ImmigrationProf Blog

Your Playlist: Los Tigres Del Norte Ft Calle 13

Here's a heck of a song to open your semester of immigration law with: América by Los Tigres Del Norte and featuring Calle 13:

Here's the basic theme:

Porque América es todo el continente
Y el que nace aquí, es americano

Which means:

Because America is the whole continent
And whoever is born here is American

This is followed by a shout out to various American nations: Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Chile and Costa Rica, Salvador, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas.

My favorite bit comes a little later:

Soy la pesadilla del sueño americano
Soy América, soy lo que dejaron
Toda la sobra de lo que se robaron

Which translates to:

I'm the nightmare of the American dream
I am America, I am what they left
All the leftovers of what was stolen

This song is definitely making my playlist this year.

-KitJ

Your Playlist: Me Fui (various artists)

The story of the song Me Fui is fascinating. It was originally composed and sung by Reymar Perdomo, a migrant from Venezuela living in Perú. The original video is a street performance with Reymar leading a group of Venezuelan immigrants in song.

That video went viral. And what happened next was pretty epic.

A Colombian journalist, Daniel Samper, brought Reymar to Colombia and surprised her with a bus sing-a-long featuring three well-known Colombian singers--Carlos Vives, Santiago Cruz and Andrés Cepeda.

Cool, right? THE STORY ISN'T OVER!

Some time later, 16 Latin American artists collaborated on another version of her song: Ventino, San Luis, Debi Nova, Víctor Muñoz, Sebastián Yatra, Raquel Sofía, Fonseca, Juan Fernando Velasco, Santiago Cruz, Fanny Lu, Leslie Shaw, Silvestre Dangond, Andrés Cepeda, Cáceres and Javier Ramírez.

The title of the piece now is Me fui: El himno de los migrantes venezolanos que reunió a diferentes cantantes latinos (I left: The Anthem of Venezuelan Migrants that Brought Together Different Latino Singers).

This is clearly a song with legs. A great accompaniment to your push/pull discussion.

-KitJ

Your Playlist: Desorden Público

Check out the Venezuelan ska band Desorden Público's Los que se quedan, los que se van. It's about the Venezuelans who leave their country to pursue opportunities around the globe but who don't leave without "inmenso... vértigo."

Representative lyrics:

Los que se quedan, los que se van (Those who stay, those who go)
Algún día volverán... (Someday they will come back...)

-KitJ

Race and Regulation Podcast: Race, Citizenship, and Political Inequality

Professor Ming Hsu Chen is featured in a podcast on Race and Regulation, which is being released online July 20, 2022.

Coming this Weds., 7/20, the seventh episode of our podcast series, “Race and Regulation.” Ming Hsu Chen @minghsuchen of @UCHastingsLaw examines the regulatory barriers affecting political representation of racial minorities and non-citizens. https://t.co/NR9i8OMyjl pic.twitter.com/AxbthZJOwy

— The Regulatory Review (@TheRegReview) July 18, 2022

The podcast is produced by Patty McMahon and includes music by Philadelphia-based artist, Joy Ike. It builds on a Race and Regulation lecture series that includes the original talk by Chen (YouTube channel), two online symposiums organized by The Regulatory Review, and PPR’s online publications: “Racism, Regulation, and the Administrative State” and “Race and Regulation.” 

Episodes have been recorded with these experts working on issues at the intersection of law, race, and public policy: Dorothy E. Roberts (George A. Weiss University Professor of Law and Sociology and the Raymond Pace and Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights at Penn Carey Law), Chris Brummer (Georgetown), Jessica Trounstine (UC-Merced), Guy-Uriel Charles (Harvard), Anita L. Allen (Henry R. Silverman Professor of Law and Professor of Philosophy at Penn Carey Law), Jill A. Fisher (UNC-Chapel Hill), Ming Hsu Chen (California), Olatunde C. Johnson (Columbia), Brian D. Feinstein (Assistant Professor of Legal Studies & Business Ethics at the Wharton School), and Daniel E. Ho (Stanford).

Your Playlist: Jesse & Joy

Looking for a new song to add to your immigration playlist? This song isn't new, new (it's from 2017)... but it just might be new to you. Check out Jesse & Joy's Un Besito Más, which translates to One More Kiss.

It's something of a heart-breaker, focusing on U.S. citizen children who have lost a parent or parents to deportation.

Sé que no querías marcharte (I know you didn't want to leave)
Sé que te querias quedar(I know you wanted to stay )

-KitJ

Puerto Rico NOW!

