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London based ‘Granta,’ considered one of the most prestigious literary magazines has a long history of writing about and often discovering and thrusting into the limelight some of the world’s biggest names in literature.  For the first time and in its winter issue this year, the editors turned away from Britain and America and focused on Spain and Latin America, dedicating the Christmas issue to the best new writers emerging from the Latin and Hispanic world.

“It’s the degree of talent that’s working in the Spanish language today,” John Freeman, a Granta editor explains. “We’ve done three best young British novelist issues — the first one found Salman Rushdie and Kazuo Ishiguro and Julian Barnes.

Most writers featured in the winter edition hail from Argentina, a country that editor Valerie Miles says is flooded with literary talent. “A lot of it has to do with the fact that Argentina is a country with a very long and strong literary tradition,” she said. “But it also has to do with the fact that it has wonderful bookstores.  Some of the really great and really important publishing companies that ran away from Franco’s Spain ended up in Argentina, and it’s very exciting to see what’s going on there.”

So is the next Jonathan Franzen or Martin Amis hiding out in Latin America, waiting to be discovered? The folks at Granta believe so.

“As a matter of fact, Pablo Gutierrez, one of the lesser-known writers, just won the National Critics Award. So I do think we are going to see really exciting things from these authors in the future,” said Valerie Mills editor of Granta in Europe.

The magazine will be available in US book stores on December 6. Below, is a list of the featured young writers, their nationality and the year they were born:

Andrés Barba – Spain, 1975

Oliverio Coelho – Argentina, 1977

Andrés Ressia Colino – Uruguay, 1977

Federico Falco – Argentina, 1977

Pablo Gutiérrez – Spain, 1978

Rodrigo Hasbún – Bolivia, 1981

Sònia Hernández – Spain, 1976

Carlos Labbé – Chile, 1977

Javier Montes – Spain, 1976

Elvira Navarro – Spain, 1978

Matías Néspolo – Argentina, 1975

Andrés Neuman – Argentina, 1977

Alberto Olmos – Spain, 1975

Pola Oloixarac – Argentina, 1977

Antonio Ortuño – Mexico, 1976

Patricio Pron – Argentina, 1975

Lucía Puenzo – Argentina, 1976

Santiago Roncagliolo – Peru, 1975

Andrés Felipe Solano – Colombia, 1977

Samanta Schweblin – Argentina, 1978

Carlos Yushimito – Peru, 1977

Alejandro Zambra – Chile, 1975

Read more by HS News Staff →

The U.S. Census Bureau released 5-year American Community Survey (ACS) estimates for the first time, making available social, economic, housing and demographic statistics for every community in the nation.

Up until now, small geographic areas had to rely on outdated 2000 Census figures for detailed information about the characteristics of their communities. Consisting of about 11.1 billion individual estimates and covering more than 670,000 distinct geographies, the 5-year ACS estimates give even the smallest communities more timely information on topics ranging from commute times to languages spoken at home.

The county with the highest percentage of the population that spoke Spanish at home was Starr, Texas, at 95.9 percent. Starr was one of 28 counties, and one of 22 counties in Texas, where more than half the population spoke Spanish at home.

More than 200 counties had less than 1 percent of the population that spoke Spanish at home, including 25 counties in West Virginia and 22 in Kentucky. In Maine, there were no counties where the percent of Spanish speakers exceeded 2 percent.

Read more at Census →

The President of the Dominican Language Academy, Bruno Rosario Candelier, revealed yesterday that the Academy found more than 200 grammatical errors within the text of the Dominican Republic’s new constitution, amended last January.

Rosario said that despite speaking with legislators about the absolutely shameful and embarrassing amount of mistakes, the majority passed the document.

In the same press conference, Rosario Candelier said that the teaching of Spanish language in the country is a failure, due to the fact that teachers throughout the nation are ill-prepared, the hours dedicated to Spanish classes minimal, text books are outdated and there are zero reading habits among both teachers and students.

The Dominican Republic has an illiteracy rate of 84.4%.

