University of Wisconsin Latino/a Law Student Association » News

WisconsinWatch.org: While Wisconsin’s immigration politics remain stalled, undocumented immigrants drive without licenses

Eric Hinojosa — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:46:01 +0000

Drivers beware: There’s a woman driving a stretch of Interstate 90 between Sparta and Tomah — without a license or any training about Wisconsin’s traffic laws.

Her name is Victoria. She’s a 23-year-old undocumented immigrant from Mexico who works on a Tomah dairy farm with other undocumented immigrants whom she says “all understand our boss through signals” because of language barriers.

Victoria, who arrived in Wisconsin 13 months ago, hasn’t taken any drivers’ training in the United States because Wisconsin law prohibits her from obtaining a license. She says she hasn’t had any run-ins with police, but requested that her last name be withheld out of fear she might be pursued as an illegal immigrant.

She is among a growing number of illegal immigrants who are finding work on Wisconsin dairy farms, located in rural areas where the only way to get to work is by car.

See more at WisconsinWatch.org

Hispanic Advocates Jump Into Health-Care Debate

Eric Hinojosa — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 05:19:12 +0000

After trying to carefully balance their interests in health-care reform and immigration, the nation’s Hispanic lawmakers and largest advocacy groups are scrambling to develop a strategy to counter what they see as efforts to shortchange immigrants in health bills on Capitol Hill. Read more about it here.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Eric Hinojosa — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:28:59 +0000

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period, and enacted into law on August 17, 1988.

Take the Trivia Challenge: http://www.biography.com/hispanic-heritage/game.jsp

Senate Confirms Sotomayor for Supreme Court

Eric Hinojosa — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:33:20 +0000

Judge Sonia Sotomayor, who rose from the housing projects of the Bronx to the top of the legal profession, made history Thursday when the Senate confirmed her to become the nation’s first Hispanic Supreme Court justice. UW-LLSA congratulates Judge Sotomayor on her amazing achievements in the legal profession! Read the story in English and Spanish.