Maniolas

San Diego, California police officer Jonathan De Guzman was killed in a shootout during a traffic stop. AJPRESS LOS ANGELES — A gunfight in San Diego on Thursday, July 28 between police and at least one gunman claimed the life of a Filipino American veteran police officer while leaving his partner and one suspect hospitalized. At least one unnamed suspect opened fire on officers shortly after being stopped by Jonathan “JD” De Guzman and his partner, Wade Irwin of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) in the city’s Southcrest neighborhood, according to a statement released by the department. De Guzman, who had served 16 years with SDPD, suffered multiple gunshot wounds while Wade, a nine-year veteran of the police force, was struck in the torso. Both were transported to the University of California San Diego Medical Center where De Guzman was later pronounced dead on Friday, July 29. Wade is expected to survive his injuries. During a press conference on Friday, SDPD Chief Shelley Zimmerman said the violent incident unfolded “extremely quickly…in seconds to a minute or so.” An individual thought to have participated in the shooting is in custody and is currently in critical condition while recovering from a gunshot wound. Officers found the suspect in a ravine near the location of the shootings. Before 8 a.m. on Friday, police investigations led officers to a house in the neighborhood of Shelltown, about a half-mile away from the initial crime scene, according to the Associated Press. SDPD surrounded the building Read More …

DACA Los Angeles Media Roundtable held at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA’s Community Room. HIYASMIN QUIJANO LOS ANGELES — Several Asian American advocacy groups urged undocumented immigrants to immediately take advantage of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or DACA and other existing policies that provide relief from deportation The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, and Ready California expressed this urgent message during a media roundtable hosted by New America Media on July 28. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is an immigration policy that provides relief from deportation and a work permit for eligible undocumented youth. Over 130,000 individuals of Asian and Pacific Islander descent in the United States may be eligible to request DACA, yet requests for DACA remain disproportionately low in the Asian and Pacific Islander community, according to a report by New America Media. WATCH: DACA recipient Anthony Ng explains the impact of program. HIYASMIN QUIJANO White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Senior Policy Advisor Reva Gupta said that opportunities that are available to DACA recipients allow them to come out of the shadows and become a part of mainstream society and the economy. Gupta said, “At this point we see very low rates; only about 14.6 percent of Asian Americans who are eligible for DACA have actually requested DACA.” ‘Go to trusted organizations’ Los Angeles District United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Chief of Staff Martha Flores, announced that her agency has a list of reputable Read More …

Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente has ordered an investigation of the possible involvement of some immigration officers in human trafficking. Morente on Monday ordered the investigation after five Filipino women were deported from South Korea last July 23. The Bureau of Immigration, however, refused to identify the immigration officers but said that a show-cause order was already issued by Morente requiring them to explain why they should not be administratively charged for allowing the women to leave the country. The immigration officers have 72 hours to give their side. “We will not hesitate to punish any of our employees who connived with human traffickers in preying on our women. That is unforgivable,” Morente said. “They were immediately relieved from their immigration airport counter duties and their immigration stamps confiscated,” Morente further disclosed. The women left the country posing as tourists, their Korean entertainers’ visas were placed on their passports only during their stop-over in Hongkong. They worked as nightclub singers in Korea and were eventually deported for overstaying. Their promoter in Korea was likewise arrested. Their identities were not revealed pursuant to the provisions of the anti-human trafficking law. Initial reports found that the women separately left the country two years ago for various destinations before proceeding to Korea. They were allegedly cleared for departure by immigration officers despite their doubtful purpose of travel and presentation of questionable documents. Morente, however, assured that the immigration officers will be given a fair hearing and that due process will be observed in the Read More …