Latinos Plan Post-Inaugural Rally

Immigrant rights groups met in Washington to plan a rally on the Mall the day after Barack Obama is inaugurated. The crowds will ask the new president to stop immediately the workplace raids and to start on legislation to speed the reforms he promised in the campaign. Much of what will be asked requires Congressional action -- legalization to provide the undocumented a path to legalization and citizenship, a revision of the visa quota system to promote family reunification, and a guest-worker program. Still the immigrant advocates point out that Obama can do much by executive orders -- to stop the workplace raids and to speed up the visa and citizenship application process. (See Washington Post article.)

. . . HATE CRIMES AGAINST HISPANICS RISE
The FBI reported that hate crimes against Latinos/Hispanics grew 40% between 2006 and 2007,- as generally assumed, because of the anti-immigrant sentiments aroused by the immigration debate. (See Washington Post article.)