Thursday, July 28 at 4:00 PM ET

A vibrant island chain in the Caribbean, a multivocal diaspora on the mainland, a US territory – Puerto Rico holds an extraordinary place in the world, encompassing a variety of stories, experiences, and challenges. Join Dr. Elizabeth Alexander (President, Mellon Foundation), Alana Casanova-Burgess (Host and Producer of the WNYC and Futuro Media podcast, La Brega: Stories of the Puerto Rican Experience), Dr. Yarimar Bonilla (Director of the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College in New York City), and Daniel Lind-Ramos (Sculptor and Painter) for a discussion about Puerto Rico Now—its powerful multiplicity, its many lessons, and much more.   Register here. More information and future events can be found at mellon.org/events.   MHC

BTS K-Pop Stars Visit White House, Speak Against Anti-Asian Hate

In lighter news, global Korean pop (k-pop) stars BTS visited President Biden in the White House. They used the occassion to speak against anti-Asian hate and thank the president for signing the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act that increased reporting of incidents. Their remarks:

"We were devastated by the recent surge of hate crimes including Asian American hate crimes. To put a stop on this and support the cause, we'd like to take this opportunity to voice ourselves once again. It's not wrong to be different. Equality begins when we open up and embrace all of our differences."

Video of their remarks here. More coverage of their visit from NPR here.

MHC

Michael Olivas funeral services and obituary

Professor Michael A. Olivas passed on April 22, 2022. Excerpts from his obituary appear below:

Michael led an extraordinary life; he was an impactful scholar, a beloved teacher and mentor, an "accidental" historian, a radio personality, a counselor to political leaders and deans, and a beloved friend. 

After his early education in Santa Fe, Michael graduated magna cum laude from Pontifical College Josephinum and received his Masters and Ph.D. at Ohio State. He then went to Georgetown University Law Center and found a passion for the law. He became a law professor at the University of Houston where he taught for 38 years. He founded the Institute of Higher Education Law and Governance and served as President of the UH Downtown Campus. He served as president of the Association of American Law Schools, elected as a member of American Law Institute and a fellow of the American Bar Foundation. He was a member of the American Educational Research Association and the National Academy of Education. He was a long time Board member of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Education Fund.

In the legal academy, he founded the Latino Law Professor Association and served as a mentor to law professors all over the country. Professor Olivas single handedly mentored and recruited dozens of Latinos into the academy. He wrote 16 books including: No Undocumented Child Left Behind: Plyler v. Doe and the Education of Undocumented School Children; Perchance to DREAM: A Political and Legal History of the DREAM Act; Suing Alma Mater: Higher Education and the Court; and, The Law and Higher Education: Cases and Material on Colleges in Court. The legacy of his scholarship is lauded in a book, Law Professor and Accidental Historian, The Scholarship of Michael A. Olivas, which collected articles by professors around the country who wrote about the brilliance and prescience of his work in immigration, education and diversity. 

Funeral services are on Saturday, April 30 at the Santa Fe St. Francis Cathedral with a rosary at 11:00, the Eulogy at 11:30 and the mass celebrated at noon. A livestream will take place here. In lieu of flowers, Dr. Reyes requests donations be made to MALDEF, 634 S. Spring St. 11th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90014 or to student scholarship funds he established at the University Houston Law Center.

Tributes from other ImmigrationProf editors (and here), and law professors reflect an outpouring of love and loss at his passing.

The Rock N Roll Law Professor: Michael Olivas

 

As posted two days ago, we lost a wonderful immigration colleague, Michael Olivas, a few days ago.  To celebrate his life, I wanted to post a bit about some of his loves.  For example, every Christmas holiday season, Michael would allocate a day to watching the Godfather movies. 

Michael especially loved rock and roll and had a radio show on The Law of Rock N Roll.  The website had "posse postings" with nuggets like this:

"Immigration files on George Harrison and The Concert for Bangla Desh

USCIS has helpfully posted the A-file of the late George Harrison, as he was petitioning to be allowed to perform in the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh... Download PDF File"

 

Michael had eclectic musical interests, from Linda Ronstadt to Van Morrison to REO Speedwagon to Little Richard.  He always had some thoughts on The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, who I listen to.  I liked this story about Michael's first formative rock n roll experience:

 

"When [he] was 11 years old he told his parents he was going to spend the night at a friend’s house. Instead, he rode his bike to the Albuquerque Civic Auditorium and found himself electrified with the crowd by founding father of rock ‘n’ roll Little Richard."  (bold added).  And, as he put it, Little Richard changed his life.

KJ

Ukraine President Zelensky Appears in Video at the Grammys

 

The war in Ukraine made the Grammys last night.  Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a taped speech during the 2022 Grammys amid his country’s war with Russia.

The video introduced John Legend’s performance of “Free” as part of a special tribute to Ukraine, which is facing an humanitarian crisis with the Russian invasion. Host Trevor Noah introduced the special performance.

 

 

KJ

Don't Forget the Super Bowl Game -- Among Immigration Enforcement, Television Ads, and the Half Time Show

Bill Hing posted yesterday about the Department of Homeland Security presence at the Super Bowl.

Besides immigration enforcement activities (and the world football championship game), Super Sunday is a cultural phenomenon.  Check out the half time show with of Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar and Dr. Dre.  Past half times have featured Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and many more (including Janet Jackson in the famous "wardrobe malfunction incident). 

