Call to Investigate Immigrant’s Death in Arizona – Several immigrants in a detention center in Arizona declared a hunger strike to protest the death of an immigrant detained there. The strikers also complain of excessive use of force and negligence of healthcare by the guards. Several immigrant rights groups and an Arizona congressman are calling for the Department of Justice to initiate an independent investigation. Valeria Fernández has more details from Arizona.
California Extends Health Insurance to Undocumented Minors – In a step that once again puts California at the vanguard of the nation in policies to protect immigrants, state leaders have agreed to offer the health insurance known as Medi-Cal in this state to undocumented children from low-income families. Governor Jerry Brown and leaders from the state legislature came to a historic budget agreement that includes 40 million dollars for the initiative. The news was received with joy by immigrant rights organizations and activists in Los Angeles, though they say there is still a long way to go. Rubén Tapia reports.
Texas Denies Birth Certificates to Citizen Children of Undocumented Parents – Texas government officials have begun to deny birth certificates to babies born in the United States to undocumented parents, if the parents do not have a passport with a visa or an official identification from their country. The state authorities refuse to accept consular I.D.’s or birth certificates from the consulates as valid identification. Qualifying these acts as discriminatory, the organization Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid filed a lawsuit on behalf of the parents and children. Attorney Jennifer Harbury spoke about the case on the national program Línea Abierta.
