READ CURRENT NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT LATIN AMERICA FROM THE WEBSITE FOR THE NORTH AMERICAN CONGRESS OF LATIN AMERICA (NACLA) AND SUBMIT THREE SHORT REVIEWS DURING THE SEMESTER. PLEASE SUBMIT ONE REVIEW PER DUE DATE. EACH REVIEW IS TO BE AT LEAST 3-4 PAGES AND EACH DUE DATE CORRESPONDS TO A REGIONAL TOPIC IN LATIN AMERICA. THE DUE DATES FOR THESE REPORTS ARE OCTOBER 23, NOVEMBER 6 AND NOVEMBER 20. HERE ARE THE REGIONAL TOPICS CORRESPONDING TO EACH DUE DATE: OCTOBER 23: MEXICO, BORDER ISSUES, AND LATINX COMMUNITIES NOVEMBER 6: THE CARIBBEAN (CUBA, HAITI, PUERTO RICO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, ETC.), AND CENTRAL AMERICA (GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR, COSTA RICA, PANAMA, NICARAGUA, AND BELIZE). NOVEMBER 20: SOUTH AMERICA (BRAZIL, ARGENTINA, CHILE, PERU, URUGUAY, ECUADOR, COLOMBIA, BOLIVIA, PARAGUAY, AND VENEZUELA) PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR REPORTS THROUGH CANVAS IN EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING FORMATS: DOC, DOCX OR PDF (IF YOU ARE USING GOOGLE DOCS OR APPLE PAGES TO COMPOSE YOUR REVIEW, PLEASE BE SURE TO CONVERT YOUR PAPER TO DOCX OR PDF BEFORE SUBMITTING IT). LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR EACH SUBMISSION, BUT ONLY FOR ONE WEEK AFTER THE ASSIGNED DUE DATES AND WILL BE ASSESSED A FULL GRADE DEDUCTION. PLEASE USE BOTH A TITLE PAGE AND A WORKS CITED PAGE (NEITHER OF THESE PAGES COUNT TOWARD YOUR 3-4 PAGES OF TEXT). THESE 3 REPORTS WILL COUNT AS A COMBINED 15% TOWARD YOUR FINAL GRADE. IN YOUR WORKS CITED PAGE, COMPOSE YOUR ARTICLE ENTRY IN A FORMAT LIKE THIS: NIDIA BAUTISTA, "JUSTICE FOR LESVY: INDIFFERENCE AND OUTRAGE IN RESPONSE TO GENDER VIOLENCE IN MEXICO CITY," NACLA REPORT ON THE AMERICAS WEBSITE (JULY 31, 2017). IN TERMS OF THE CONTENT OF EACH REPORT, I AM LOOKING FOR TWO MAIN POINTS OF DISCUSSION. FIRST, YOU SHOULD DEVOTE THE FIRST HALF OF THE REPORT TO A SUMMARY OF THE MAIN POINTS IN THE ARTICLE THAT YOU SELECTED. TO HELP YOU TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, CONSIDER SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS: WHAT IS THE MAIN ISSUE BEING DISCUSSED? (I.E. IMMIGRATION, ELECTIONS, EDUCATION, ENVIRONMENT, WOMEN'S ISSUES, CRIME, ETC.) WHO ARE THE MAIN PERSONALITIES MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE? (I.E. ENRIQUE PEÑA NIETO, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SECRETARY OF STATE MIKE POMPEO, PRESIDENT TRUMP, ETC.) HOW DOES THE ISSUE AFFECT THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY MENTIONED IN THE ARTICLE? DOES THE ISSUE HAVE ANY CONNECTION WITH UNITED STATES INTERESTS? WHAT DO YOU THINK COULD BE THE BEST SOLUTION TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM? AND FOR THE SECOND POINT OF DISCUSSION, PLEASE ANALYZE THE ARTICLE THAT YOU SELECTED AND PRESENT YOUR POINT OF VIEW ON THE STORY. FOR EXAMPLE, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE STORY? HOW DID THIS ARTICLE CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR UNDERSTANDING ABOUT MODERN LATIN AMERICA? AND WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ARTICLE? HOW DOES THIS TOPIC RELATE TO CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL, ECONOMIC OR CULTURAL THEMES IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY? HERE IS A LIST OF ARTICLES FROM THE NACLA WEBSITE PERTAINING TO REGIONS FOR YOUR FIRST DUE DATE. EVERYBODY, JUST PICK ANY ONE ARTICLE FROM THIS LIST FOR YOUR OCTOBER 23 REVIEW. YOU WILL REPEAT THE SAME PROCESS FOR YOUR REVIEWS ON CENTRAL AMERICA/THE CARIBBEAN, AND A SOUTH AMERICAN NATION. THESE ARTICLES RANGE IN DATE FROM FEBRUARY 2019 TO SEPTEMBER 2020. BORDER ISSUES/LATINX COMMUNITIES AND ISSUES: ABOLISH ICE! FIGHTING FOR HUMANITY OVER PROFIT IN IMMIGRATION POLICY (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) BORDER LAND, BORDER WATER (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) BORDER SHUTDOWNS: STATE VIOLENCE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE PERFORMED (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) CLOUDS AT THE BORDER: THREATENED BY THE WALL (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) DISMANTLING ANTI-BLACKNESS TOGETHER (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) IMMIGRATION NATION (FILM REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) INFORMAL RECYCLERS FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL IN GENTRIFYING BROOKLYN (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) LATIN AMERICAN IMMIGRANTS IN NEW YORK FACE COVID-19 CRISIS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) LIFE AND RESISTANCE FOR MIGRANT FAMILIES IN THE RIO GRANDE (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) LOCAL PAPER COVERS PANDEMIC’S IMPACT IN