November 19th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
File photo of a Tel Aviv rail station. (Flickr photo by n0nick.)
When thousands of Latin American immigrants left their homelands throughout the 1990s in search of opportunity, the U.S. was not the only country recruiting this cheap labor. Many European…
November 12th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Latino USA has often documented how immigrants coming from a particular community tend to migrate to the same region in the U.S. as a means of creating a safe social net. But refugees represent a different kind of immigration experience. And…
November 5th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story

The number of people held in detention centers has tripled over the past decade according to Amnesty International. As federal immigration authorities have
detained more immigrants facing deportation there have been efforts to streamline the deportation process. Usually a hearing is…
October 29th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Legal land ports of entry are highly monitored by federal officials. (Flickr Photo by Bill on Capitol Hill.)
Most travelers know that even joking about something can be considered inappropriate in an airport situation. Understandably, similar rules apply to border crossings.…
October 22nd, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Labor Unions helped put together the largest mass demonstration in Puerto Rican history on October 15 in San Juan. (Flickr Photo by SEIU International.)
Most people are unaware that Massachusetts, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky aren’t just states, but, in fact, commonwealths.…
October 15th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story

Demographically speaking, Latinas are statistically interesting to social scientists. As girls, they are often the least educated and are more likely to drop out, contract AIDS, or commit suicide. As a group, this is a pan-Latina issue. It’s true for…
October 8th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Famously made in downtown L.A., American Apparel has always taken a pro-immigrant stance, as seen on its factory headquarters. (Flickr Photo by diabetesisfun.)
In many ways the Los Angeles-based clothier American Apparel has been ahead of the social-political curve. A model for…
October 1st, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
The press descended on Binghamton’s American Civic Center for days after the massacre. (Flickr photo by exacta.)
At one point in its history, Binghamton, New York was a major destination hub for immigrants. At the height of the industrial revolution of the…
September 24th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Villagers in Afghanistan describe the loss of family members to visiting journalists and ex-soldiers returning to the region.
With waning public support, a recent presidential election marred in controversy, and a confidential military assessment leaked to the press in recent weeks,…
September 18th, 2009 |
by Alex Avila |
published in
1st story
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.
When South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson interrupted President Barack Obama’s speech with his now famous “you lie” outburst, the actual statement by the President that prompted that incident was how federal healthcare legislation would not mandate…