ProgressNow.org Daily News Digest

Weld DA asks to continue with arrests in illegal tax-return cases : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2009/jan/02/weld-da-asks-continue-arrests-illegal-tax-return-c/ Weld County's top prosecutor is asking for a grand jury to determine whether arrests should continue in hundreds of identity theft cases where suspected illegal immigrants are accused filing fraudulent tax returns. District Attorney Ken Buck made the request this week after a district judge refused to allow any more cases to be filed because of concerns over federal privacy laws. Weld County District Judge James Hartmann said in a hearing Monday that part of the reason he is worried is that prosecutors were attaching tax return information to defendant's court files, making them available for public inspection. He said some of the tax returns sometimes included information about the defendant's relatives, who are not suspected of any wrongdoing. Hartmann suggested cases could continue to be filed if prosecutors did not attach tax return information to the defendants' files, but included it in affidavits.

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Craig Daily Press / Decision to return to Mexico becomes a question of family for local immigrants

http://www.craigdailypress.com/news/2009/jan/03/decision_return_mexico_becomes_question_family_loc/ Times have been tough for Eutiquio Pereyra. Pereyra, who originally is from Mexico, has owned El Ranchero, a shop on the 300 block of West Victory Way, for 10 years. He fills his shelves with an assortment of foods and goods, many with labels printed in Spanish. Pereyra, who has lived in Craig for 30 years, also owns a nearby restaurant of the same name. Both businesses have taken a hit in the recent economic downturn. In the past six months, his clientele at his restaurant and store have decreased by about 30 percent, he said. His sales aren’t faring any better. He estimated his two business ventures are making about one-third less than they were in 2007.

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UNC board first to call for ‘tuition equity’ law | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081219/NEWS/812199996/1002/NONE Arguing that higher education is beyond reach for many Latino students in Colorado, the University of Northern Colorado board of trustees passed a resolution supporting legislation that would grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants. Last week, the board voted unanimously to support “tuition equity” for all in-state students. The trustees are believed to be the first college governing board in Colorado to take a public position before an in-state tuition bill is expected to be introduced next session. UNC trustees and supporters say tuition equity would improve access to college, thereby reducing high school dropout rates and powering the economy with a more educated work force. However, at least three other versions of the proposal have failed in the statehouse, most recently a bill that died in the appropriations committee in 2005.

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DPS backs ‘tuition equity’ : Education : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/19/dps-backs-tuition-equity/ Denver Public Schools board members on Thursday put their support behind a change in state law that would allow undocumented students to pay less for college. Board members voted 6-0 - with one member absent - in favor of a resolution for "tuition equity." The resolution, which was passed Monday by the Denver City Council, calls for in-state tuition rates for children who were brought to the U.S. illegally and who have since graduated from Colorado high schools. Because those students don't have legal citizenship, they now must pay out-of-state tuition rates. Those rates are usually at least double in-state rates.

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Help for empty-handed refugees - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11266939 The smile on the face of a girl as she received her very first bicycle warmed up the coldest of winter afternoons Thursday. Bhagawati Poudyel, a 16-year-old Bhutanese girl who has spent nearly her entire life in a refugee camp in Nepal, was delirious with joy when her raffle ticket was picked for a donated bike at Christ Church United Methodist Church, East Seventh Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. "I love America. I love the freedom," she said in good English, considering she didn't know a word of it when she arrived in this country four months ago. She goes to South High School. About 250 refugee children and their parents came to the toy giveaway, which is sponsored and organized by Genevieve Cruz of the Ecumenical Refugee and Immigration Services. Cruz receives the refugees for their final destination, sent here by the United Nations, then arranges for housing, jobs, education and donations.

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GOP backs photo ID, citizenship proof for voters | Politics West

http://www.politicswest.com/33702/republicans_pushing_photo_id_citizenship_proof_voters Republican lawmakers today said they'll push bills in the 2009 session requiring voters to show a photo ID at the polls and mandating Coloradans give proof of citizenship to register. “Voting is a fundamental part of our democracy," said Rep. Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch. "As legislators, we must do everything in our power to protect the integrity of the proces. This includes making sure voting is fair, and reserved for only those who are eligible.” McNulty and Sen.-elect Mark Scheffel, R-Parker, are expected to sponsor the proof-of-citizenship-to-register bill. The legislation would designate which documents could be used to prove citizenship, Republicans said, though they did not offer specifics. Meanwhile, Rep. Ken Summers, R-Lakewood, and Sen. Scott Renfroe, R-Greeley, are to sponsor the photo ID legislation. Republicans said outgoing Secretary of State Mike Coffman, a Republican just elected to Congress, supports the measures.