QUEENS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) ON THE FRONT LINES OF TRUMP'S IMMIGRATION WAR IN THE U.S. HEARTLAND (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) REDUCING MIGRANTS’ LIVES TO ONE GRISLY PHOTOGRAPH (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) SLOW BURN, HUMID PITCH: CULTIVATING CARE WHILE LIVIN’ LA COVIDA LOCA (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE CASE FOR NUANCE IN IMMIGRANT STORIES (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE DEADLY REVERBERATIONS OF U.S. BORDER POLICY (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE DEPORTATION MACHINE (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE OPPORTUNISTIC BORDER LOGIC OF THE PANDEMIC (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THEY ARE CONCENTRATION CAMPS—AND THEY ARE ALSO PRISONS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) U.S. ASYLUM LAW IS A BIOPOLITICAL CRISIS (BOOK REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) “WHAT BETTER FUNCTION FOR ART AT THIS TIME THAN AS A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS”: THE WORK OF CHICANO ARTIST MALAQUÍAS MONTOYA (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) MEXICO: A LABOR SPRING FOR MEXICO’S MAQUILAS? (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) "A PROJECT FOR LIFE” IN MEXICO CITY (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) AS MEXICAN PORK INDUSTRY EXPANDS, ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS FOLLOW (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) AMLO PUSHES AHEAD ON MILITARIZED MEGAPROJECTS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) AMLO’S CRUMBLING PROMISE TO MIGRANTS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) BLURRING THE DIVISION BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE IN AMLO’S MEXICO (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) EL CHAPO AND MEXICO’S DRUG WAR SPECTACLE (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) FOR MEXICO’S STRIKING UNIVERSITY WORKERS, A WAR OF ATTRITION OVER PUBLIC EDUCATION (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) “GREEN TIDE” REACHES MEXICO AS OAXACA DECRIMINALIZES ABORTION (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) IN MEXICO, THE THREATS AND FAILURES OF PRE-TRIAL DETENTION (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) JULIÁN LEYZAOLA'S DANGEROUS PLANS FOR TIJUANA (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) LÓPEZ OBRADOR’S PUBLIC ENEMY NUMBER ONE (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) MACHISTA MEDIA GET IT WRONG ON FEMINIST PROTESTS IN MEXICO (INTERVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) MAQUILADORAS AND THE EXPLOITATION OF MIGRANTS ON THE BORDER (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) MEXICAN WOMEN CALL ON GOVERNMENT TO END VIOLENCE (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) MINING CULTURE WARS ESCALATE IN OAXACA (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) NARCOS MEXICO IS NOT THE EDUCATION WE NEED (TELEVISION REVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) ON THE COAST OF OAXACA, AFRO AND INDIGENOUS TRIBES FIGHT FOR WATER AUTONOMY (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) PANDEMIC INTENSIFIES WOMEN’S STRUGGLE FOR WATER IN OAXACA, MEXICO (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) REVISITING THE BATTLE OF CULIACÁN (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE LEGACY OF SAMIR FLORES, ONE YEAR LATER (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE REBIRTH OF MEXICO’S ELECTRICAL WORKERS (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) THE SEARCH FOR ANSWERS IN MEXICO (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) TODAY WE PROTEST, TOMORROW WE STRIKE (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) TRANSLATING THE FOURTH TRANSFORMATION (INTERVIEW) (LINKS TO AN EXTERNAL SITE.) TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY BATTLEFIELDS (BOOK EXCERPT)

What makes human-trafficking a security, economic, or political threat? What are the risks of maintaining the international policy status quo?Lesson OverviewThis week we examine the broad topic of transnational crime. This is an important topic that you will eventually be making a video about so make sure to focus on it.LessonTransnational organized crime (TOC) refers to criminal organizations that oper­ate transnationally, across borders for the purpose of obtaining power, monetary and/or commercial gains, wholly or in part by illegal means, while ensuring their survival through corruption and/or violence. TOCs have multiple structures; they vary from clans, networks, and cells. One of the main problems is that TOCs commit a variety of crimes and cannot be pigeon-holed. TOC criminals possess