Latino organizations recruit voters

Immigrants' advocates pledge to register 1 million new foreign-born citizens

Last updated Saturday, November 4, 2006 11:36 PM CST in News

By Pablo Bello
The Morning News

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    SPRINGDALE -- Araceli Shipp acquired her U.S. citizenship in March and voted for the first time Friday in Fayetteville. The 30-year-old native of Mexico said she's been watching some politicians who are against immigrant workers and hopes her vote supports those workers.

    "My vote is a little help to motivate others to vote and show them that we can do something with our vote," Shipp said.

    Immigrants' advocates pledged to register 1 million new foreign-born voters, mostly Latinos for Tuesday's election, but fewer than 150,000 voters have been registered around the nation.

    This election also will be the first for Sonia Cibrian, a 40-year-old Springdale resident.

    "I am helping my community by voting. Our vote will make a difference," Cibrian said.

    She is one of 300 Latino voters registered by the Hispanic Women Organization of Arkansas, a group that promotes voter registration for new citizens every two years under the slogan "It starts with you."

    Executive Director Margarita Solorzano said her group didn't have a numerical goal for its registration effort. On Tuesday, it plans to offer services, such as transportation to the polls or translators for those who can't read English and need assistance reading the ballots.

    "Our mission is to encourage Latinos and citizens in general to participate in the political process by providing assistance in the voting places," Solorzano said. "We will also keep our phone lines open, so people can call us during the elections if they feel that there is any irregularity."

    Any complaints will be reported to the National Council of La Raza and the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, who will report the complaints to the U.S. Department of Justice.

    Advocates around the country tried to capitalize on growing political awareness among Latinos by holding registration drives during immigration rallies earlier this year all over the United States, including Springdale. The rallies were sparked by proposed legislation calling for the removal and deportation of all illegal immigrants living in the United States and would have made it a felony to be in the country illegally.

    "Many Latinos eligible to vote don't want to participate in the political process because they think that they won't make any difference, but we have to change that perception," said Manny Gomez, president of the Northwest Arkansas chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.

    According to a study from the Pew Hispanic Center, more than 17 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote in the November 2006 election, an increase of 7 percent more than the 2004 election. The same study said the native born constitute the largest share of the Hispanic electorate, an estimated 12.9 million eligible voters, or 75 percent of the total. Naturalized citizens (the foreign-born who have acquired U.S. citizenship) are estimated to number 4.3 million, or 25 percent of the total.

    Nearly 31,000 Hispanics living in Arkansas will be eligible to vote Tuesday in local, state and national elections. An estimated 12,996 Hispanics are eligible to vote in the 3rd Congressional District, which includes Northwest Arkansas.

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    Reader Comments (13 comment(s))


    The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.

    Joey wrote on Nov 5, 2006 2:55 AM:

    " What many latinos like the one in this story don't understand or refuse to see is that the average person has no problem with those that follow the legal path to citizenship. The ones people are angry at and tired of are the ones who think they are above the law and come here illegally don't attempt any form of assimilation and thumb their nose at society whether outwardly like the protesters some months back or the ones who attempt to hide their status. Ultimately people just can't understand those that wave the flag of their homeland and yet come here illegally to reap the benefits of a free society. "

    Jerry Hawkins wrote on Nov 5, 2006 8:57 AM:

    " If these people are here to help Hispanics and other citizens why is it they are only trying to register Hispanic's. Why do they only send in complaint to other hispanic persons to do their "irregularities". This is a very biased organization that says it promotes for all. How can we "other" citzens offer respect and tolerance to people that cannot offer it themselves? "

    Ozarks wrote on Nov 5, 2006 9:46 AM:

    " My question is, who and what would Latino's vote for? Is one canidate better for their case for illegal immigration than the another? "

    Jerry Hawkins wrote on Nov 5, 2006 10:21 AM:

    " I think democrats favor amnesty and repubs want to build a wall. "

    Observer wrote on Nov 5, 2006 10:26 AM:

    " Answer one question: Why would Latinos who are here legally and the organizations that support the Latino interests be so against deporting ILLEGAL immigrants. They are breaking U.S. law by being here illegally and supporting those who break our laws goes against the principles of our society. As long as these organizations and the Latinos who are here legally support those who break the law, they will not be fully accepted into our society. By supporting ILLEGALS they are sending the message they do not want to abide by our laws and instead want to change our country to suit their views. We like our country and do not want it changed to look like Mexico "

    loyalty wrote on Nov 5, 2006 12:47 PM:

    " I say welcome to the 'new citizens', but didn't they with Naturalization take an oath of allegiance to The USA. Why are they connected to such organizations as LaRaza and LuLac that support breaking the laws of the nation that they are citizens of? What didn't they understand when they took that oath? "

    HnD wrote on Nov 5, 2006 3:46 PM:

    " Democrats favor Illegal Immigration and Republicans favor Legal Immigration there Jerry! We can discuss some sort of Amnesty for those that arrived here illegally, after we work on securing the inflow of illegal immigrants. I haven't met anyone that is against Immigrants, though I have met plenty of people against illegal immigration. "

    Law and Order wrote on Nov 5, 2006 4:02 PM:

    " Sorry, if you check Huckabee's, Hutchinson's, and Boozman's records as well as the area News Sources say they all support illegal cheap labor. Now, I can't leave Lincoln and Pryor off the list but they aren't up for election. The only answer is to keep voting 'no incumbent' until they get the message. Those who support supporting the law with enforcement are mostly Republican, but some are Democrat. Unfortunately, none of them are running for office in AR. "

    T Ashbrook wrote on Nov 5, 2006 5:31 PM:

    " Amnesty has been shown to increase illegal immigration. Say no, and take your country back. "

    Law and Order wrote on Nov 5, 2006 6:42 PM:

    " Excuse me, I like the big house up the hill. So, that gives the right to move in 'cause they are ignorant and have it better than I do. Respect? And I might suggest smaller families or is that ignorant, too. Change Mexico. "

    Jerry Hawkins wrote on Nov 5, 2006 7:22 PM:

    " With all the illegals it is very difficult to maintain my family also. Why don't you change Mexico and get rid of your problem. Or let the U.S. have it to control and you'll like it there and here and so will we. "

    Wooly Ashbrook wrote on Nov 5, 2006 10:54 PM:

    " Growing levels of overcrowding, violence and poverty are mushrooming everywhere. You can’t continue importing millions of people with fifth grade educations in a foreign language from third world countries and expect them to sustain our first world country. They will create a new poor class within the United States--much like what you see on the outskirts of Mexico City where millions live in cardboard shacks.” Major social-services and key pieces of the infrastructure will fail including social security, medical, education, prisons-jails, highways, waste-treatment, drinking-water, etc., as the burgeoning population is not accompanied by sufficient increases in national income.Seven percent of the illegal alien cohort is made up of seasoned criminals, and this behavioral fraction carries into the "instant-citizens" born to illegal alien parents. Due to the customs and habits of folks that come from a lawless country like Mexico, in 2005, 9,125 U.S. residents were killed by illegal aliens; 48 percent by the use of knives and guns, and 52 percent by reckless operation of motor vehicles. This carnage is predicted to grow at the same rate as the illegal alien cohort; 17 percent per year. "

    Texan wrote on Nov 7, 2006 2:54 PM:

    " Areceli Shipp needs to pay closer attention - the politicians aren't against IMMIGRANT WORKERS they are against ILLEGALIMMIGRANTS. Immigrant workers are here legally and are not breaking any laws. The problem stems from the illegals who increase unemployment and raise taxes for the American citizen, not to mention the rise in the crime rate. "


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