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Renfroe says he’ll try again on voter ID bill | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081218/NEWS/812189987/1002/NONE State Sen. Scott Renfroe will carry a bill when the 2009 legislature begins in January that would require voters to present photo identification at the polls to vote. Renfroe joined other Republicans in presenting bills they say will safeguard elections in Colorado by requiring photo ID of voters at the polls to prove they are legal residents. A similar bill to be debated in the upcoming session will require potential voters to present certification by way of birth certificate, U.S. passport, naturalization documents or other federal forms of identification in order to register to vote. Renfroe said that right now, all voters need at the polls is identification that shows their address. They can even use a utility bill or basically a government document that has their name and address to prove they live in the district. That’s insufficient, Renfroe said.

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UNC trustees support tuition equity for in-state students | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081217/NEWS/812179954/1003/NONE The University of Northern Colorado board of trustees have passed a resolution supporting tuition equity for all in-state students, regardless of immigration status. Ten states grant in-state tuition for high school graduates who meet admission requirements, regardless of whether the student is a legal U.S. resident. “College is likely beyond reach for the majority of students who, despite earning a diploma from a Colorado high school, cannot prove their legal resident status,” Dick Monfort, board chairman, said in a statement. “The board supports legislation that clears a path to college for these deserving high school graduates, and that would lead to a greater number of educated citizens who are prepared to contribute to society.” The board unanimously passed the resolution at its Dec. 12 meeting.

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DA asserts ID theft arrests are legitimate | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081217/NEWS/812179984/1002/NONE The question of the legality of Weld County’s widespread crackdown on identity theft became a bit of a stalemate Tuesday. Last week, Weld District Court Judge James Hartmann questioned the arrests of people accused of filing tax returns with false identification in the campaign known as Operation Number Games. He cited a federal statute that he believed guaranteed a right of privacy of such tax information and that also would assume federal enforcement in this particular case. Hartmann demanded a statement from Weld District Attorney Ken Buck asserting his “legal authority” to pursue the cases in state court. On Tuesday, Buck officially responded, claiming the federal law Hartmann cited does not govern the case, and he also charged the judge had formed an opinion against prosecuting the case.

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Somali takes his work and beliefs east to Fort Morgan plant | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081217/NEWS/812169924/1002/NONE He left the packing plant because he stood up for what he believes. Now, Abdikarim Haji, is back working with meat. Taking bones out of carcasses. He’s still on the afternoon-to-evening shift and earning a similar wage. But he’s doing it 60 miles southeast of Greeley. So far, at Cargill Meat Solutions in Fort Morgan, the way his Muslim faith is accommodated inside the plant is favorable. Haji was one of about 120 workers fired by JBS Swift Co. in September following a dispute about prayer breaks during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

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Weld judge halts arrests in immigration cases - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11219567 Arrests in what Weld County officials claim is the largest identity theft case they've investigated have been halted by a judge who believes they may be based on an improper search warrant. After obtaining the search warrant, the Weld County District Attorney's Office, the Weld County Sheriff's Department and the Greeley Police Department in mid-October seized 1,338 tax files from Amalia's Translation and Tax Service in Greeley. At the time, investigators claimed many people using the tax service were using false names and Social Security numbers in a massive identity theft scam. Authorities traced about $2.6 million in payments to illegal immigrants using phony Social Security numbers who used the tax service, said Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck.

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Immigrants head home as jobs dry up : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/dec/13/immigrants-head-home-as-jobs-dry-up/ They come for the same reason: to find work. And for many, it was as plentiful as it was endless - regardless of whether it meant building homes, tending gardens, cooking in restaurants, tidying houses, cleaning hotel rooms. But lately, with the United States economy tanking and Colorado's cold winter fast approaching, more and more Mexican immigrants are finding themselves without jobs. And with a reason to leave. Some of the blame lies with the season: In winter, there are fewer construction and landscaping jobs. But many immigrants say their thoughts of departure are based on the economy. Seasonal work dried up much quicker than normal, they said, and many weren't able to find other employment. So, some are headed back to Mexico, back to their families, back to their hometowns. It is a difficult migration: In Mexico, there are even fewer jobs than in the U.S.

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Economy, hostile environment forces immigrants to leave U.S. : Boulder Daily Camera

http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/dec/15/some-make-trip-back-to-mexico/ After going months without a full-time job, Daniel Ramirez has decided it's time to return to family in Mexico. Vicenta Rodriguez Lopez says she can't afford to live in Colorado any more because her husband was deported. Roberto Espinoza is going back, too. After 18 years as a mechanic for a General Motors dealership in Denver, his work permit wasn't renewed and he didn't want to remain in the country illegally. All are leaving Colorado in time for Christmas -- joining a traditional holiday migration that will number almost 1 million people, says Mexico's interior ministry. But they have no intention of returning to Colorado, a place that promised prosperity. Layoffs, dwindling job opportunities, anti-immigrant sentiment and the crackdown on illegal immigrants are forcing hard choices on many Mexican nationals in Colorado. Though not an exodus, some are returning to a nation they haven't seen in years.

