2010 World Youth Chess Championship Porto Carras, Greece

WE HAVE RETURNED TO OUR CHESS SITE www.chesscampeona.com,

2010-10-22T18:54:00.001-05:00

Today October 22, 2010, the technical issues in our site were fixed so we are leaving THIS blog to return to our website: www.chesscampeona.com,

We would appreciate it if you followed us back to our site at this time. Thank you for supporting us.

Claudia will face Jana Marikova from the Czech Republic in round 3 at the 2010 WYCC

2010-10-21T21:26:00.004-05:00

2010 World Youth Chess Championship
Porto Carras, Greece
faithmunoz@chesscampeona.com,

At 8:00 a.m. U.S. Central Standard Time, Jana Marikova of the Czech Republic will be facing WCM Claudia Munoz with black on board 14. Claudia drew with Germany in the 2nd round and still continued to rise in the final standings.

Claudia is currently in the 24th position after starting out in the 79th position.

We thank God for all His blessings!

Standings after 2nd round for Claudia's U-14 Girls Category

2010-10-21T21:14:00.005-05:00

2010 World Youth Chess Championship
After the 2nd rould results U-14 Girls

Porto Carras, Greece

Rk.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.
1	WFM	Saduakassova Dinara	KAZ	2142	2,0
		Bivol Alina	RUS	2076	2,0
		Nandhidhaa Pv	IND	2060	2,0
	WFM	Osmanodja Filiz	GER	2059	2,0
		Tantsiura Marja	UKR	2030	2,0
		Hakimifard Raana	IRI	1930	2,0
		Shamatava Ana	GEO	1922	2,0
		Jacimovic Sara	BIH	1908	2,0
		Ruiz Font Elisabet	ESP	1902	2,0
	WFM	Felix Vega Aurora Edith	PER	1894	2,0
		Lasya G	IND	1883	2,0
		Bala Kannamma P	IND	1866	2,0
		Patel Yesim	TUR	1820	2,0
		Kahramanova Mohinur	UZB	1811	2,0
		Lei Ting Jie	CHN	0	2,0
16	WFM	Khademalsharieh Sarasadat	IRI	2075	1,5
		Nicolas Zapata Irene	ESP	2027	1,5
		Beinenson Katsiaryna	BLR	1921	1,5
		Milutinovic Stefana	SRB	1859	1,5
		Schmalhorst Sophia	GER	1850	1,5
		Gaboyan Susanna	ARM	1806	1,5
		Turk Tajana	CRO	1772	1,5
		Cosman Andreea-Marioara	ROU	1682	1,5
	WCM	Munoz Claudia	USA	0	1,5
		Xu Xiaoyu	MAC	0	1,5
26	WCM	Fataliyeva Ulviyya Hasil Qizi	AZE	1959	1,5
		Belova Olga	RUS	1946	1,5
	WFM	Pachon Adriana	COL	1923	1,5
		Marikova Jana	CZE	1906	1,5
		Loaiza Yurani	COL	1899	1,5
		Moradi Kimia	IRI	1827	1,5
		Szurek Dagmara	POL	1653	1,5
		Jansen Van Rensburg Monica	RSA	1629	1,5
		Regam Jessica	USA	0	1,5
35	WFM	Rodriguez Rueda Paula Andrea	COL	2099	1,0
	WFM	Styazhkina Anna	RUS	1974	1,0
	WCM	Chiang Sarah	USA	1864	1,0
		Kalaydina Regina Veronicka	CAN	1839	1,0
		Vanagaite Giedre	LTU	1833	1,0
	WFM	Srija Seshadri	IND	1832	1,0
	WCM	Nur Nabila Azman Hisham	MAS	1829	1,0
		Dragieva Denitza	BUL	1803	1,0
		Velikic Adela	SRB	1797	1,0
		Papathanasiou Elisavet	GRE	1792	1,0
