Let’s get one thing straight: No human being is ‘illegal’

immigrationmarch600“Could the president grant deferred removal to every unlawfully present alien in the United States right now?”

That’s how Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts referred to individuals lacking the proper documents to be in the country during a recent hearing on DAPA (Deferred Action for parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents).

“Alien” is the legal term to describe these individuals, but Justice Sonia Sotomayor also referred to them as “undocumented immigrants.” She objected to the phrase “illegal immigrants”, which she considers too harsh. Justice Sonia Sotomayor even explained that “illegal immigrants” associates them with “drug addicts, thieves, and murderers.”

Mas…Let’s get one thing straight: No human being is ‘illegal’

No justice, no peas? Eight excellent ways to rock the guac

timesguac

  1. Go for it! Actually try that loco New York Times pea guacamole recipe that has been dividing the nation. Worst case scenario, it’s guácala but you can call your mama and brag to her that you ate an entire vegetable. Maybe she’ll make you some real guacamole as a reward!
  2. Got a fierce sweet tooth? Scandalize everyone by making this dessert guacamole with lots and lots of chocolate!
  3. Impress your Filipino friends by making this sabroso avocado milkshake with condensed milk. (Tell the metiches that ask you what it is that it’s full of nopales!)
  4. Just go ahead and throw everything in your ethnic identity in a bowl with this Chorizo-Queso Fresco-Guacamole!!

    Mas…No justice, no peas? Eight excellent ways to rock the guac

Can I change my name to ‘Mr. New York Times Best-Selling Author’?

corporationsbookcoverI’m going to change my name to Mr. New York Times Best Selling Author Lalo Alcaraz.

OK, maybe a name-changing judge won’t agree, but the book I co-created with author Ilan Stavans has been two weeks on the New York Times Best Seller List for Graphic Books, so sue me, I’m just a little excited.

A Most Imperfect Union is the culmination of over two years of back and forth haggling, drawing, changing, hacking and exasperation, but it resulted a pretty damn fine book. It is the second book famed academic and author Ilan Stavans (Professor of Latin American and Latino Culture at Amherst College) and I have worked on together; the first was the very successful Latino USA: A Cartoon History of Latinos in the US.

Ilan and I could be considered an odd couple, he is a Jewish chilango academic, I am a Chicano artist from the border.

Mas…Can I change my name to ‘Mr. New York Times Best-Selling Author’?