Weekly immigration news roundup

Bush Calls for 'Comprehensive' Immigration Reform

President Bush has called on Congress to make new efforts at immigration reform. VOA's Brian Wagner reports that Mr. Bush made the call in a speech to college graduates in Miami. President Bush congratulated graduates and their families during the commencement ceremony at Miami Dade College.

The president noted the area has one of the largest immigrant populations, and that more than half of the students at the community college were raised speaking a language other than English. "This diversity is one of the great strengths of this city, it is one of the great strengths of this college, and it is one of the great strengths of America," he said.

Mr. Bush urged graduates to strive to achieve their dreams, and he asked them to speak out on issues that matter to them. He said residents in the mostly Hispanic community have a special responsibility to raise their voices on the issue of immigration reform. "We need a system where our laws are respected. We need a system that meets the legitimate needs of our economy. And we need a system that treats people with dignity and helps newcomers assimilate into our society," he said.

President Bush has been pressing lawmakers in Congress to propose reforms that will address concerns about the flow of illegal immigrants into the United States. [source]

 

Area author talks about immigration

Luis Alberto Urrea knows the Mexican-American border is a dangerous place.

He grew up near the border in Tijuana, Mexico, and examined it as the author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated book and Lannan Literary Award winner The Devil's Highway, a nonfiction story about a group of Mexican immigrants who died while attempting to cross into Arizona from Mexico.

The book unraveled the dirty business and gritty culture behind illegal border-crossing and its impact on both American and Mexican society. Urrea, a Naperville resident, spoke Wednesday night with North Central College students about how he researched his book, immigration and political issues and his relationship with his father.

Following are a list of comments and quotes the author made:

"If any of you know any law enforcement or people of authority, you can't just walk in and say I want to write about your secrets," -- on addressing the border patrol in Mexico and America. [Continue reading]