certain characteristics which may include, but are not limited to:· They commit violence or other acts which are likely to intimidate, or make actual or implicit threats to do so;· They exploit differences between countries to further their objectives;· They attempt to gain influence through corrupt as well as legitimate means;· Their primary goal is to increase economic wealth; and· The organizational structure is designed to insulate their leadership and membership from detection and/or prosecution.TOCs have taken advantage of technological innovation and increased globalization during the last three decades. Our increasing world with many areas of transversal spaces has allowed sites for TOCs to increase their illicit enterprises.Criminal networks are not only expanding their operations, but they are also diversifying their activities, creating transnational threats that are more complex, volatile, and destabilizing. These networks threaten U.S. interests through alliances with corrupt elements of national governments. They manipulate corrupt officials to further their criminal activities and strengthen their ability to continually function.This week’s reading will provide you an understanding of the "threat" that exists from transnational crime and narcotics. It will also provide you an ability to examine the similarities and differences that exist among different transnational organized crime groups. I want to just discuss briefly how methodology is one of the differences between groups. Methodology is particularly important, especially where violence is involved. We need to stress that some criminal organizations may be viewed as insurgencies and that this impacts how violence is perceived. This is why it is imperative that specific parameters are created to be able to label TOCs appropriately. One article that you will read this week is on Asian organized crime and that “scapegoating and stereotyping could well be part of the consequences if law enforcement authorities fail to clearly define the nature of the operation and structure of Asian organized crime” (Dombrink and Song 1994, 229).In addition to the contrast between insurgencies and transnational crime organizations, identifying the difference between lesser gangs, groups, and transnational crime organizations is imperative. Although gangs may seem less threatening than a transnational crime organization, they have the ability to evolve into TOCs (Dombrink and Song 1994, 229).This week we discuss the various aspects of Human Trafficking in all its forms and counterfeiting. The readings give you a good introduction into these problems and this lesson note is designed to start you thinking about human trafficking, as it is often misunderstood. Human trafficking is often the unnoticed crime due the methods used by traffickers to “transport” across states and borders. Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where people profit from the control and exploitation of individuals. Victims of human trafficking include children involved in the sex trade, adults age 18 or over who are coerced or deceived into commercial sex acts, and anyone forced into labor or services. Every year, human traffickers deal in billions of dollars in profits by victimizing millions of people around the world. The fact that human trafficking is occurring on a daily basis, domestically and internationally, is one of the main aspects of human trafficking that often is not thought of. It is often considered the silent crime due to the fact that processes of trafficking often go unnoticed. One of the main misperceptions of human trafficking is that it only involves the illicit sex industry (made popular by the movie Taken). Although the illicit sex industry is a large portion of human trafficking, human trafficking also involves human labor. The following is a brief discussion of the two forms. Women and children are brought to the U.S. from Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, Mexico and Central America. Many of the children are purchased from desperately poor families. Others are kidnapped. Some victims are tricked by fake employment agencies into thinking they will be working at some legal trade in the United States. Representatives of the agencies promise the women and girls a better life in a wealthy nation(Hodge 2008). While some women know that they will be working in the sex trade, they do not understand the captivity and brutality they will face. They are told that as strippers or prostitutes in the United States they will have better conditions and make more money. Once they put themselves in the hands of the traffickers, the cost of transportation, bribes, and false documentation is used as an excuse for their enslavement. This kind of debt