The Ministry of Education has released a statement saying “We believe the considerations of the academy to be very sensible, and the National Council for Education will look into these criticisms and will keep them in consideration.” The spokesman for the ministry, Melanio Paredes added that the ministry has already scheduled meetings with Rosario Candelier to discuss possible strategies, content, and the emphasis of Spanish education in the nation’s schools.

Though we weren’t looking hard for all of the 200, at the time of publication, HS-News was able to spot several gaffes in the text of the constitution found in a few websites, including official sources.

Someone point these politicians to the spell check button, for the love of god and country.

Read more by HS News Staff →

As the U.S. lives through another day of winter freeze and snow and Chile officially opens all its 750 beaches - we must ask: “Are we on the wrong side of the Equator?”  The start of the beach season in Chile is highly anticipated and summer becomes official when the Chilean Navy officially opens the beaches for swimming.  The beaches will stay open in the country until March 15, 2011, just when we are thawing out of our winter freeze.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Chicago Mayoral candidate Rev. James Meeks is putting out a major fire he started Wednesday when, during a radio interview, he claimed that only blacks should be eligible for Chicago’s city contracts set aside for minorities.

He went on to say Hispanics, Asians, and white women should not be referred to as minorities, because they have not been discriminated against as much as their African-American counterparts.

“The word ‘minority’ from our standpoint should mean African American. I don’t think women, Asians and Hispanics should be able to use that title,” Meeks said. “That’s why our numbers cannot improve — because we use women, Asians and Hispanics who are not people of color, who are not people who have been discriminated against.”

Hours later Meeks, trying to amend his statement, saying he would only exclude white women if elected mayor, which of course only angered the female voters.

In a written statement on Thursday, Meeks tried to clarify what he said once again, but having already angered a number of people, it may have already been too late.

Rev. Meeks is one of over a dozen candidates running for Mayor of Chicago including Rahm Emanuel, Gery Chico, Miguel Del Valle, Carol Moseley Braun, and a number of others.

Read more by HS News Staff →

App developers Quest Visual, has released their new and oh so nifty iPhone application capable of instantly translating text by just pointing at it with your iPhone.  Thus far the application can only be used to translate english-to-Spanish and vice versa. 

The app is called Word Lens, and it is not yet perfected according to early users.  Sometimes you might get something that looks as though it was translated under the influence of tequila and peyote, nonetheless ninety percent of the time by using common sense you will be able to understand what the translator is saying. 

The Word Lens app itself is free, but the the language packs are on a $4.99 addon. A steal, considering how cool you’ll look around your friends when you whip out your Iphone and decode the intricacies of the menu in your favorite Tapas restaurant.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Fannie Mae today released another installment of its 2010 Own-Rent Analysis and according to the study, all racial and ethnic groups polled, as well as immigrants, strongly aspire to own a home, despite current disparities in homeownership rates for these groups. Additionally, if personal finances improve for these groups as they continue to grow in number, homeownership rate disparities may not persist.

“Our study gives us reason to believe that the homeownership rates for ethnic groups and immigrants will be higher than indicated solely by the projected growth of the racial and demographic population,” said Doug Duncan, Fannie Mae Vice President and Chief Economist.

The Fannie Mae Analysis is based on extensive primary research with homeowners and renters, U.S. Census Bureau data, and micro- and macro- economic parameters, and explores the factors influencing consumers’ decisions to buy or rent a home. 

Overview of Key Findings:

• First generation immigrants and minorities are more likely to be living in multifamily housing and more likely to want to own these units.
• Among all sub-groups surveyed, African Americans are most likely to rent their homes; 52 percent of African Americans rent, compared to 41 percent of first-generation immigrants, 38 percent of Hispanics, and 25 percent of whites.  Homeownership rates converge regardless of race, ethnicity, and immigration status among people with higher incomes. And for immigrants, homeownership also increases with tenure in the U.S.
• According to U.S. Census Bureau data, among ethnic groups, non-Hispanic whites currently have the highest rate of homeownership at 76 percent,  compared to 51 percent for white Hispanics, 47 percents for non-Hispanic blacks, and 34 percent for black Hispanics. 53 percent for Hispanics.
• Immigrants also tend to have lower homeownership rates but the gap quickly narrows over time as tenure in the U.S. increases
*    Sixty-six percent of respondents say they believe that housing is a safe investment — as safe as an IRA or a 401(k) plan.
• More than half say they believe that owning is a good idea, even if they plan to stay in the home less than three years.
• Eighty-six percent identify tax benefits as a reason to buy, even though tax benefits are small or non-existent for many homeowners

