expected to seek immigration reform commitments from three key congressmen this evening in El Paso. Illinois Representative Luis Gutierrez and California’s Joe Baca will join Silvestre Reyes of El Paso at the public forum, sponsored by the Border Network for Human Rights.

The group’s executive director, Fernando Garcia, says that just a few years ago comprehensive immigration reform seemed imminent, until fear-mongering and scapegoating put it on the political back burner. He says it’s time to call out “extremists” who paint immigrants as enemies of the nation’s well-being.

“They are painting immigrants – and painting the border – in a very distorted way. Immigrants for them are criminals. Immigrants are lazy. Immigrants do not contribute – which is totally the opposite. So what we’re facing is a narrative that is promoting fear.”

Reform opponents claim state and federal budgets are being overwhelmed by costs associated with undocumented immigrants, and immigration is hurting job prospects for U.S. citizens. Advocates say the statistics paint a very different picture.

Garcia says public figures have been exploiting racially-charged, nativist attitudes for political gain, thus deepening the immigration crisis by delaying the inevitable.

“The fact that we need immigration reform and to change our border policies is undeniable. And we’re going to move in that direction, so it is unavoidable.”

He says lawmakers should put the brakes on what he calls an increasingly militarized border. Most Americans, he adds, aren’t aware of statistics showing the U.S. side is mostly peaceful, and has actually been getting safer in recent years.

Garcia wants the congressmen to press President Obama to adopt more sensible and humane deportation and border-enforcement policies, and to create new citizenship opportunities for students and military volunteers. But standing in the way of any reform agenda, according to Garcia, is the “myth” that nothing can happen until the border is more secure.

“We need to change that narrative. And tell them to understand that immigrants actually do contribute. They are part of this society. It’s an immigrant nation, and there’s nothing to fear.”

The El Paso forum starts at 6 p.m. today at the downtown El Paso Public Library, and will be broadcast live here on www.ustream.tv

Live tweeting will be here at www.twitter.com

Click here to view this story on the Public News Service RSS site and access an audio version of this and other stories

On Monday, October 10, these lawmakers will hear the concerns, ideas, recommendations of border residents and advocates about how to further advance comprehensive immigration reform and border enforcement reform.

After a meeting of border stakeholders, the congressmen will face a larger audience of community members from the border region of West Texas and Southern New Mexico. There, BNHR is expecting Congressmen’ commitment for a a new effort to advance immigration reform and a new direction on border policy in the U.S.

Information on the public forum on immigration and border enforcement

Who: Border Network for Human Rights and community members from West Texas and Southern New Mexico

Where: Downtown El Paso Public Library;

When: Monday, October 10, 2011 at 6 p.m.

The public forum will be broadcast live at: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/border-network-for-human-rights and live-tweeted at www.twitter.com/bnhr.

RITA partners and members gather for a press conference on July 29 to celebrate the victory over anti-immigrant bills in Texas.

The Border Network for Human Rights, a founding member of RITA, released a report today on the challenges and successes of the Texas Can Do Better campaign.

You can read and download it here:

Lessons Learned During the 2011 Texas Can Do Better Campaign by the Border Network for Human Rights

USATODAY today released an in-depth report that challenges the myth of the dangerous, open border. As we all know, there is just no such thing.

Not only has the border been totally militarized by President Obama, people who live along the border have been saying “we feel safe” for years.

The report examined crime data for cities at 30, 50 and 100 miles of the Mexican border. Every single one has had crime rates lower than the U.S. average for the past 10 years, which has also dropped.

From the article:

U.S. border cities were statistically safer on average than other cities in their states. Those border cities, big and small, have maintained lower crime rates than the national average, which itself has been falling.

The appearance of an out-of-control border region, though, has had wide-ranging effects — stalling efforts to pass a national immigration reform law, fueling stringent anti-immigration laws in Arizona and elsewhere, and increasing the amount of federal tax dollars going to build more fencing and add security personnel along the southwestern border.

The perception of rising violence is so engrained that 83% of Americans said they believe the rate of violence along the southwestern border is higher than national rates, according to a recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 999 adults.

The findings “are contrary to conventional speculation that the border is an out-of-control place,” said Steven Messner, a criminologist and sociology professor at the University at Albany-SUNY, who reviewed USA TODAY’s analysis.

So, can we get serious about comprehensive immigration reform now?

Activists Will March, Celebrate & Set Human Rights Priorities For Border Communities

(EL PASO, Texas) — BNHR has been fighting for human rights on the border, particularly immigration reform, for 13 years. With the backdrop of President Obama’s renewed push for immigration reform here on Tuesday, more than 800 BNHR members will gather for a First Congreso to set the human rights agenda in border communities in Texas and New Mexico.

For almost a decade, BNHR members have gathered at an Annual Assembly where they decide the direction of the organization for the next year. However; this year, given that BNHR’s reach has grown in Texas and the U.S., the organization hold a First Congreso. Guests will include local political, legal and community leaders as well as representatives from national human rights advocacy groups. Representatives from Austin, Dallas, the Texas Valley and Fort Worth will attend the Congreso.

This First Congreso will be a space where BNHR members will come together to shape policy priorities in light of President Obama’s remarks here on Tuesday, state-based immigration laws that both Texas and New Mexico Legislatures have considered, the lack of Federal action on comprehensive immigration reform, and the increasingly harsh enforcement along our Border.

Our border community has grown to be considered one of the top places for immigrant integration according to a National League of Cities report. We are proud to have played a role in the formation of a society that respects the value of all sectors of our population. And on Saturday, more than 800 people representing a total membership of more than 4,000 will shape what is to come next.

In case you missed it during the excitement of Barack Obama‘s visit to El Paso, Texas, on Tuesday, House Speaker John Boenher was telling lies about border communities in a desperate attempt to undermine the growing immigration reform movement.