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Judge halts immigration cases | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081212/NEWS/812129992/1002/NONE A Weld District Court judge is questioning the legality of search warrants issued in the cases against 1,300 suspected illegal immigrants using fake identification. Weld District Court Judge James Hartmann this week put a halt to further arrests in Operation Number Games — if the arrests are based on information found in the suspects’ federal tax returns — and he demanded some explanations before proceeding with the cases. The operation targets more than 1,300 people suspected of gaining tax returns with false or stolen identities. Authorities have so far arrested 37 people who filed tax returns with Amalia’s Tax Service, 1501 9th St., in Greeley. Last month, authorities seized two years worth of federally approved tax returns from the tax preparer’s office, claiming that the suspects gained as much as $2.7 million combined in tax returns based on false Social Security numbers. Suspects have been charged with identity theft, criminal impersonation or both. In a court order in one of the cases, Hartmann ordered District Attorney Ken Buck to provide more information on the arrest warrants and provide a “memorandum of legal authority” detailing how the court would have jurisdiction in a matter involving federal tax returns.

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Two years after Swift raid, issue is still a ‘dance’ | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081212/NEWS/812129983/1002/NONE The theme of immigration really hasn’t changed much through the decades or the centuries, according to a biblical scholar who spoke Thursday in Greeley. It’s rooted in the push and pull of labor needs between nations. It often evolves into a dance between pragmatic and emotional concerns, the scholar said. M. Daniel Carroll, a professor of the Old Testament at Denver Seminary, spoke to about 25 members of the Weld Ministerial Fellowship at The Rock Church in downtown Greeley. His presentation came on the eve of the second anniversary of the 2006 immigration raid at the Swift and Co. meatpacking plant in Greeley. Carroll, who is of Guatemalan and Irish descent, discussed the origins of the “Hispanic” label, outlined historical politics that brokered and barred foreign labor, and gently promoted tolerance for illegal immigrants while acknowledging that people have deep-seated “nativist responses” on the issue.

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The Pueblo Chieftain :: Most agencies not aware of ID act

http://www.chieftain.com/articles/2008/12/11/news/denver_bureau/doc4940cbde932b0237292030.txt Even though it's been in effect for five years, most of the state's agencies were not aware of the Colorado Secure and Verifiable Identity Document Act, according to a state audit on the subject. That audit showed that part of the problem with implementing the act was because key terms in it are unclear and there is no single state authority required to administer it. Additionally, the act that was passed by the Colorado Legislature in 2003 conflicts with another law approved three years later. The act requires all state agencies not to accept or rely upon identification documentation that isn't secure and verifiable. It was intended to prevent people who are in the state illegally from receiving state services beyond what the federal government allows. Problem is, the act doesn't require verification of legal status.

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To Tancredo, fence is economic boost - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11172124 Retiring Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Littleton suggested on Monday that President -elect Barack Obama could achieve some of his goals for creating jobs and improving infrastructure by building the 700 - mile fence between the U.S. and Mexico that Congress authorized in 2006. Obama aims to create 2.5 million jobs and improve infrastructure. "We must use this new 'new deal' to secure our borders, help preserve American jobs and create a stronger economy for America's working families," Tancredo said.

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News : Attorney: Contempt citation against sheriff should be dropped (Montrose, CO)

http://montrosepress.com/articles/2008/12/09/news/doc493df16cdf0cf929594336.txt Competing authorities concerning an inmate put Sheriff Rick Dunlap in a tough spot, County Attorney Bob Hill said. Hill asked Judge James Schum to vacate a contempt citation issued after Gerardo Segura-Rodriguez was not brought to court Oct. 24 as ordered in a writ of habeas corpus. Segura-Rodriguez had completed his sentence on a traffic offense Oct. 18. He was detained on an immigration hold until Immigration and Customs Enforcement picked him up Oct. 21 — one day after his attorney filed for a writ of habeas corpus. The writ was granted Oct. 21. Defense attorney Dan Shaffer said the sheriff is in “indirect contempt” of court and that he had additionally held Segura-Rodriguez for more than the 48 hours allowed by an immigration detainer.

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Higher rent squeezes Hispanics out of Dillon housing | SummitDaily.com

http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20081206/NEWS/812059933/1001/NONE Though he has lived with his family for two years at The Meadows, an apartment complex in Dillon Valley, Rafael is desperately looking for a new home. Rafael, 25, who asked not to reveal his last name because he is an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, said he will not be able to pay what the new owners are asking to renew his lease for the two-bedroom apartment — $1,250 instead of the $950 he pays now. “We are going to wait until the lease expires in March, and we’ll go to another place,” said Rafael, who works painting houses. “We’re already looking, but it’s hard to find a house when you are undocumented because they ask for documents.”

