Posts By: Alison Bowen
Alison is a Missouri native and New York City freelance writer who has wanted to cover Latin America since studying Spanish in Central America. After moving to Brooklyn, her work has appeared in The New York Times, the Daily News, the Manhattan Times and Women’s eNews. She earned a master’s degree in journalism and Latin American and Caribbean studies at New York University. Her thesis focused on immigration policies after September 11, including counterterrorism measures, and their effects on the daily lives of immigrants in New York City.
June 2, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Supporters of DREAM Act Begin Hunger Strike Outside Senator Charles Schumer’s Office
NEW YORK — Sitting around bags with sleeping mats, gallons of water but no food, 15 people began a hunger strike Tuesday outside Senator Charles Schumer’s Manhattan office. The strikers, […] Read More >
May 26, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Obama To Send 1,200 National Guard Troops To Mexican Border
More than a thousand troops will soon travel to the Southwest, assigned to bolster border protection. President Barack Obama’s pledge to move 1,200 National Guard troops comes after criticism of […] Read More >
May 19, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Immigration Activists Arrested in New York For Civil Disobedience
NEW YORK — After forming a human chain and blocking traffic near a federal building, 16 people were arrested Monday in downtown Manhattan. City Councilmembers Ydanis Rodriguez and Jumaane D. […] Read More >
May 11, 2010 > Alison Bowen
New York Reviews Deportation Policies for Immigrants Facing Minor Criminal Charges
Immigrants arrested for decades-old or minor violations, like marijuana possession, may soon be less subject to deportation in at least one state. Last week, New York state officials promised to […] Read More >
May 5, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Immigration Control Program Morphing Into Prisoner Screening Program
The 287(g) program, a lightning rod for criticism, is slowly and quietly melting into an expanded version of Secure Communities, a different and more under-the-radar government program. Advocates and experts […] Read More >
May 3, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Thousands Rally in Support of Comprehensive Immigration Reform; Against Arizona Law
NEW YORK — A recent controversial law passed in Arizona drove thousands of people to protest in cities around the nation this weekend, adding fervor to planned May 1 rallies […] Read More >
April 28, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Immigrants Rally Nationally to Protest Arizona Law
NEW YORK — Backlash against the Arizona law emerged throughout the country Tuesday as immigrants took to the streets, asking President Barack Obama to strike down the law. In New […] Read More >
April 24, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer Signs Strict Immigration Law
NEW YORK — Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed what’s been called the nation’s toughest immigration bill on Friday afternoon, making it a crime to not carry proper documentation. The bill […] Read More >
April 21, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Supporters of Using Local Officals to Enforce Federal Immigration Law List Successes
In the wake of a report criticizing 287(g) and similar programs that deputize local officials to enforce federal immigration law, we wondered what supporters of these programs consider their biggest […] Read More >
April 15, 2010 > Alison Bowen
Targeting Gangs Imperils Immigrant Communities, Advocates Say
NEW YORK — Police officers trying to snare gang members often instead profile immigrant communities, argued organizers at a panel last week. The four-hour conference, “Fighting the Criminalization of Youth, […] Read More >