		Hincu Olga	MDA	1770	1,0
		Wang Maria	ENG	1732	1,0
		Orlina Laura	LAT	1687	1,0
		Hiebler Laura	AUT	1675	1,0
		Santos Ines Lima	POR	1631	1,0
		Khursanova Farida	UZB	0	1,0
51		Garcia-Castany Musellas Gal La	ESP	1768	1,0
		Heirani Moghadam Sarvenaz	IRI	0	1,0
53		Zarkovic Mila	SRB	1953	1,0
		Gombos Bettina	HUN	1913	1,0
		Tomin Ksenija	SRB	1909	1,0
		Bitalzadeh Mahsa	NED	1820	1,0
		Rykala Monika	POL	1767	1,0
		Balzano Filli	ITA	1765	1,0
		Giblon Rebecca	CAN	1763	1,0
		Yanjinlkham Bayarsaikhan	MGL	1761	1,0
		Koloditsova Renata	SVK	1759	1,0
		Nikolovska Dragana	MKD	1752	1,0
		Shakhmurzova Fatima	RUS	1747	1,0
		Hansen Erle Andrea Marki	NOR	1727	1,0
		Leonardi Caterina	SLO	1699	1,0
		Amra Tasnim	RSA	1543	1,0
		Kurbanova Dagmara	LAT	1537	1,0
		Lahmar Chaima	TUN	0	1,0
		Tlale Tshepang	RSA	0	1,0
70		Navrotescu Andreea-Cristiana	FRA	1910	0,5
		Blagojevic Tijana	MNE	1775	0,5
		Spiegelberg Silvia	GER	1733	0,5
		Oliveira Maria Ines	POR	1728	0,5
		Dall`orsoletta Alaize	BRA	1719	0,5
		Arbore Federica	ITA	1676	0,5
		Weinman Rina	SWE	0	0,5
77		Cyboran Katarzyna	POL	1800	0,5
	WFM	Nouman Amna	UAE	1752	0,5
		Abeer Ali	UAE	0	0,5
		Krassnitzer Maria	AUT	0	0,5
81		Kostitsina Liubov	RUS	1910	0,0
		Romero Daniela	COL	1900	0,0
		Sanders Catheleijne	NED	1861	0,0
		Rostamian Saba	IRI	1755	0,0
		Drakaki Anna-Maria	GRE	1718	0,0
		Serefidou Despina	GRE	1671	0,0
		Kanagarajah Abbie	AUS	1644	0,0
		Barbier Astrid	BEL	1572	0,0
		Oh Minah	KOR	1517	0,0
		Beshukova Ekaterina	RUS	0	0,0
		Caka Olta	ALB	0	0,0
		Duffy Sinead	IRL	0	0,0
		El Felo Ekhlas	LBA	0	0,0
		Flaherty Lisa	SCO	0	0,0
		Kogler Alexandra	AUT	0	0,0
		Lampard Alice	SCO	0	0,0
		Nyamahga Rebecca	KEN	0	0,0
		Olmann Maria	EST	0	0,0
		Sorina Eva	RUS	0	0,0

Claudia and Sophia from Germany draw in the 3rd round of the 2010 WYCC

2010-10-21T12:43:00.004-05:00

Claudia V. Munoz – Mother of WCM Munoz of Team USA
2010 World Youth Chess Championship in Greece
www.chesscampeona.com,

AFTER ROUND TWO - After 3.5 hours and 36 moves with white, both Claudia and Sophia Schmalhorst (FIDE 1850) of Germany agreed to a draw placing her with 1.5 points of two. We consider this to be an excellent start for this World Youth Chess Championship.

The day started for us early and somewhat concerned because we had sever internet problems due to the amount of people using the Internet at that hour. We were able to download the scouting report my husband had sent on Sophia, proving to be an excellent guide on Claudia selecting a particular line to play.

Later, she went to her coaching session with International Master Armen Ambartsoumian in order for him to go over our scouting report.