Read more at Fannie Mae →

Democratic Senate Leader Harry Reid filed Cloture for both the Dream Act and a stand-alone repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. This begins the process of being able to call both bills for a vote as early as Saturday.

The Senate is now expected to vote on debate for both the DREAM Act and a repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” on Saturday morning, and the Washington Post reports that final votes on both bills could take place as early as Sunday or Monday.

Getting 60 votes for cloture on the DREAM Act is going to be a nail biter. Please take a few minutes and call these Democratic Senators who are leaning no or have said they’ll vote against it:

Max Baucus (MT) - (202) 224-2651
Kent Conrad (ND) - (202) 224-2043 or email
Joe Manchin (WV) - (202) 224-3954 or email
Nelson (NE) - (202) 224-6551
Mark Pryor (AR) - (202) 224-2353
Tester (MT) - (202) 224-2644
Kay Hagan (NC) - (202) 224-6342
Claire McCaskill (MO) - (202) 224-6154
Mary Landrieu (LA) - (202) 224-5824

Or you can call this number from Reform Immigration For America, that routes automatically to key targets:
866-587-6101

As part of that effort, the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda issued a “most wanted” list this week targeting 10 senators they will pressure to publicly declare their stand on the bill.

The list is composed of Democrats. Ben Nelson (Neb.), Kay Hagan (N.C.) and Claire McCaskill (Mo.) as well as Republicans Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Richard Lugar (Ind.), Olympia Snowe (Maine), Susan Collins (Maine), Scott Brown (Mass.), George Voinovich (Ohio) and George LeMieux (Fla.). So far, only Lugar has announced his support.

For Latinos, the Senate vote is a litmus test of sorts. Senators will have to decide if they stand with the Latino community or against it. Even ultraconservative columnist and former Reagan administration official Linda Chávez believes it would be a huge mistake for the GOP to vote against the DREAM Act.

“Do Republicans really want to tell young people who’ve lived here most of their lives, who may speak no other language but English and who are even willing to sacrifice themselves on the battlefield: ‘We don’t want you?’” Chávez wrote. “A number of Republicans who previously supported the legislation - including one of its chief authors, Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah - have decided it is too risky to vote for it now.”

Read more by HS News Staff →

The pre-schooler snatched the jewels as his mother distracted sales staff at a store in Oaxaca, Mexico.

Security camera footage from the store shows the boy slipping the jewels into the purse that the woman had earlier left opened on the counter.

Then the woman woman then told shop attendants that she was double parked, and left on a rush to avoid an imaginary fine.

The store owner has reported the crime but police have yet to make an arrest in the case.

Read more by HS News Staff →

Mexican painter Antonio Luquín collection of oil paintings depicting all 120 covers from albums that The Beatles recorded as a group, or in their solo careers will be shown in Mexico until march 2011.

The collection is part of an exposition titled “Let It Beat. From The Beatles To The Beat Less Reloaded” that opens Friday, and will be in display until March 6 2011.

“The phenomenon known as the Beatles transformed the musical genre, art appreciation, the way of experiencing love, and as if that wasn’t enough, the stance of individuals toward society, and their own selves” the artist said.

The exhibit includes iconic renditions of the front covers of “A Hard Day’s Night”, “Beatles for Sale”“Revolver”, “Sargent Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “Let it Be,” as well as Paul McCartney’s “Memory almost full”, “Ringo Starr and his all starr band live”, Lennon’s “Imagine”,  and George’s “All things must pass”.

The exhibit also features several original albums hung next to Luquín’s paintings.

