McCain, Obama vie for Hispanic votes
Two eager presidential hopefuls are about to start courting Hispanic voters, the majority of them jilted by their beloved Hillary Clinton.But no amount of sweets and flowers can alter two tough realities: John McCain is not a Democrat, and Barack Obama is a black man in a country where Hispanics and African-Americans have differing views on social and racial issues.Exactly how the presumptive presidential nominees will make their appeals in New Jersey — which has the country's seventh-largest Latino population — is not certain.Experts note McCain and Obama have a big job ahead: On Super Tuesday in February, 68 percent of New Jersey's Democratic Latino voters chose Clinton; 30 percent chose Obama.
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Illegal immigrants are good risks, lenders find
National and state estimates show that Latinos have a far lower rate of foreclosure than subprime borrowers
When Miguel left Mexico for the Carolinas, he planned on staying for a year.
That was five years ago. Now, he has a wife, a 1-year-old son and a mortgage that he got in February without a Social Security number.
“It wasn't difficult at all,” Miguel says.
Though illegal immigrants can't get a driver's license in North Carolina anymore, they can still be approved for a home loan.
With an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), good credit and proof of tax filing, those who aren't legal permanent residents can qualify for a fixed-rate “ITIN mortgage.”
The estimated $3 billion ITIN mortgage market makes up only a tiny fraction of the overall U.S. mortgage market, which originated $2.4 trillion in loans last year.
Yet the borrowers who have ITIN mortgages have proven to be some of the sturdiest as foreclosures climb to record highs.
Banks aren't required to keep track of how many ITIN home loans they give, so it's difficult to find accurate data on them.
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When Miguel left Mexico for the Carolinas, he planned on staying for a year.
That was five years ago. Now, he has a wife, a 1-year-old son and a mortgage that he got in February without a Social Security number.
“It wasn't difficult at all,” Miguel says.
Though illegal immigrants can't get a driver's license in North Carolina anymore, they can still be approved for a home loan.
With an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN), good credit and proof of tax filing, those who aren't legal permanent residents can qualify for a fixed-rate “ITIN mortgage.”
The estimated $3 billion ITIN mortgage market makes up only a tiny fraction of the overall U.S. mortgage market, which originated $2.4 trillion in loans last year.
Yet the borrowers who have ITIN mortgages have proven to be some of the sturdiest as foreclosures climb to record highs.
Banks aren't required to keep track of how many ITIN home loans they give, so it's difficult to find accurate data on them.
more
Casa trains Hispanics how to interact with police
If the police ask where you are from, even if they seem friendly, do not tell them.
Tell them your name, but nothing else.
Sign nothing without an attorney.
Demand to see warrants before opening doors.
Above all, do not give police false documents, and never lie to them.
That’s the message Hispanics received from senior officials of Casa de Maryland in Frederick on Saturday.
The Silver Spring-based organization, whose ‘‘primary mission is to work with the community to improve the quality of life and fight for equal treatment and full access to resources and opportunities for low-income Latinos and their families,” according to its Web site, came to Frederick to continue its campaign against a four-month-old deportation program.
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Tell them your name, but nothing else.
Sign nothing without an attorney.
Demand to see warrants before opening doors.
Above all, do not give police false documents, and never lie to them.
That’s the message Hispanics received from senior officials of Casa de Maryland in Frederick on Saturday.
The Silver Spring-based organization, whose ‘‘primary mission is to work with the community to improve the quality of life and fight for equal treatment and full access to resources and opportunities for low-income Latinos and their families,” according to its Web site, came to Frederick to continue its campaign against a four-month-old deportation program.
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J-Lo Backing Obama?
Superstar actress and singer Jennifer Lopez (J-Lo) was seen "slipping" into Barack Obama's Senate office for what the Hill called a "mysterious meeting". Asked by reporters about the purpose of her visit to the presumptive Democratic nominee, Lopez answered "I'm not ready to do any press yet".
Should she decide to back Obama, Lopez would be the latest -- and most famous -- among the throng of Latino celebrities that have already come out in support of the Illinois Senator. Among the other Latino artists already backing Obama are the more than 20 Latin music and film stars who recently released a Spanish-language video in support of the Democratic presidential candidate.
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Should she decide to back Obama, Lopez would be the latest -- and most famous -- among the throng of Latino celebrities that have already come out in support of the Illinois Senator. Among the other Latino artists already backing Obama are the more than 20 Latin music and film stars who recently released a Spanish-language video in support of the Democratic presidential candidate.
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Spanish-language media key to victory with Latinos
While the dust was still settling last week in the Democratic presidential race between Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, presumptive Republican nominee John McCain was kicking up his general election advertising war — on Spanish-language radio.
Smart move.
Obama, the Democratic survivor, is still figuring out how to win over the huge Hispanic voting bloc that strongly favored Clinton in the primaries. But McCain already has begun his Hispanic media campaign — in Spanish and English — in the hopes of copying the successes that President Bush had with those voters.
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Smart move.
Obama, the Democratic survivor, is still figuring out how to win over the huge Hispanic voting bloc that strongly favored Clinton in the primaries. But McCain already has begun his Hispanic media campaign — in Spanish and English — in the hopes of copying the successes that President Bush had with those voters.
more