We understood that Sophia has had about 100 FIDE rated games and had been to several World Youth Chess Championships in Ecuador and Vietnam, so we knew she was facing a formidable opponent.

Nevertheless, we praise God for providing us the opportunity as a family to experience this moment.

Tomorrow, round 3 at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Central Standard Time.

Claudia will face Sophia Schmalhorst of Germany in round 2 of the 2010 WYCC in Porto Carras, Greece

2010-10-21T03:54:00.004-05:00

ChessCampeona Staff Writer
abedmunoz@chesscampeona.com,

Today at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Central Standard Time, WCM Claudia Muñoz of Team USA will facing Sophia Shmalhorst of Germany on board 20. Claudia will be playing white. With yesterdays win over a representative of the Netherlands, Claudia jumped from the 79th position to the 38th in the standings.

We have included some information about Germany for our readers.

"As Europe's largest economy and second most populous nation (after Russia), Germany is a key member of the continent's economic, political, and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed Germany in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945.

With the advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact.

The decline of the USSR and the end of the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then, Germany has expended considerable funds to bring Eastern productivity and wages up to Western standards. In January 1999, Germany and 10 other EU countries introduced a common European exchange currency, the euro."

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gm.html

30 of 40 Team USA players scored in Round 1 action yesterday

2010-10-21T03:39:00.003-05:00

2010 World Youth Chess Championship
Porto Carras, Greece

The first round was benevolent for TEAM USA as 30 of its 40 members scored at least a full point or a half point in yesterday's action. Today round will start at 4:00 p.m. local time, 9:00 U.S. Central Standard Time.

Round 1 Results for Team USA

No.Ini.	0	Nombre	Elo	FED	1	Pts.	Rk.	Grupo
56		Kumar Aravind	0	USA	1	1,0	29	Boys U08
62		Liang Awonder	0	USA	1	1,0	30	Boys U08
87		Praveen Balakrishnan	0	USA	1	1,0	36	Boys U08
104		Taghizadeh Rayan	0	USA	½	0,5	69	Boys U08
1		Sevian Samuel	2105	USA	1	1,0	1	Boys U10
16	FM	He Tommy O	1830	USA	1	1,0	9	Boys U10
19		Xiong Jeffrey	1824	USA	1	1,0	12	Boys U10
24		Panchanatham Vignesh	1803	USA	0	0,0	96	Boys U10
43		Chiang Jonathan	1714	USA	½	0,5	71	Boys U10
150		Wheeler Cameron	0	USA	1	1,0	62	Boys U10
5		Troff Kayden W	2216	USA	1	1,0	5	Boys U12
12		Williams Justus D	2155	USA	1	1,0	10	Boys U12
14		Wu Christopher	2138	USA	0	0,0	95	Boys U12
20		Colas Joshua	2068	USA	½	0,5	66	Boys U12
24		Chandran Kapil	2058	USA	1	1,0	19	Boys U12
31		Viswanadha Kesav	2017	USA	½	0,5	68	Boys U12
79		Lin Dachey	1805	USA	0	0,0	101	Boys U12
119		Beilin Allan	0	USA	0	0,0	132	Boys U12
25		Adelberg David	2201	USA	1	1,0	20	Boys U14
46		Shetty Atulya	2092	USA	1	1,0	35	Boys U14
26	FM	Zierk Steven C	2391	USA	1	1,0	19	Boys U18
58		Haskel Jeffrey	2229	USA	0	0,0	70	Boys U18
4	WFM	Wang Annie	0	USA	1	1,0	2	Girls U08
34		Joanna Liu	0	USA	1	1,0	17	Girls U08
53		Nguyen Emily	0	USA	1	1,0	26	Girls U08
63		Ramesh Kaavya	0	USA	0	0,0	70	Girls U08
41		Devina Sevagharan	0	USA	½	0,5	51	Girls U10
77		Palakollu Samritha	0	USA	1	1,0	34	Girls U10
88		Singh Reva	0	USA	1	1,0	37	Girls U10
104		Zlotchevski Nicole	0	USA	1	1,0	47	Girls U10
9		Hua Margaret	1943	USA	1	1,0	6	Girls U12
59	WFM	Liao Simone	1673	USA	1	1,0	45	Girls U12
62		Oreshko Mariya	1651	USA	0	0,0	75	Girls U12
81		Dong Alice	0	USA	0	0,0	89	Girls U12
112		Virkud Apurva	0	USA	0	0,0	114	Girls U12
29	WCM	Chiang Sarah	1864	USA	1	1,0	18	Girls U14
79	WCM	Munoz Claudia	0	USA	1	1,0	38	Girls U14
95		Regam Jessica	0	USA	½	0,5	58	Girls U14
46		Matlin Anna	1923	USA	1	1,0	39	Girls U16
37		Datta Anjali	2025	USA	0	0,0	45	Girls U18