“Each reproduction pays a homage to the music and the art with which The Beatles were able to question a conservative society, and grant it freedom of love, diversity and thought” said Luquín.

This exhibit comes two weeks after the 30th anniversary of Jhon Lennon’s death, and is on display at the Exhibit Center of the terminal # 1 of the Benito Juárez International Airport of México City.

Read more by HS News Staff →

As border crossings along Arizona’s stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border decreased over the 2010 fiscal year (ending Sept. 30) it appears that deaths along the border actually increased.

Previously, the record number of deaths were the 237 in 2007, but in 2010 the new count brings the record to 252. Researchers believe the increase could be due to people crossing in more harsh areas than before due to increased border patrol, while last year’s record-breaking heat wave could have added to the number of deaths as well. Also, the increase in bodies found could simply be because there are more border patrol agents in the area so there are more people to find more bodies, and not necessarily more bodies to be found.

What adds to the problem are smugglers, looking to make money at all costs, taking people into harsher regions to avoid Border Patrol, but not properly explaining the risks to those they lead into the U.S., many times leaving the sick or weary that fail to keep up with the group.

While the number of deaths has increased, the total number of those apprehended while trying to cross appears to be dropping. In fiscal year 2000, 616,000 people were caught, while by 2009, the number had dropped to 241,000 a year.

Kat Rodriguez, of human rights group Coalición de Derechos Humanos, says people will continue to die until militarization of the area stops, and new policies are created on immigration.

University of Arizona’s Binational Migration Institute’s coordinator Raquel Rubio-Goldsmith claims an agreement benefiting both Mexico and the U.S. could stop the deaths and says, “It’s ridiculous that anybody has to die on that border…. We have to find some rational way to go about this. If they were able to sit down and negotiate NAFTA, they’re able to sit down and negotiate immigration.”

Read more at CSMonitor →

Marisela Escobedo, who was demanding answers and an investigation into the murderer of her daughter Ruby(16), was killed by a young man who shot her three times at close range, once in the head. Despite being taken to a nearby hospital, the woman died within minutes.

Ruby’s mother Maria, who at the time was wearing jeans and a green sweatshirt was executed by a young man shot him at point blank range.

People accompanying her at the protest, carried Escobedo Ortiz to a nearby hospital where she died minutes later.

In April a Chihuahua court acquitted Sergio Rafael Barraza, who had previously confessed to the murderer of her daughter Ruby, who died in 2008 at 16 years of age.

Since then Marisela Escobedo began a series of protests that included a walk from Ciudad Juarez to Mexico City to demand that authorities took actions against the murderer of her daughter.

After appealing the case, the Superior Court Justice of Chihuahua found Rafael Barraza responsible for the murder and sentenced him to 50 years, however the man was already a fugitive. To this date Barraza has not been arrested and a reward of 250,000 pesos for his capture has been issued .

The spokesman for the Prosecutors Office of Chihuahua, Carlos González, confirmed in an interview with MILLENNIUM TV, the death of Marisela Escobedo and reported that the incident occurred at 20:10 hours and that she died 35 minutes after the attack.

Read more by HS News Staff →

The following post is authored by the Attorney General of the United States, Eric Holder.

As the son of an immigrant, I grew up in New York City with a deep appreciation for the ideals that, since America’s earliest days, have defined our nation.  Like so many who have set out for America’s shores, my father and both of my mother’s parents arrived here from Barbados in search of a better life and greater opportunity – for themselves and their children.

Looking back, I can see that their dream was the American Dream.  But looking around, I can see that, today, this dream is fading for too many deserving young people who, through no fault of their own, lack documentation – and, therefore, are being denied opportunity.

That is why the DREAM Act must be passed.

This critical legislation would provide new pathways for service and learning.  And it would bring extraordinary individuals out of the shadows, where – despite their efforts to contribute and their determination to succeed – they have been relegated for far too long.

