The Destruction of Latino Families At the Hands of The Gang of Three Continues

I first wrote about the hundreds of thousands of Latino fathers who couldn't be with their families on Father's Day two years ago, victims of political betrayal and dysfunctional government at the hands of the Gang of Three. The absence of so many fathers on Father's Day last Sunday prompted me to re-visit this sad tragedy - again, not as USHLI president but as a father. MALDEF, NHLA, and NDLON reportedly recently that over 5.5 million children have a parent who is undocumented, and 4.5 million of those children are U.S. citizens.  From 2010-2012 over 200,000 individuals with U.S.-born children were deported. Since 2012 this number has doubled. How many deported fathers missed their children's graduation this spring?  How many weren't present to hear their children's remarks as Valedictorians and Salutatorians?  How many have had to leave their wives behind to be the sole provider and protector? How many are not home to lead their families in prayer before meals or take them to church?  How many have had to leave their families mired in poverty and living in a constant state of uncertainty? So much missing out.  So much hardship, suffering and pain.  Just think about how much we as fathers do for our families every day and that all fathers should be able to do.  These are the things that deported fathers can't do now for their families because of the Gang of Three.  So who is this Gang of Three?  It's a Democratic Senate with cold feet.  It's a Republican House with a cold heart.  It's a President who reneged on his promise to Latino voters to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform in his first year.  Had the President kept his word when his party controlled both the House and the Senate, all the misery our families have endured over the last five years could have been avoided.          So let's remember our dearly deported fathers that again did not have a "Happy Father's Day" this year.  And those of us who can vote in 2014 need to remember these deported fathers and the millions of other individuals who have been wrongfully deported by this Gang of Three.  We gave these millions of people something to believe in 2008, watched the President betray them in 2009, then watched the House and Senate kick us around like a soccer ball in a game that will end in a scoreless tie.  Now, in 2014, Latino voters have another chance to get it right.  Remember the words of John F. Kennedy, who said, "don't get angry, get even."          Juan Andrade, Jr. USHLI President

USHLI Announces Launch of MillerCoors Scholars 21st Century Leaders Summer Internship Program

The 2014 Class of MillerCoors Scholars has been selected and trained and the 10-week internship program is underway.  A solid group of interns attended orientation and training last week hosted by the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners (CBOEC) and at Millennium Park for voter registration exercises.  Interns will attend a series of public policy discussions with elected and appointed officials, corporate and community leaders, and other opinion-makers, and register newly naturalized citizens to vote.    USHLI is very grateful to MillerCoors for its continued sponsorship of this internship program and to the CBOEC for its continued support.  CBOEC Executive Director Lance Gough is pictured below (far right) with our interns.    The 2014 Class of MillerCoors Scholars 21st Century Leaders include: Monika Stempniewicz: University of Illinois Chicago; English major, Communication & Psychology minor Jesus Tapia: Northeastern University; Social Work major Alexander Criollo: Morton College; Web Site Development major Sergio A Serrano: Moraine Valley College; Criminal Justice major Abraham Trevino: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Communications major Carlos Espinoza: Lewis University; Aviation Administration major Alexis Diaz: Northern Illinois University; Elementary Education major, Spanish & Latin American Studies minors Gabriela Brizuela: University of Illinois Chicago; Gender and Women Studies & Psychology major Melissa Rocha: Indiana State University; Psychology major Yesica Alvarez: Monmouth College; Spanish major Past participants in the MillerCoors Scholars Internship program have registered over 130,000 new voters, mostly newly naturalized citizens.  The 2014 class will be honored at USHLI's Annual Dinner on August 14 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. For more information contact Dulce Diaz at ddiaz@ushli.org or 312.427.8683