bondage creates a cycle of abuse(Hodge, 2008).No one state or organization can solve this problem. The struggle against human trafficking requires a coalition of national, international, and transnational actors.Government officials, law enforcement, NGOs, and IGOs, lawyers, and social workers are working together to face the problem. According to the UNODC, “Collaboration begins at the national level, but is equally important at the bilateral, regional and international levels.” (http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/documents/UNODC_IntroToHumanTrafficking.pdf) Strategies to fight human trafficking include identifying and educating potential victims, finding and prosecuting traffickers, assisting people who have already been trafficked, and raising awareness in communities worldwide. However, officials and activists are fighting against powerful crime organizations, corrupt officials, and societal indifference.The United States passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act in 2000. Representatives of the FBI, INS and, Department of Labor were members of the Trafficking in Persons and Worker Exploitation Task Force that drafted this act. They created new means to prosecute traffickers, increase sentences, provide restitution to victims, provide witness protection, and delay or prevent deportation of witnesses. VTVPA also proscribed sanctions again states that do not combat international sex trafficking. The U.S. Congress updated a law in 2003 to make trafficking a racketeering offense and allow victims to sue their captors in U.S. courts.The Department of State is required by law to submit a report on human trafficking to Congress each year.The Federal Bureau of Investigation founded the Innocence Lost National Initiative in 2003 along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Department of Justice Child Exploitation. They reported that between June 2003 and October 2009, 34 task forces and working groups have succeeded in recovering eight-hundred-eighty-six children and seized more than three million United States dollars. This has brought about the convictions of five-hundred-ten criminals for exploiting children through prostitution in the United States (Federal Bureau of Investigation-Innocence Lost).Several factors hamper efforts by advocates within the United States. The first is confusion and ambivalence in the law enforcement community. Officials do not always distinguish between victims of and other immigrants without proper documentation. A second issue is funding. Finding and helping victims cost money. The third challenge is that human trafficking is a crime that occurs within and across many nations. No country can hope to enforce human trafficking laws alone.International treaties and protocols addressing human trafficking include the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and the related Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, known as the Palermo Protocol, ILO Convention I82 Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labor, the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography, and ILO Convention 29 on Forced Labor. These treaties created a framework that allows for greater cooperation. International organizations working together include United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the United Nations Population Fund(UNPF), United Nations Development Fund for Women(UNIFEM);United Nations Fund for Children(UNICEF, ) and the International Organization for Migration(IOM).This increase in cooperation and enforcement is a positive sign. However, there is no evidence that these efforts have made a real, sustained impact on those who traffic. The trade in human beings continues and flourishes.ReferencesBales, Kevin. 2005. Hidden Slaves Forced Labor in the United States. Berkeley Journal of International Law, 23(1), 47-109. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.The Bureau of International Information Programs. (12 June, 2007) NGOs Work To Eradicate Human Trafficking, Help Victims :Worldwide efforts raise awareness and thwart illegal activities http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/Ju...U.S. Department of State.Defending Poor Women Against 'Sex Trafficking'.(2007). UN Chronicle, 44(1), 38-39. Retrieved from International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center database.United Nations Office on Drug and Crime. 2004Field, K. (2004). Fighting Trafficking in the United States. CQ Researcher, 14(12), 284-285. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.Hodge, D. (2008). Sexual Trafficking in the United States: A Domestic Problem with Transnational Dimensions. Social Work, 53(2), 143-152. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.