Like my father – who served as a Master Sergeant in the United States Army – many young and courageous Americans want nothing more than to strengthen their nation and to improve their own futures.  Why should we say no?  Why should someone who grew up in America, speaks English, holds degrees from one or more of our schools, and shows – time and again – a commitment to citizenship have to forgo a productive future?

There is no good reason.

The DREAM Act would do more than expand opportunities for learning and public service for young people across the country.  It would also benefit every American by helping establish a new generation of young people grounded in our nation’s finest traditions and and its founding principles.

One of those principles is equal opportunity.  Today, for so many, that opportunity now rests in the hands of Congress.  And so I urge our elected representatives to act.  I urge them to do the right thing.  Put simply, I urge Congress to allow us to continue to tell a story about our country that makes us all proud – as my father was – to be American.

Read more at USDOJ →

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Milla Jovovich, 35; Bill Pullman, 57; Eugene Levy, 64; Ernie Hudson, 65

Happy Birthday: Network with people who can offer you insight into what you should be trying to accomplish. Join groups or organizations that will put you in touch with potential business or personal partners, clients or worthwhile friends. It’s time to shake things up a bit and to make things happen so that you can start moving forward to a better life. Your numbers are 7, 10, 13, 22, 26, 35, 48

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Reflect on the experiences you had the past year. Learning from what’s happened already will help you better understand what’s required of you in the future. You can acquire the knowledge and wisdom you need to improve your life. 3 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You will learn a lot from the people you hang out with or while traveling to visit friends, family or your lover. Listen to what’s being said, throw in your thoughts and discuss possibilities for the upcoming year. Romance is highlighted. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A sudden reversal of fortune is likely if you haven’t been careful when making financial investments. Added discipline will help you stick to a budget. An idea for a small service business should be looked at closely. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Don’t let anyone discourage you. You’ll be the one who comes out on top if you practice diplomacy and good faith in the way you handle things. Completing a job you’ve been assigned will allow you to enjoy the spirit of the season. 4 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Emotional issues will surface if you have forgotten to do something for someone special. A simple gesture will help smooth things over. Pick up a couple of last-minute items that can boost your ego or complete an outfit you want to wear. 2 stars

Read more by HS News Staff →

The U.S. House of Representatives late Thursday evening approved legislation that will extend the Bush-era tax cuts and jobless benefits.  The legislation was a compromise effort between the White House and Republicans brokered so that some of the President’s initiatives could pass before the Republican house majority takes over in January.

In a 277-148 vote minutes before midnight Congressmen voted to extend the tax cuts for two more years for all income levels, reduce payroll taxes by 2% and continues long-term unemployment benefits for 13 months.

The tax cuts were due to expire January 1.  Republicans promised to block or ignore any other legislation like the DREAM Act or repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, until the tax bill was voted on and passed.  The massive bill is expected to add $814 billion to the deficit. 

A vote date for the DREAM Act during the lame duck session of Congress has yet to be announced. 

Read more at USA Today →

The Transit Safety Commission of Puerto Rico is proudly boosting its lastest statistics that traffic deaths on the island have dropped to a four-decade low.  In 2010 there have been 302 car accident fatalities thus far which is a 12 percent drop from last year for the same timeframe when there was 343 accident fatalities.  This drop follows the pattern set several years ago.

In 2207 there were 456 traffic deaths, in 2008 there were 406 and last year there were 365.  The 2009 figure of 365 traffic deaths was the lowest since police officials started tracking annual statistics. 

Read more by HS News Staff →

Entrepreneur, Founder and CEO of Allied Industries Inc., Ernie Gutierrez was honored with a prestigious Hispanic Business Elite Award from the nation’s largest Hispanic business organization, the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) at its convention in Dallas, Texas recently. This award is presented to the top 10 fastest growing Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States and signifies achievement and great business success.

“I am honored to receive this important award,” said Gutierrez.  “Not only am I committed to the growth of my business, but I’m passionate about helping other Hispanic entrepreneurs to succeed as well.”

Headquartered in Los Angeles and founded in 1997, Allied Industries provides environmental remediation, construction, and renewable energy services throughout the Western United States. Under the direction and leadership of Gutierrez, developing a company culture providing unparalleled service and value to both its clients and employees has led his company to experience dramatic growth in recent years.