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East Africans open center, hope to blend | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081204/NEWS/812049985/1002/NONE A group of East Africans recently opened a community center in Greeley, which they hope will ease the integration of refugees and other newcomers to the city. The office at 928 13th St. has rooms for computer and English-as-a-second-language classes and serves as a welcome mat to East Africans trying to navigate their new community. It will work in conjunction with the Lutheran Family Services office that provides financial assistance and other resources for refugees getting settled in jobs and homes. Graen Isse, spokesman for the East Africa Community Council, said the group is working on getting nonprofit status to allow it to apply for grants to further its educational programs. So far, the office rent and computers are being paid for by combined donations from the office’s nine volunteer staff members — all East Africans who are relatively new to Greeley.

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East Africans open community center, hope to integrate | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081202/NEWS/812029964/1003/NONE A group of East Africans recently opened a community center in Greeley, which they hope will ease the integration of refugees and other newcomers to the city. The office at 928 13th St. has rooms for computer and English-as-a-second-language classes and serves as a welcome mat to East Africans trying to navigate their new community. It will work in conjunction with the local Lutheran Family Services office that provides financial assistance and other resources for refugees getting settled in jobs and homes. Graen Isse, spokesman for the East Africa Community Council, said the group is working on getting non-profit status to allow it to apply for grants to further its educational programs. So far, the office rent and computers are being paid for by combined donations of the office’s nine volunteer staff members — all East Africans who are relatively new to Greeley.

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Englewood real estate agent gets 7 years - The Denver Post

http://www.denverpost.com/newsheadlines/ci_11122680 Former Englewood real estate agent Arvin Weiss, 58, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison today for falsifying loan documents, defrauding the government and preying on Latino immigrants who spoke little or no English. A federal jury in July found Weiss guilty on eight counts of mail fraud, five counts of wire fraud and three counts of witness tampering. In addition to prison, Weiss must pay $853,000 to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and about $5,000 to two banks. According to federal prosecutors, Weiss bought numerous homes in metro Denver then resold them at two or three times his purchase price, by falsifying loans for people who could not afford them.

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ID theft arrests come slowly | GreeleyTribune.com

http://www.greeleytribune.com/article/20081203/NEWS/812039987/1002/NONE A recent sweep of illegal immigrants suspected in identity thefts may not be progressing as quickly as hoped because the suspects are leaving town. Authorities have arrested 31 people in Operation Number Games, the identity theft sting coordinated by the Weld County Sheriff’s Office and the Weld District Attorney’s Office. Three weeks ago, the law agencies launched the sweep, which they said involves as many as 1,300 illegal immigrants who have been living in northern Colorado and using false or stolen Social Security numbers and identities. While at news conferences, officials said they hoped to arrest about 25 people every week, but in three weeks, there have been 31 arrests. According to Weld County Sheriff John Cooke, at least part of the reason for the fewer arrests is that the likely suspects have left town.

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Colorado county tax probe targets illegal workers - Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-stolen-identity29-2008nov29,0,2983752.story Amalia Cerrillo has made her living helping other people pay their taxes. Sometimes she showed them how to get on the tax rolls in the first place, helping clients without Social Security numbers apply for a special ID they needed to file their returns. Some were illegal immigrants who got jobs using fake or stolen information, but that wasn't an issue for the Internal Revenue Service: Legal or not, everyone must pay their taxes. Nor was it an issue for Cerrillo: "I'm not here to judge them. If they need to file taxes, then I help them file taxes." But Weld County authorities saw it differently. Last month, they served a warrant to search thousands of records at Amalia's Translation and Tax Services, looking for illegal immigrants who have used Americans' Social Security numbers to file their own taxes. "Obviously, the federal government isn't doing their job, and it's falling to local agencies to do it," Weld County Sheriff John Cooke said. The search is the latest sign of escalating tension as local authorities seek to combat illegal immigration, traditionally a federal concern.

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Refugees escape the past, believe in the future : Local News : The Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/29/escaping-the-past-believing-in-the-future/ Theirs are the human faces behind the world's worst headlines. More than 1,000 refugees and asylees resettle in Colorado each year, arriving from countries as different - and as troubled - as Somalia, Sudan and the independent nations that once were part of the former Soviet Union. Spin the globe and pick a nation; chances are Colorado hosts someone from a far-off land. Every year, the United States government decides how many refugees will be allowed to resettle here - and from which countries they will come. This year, that number is 80,000, a figure that varies from year to year, based on humanitarian and political factors. Given the violence and insecurity that envelops much of the world, the people who find a place here are the lucky ones - squeezing through a legal and bureaucratic keyhole that is very small. Very small. Individual refugees are screened and may wait years for permission to resettle. In the U.S., there are 10 agencies that help them do that, and those agencies split the 80,000 among them, said Paul Stein, Colorado's state refugee coordinator.

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