By Diana Day

The hall was filled with about 30 or 40 people there for the Islamic Shura Council of Southern California’s Know Your Rights Workshop. Children ran in and out, entertaining themselves, and there was a friendly clutter of dishes in the little kitchen in the back of the room.

As people gradually gathered for the presentation, I noticed that the men sat toward the front, the women toward the back. I was self-conscious and wondered if I was sitting too far forward or if, like the other women present, I should have worn a headscarf to be respectful. Suddenly, I felt ignorant and made a mental note that next time, I should learn more about people’s customs before entering their communities to work as a reporter.

(more…)

By Karl-Erik Stromsta

True or false: 1. Illegal immigrants take jobs from native workers, 2. drive down wages, and 3. impose a heavy cost on society.

The answer to this question is, unfortunately, highly nuanced. More specifically, the answer is sometimes, sometimes and sometimes. (more…)

By Lisa Daftari

Read about the drawn-out ordeal of four Iranian brothers who came to the United States in search of better living conditions but instead were faced with charges of being affiliated with a United States-recognized-terrorist organization under the Patriot Act. Click here to find out more about how these accusations led to an over three year prison sentence. (more…)

By Laura Cavanaugh

Protesters rallied on the steps of City Hall to speak out against anti-immigrant legislation that just passed the House in December. Laura Cavanaugh was there. She breaks down the bill’s provisions and its potential impact on immigrants and Americans (2m 35sec).

By William Etling

Enhanced Border Security
U-S Visit and National ID Cards

After September 11, 2001, the United States went into security overdrive. Desperate to prevent another horrific attack on American soil, a wide variety of improvements, changes and new programs were discussed. Some were rejected, some were approved, but they had a singular aim: to keep any would-be terrorists out of America. (more…)