Claudia wins against the Netherlands in round 1 of the 2010 WYCC in Porto Carras, Greece

2010-10-21T00:11:00.005-05:00

Claudia V. Munoz – Mother of WCM Munoz – Team USA
2010 World Youth Chess Championship in Greece

AFTER THE FIRST ROUND – After a 4-hour, 40 move game against Catheleijne Sanders of the Netherlands, Claudia won her first round game playing black. Our day started like any other day. We woke up early and exercised followed by breakfast. My husband called us at noon in order to inform Claudia who he thought she was going to play. He was not wrong being that the pairings were not yet published.

We prayed and read the Bible, which is part of our mental and emotional training and then proceeded to the tournament hall. In the morning we were really blessed as we saw a RAINBOW, it has a special significance for our family and it really made our day.Once the first round started we knew it was time for Claudia to take that step of faith and continue on her journey. She took 45 minutes just for the first 15 moves. Fours later, on the 40th move she won her first World Youth Chess Championship point.

I was standing outside the tournament hall with the mother of Justus Williams when I saw her come my way.

She gave me thumbs up and then did a little jump as we hugged.

We were so happy!

We know it is only one point, but at this level one must savor every blessing from above as this tournament will be long, but we know God will give us temperance to live through this.

Due to technical issues beyond our control we have returned to our blog until further notice

2010-10-21T00:04:00.006-05:00

ChessCampeona Editorial Council
abedmunoz@chesscampeona.com,

Due to technical difficulties beyond our control, we will be relocating our operations back to our two blogs until we iron out some technical aspects.

For our English language blog: www.claudiachess.blogspot.com,

For our Spanish language blog: www.chesscampeona.blogspot.com,

Both of these blogs were in operation before we relocated in May 2010 to this site. As soon as we reorganize our technical issues we will return here, as for now, we will be publishing continuing news as we always have done before on these two blogs.

Thank you for your support.

This blog will cease to operate tonight at midnight as we will move to our new site - www.chesscampeona.com

2010-05-17T11:19:00.003-05:00

In our 11-month and 23rd day of existance, this blog will cease to operate at 12:00 a.m. tonight. Both of our sites, English and Spanish Language, will move to its new home, www.chesscampeona.com, starting Tuesday May 18, 2010. The following pictures illustrates our new format. If you notice there are two flags on the top right corner of the new site. When you click on the American Flag, the site will take you to our English section, when you click on the Mexican Flag, you will be transferred to the Spanish section.

This is a new format for bilingual and bicultural chess players, we are the first of our kind.

Two cultures, two languages, one result - www.chesscampeona.com,

Chess Campeona, Claudia, is on FACEBOOK

2010-05-15T02:20:00.003-05:00

As the clock ticks and this blog is getting closer to its shutdown period, our new site, that will go online on May 18th at midnight, www.chesscampeona.com, has a FACEBOOK page already.

