The Patrick administration has opted against signing onto the federal Secure Communities initiative, citing a “lack of clarity” and inconsistent implementation of a national program that uses locally gathered fingerprinting information to verify the immigration status of those arrested in Massachusetts.
“The Governor and I are dubious of the Commonwealth taking on the federal role of immigration enforcement. We are even more skeptical of the potential impact that Secure Communities could have on the residents of the Commonwealth,” Public Safety Secretary Mary Beth Heffernan wrote in a letter dated Friday to Acting Secure Communities Director Marc Rapp, informing the Department of Homeland Security that Massachusetts would not sign a memorandum of understanding for participation.
Since the start of the Secure Communities program in 2008, the information sharing capability between local law enforcement agencies and ICE has been expanded to 1,331 jurisdictions in 42 states. According to the Department of Homeland Security, 151,590 convicted criminal aliens have been booked into ICE custody through March 31, 2011, and 77,160 have been deported.
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News
Jun 3, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Far fewer people died or were left homeless by last year's devastating earthquake than claimed by Haitian leaders, a report commissioned by the U.S. government has concluded — challenging a central premise behind a multibillion-dollar aid and reconstruction effort.
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May 26, 2011

May 17, 2011
Haitians who received "Temporary Protected Status" — or TPS— from the U.S. government last year got good news today: They can stay in the U.S. for an additional 18 months, per the order of the Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano. Read more
May 17, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) _ Haiti's new president wants a business leader to serve as his prime minister, a government official said Sunday.
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May 12, 2011
More than 300 people were on hand this afternoon for the first-annual Boston Haitian Honors awards luncheon, hosted by the Boston Haitian Reporter to mark its tenth year of publication. The event included keynote remarks by Dr. Paul Farmer, co-founder of Partners in Health, which has provided critical health services to the people of Haiti for more than 25 years.
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May 12, 2011

May 10, 2011

May 10, 2011
“Images are not arguments, rarely even lead to proof, but the mind, craves them, and, of late more than ever, the keenest experiments find twenty images better than one, especially if contradictory; since the human mind has already learned to deal in contradictions.”
— Henry Adams, A Law of Acceleration
If there is one important historical figure from the early nineteenth century who has been consistently misrepresented through imagery, it would have to be Toussaint L’Ouverture. One would think that as a minimum, someone of his ilk and significance to Haitian history and the overall contribution to humanity’s fight for equality, freedom and dignity, a proper physical representation of his figure would be easily accessible. However, that has not been the case.
As we know, images are powerful tools. Unfortunately, they are often conjured and perpetuated by the victors of history, and are thus prone to reimaging and propaganda. Predictably, the essence of Toussaint over the years has suffered a vast distortion and vilification that has been seared into our minds as we remember him as a figure that was either homely and diminutive, or at times ostentatious and imposing – perhaps misrepresentative of his legacy.
In March of last year, after Haiti’s tragic earthquake, a friend of mine, researcher, Mario Valdes, whom I had the opportunity to work with at PBS Frontline, emailed me a photograph of what may be the only historically accurate painting of Toussaint, shattering any and all previous notions I held about his physical appearance and affect.
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Apr 26, 2011
The certification of legislative election results from last month's runoff election will be delayed after U.S. and U.N. diplomats raised questions over the victories of more than a dozen candidates, Haitian officials said Monday.
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Apr 4, 2011
The Miami Herald reports today that Michel Martelly will be the next president of Haiti. Read more
Mar 22, 2011
PORT-AU-PRINCE— Haitians wearied by long years of poverty, corruption and natural disasters are settling in for a wait to find out who they have elected to lead efforts to rebuild the earthquake-devastated capital, improve education and create some optimism Read more
Mar 20, 2011
Wyclef Jean was shot while campaigning for Michel Martelly in Haiti today, according to a report from Al Jazerra. Read more
Mar 18, 2011

Mar 15, 2011

Mar 15, 2011

Mar 15, 2011

Mar 15, 2011

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