Annual revenues jumped to $24.5 million in 2009, up from $4.5 million in 2005 and the company’s workforce surged from 80 to 200 employees. Sales are projected to reach $35 million for the current fiscal year.

As an active participant in the Latin business community, Gutierrez sits on the Board of Directors for the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and in 2010 served as Vice Chair of the Latin Business Association in Los Angeles. As President and CEO of Allied, he often speaks on various construction and environmental issues for various public and private organizations and manages educational outreach on environmental and construction related topics for clients and the community. His entrepreneurial success story serves as an inspiration to the millions of Hispanic entrepreneurs that make up the fastest growing business demographic.

Earlier this year, Gutierrez was awarded “2010 Entrepreneur of the Year” from San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce while Allied was named “100 Fastest Growing Companies” by Hispanic Business.

Read more by HS News Staff →

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has closed a loan transaction of 5.6 million Peruvian Soles (equivalent to $ 2 million) with Caja Municipal de Ahorro y Credito SA Maynas (CMAC Maynas) to boost home improvement loans for low-income families in Peru’s Amazon region.

The project’s main goal is to help reduce the housing shortage in the country, estimated at 900,000 homes, particularly in low-income segments. The resources will also help improve housing conditions in the province of Loreto, where only 57 percent of homes have access to electricity, almost half of them use external water sources such as rivers and wells and more than 35 percent of them have dirt floors.

“Despite the significant progress Peru has made in housing and the growth of construction sector in recent years, the gap between supply and demand of housing for low-income families remains high,” said Susan Olsen, head of the IDB project. “Our resources will help finance micro-credit for low-income families to improve their housing conditions.”

Since its inception in 1987, CMAC Maynas focused in serving the low-income population segment without easy access to formal credit. Through this project, CMAC Maynas aims to benefit about 500 households through the granting of credit to improve or repair their homes.

Read more by HS News Staff →

DEAR ABBY: My father died this year. My husband and I were his primary caregivers. I was with him until his dying breath. After his passing, Mom asked us to move in so she wouldn’t be alone. She has post-polio syndrome, but her biggest problem is her “princess syndrome.”
She has trouble getting around, but is able to do some things while I’m at work all day. As soon as I walk in the door, she’s all over me to do simple tasks that she could have done during the day. She complains the house isn’t clean enough, or that this and that aren’t done up to her standards.
Abby, it was easier to take care of all my dad’s needs than it is to take care of hers! Her day consists of getting up at 10 a.m., watching soap operas and eating herself to more than 300 pounds. How do I deal with a mother with a major princess complex?—NOT CINDERELLA

DEAR NOT CINDERELLA: Do it by having a frank conversation with your mother and telling her exactly what you have told me, without labeling her a princess. You should also insist that she be screened by her doctor for depression.
If her demands are more than you and your husband can deliver, then consider moving into a place of your own. However, if your mother realizes that the alternative is living alone, she may be inclined to compromise.

DEAR ABBY: My husband of one year (at the time) was considered by everyone to be the most caring, good husband. But he never wanted to have relations with me. After several months of investigation, I learned he had been seeing prostitutes. He even admitted to me that when he did have sex with me he was thinking of them. Fast-forward: I forgave him; we went to counseling.
Abby, he still never wants to have sex with me! When we do, it’s because I initiate it. My self-confidence is shot. He says he “doesn’t have a sex drive,” so I can either accept him for all the positives—of which there are many—and not have a sex life, or not.
I have considered fulfilling my needs outside the marriage, and giving him the green light to do the same, but he’s against it. I’m at a loss as to what to do. Should I just settle and be happy with what I have?—WANTING MORE IN THE SOUTH

DEAR WANTING MORE: You are obviously not happy with “what you have.” And a man who engages the services of a prostitute does have a sex drive. You both need to be completely truthful with each other. Once you have reached that point, you will know what to do, and you won’t have to ask me to make the decision for you.

