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Monday, May 5, 2008

John McCain: tenor of immigration debate has harmed Republicans

By Eunice Moscoso | Monday, May 5, 2008, 05:03 PM

Sen. John McCain, the presumptive GOP candidate for president, said Monday that “the tenor” of the immigration debate has harmed the image of Republicans with Hispanics.

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“Many low-income Hispanic citizens are the first to lose their job when someone comes here illegally, if they are holding a low-income job. So Hispanics want our borders secured also…But they also worry about the people who are here illegally, their treatment, their conditions, the exploitation of people who don’t have any other protections of our citizens.” he said, at an event in Phoenix, Ariz.

In addition, he said that most Hispanics “want us to have an attitude, which I think most Americans do, that these are God’s children, and they must be taken care of, and the issue must be addressed in a humane and compassionate fashion.”

McCain also launched a Spanish-language website. See it here.

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National day of prayer for jailed border agents

By Eunice Moscoso | Monday, May 5, 2008, 03:29 PM

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., on Monday called for a national day of prayer for two former Border Patrol agents who are serving long terms in jail.

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Many lawmakers have taken up the cause of Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos — who are serving 12 and 11 years in prison, respectively, for shooting and wounding a Mexican drug dealer and trying to cover it up. Supporters say that the agents were wrongly convicted for protecting the United States against a criminal intruder.

Their case has become a cause celebre on talk radio shows and among groups that advocate tougher border controls.

In a press conference, Rohrabacher asked the American people to join him in a national day of prayer on May 11, which is Mother’s Day and the beginning of National Police Week.

“The Ramos and Compean prosecution already represents one of the greatest miscarriages of justice I’ve ever seen and if their case isn’t overturned, every law enforcement officer will be put on notice that if they use their weapon, they could face 10 years in prison,” he said.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of the Western District of Texas, has staunchly defended his prosecution in the case.

Ramos is shown in this AP photograph from January, 2007 when he surrendered to authorities.

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Florida Hispanics increasingly Democratic

By Eunice Moscoso | Monday, May 5, 2008, 03:14 PM

For the first time, the number of Hispanic Democrats in Florida is expected to exceed the number of Hispanic Republicans, the Politico reported Monday.

The story says that the Florida secretary of state is expected to release the latest numbers this week.

“The significance of the numerical flip is mostly symbolic, but it’s a powerful symbol at a key moment: Quietly, Democrats are debating whether to mount a full-out, expensive challenge to Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, in Florida,” Politico says.

Read more here.

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