We ask our readers to please sign in at the following link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001092471551&v=wall&ref=profile,

or simply in FACEBOOK search for ¨CHESS CAMPEONA¨ and sign up. Readers in both blogs are signing up at this moment.

The new image of WCM Claudia Muñoz in her new website in 4-days

2010-05-13T01:34:00.005-05:00

We introduce to you, Claudia´s new image with her new website, which will be online May 18, 2010, www.chesscampeona.com,

A totally different format since it will be groundbreaking in both English language and Spanish language chess. When the address is inputted, the website will appear.

By clicking on the American flag, the entire site will be in English for the United States, with topics of importance to american chess.

By clicking on the Mexican flag, the entire site will be in Spanish for Mexico and Latin America, with topics of importance for mexican chess.

Two languages, two cultures, one result - ChessCampeona.

In 5-days this blog will be moving to its new home www.chesscampeona.com

2010-05-12T13:37:00.003-05:00

Monday will the be the last day that this blog is operational. On Tuesday, both this blog and our Spanish language blog, www.chesscampeona.blogspot.com, will merge into one website BUT WITH A TWIST.

When our visitors go to our new home, www.chesscampeona.com, two flags will appear, the American is for English and the Mexican for Spanish. This way we will have both sites in one location and reap the rewards of a large visitor count, as our Spanish site brings close to 100,000 visitors per year.

This new move represents the duality of Claudia, American and Mexican heritage in one.

Congratulations to World Chess Champion Anand on the retention of his world title

2010-05-11T13:02:00.003-05:00

We congratulate World Champion Anand for the retention of his title in Sofia, Bulgaria. We recognize that both Anand and Topalov gave all they had in this Championship match.

Having a bad day?

2010-05-10T11:54:00.001-05:00

You think your having a bad day?

Think again.

President of FIDE believes he was abducted by aliens...

2010-05-07T13:26:00.002-05:00

The governor of a Russian republic and former president of the World Chess Federation told a TV station that he had been abducted by aliens, who communicated with him telepathically.

The Russian government apparently believes him.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, the governor of Kalmykia, told a popular Russian television host that the aliens came for him in his apartment on September 18, 1997. According to a report on ABC News, Ilyumzhinov said that the aliens didn’t make themselves known to the rest of the world because they weren’t ready, adding that he communicated with them telepathically because there wasn’t enough oxygen.

“I believe I talked to them and saw them. I perhaps wouldn’t believe it if it wasn’t for 3 witnesses -- my driver, my minister and my assistant,” who were apparently in the apartment at the time, he reportedly said.

According to a report on Russian news website GZT.ru, State Duma deputy Andrei Lebedev doesn’t believe that the governor was simply shown around the alien spaceship and released. Lebedev wants to find out what else happened to the president -- and he wants Russian president Dmitry Medvedev to interrogate the abductee.

Russian officials fear Ilyumzhinov may have given the aliens “secret information,” according to the Echo of Moscow radio station.

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/05/06/russian-governor-abducted-aliens/

One year later after being received in the arms of our Heavenly Father

2010-05-05T12:36:00.008-05:00

Written by Abed - Son of Martha Muñoz

It has been a year since my mother passed away. This year has been a year of adjustments and learning experiences since nothing every prepares you to undergo through a situation such as this. I could write so much from what I have learned, however, last night I poured out my feelings and emotions in our sister Spanish Language blog, www.chesscampeona.blogspot.com,

Nevertheless, I can assure the world that my mother´s spirit lives within me and everything that I do contributes to her legacy as a strong christian who fought for those that were in need. Her spiritual legacy also lives in me, as it was through her prayers that I learned to accept Jesus as my personal savior.

It is for this reason that I share with you the obituary that I wrote two hours after her passing one year ago.

Her spirit lives on.

