Local editorial
Noticias.nacional@coxinet.net

Andrés Chao, Mexican Consul, said on his recent visit to Oklahoma City, that the state should look for ways to solve the growing problem of illegal immigration. He commented that there should exist solutions that benefit both countries.

He emphatically rejected the notion that the immigrants come to the United States to import poverty and misery. He said that Mexico also suffers because of the absence of the labor of its young people who emigrate looking for a better future in this country.

Also, he showed concern for the large number of human rights violations against minority groups on the part of the American nation.

“One of our objectives is to protect and defend Mexican nationals who live in this jurisdiction,” said Chao, who established a consulate in Little Rock, Arkansas a year ago.

“We are very preoccupied by the adverse situations that our citizens face in this nation, with the absence of immigration reform that in turn has driven different states to create their own laws,” added Chao.

The Little Rock consulate, which is the 47th nationally, serves Mexican citizens in Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma. Chao reunited with various local and state officials recently, among them the mayor and chief of police. Next month, he plans a meeting with the Tulsa County Sheriff.

“It made things worse when local law enforcement officials got involved and are forced to interpret federal immigration laws. If the Latino community is aware that the police are ready to arrest them and deport them then there is created an animosity against the local authorities. This is precisely what is happening now in Tulsa, Oklahoma,” commented Chao. “It’s because of this that we insist in working together to build trust within the Latino community,” he said.

According to Chao, many of the problems of some of the law enforcement officials is that they have created a prejudicial idea in their minds, in terms of immigration status, unfortunately most of them don’t know the laws or immigration reforms. He says that some of the problems arising from Tulsa seem to be of a racial nature. Others are not sensitive to issues of immigration and in some cases it is simply discrimination.

Chao also believes that the federal government should improve work programs for immigrants in the nation. “It’s a question of numbers. This country has the markets and we have the manpower. These two matters go hand-in-hand. Both countries have to solve this issue because there are costs and benefits to both sides,” concluded Chao.

By Noticias.nacional@coxinet.net

The Muscogee (Creek) Nation National Council stated that it firmly opposes the legislation that will declare English as the official state language. The council passed a resolution, during their monthly meeting, rejecting this proposal.

The Creek Nation Council follows closely behind the actions of the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians who passed a similar proposal in their last session held on April 9th. This proposal passed the House last week, if approved by the Senate, it will be sent to the State Secretary who will recommend a state vote.

The author of the proposal, Representative Randy Terrill, says that the proposal will prohibit the state of Oklahoma from utilizing state funds for programs like driver’s license tests in languages other than English.

According to Republican Terrill, the measure will exclude Native American languages as it will protect them. Terrill ended by saying that this amendment to the law is similar to laws already approved in 30 other states.

(Article translated by Rosario Guerra)