Hispanic Community Calls for End of ICE Raids
16 October 2008
KCBS
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) -- Immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) say raids are necessary as part of homeland security, but Catherine Tactaquin, a spokeswoman for the National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, says there is a human rights crisis in immigrant communities that the presidential candidates are not talking about it.
"This debate was focused on domestic issues, and I think that many of us thought that immigration might be one of the focal points, however there was only one mention of immigration."
Community groups held a teleconference to call for a suspension of ice raids, detentions and deportations. Larry Gerston, a professor of Political Science at San Jose State and KCBS Political
Analyst, says the main reason why the immigration issue has become so mute during this election season is due to the down economy. Beyond that, there are also fewer immigrants.KCBS’ Margie Shafer reports
"One study shows that as many as 1.3 million illegal immigrants have returned to their native lands in the last year alone, simply because they're aren't the same opportunities here as there were before when the economy was healthy."
Gerston believes that the debate over immigration will resume once the economy gets back on its feet and the competition for lower run jobs increases.
http://www.kcbs.com/Hispanic-Community-Calls-for-End-of-ICE-Raids/3151140