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have reached an impasse. He says that breakfast, brunch or lunch is an acceptable time to spend with my girlfriends, but dinner is “family time” and should be spent at home with him.
He also says that girlfriends who spend a weekend away together are “up to no good.” I see no problem with it. What are your thoughts?—UNSURE IN THE MIDWEST

DEAR UNSURE: Your boyfriend appears to be insecure, controlling and have a dim view of women. If you’re smart, you will find someone who is less easily threatened by female bonding and let this one go.

See More Dear Abby At HS News

Read more by HS News Staff →

Earlier today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) removed wanted war criminal Juan Miguel Mendez to Argentina, where he was transferred to the custody of the Argentinean government. Argentina intends to try Mr. Mendez, a native Argentinean, for his alleged involvement in torture and extrajudicial killings in at least two clandestine detention centers during the so-called “Dirty War” in that country, which lasted from 1976-1983.

In May 2009, the ICE Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Unit (HRVWCU) identified Mr. Mendez, 67, as the subject of an Interpol notice which indicated that he had been involved in the operation of clandestine detention centers in Argentina from 1976 to 1979. On June 11, 2009, following an investigation led by the ICE Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), special agents arrested Mr. Mendez. ICE charged Mr. Mendez with overstaying his visa in violation of U.S. immigration law.

“ICE will not allow the United States to be a safe haven for those who have come to our country in an effort to evade prosecution and punishment for the crimes they have committed against others,” said ICE Director John Morton. “We will not relent in our efforts to ensure that human rights violators are brought to justice and removed from our communities.”

“The United States is proud to assist the Argentine government in bringing to justice alleged human rights violators,” said U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Vilma Martinez.

During the “Dirty War” in Argentina, suspected members of the government opposition were routinely tortured and later disappeared or murdered. Official investigations determined that approximately 13,000 people were killed during this period. Recently released documents, however, indicate that this number should be higher; human rights groups assert that the true number killed is closer to 30,000.

In March 2006, a federal magistrate in Buenos Aires issued an arrest warrant for Mendez for his involvement in torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings in connection with at least two clandestine detention centers that operated in Buenos Aires from 1976 to 1979. It was alleged that Mendez, a former member of the federal police, was involved with the detention, torture and disappearance of detainees from the notorious “El Olimpo” clandestine detention facility, as well as the associated “El Banco” clandestine detention facility.

The arrest warrant was issued after the Argentinean Supreme Court’s June 2005 ruling that annulled the broad amnesties of 1986 and 1987. These amnesties had precluded the investigation of most military, police, security services and penitentiary services personnel who were under the rank of colonel for their involvement in human rights abuses during the “Dirty War.” The Argentinean Supreme Court, however, found that the laws under which the amnesties were granted were unconstitutional.

Read more at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement →

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Wednesday removed a Dominican national, wanted in the Dominican Republic for first degree murder.

Jose Odalis Perez-Calderon, aka Elvis Luna Peña, 32, was removed to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on an ICE Air Operations flight. Upon arrival at Herrera International Airport in Santo Domingo, Perez was turned over to Dominican law enforcement and immigration authorities.

Perez was initially encountered by ICE’s Criminal Alien Program in San Juan on July 29 after he was identified at the Puerto Rico State Correctional Facility on charges for firearm possession without a license. Thereafter, Perez was placed in immigration removal proceedings for being in violation of U.S. immigration law.

ICE discovered that Perez had an outstanding Interpol warrant dated, in the Dominican Republic, pertaining to murder in the first degree. This was a result of an ICE ERO partnership with Interpol, “Operation Far Away,” an intelligence-driven operation designed to target, locate and arrest criminal aliens believed to be in hiding in the United States and in other Western Hemisphere countries.

“Criminals who think that they can use the United States as a safe haven are sorely mistaken,” said Marc Moore, field office director for ICE ERO in Miami. “ICE prioritizes locating foreign fugitives hiding in the United States and turning them over to our foreign law enforcement partners to face justice in their native countries, and as a result, our communities are safer and more secure.”

Read more by HS News Staff →