"For too long, workers who are considered illegal aliens have been ignored and the issue of immigration reform has been swept under the rug", 

says Ike Edwards of the United Food and Commercial Workers, just one of the unions supporting Milwaukee's A Day Without Latinos May 1st march.

The demonstration organized by Voces de la Frontera takes over Milwaukee's downtown and was one of the largest in the country last year.

They are demanding an end to raids and deportations, as well as a commitment from the presidential candidates that they'll address immigration reform within the first 100 days of their administration.

Click here for the full story from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Check out Voces de la Frontera's website here.

"We knew in advance and cooperated fully."

That's what a spokesperson for Pilgrim Pride said when referring to ICE raids at their plants that now has 100 hard-working immigrants arrested.

The raids happened early this morning in 5 different states. According to the Associated Press it was "part of a long-term investigation" in which the company Pilgrim's Pride "went to ICE agents with information about identity theft at their Arkansas plant."

There were also separate arrests at a Houston donut plant as well as some restaurants where immigrants (as if indentured servants) were paying off debts to the people that smuggled them into the United States.

For the full story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080416/ap_on_bi_ge/immigration_raid

MY TAKE:

ICE and Pilgrim's Pride is spinning this by alluding to "identity theft". They know that this gets citizens scared. If anything the majority of undocumented immigrants use fake social security numbers or ones the owner "lends" them. Once again the government is trying to cover up their failings by scape-goating immigrants.

Undocumented immigrants that use a fake social do so because they can't get a real one. If Congress and the President got their act together and approved immigration reform these people would be able to get the identifications they need; helping them better contribute to this country and society because they'll be able to more fully engage in civic participation (specially in the workplace) without having to worry about getting deported if they "stir things up."

As an homage to Tax Day 2008, I figured I'd share some common myths regarding undocumented immigrants and their supposed "leeching" off the money of law-abiding, tax-paying Americans.

MYTH: Undocumented immigrants do not pay taxes.

FACT: Undocumented immigrants pay taxes in a number of ways, including income and sales tax. The majority of undocumented immigrants pay income taxes using Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) or false Social Security numbers. All immigrants, regardless of status, will pay an average $80,000 per capita more in taxes than they use in government services over their lifetime. The Social Security system reaps the biggest windfall from taxes paid by immigrants; the Social Security Administration reports that it holds approximately $420 billion from the earnings of immigrants who are not in a position to claim benefits.

MYTH: Undocumented immigrants drain the welfare system.

FACT: Undocumented immigrants are ineligable for the vast majority of state and federal benefits and are only eligible for those that are considered important to public health and safety. In fact, many legal immigrants are also ineligible for most federal benefits. As a result, health care spending for immigrants is approximately half that of citizens.

MY TAKE: All immigrants pay taxes. Real social security number or fake the government still withholds taxes from your check. Come April you can either leave that money with Uncle Sam or do your income taxes with a convenient little number called an ITIN. The government, as always, cares very little about your status when money is coming in but not so much when they have to dish it out. Which brings us to our next point. Undocumented immigrants are NOT entitled to Social Security, Medicare, federal scholarships etc. so all that money they're getting docked  will not benefit them. Some immigration reform bills have suggested people not have rights over any money they saved through Social Security while they were undocumented. Wonder what they'll do with the $420 BILLION?!

Information taken from a 2006 fact sheet compiled by NCLR (National Council of La Raza).

http://www.immigrantsolidarity.org/Documents/CommonMyths-Immigrants-FINAL.pdf

Basic information on college scholarships for

ALL students, regardless of immigration status:

In Illinois (as well as California, New York, Utah, Washington, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Kansas) undocumented students are elegible to receive in-state tuition, under House Bill 60. In order to qualify, you must:  

• Have lived with your parent(s) while attending school in Illinois for at least three years
• Have graduated from a high school in Illinois
• Sign an affidavit stating that you will apply for permanent residency as soon as you are eligible to do so 
  

For more advice on this process, see http://www.ilache.com/undocumented%20students.pdf

Also, remember that the City Colleges of Chicago, as well as the University of Illinois at Chicago, and North Eastern University are institutions where undocumented students have been able to attend before HB60: 

• City Colleges: Undocumented students who have applied have found it helpful to talk to a counselor to ask about merit-based scholarships that do not require citizenship. Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria of the scholarship for which they are applying. In addition, applicants must be "qualified" under the Scholarship Qualification Process for ineligible non citizens (information and forms are available on line at www.ccc.edu/financialaid/scholarshipdocs1.shtml).
• For more information about the colleges see http://ccc.edu.
• University of Illinois at Chicago: Undocumented students who have applied have found it helpful to contact the Latin American Recruitment and Educational Services Program (LARES), at 312.996.3356 For more information about the university see www.uic.edu,
• North Eastern University: Undocumented students who have applied have found it helpful to talk to a counselor to ask about merit-based scholarships that do not require citizenship. For more information about the colleges see http://www.northeastern.edu/neuhome/index.php.

In order to qualify for state and federal financial aid, students must be legal permanent residents or citizens. If you are not yet a legal permanent resident, you should look to private scholarships to help with educational expenses. The scholarships on this list do not require a social security number, legal residency, or citizenship. As a general rule, if an application asks for your social security number and you do not have one yet, leave that space blank but fill out and turn in the application. Lying about your immigration status is not recommended, since it is considered a federal offense.