________

Martha Sanchez Muñoz (1925 – 2009)

Staying true to the Promise of our Lord Jesus Christ until the very end, Martha Muñoz was received in the loving arms of our Heavenly Father on May 5, 2009 at 12:30 a.m. She passed away in Del Rio, Texas at the age of 83 of complications related to a stroke and brain hemorrhage. In her last days of life, she was surrounded by her son Abed Muñoz, her daughter in law Claudia Muñoz, and her two granddaughters, Faith Abigail Muñoz and Claudia Elizabeth Muñoz and as well as her loving pets, pinky and pecky.

Martha Muñoz was born in the state of Durango, Mexico to a family of seven brothers and sisters of whom she was the oldest. In the 1950’s, she entered the United States in search of the American dream through Isleta, Texas.

In 1960, she relocated to Chicago, Illinois where she opened “MI CASITA” a Mexican restaurant, thus meeting Eulalio Muñoz , her future husband. After marrying, she confessed to having accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior. In 1968, her only son, Abed Muñoz was born.

In 1977, she widowed and after returning to Mexico, so her son could be educated for a few years there, she performed missionary work in several “colonias” and prisons in Durango, Mexico.

In 1982, she returned to the United States, in Texas, to finish raising her son.

In 1989, she moved to Andrews, Texas where she began to attend First Assembly of God, eventually becoming a member until 2006, when she retired to the Del Rio, Texas area to be under the care of her son and family.

Martha is remembered as a prayer warrior and an avid follower of world events. She enjoyed dogs as well as growing plants. However, her greatest passion was to talk about Jesus to everyone that surrounded her, especially praying for all those that were sick and in financial need.

Immigrant rights as wells as those who had been incarcerated were her constant focus in life, especially children that came from impoverished homes or where raised by single parents, such as was her own life experience.

Martha passed peacefully in the confidence of knowing in whom she had deposited her faith and heart during her life.

Her only son, Abed and his wife Claudia and their two daughters, Faith and Claudia Muñoz, survive her.

A special thanks to the staff of Shannon Medical Center in San Angelo, Texas and Del Rio Nursing & Rehabilitation Center of Del Rio for their support during these last few weeks. However, a special thanks to both Hospice of San Angelo and Del Rio, Texas, their support, care and comfort were invaluable for both Martha Muñoz and those that survived her.

After cremation, as was her final wish, her ashes will be taken to Rio Chico, Durango, Mexico, a peaceful place in the mountains of the Sierra Madre, where she lived a peaceful time in her childhood.

In lieu of flower donations, we ask that all those that were touched by her life contribute to the Children’s Ministry of First Assembly of God in Andrews, Texas, so that the next generation of children may grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Suns to wear 'Los Suns' uniforms to honor Phoenix's Latino community

2010-05-04T22:32:00.001-05:00

In general, people in the sports world keep their political leanings to themselves. Sure, there are a few guys who regularly speak out on political issues, but for the most part that's considered bad business. As Michael Jordan put it, "Republicans buy shoes too." That's why what the Phoenix Suns are doing is so amazing.

The team will be wearing its "Los Suns" jerseys for Wednesday night's Game 2 against the San Antonio Spurs "to honor [the] Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation."

Awesome.

The decision to wear the jerseys came from way up the corporate ladder, as team owner Robert Sarver suggested the team wear their Noche Latina alternates.

Sarver, who was born and raised in Tucson, said frustration with the federal government's failure to deal with the illegal immigration issue led to the passage of what he called "a flawed state law."

"However intended, the result of passing the law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question," he said, "and Arizona's already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them."

The Suns voted on the jerseys and unanimously decided to wear them for Cinco De Mayo. As if he weren't likeable enough, Phoenix guard Steve Nash (notes) succinctly summed up the Suns' feelings on the issue.

"I think it's fantastic," Nash said after Tuesday's practice. "I think the law is very misguided. I think it's, unfortunately, to the detriment of our society and our civil liberties. I think it's very important for us to stand up for things we believe in. As a team and as an organization, we have a lot of love and support for all of our fans. The league is very multicultural. We have players from all over the world, and our Latino community here is very strong and important to us."
And it's not just the Suns who are speaking out on this issue.

