 "Photo: Brandon Davis")
The Cultural Exchange Association held a conference Monday titled "Immigration Policies in the American Continent" that brought in representatives from around the world.
Six speakers discussed their countries' relationship with the United States in respect to immigration.
Jorge Camacho, a professor from the USC's literature, language and culture department, discussed "U.S. Immigration Policies towards Cuba." Camacho gave a brief history of immigration between the U.S. and Cuba, dating back to pre-Columbus immigration and ending with policies that went into effect during the Clinton and Bush administrations.
Guido Arochi, who works for Community Affairs in the Mexican consulate in Raleigh, also spoke. His lecture was centered on "Services for Mexican Immigrants."
The Community Affairs of the Mexican Consulate acts as a social service-type institution, providing assistance in health care, child custody and support, and sending remains back to Mexico.
The Community Affairs of the Mexican Consulate in Raleigh serves Mexicans in the Carolinas. There are approximately 550,000 in North and South Carolina.
"Because the characteristic of the Mexican population in this region, the U.S., the Mexican population is scattered around the territory of North Carolina and South Carolina, it makes it very difficult to provide services to them," Arochi said.
"For example, in California and Los Angeles, we have a consulate just for the Los Angeles area," Arochi said.
Elaine Lacey, director of Research Initiatives-Consortium for Latin American Immigrants, spoke about "Immigration and the Human Rights in the U.S." Her lecture detailed the horrors of immigrants being detained in prisons while waiting for the acceptance or denial of the application for political asylum. Men, women and children, including infants and toddlers, are all detained.
MSW Candidate Veronica Castro spoke about "Temporary Worker Permission in the U.S." Law Professor David Linan's lecture discussed "How international Laws impact Immigration Laws."
Pierina Correa, Ecuador's immigration coordinator, discussed "Ecuador's new immigration policies and the National Assembly." Correa's brother, Rafael, is Ecuador's president.
Correa's job deals with the emigration of Ecuadorians, "mainly in U.S., Spain and Italy."
"But migration is also the foreigners who come into our country due to political reasons or economic reasons. Actually, right now, we have two big problems in our country," Correa said.
"We have the group of Colombians coming into our country for political reasons, and also the Peruvians coming from the south, due to economical reasons," Correa said.
Despite recent problems, in the U.S. as well as abroad, Correa has hope for the future.
"I think that it's a matter of talking and analyzing and having full conscience of the importance of immigration in our economies," Correa said. "Migration is important and once the government accepts that importance then a lot of possibilities will open."
The speaker's, including Correa's, ideas were well received.
"It's wonderful to see such a great turn out," said Tommy Preston, student body president and fourth-year political science student.
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