 

Besides the half time show, many revelers at Super Bowl parties carefully watch the expensive television advertisements. 

And, yes, there even is an immigration story here.  In 2017, with President Trump in office, Budweiser made news with a Super Bowl ad on immigration.  

 

84 Lumber also ran an immigration ad during the 2017 Super Bowl:

 

Last but not least, don't forget the football game.  The resurgent Los Angeles Rams play the upstart Cincinnati Bengals at 3:30 p.m. PST.  My pick:

 

 

KJ

Your Playlist: Scott Ainslie

The Land That I Love by Scott Ainslie explores themes of the push/pull factors leading folks to enter into the United States without authorization.

For example, the chorus cries: "If it weren’t for low wages – I’d be living there still."

Verse two tackles the crossing itself:

So, we paid the coyotes. We rode in the van.
We walked in the desert; lost in this land.
Her feet were so blistered – that she could not go on.
When I left her I kissed her. When I came back, she was gone.

You can read about Scott's journey to writing this song at this link. It's dedicated to "Grecia Cruz, who crossed into the Tohono O’odham Reservation desert and was lost June 23, 2007." Ainslie hopes that listeners will "be moved to learn more about NAFTA and the role that US trade policies and globalization play in manipulating labor on both sides of our southern border and in creating the pressing needs that are driving immigration."

-KitJ

Bob Marley's U.S. Immigration File

 

LexisNexis Immigration Law brought to my attention an immigration gem -- Bob Marley's U.S. Immigration File.  the file is the subject of this article by Claudia Gardner in DanceHallMag.

"Reggae legend Bob Marley was ordered by United States Immigration officials, to leave the country or be deported, on two occasions, records dating back to 1966 have revealed. The documents, totaling 95 pages, which were requested by journalist and social justice activist Murv Glass a month after Bob died in 1981 under the Freedom of Information Act, have been online from as far back as August 2021."

Check out the article for documents in Marley's Immigration and Naturalization Service file.

KJ

 

Your Playlist: Alex Boyé

This is Refugee's Christmas by Alex Boyé:

Here are some choice lyrics:

I′m calling America one time
Tell me what you say
Please don't put me on hold
Don't call me useless
***

I am here
To remind you
We're not invisible
Standing right here
We are Humans with hopes & fears

-KitJ

Music Break: Foreigner, Head Games

 

I was listening to some classic rock radio and wondered how the band Foreigner got its name.  It turns out that half the band was British and half was American.  And it turns out that one of the band's hits was about the law.

 

KJ

 

Your Playlist: Sade

Here's a mellow number for your Saturday night -- Sade's Immigrant:

Here are the first verses:

Coming from where he did
He was turned away from
Every door like Joseph
To even the toughest among us
That would be too much

He didn't know what it was to be black
'Til they gave him his change
But didn't want to touch his hand
To even the toughest among us
That would be too much

-KitJ

Your Playlist: El Tri

It's Saturday night and time for a new immigration song. Try El Muro (The Wall) by El Tri.

Some lyrics:

Voy buscando encontrar mi camino (I'm looking to find my way)
Voy buscando una oportunidad (I'm looking for an opportunity)
Se que voy a encontrar mil problemas (I know I'm going to find a thousand problems)
Se que voy a tener que luchar (I know I'm going to have to fight)
Pero vale el esfuerzo la pena (But it's worth the effort)

-KitJ

Teenage People Smugglers on the U.S./Mexico Border

WaPo's multimedia story The child migrant smugglers of Northern Mexico is definitely worth a read. And look.

The article tells the story of teenage people smugglers operating on the U.S.-Mexico border. Teenagers are particularly suited to this work, the article explains, because the DOJ doesn’t prosecute Mexican minors for smuggling. All bets are off for the 18+ crowd.

The article focuses on one teen in particular and the choices seasoned smugglers like him must make when they age-out of the migrant-trafficking side of cartel business. I won't offer spoilers, but it's intense.

The article includes photos and videos that would be really compelling additions to class.

And there's even a link to a rap song that could be used before your discussion of people smuggling:

-KitJ

Your Playlist: Robbie O'Connell & Finbar Clancy

Kilkelly Ireland Song, performed by Robbie O'Connell & Finbar Clancy, is truly unique. The lyrics come from old letters, dating to the late 1800s, between an Irish immigrant to America and his family back home in Ireland.

Fair warning: you're going to want some tissues in hand while listening to this one.

-KitJ

Your Playlist: Malini D. Sur

Check out Yes I Am (American) by Malini Sur:

In an early verse Sur sings: "Yes I am an American. And my skin in brown. I am an American, with a name you can pronounce."

Later, she references SB 1070, singing: "Who are you? And do you belong? You're looking like you are strange."

Her response? "Yes I am an American, as god-fearing as you."

-KitJ