This information was acquired from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, www.maldef.org and Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education , www.ilache.com

Websites for Scholarships:

Hispanic Scholarship Fund: www.hsf.net

Latino College Dollars: www.latinocollegedollars.org

CollegeNET: www.collegenet.com/about/index.html

Fastweb: www.fastweb.com

Mach25: www.heavypen.com/mach25

SRN Express: www.srnexpress.com/express.htm

Minority On-Line Information Service: www.fie.com/molis/

LNESC/LULAC National Educational Service Center: www.lnesc.org

IN ILLINOIS: Illinois Latino Council on Higher Education: www.ilache.com

Selected Scholarship Opportunities—Compiled by Latinos Progresando

Please contact each scholarship provider directly for the most updated information

• College-Bound Youth Group Scholarship-- Latinos Progresando: Contact Latinos Progresando for updated requirements and deadlines (312) 850-9376, cbyg@latinospro.org. Requirements: Must be Latino/ Hispanic, Reside in the state of Illinois, Participate in CBYG meetings and activities, Provide proof of college enrollment, once accepted into college. 
  
• HSF/Little Village Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors Scholarship Program: Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Scholarship Program, 55 Second Street, Suite 1500, San Francisco, CA 94105, (877) 473-4636. www.haf.net. Requirements: Must be of Hispanic heritage, Must be a graduating high school senior, or an undergraduate/graduate student having completed at least 12, undergraduate units or credits, Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (high school seniors) or 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (undergraduate/graduate), Must be residing in the following Chicago, Illinois, zip codes: 60608, 60609, 60623, 60629, 60632, or 60652

• Fiesta del Sol Guadalupe A. Reyes Scholarship Program, BEAG Scholarship Committee. Pilsen Neighbors Community Council. 2026 South Blue Island Avenue. Chicago, IL 60608 www.fiestadelsol.org. (312) 666-2663 ext. 226. Requirements: Must be of Latino/Hispanic descent and live on the south west side of Chicago within the following boundaries: Between 16^th and 79^th streets, and between Cicero Ave. (4800 West) and Canal (500 West) OR Must be a volunteer in a PNCC/BEAG program or a member of a Pilsen Neighbors Community Council; Must enroll in an accredited college or university in an undergraduate, degree-seeking or certificate program; Must enroll in a minimum of at least 6 semester hours in the 2008-2009 school year or its equivalence; Must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or above on a 4.0 scale; Must demonstrate community or school service; Must demonstrate financial need. 
  

Scholarships for Students in the State of Illinois:

• Truman College/ Harold Washington Academic Achievement Scholarship: Deadline: November 15 (for spring) and June 30 (for fall), Admissions and Advising, Room 1112, (773) 907-4000. http://www.trumancollege.cc/adulted/ae_hwscholarship.php/ Requirements: Must be a Chicago resident, Must be ineligible for financial aid, Must be a current graduate from on e of the Chicago Public High School with a grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or a GED score of 260 or above OR An English as a Second Language (ESL) student in the Adult Education Program at Truman College/Lakeview Learning Center, who has completed the highest ESL level offered. ESL students must have a high school diploma with a GPA of 3.0 or a GED certificate with a score of 260 and must test into Level 5 or higher OR A current student attending Truman College who is in their FIRST semester, enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours. A student must receive a grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale at the end of the semester 
  
• Latino Initiatives for the Next Century (LINC) 2500 South Street, St. Louis Avenue, Second Floor Chicago, IL 60623 (773) 762-8970. Toll Free: 877-510-LINC. Fax: 773-762-8971. Requirements: Must be a Latino(a), first generation college student; Must be a high school graduate or have obtained a GED; Must be enrolled full-time in a degree or certificate program at an approved college or technical school within the United States; Must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.5; Must demonstrate an unmet financial need.

National Scholarship Opportunities

Adelante U.S. Education Leadership Fund: Adelante U.S. Education Leadership Fund/. Contact: John Puder, Executive Director. 8415 Datapoint Drive, Suite 400. San Antonio, TX 78229. (210) 692-1971. www.adelantefund.org. Requirements: Must be eligible for junior status at a college or university by Fall 2006, Must pursue a degree in business or related fields throughout duration of the scholarship term, Must have and maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale, Must maintain full-time enrollment status throughout duration of the scholarship term, Must participate in Adelante's Leadership Institute in May 2008 and possibly participate in a paid internship in summer 2008 in a business or corporation.

Justicia en Diversidad Scholarship Fund, La Alianza at Harvard Law School. Harvard Law School. Cambridge, MA 02138 www.law.harvard.edu/studorgs/alianza, alianza@law.harvard.edu, (617) 445-4452. Requirements: Must be of Latino heritage, Must have a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale, Must be from a high school in the United States.

A note on Federal Student Aid for Citizen students with undocumented parents:  If the student is a US Citizen but one or more parents are undocumented, the student is eligible for federal student aid. However, if the parents supply a fake or stolen social security number (SSN) on the form, the student's FAFSA will be rejected when the parent's social security number fails to match. The FAFSA may also be rejected when the parents submit a SSN or Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) that is valid for work purposes only. If the parents do not have a social security number or the social security number fails the match, they should use 000-00-0000 as their social security number on the FAFSA form. From www.finaid.org.

Also the following institutions have continuous updates on scholarships that MAY be available for undocumented students:

• Get Ready for College: http://www.getreadyforcollege.org/gPg.cfm?pageID=1586
• Mexican American Legal Defense Fund: http://www.maldef.org/pdf/Scholarships.pdf
• United States Hispanic Leadership Institute: http://www.ushli.org/pdf/2008_Scholarship_Application.doc

This information was compiled by Latinos Progresando, for more information visit latinospro.org, or call 312.850.0572; in collaboration with Radio Arte, at www.wrte.org, or (312) 455-9455 x 103.