US Responds To Hate Crimes Against Latinos

Commentary by Marisa Trevino

WASHINGTON  -- America's Wire has released a commentary by Marisa Treviño on the increase in hate crimes against Latinos and what the federal government has been doing to combat the violence and build bridges to Latino communities. Ms. Treviño is president of Treviño TodaMedia LLC and founder and publisher of the blog,Latina Lista.

"The U.S. Department of Justice won a recent conviction in a Pennsylvania courtroom that sent a powerful message to Latinos nationwide—the government will not tolerate hate crimes against immigrants, even if they are not U.S. citizens," Ms. Treviño writes in her opinion piece.

Ms.  Treviño adds that the "federal government could easily have taken a hands-off approach after a state court jury acquittedBrandon Piekarsky and Derrick Donchak last year of serious charges in the July 2008 beating death of Eduardo Luis Ramírez Zavala in Shenandoah, about 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia.  Instead, federal prosecutors aggressively pursued hate-crime charges against the defendants, who shouted anti-Hispanic slurs as the victim was beaten and kicked to death. The guilty verdict was important for the nation."

"The commentary by Marisa Treviño underscores what is taking place in Latino communities across the country during the prolonged debate over immigration policy," said Michael K. Frisby, president of America's Wire. "Many Latinos are being attacked, and much of it goes unreported.  Ms. Treviño reports that the Justice Department is aggressively using its powers to stem the tide of violence and reassure Latinos that hate crimes will be prosecuted."