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is on board, and the team even tried to get their "Los Spurs" jerseys, though it was too late to do so. When asked for approval to wear the jerseys, the NBA "was all for it," said Suns general manager Steve Kerr. Furthermore, NBA Players Association executive director Billy Hunter issued a press release, denouncing the law.

The recent passage of the new immigration law in Arizona is disappointing and disturbing. The National Basketball Players Association strongly supports the repeal or immediate modification of this legislation. Any attempt to encourage, tolerate or legalize racial profiling is offensive and incompatible with basic notions of fairness and equal protection. A law that unfairly targets one group is ultimately a threat to all.

We applaud the actions of Phoenix Suns players and management and join them in taking a stand against the misguided efforts of Arizona lawmakers. We are consulting with our members and our player leadership to determine the most effective way for our union to continue to voice our opposition to this legislation.

It's not much, just an extra three letters on the front of a tanktop, but it means a lot more. As Kerr said, the Suns want to "make sure that people understand that we know what's going on and we don't agree with the law itself." For a sports team, that's huge.

Related: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs

Ex-New York cop, now Arizona state Rep. John Kavanagh leads tough immigration law

2010-05-02T18:09:00.002-05:00

PHOENIX - Arizona state Rep. John Kavanagh, despite what critics say, is an immigration proponent - as he recently explained outside the state Capitol.

The retired Port Authority detective smiled politely when challenged about his heritage by a Hispanic man.

"I'm from Queens," Kavanagh told him.

"What about the people before you?" the man shot back. "They were not born in Queens."

"Ireland and Germany," Kavanagh said evenly before walking away. "But legally."

The grandson of Ellis Island immigrants, born and raised in Middle Village, emerged as one of the most prominent faces - and strident voices - behind the much-debated Arizona immigration law.

"The idea that this law is going to go away is wishful thinking," said the ex-New Yorker, who helped draft the bill. "Arizona residents are fed up with illegal immigration."

Almost overnight, the law - set to take effect in August - has divided the Grand Canyon State. The legislation makes lack of documents a state crime, with the enforcement left to local police.
"Everything has changed in this city," said Jose Luis Gonzalez, 46, an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. "You can feel it."

For Gonzalez, looking for work now feels like a crime.

Before the sun rises, he joins about 20 other day laborers at a Home Depot parking lot. When a police car drives by, he covers his face with a red cap and looks the other way.

"We went from people trying to support our families to hiding like murderers," he said.
Critics of the law, including President Obama, fear police officers will use darker skin and lack of English as reasons to question people about their immigration status. Arizona has about 500,000 undocumented immigrants.

"This will be the first state to make racial profiling legal," said Claudia Ortega, 38, a Phoenix immigration activist.

Backers said undocumented residents end up as a burden on the state. In Maricopa County, undocumented immigrants make up 20% of the county jail population, according to county figures.

"This law is not going to stop all of the illegal immigration," said Kavanagh. "But it will help."
According to the U.S. Border Patrol, the number of illegals crossing the border has already dropped precipitously in recent years.

Thanks to increased manpower and sophisticated radar, the numbers are down from 577,517 in 2005 to 248,624 last year, the border patrol says. Some federal and local law enforcement officials believe an alliance will help them reduce these numbers even more.

"Our job is to enforce what the law mandates," said John Howard, a border patrol agent in the Tucson area. "The more cooperation we have between agencies, the better we are."
Some Phoenix beat cops agreed. "The law is the law," said a Phoenix officer who withheld his name for fear of community backlash. "And this is the law now."

Gonzalez sends most of his earnings - $70 on a good day - to his wife and four children back in Mioachacano. A few weeks ago, after a full day fixing a roof on a large home in the upscale part of Phoenix, the owner tried to stiff Gonzalez.

