The American Bar Association is expected to announce today the creation of a new commission to study whether the legal system is addressing the needs of the Hispanic community.
Stephen N. Zack, a Cuban-American lawyer from Miami soon to be the first Hispanic at the helm of the ABA, has tapped Cesar L. Alvarez to head the Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights. Alvarez is also from Miami and a Cuban-American.
The commission would be the first of its kind catering to the legal needs of Hispanics in the history of the 400,000 member association.
“We need to find out the facts and we need to see how the system is working or not working to make sure that Hispanics are fully integrated and treated equally within our justice system,” said Zack.
The commission will hold public hearings in major U.S. cities with Hispanic populations. The findings from the hearings will eventually become part of a report similar to one already issued earlier this year by the ABA’s Commission on Immigration. That report called for an overhaul of the deportation system under the Justice Department.
Alvarez stated that a report on the legal rights and responsibilities of Hispanics “can be a pretty important source of information particularly in this period of time when there’s a lot of rhetoric and misinformation floating in the market place.”
“I’ve been working on these issues all of my life, not only with Hispanics, but making sure that others get to have at least the chance of living the American dream that I’ve had the opportunity to live. I’m knocking down barriers and making sure people have a shot,” said Alvarez.
The announcement is expected to take place at the group’s annual convention in San Francisco.
They should take up SB 1070!