Boehner said that Congress needs to focus on border security and decreasing border violence before turning to immigration policy reform.

Um, what?

Boehner seems to be ignorant of a few facts. First of all, the border hasn’t just been secured, it has been militarized on both sides. Obama sent National Guard troops to the border and deployed over 20,000 more Border Patrol agents. In Mexico, Federal Police are a permanent fixture at the U.S. border in Juarez.

Second, the border fence has been built over the concerns of law enforcement, businesses and residents on the border.

Finally, Boehner may have missed the memo that border cities, particularly El Paso, are consistently among the safest in the country. Many have speculated that immigrants themselves are responsible for the so-called “border miracle.”

Thankfully, Rep. Silvestre Reyes called Boehner out on his lies about our community and his ignorance of his own district, which is more violent than the major Texas border cities combined. Oops.

In a statement released Monday, Reyes said:

“Speaker Boehner should focus on controlling the level of violence in his own state before tarnishing the image of border communities that remain among the safest places to live in America.

As his office asserts that Congress cannot consider reforming our broken immigration system until border violence is under control, the fact remains that the six largest cities in Ohio all have higher rates of violence and crime than every major city along the U.S.-Mexico border. In fact, the Speaker’s own district in Dayton, Ohio saw more homicides in 2009 and 2010 than Texas’ four largest border cities combined, despite the fact that Dayton’s population of 141,500 is only about one-tenth of the size by comparison. [Emphasis added.]

According to the most recent City Crime Rankings Survey by CQ Press, Ohio’s cities have higher rates of violence and crime in every category, including murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft than border communities.”

Ouch.

Mr. Speaker, we get that insulting border communities may score points with the far-right. But invoking the problem of border violence, which is real and mostly happening on the other side, just to score political points is creepy. We’re trying to feel sorry for you getting owned by Rep. Reyes, but we are too distracted by the imaginary bullets whizzing by our heads.

What is the Texas Convention for Immigrant Integration?

The Texas Convention will be a historic moment when hundreds of Texas immigrant families, civil rights advocates, students, business representatives, unions, and local and federal elected officials will come together in the Capital of the State (Austin) to recognized the contributions of immigrants to the well-being and greatness of the state of Texas and the nation.

What is the goal of the Texas Convention?

All participants and represented sectors at the convention will make an unequivocal call to reform our obsolete immigration system and to establish a comprehensive policy that: 1) will bring out of the shadows millions of immigrant workers; 2) integrates efficiently immigrant families to the economic, social, cultural and political fabric of our society; 3) develops and implements accountable, humane and responsible border and interior enforcement policies; 4) provides long-term solutions for immigration flows based on the needs of our economy, the dignity and rights of immigrant workers and the realities of the global migration process.

What are the objectives of the Texas Convention?

The leadership of the US Congress and the Obama administration have expressed their commitment to start meaningful discussions to reform our current immigration system in the first half of 2010. In this context, the Texas Convention aims to unify the voices of Texans that favor comprehensive immigration reform. Furthermore, the Texas Convention aims to place Texas, the second state in the nation with the most immigrant families and the largest border state, in a leadership role in the national discussions. In Texas, we believe that a thoughtful overhaul of the immigration system is good for our economy, for our families and for our community security.

Who is convening and organizing the Texas Convention?

The Texas Convention is convened and organized by the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA), a statewide coalition integrated by immigrant and human rights organizations, service providers, workers’ unions and faith-based institutions. The Border Network for Human Rights (based in El Paso) coordinates the logistics and communications of RITA, and the RITA Executive Committee, composed by RITA’s founding organizations from several cities in Texas, has the role of developing our statewide strategies and work plans.

Who can participate at the Texas Convention?

Any organization, institution, group and individual that shares the goal and objectives of the Texas Convention is invited to participate.

How can I participate at the Texas Convention?

Organizations and individuals may attend the Convention free of charge. Please register by clicking here.

The agenda of the Convention will reflect the different sectors in Texas that support sensible immigration reform. If your group would like to provide testimony on the impact of the current immigration laws on families, businesses, or congregations, please contact Adriana Cadena, RITA Coordinator, at 915-577-0724 or acadena@bnhr.org.

Direct media inquiries to Louie Gilot, Communications Director of the Border Network, at lgilot@bnhr.org.

Who can I contact in my region to coordinate my participation?

Austin: Austin Immigrant Rights Coalition • 512-476-2472  • info@autinirc.org

El Paso: Border Network for Human Rights  • Betty Tercero  •

915-577-0724 • btercero@bnhr.org

Dallas: Catholic Charities of Dallas • Catarina Torres • 214-520-6590 X124 • ctorres@central.catholiccharitiesdallas.org

Forth Worth: Coalition for Immigration Reform of Dallas/Ft.Worth & North Texas • 817-922-0280 • proyectoinmigranteics@yahoo.com

Stephenville: Welcoming Immigrants Network • Dean Reed •

254-485-5832 • rdr17@me.com

Houston: Mi Familia Vota Civic Participation Campaign •

Thomas Servello • 713-296-1623 • thomas@mifamiliavota.net

Brownsville: Movimiento del Valle por los Derechos Humanos • Maria Cordero • 956-832-4989 • mariaranchoalegre@yahoo.com

San Juan: La Union del Pueblo Entero • Marta Sanchez  •

956-584-3636  • martas@lupenet.org

Where will the Convention be held and what time will it start?

The Convention will be held at the Travis County Expo Center, located on 7311 Decker Lane in Austin, TX  78724, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.

What should I take to the Texas Convention?

U.S. & Texas flags, photos of family members affected by immigration laws, and banners and t-shirts of organizations.