Gonzalez waved down a Phoenix police cruiser. "He was a Hispanic cop, spoke Spanish too," Gonzalez said. "He drove me back to that house and made the man pay me for my work."
That won't happen again.

"I will rather lose the money than risk getting deported," he said, surrounded by eight men nodding their heads in agreement. "We don't even feel human anymore."

esandoval@nydailynews.com

SHAKIRA is in Arizona to join the opposition to SB 1070

2010-04-30T12:33:00.002-05:00

(CNN) -- Grammy Award-winning singer Shakira has joined the growing chorus of opposition to Arizona's new immigration law.

Shakira met with leaders Thursday in Arizona Thursday before talking about the issue on CNN's "AC 360." She said some police and lawmakers in Arizona are worried about how the new law will be implemented.

"The mayor is very, very worried, as well as the chief of police here," Shakira said. "They're both very worried about the impact that implementation of this law will have on Latino families, the level of abuse that will be inflicted on Latinos, with or without papers."
The new measure requires Arizona police to determine whether people are in the United States legally if there is a reason to suspect they aren't.

Shakira
The law, scheduled to go into effect 90 days after the close of the state's legislative session, would require immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times.
Supporters claim it is needed to control illegal immigration. Critics counter, saying it will create government-sanctioned racial profiling.

Shakira said she talked to women in Arizona who said they were scared about how the law would affect them.

"I just met with some families and women who have been subjected to domestic violence, and they are so concerned," the singer said. "They're going to live in fear to call the police or to report a crime that has been inflicted to them. They're trying to protect their kids and their own families from abusers. and now they're going to have to protect themselves from the government."

The Colombian singer said when she was in Arizona on Thursday, she thought about how the new law would affect her.

"If this law was already in effect today, for example, I could be detained and arrested and taken away because I don't even have my driver's license here. I 'm completely undocumented here," Shakira said

Texas Gov: Arizona Immigration Law 'Not Right' for Texas

2010-04-29T23:25:00.002-05:00

AUSTIN, Texas -- Arizona's tough new illegal immigration enforcement law would not be right for Texas, Gov. Rick Perry said Thursday, upholding the state's long-held tradition of rejecting harsh anti-immigrant policies.

The Arizona law will require local and state law enforcement officers to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally, making it a crime for them to lack registration documents. The law also makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally.

"I fully recognize and support a state's right and obligation to protect its citizens, but I have concerns with portions of the law passed in Arizona and believe it would not be the right direction for Texas," Perry said in a written statement.

"For example, some aspects of the law turn law enforcement officers into immigration officials by requiring them to determine immigration status during any lawful contact with a suspected alien, taking them away from their existing law enforcement duties, which are critical to keeping citizens safe."

The Arizona law has been hailed by conservatives as long overdue and two Texas lawmakers have said they'll introduce similar immigration measures when the Texas Legislature meets next.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano told a U.S. Senate hearing Tuesday that a Justice Department review is under way to determine the Arizona law's constitutionality.

Though Texas is ruled by conservative Republicans, top GOP leaders from former Texas Gov. George W. Bush to Perry have rejected harsh and punitive immigration policies.

Bush continued his moderate approach to immigration once he got to the White House, often to the dismay of his conservative base.

"We need to uphold the great tradition of the melting pot that welcomes and assimilates new arrivals," Bush said in his 2007 State of the Union address. "We need to resolve the status of the immigrants that are already in our country without animosity and without amnesty."

Perry took heat during this year's Republican primary for backing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, saying in a debate that the students are on a path to citizenship.

"Texas has a rich history with Mexico, our largest trading partner, and we share more than 1,200 miles of border, more than any other state," Perry said Thursday. "As the debate on immigration reform intensifies, the focus must remain on border security and the federal government's failure to adequately protect our borders.

"Securing our border is a federal responsibility, but it is a Texas problem, and it must be addressed before comprehensive immigration reform is discussed."