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'''Nicandra ("Nicky") Díaz-Santillán''' is a [[Union City, California]] [[domestic worker]] and undocumented Mexican immigrant who emerged as a national face of [[immigrant labor]] rights when she revealed her status during the [[2010 California gubernatorial election]].<ref name="carla"/> Diaz-Santillan had worked part-time for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate, former [[eBay]] CEO and billionaire [[Meg Whitman]] for nine years.<ref name="carla"/> The revelation highlighted [[Labor rights|workplace rights]] of the [[Illegal immigration to the United States|undocumented]] and has sparked speculation that her case may tip the Latino vote against Whitman in the election.<ref name="carla"/> Demonstrations throughout California of undocumented domestic and farm workers were held expressing solidarity with Diaz-Santillan, some used signs stating "I am Nicky".<ref name="carla"/> As a sign of the notoriety, Diaz-Santillan and her celebrity lawyer [[Gloria Allred]] were spoofed in the opening skit of October 9 ''[[Saturday Night Live (season 36)|Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>" L.A. Attorney Gloria Allred (And Client Nicky Diaz) Skewered On 'SNL'", Dennis Romero, Oct. 12 2010, LA Weekly.[http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/humor/gloria-allred-snl-spoof/]</ref> The timing of the case has led Whitman to allege her opponent had ties to Díaz-Santillán and was using the case as a [[October surprise]] in the election.<ref> "Meg Whitman loses ground in polls as Nicky Diaz controversy drags on. Poll results show Meg Whitman falling slightly behind Jerry Brown in the days following a media blitz about Whitman previously employing Nicky Diaz, an illegal immigrant." Peter Grier, October 5, 2010, Christian Science Monitor.[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2010/1005/Meg-Whitman-loses-ground-in-polls-as-Nicky-Diaz-controversy-drags-on]</ref>
'''Nicandra ("Nicky") Díaz-Santillán''' is a [[Union City, California]] [[domestic worker]] and undocumented Mexican immigrant who emerged as a national face of [[immigrant labor]] rights when she revealed her status during the [[2010 California gubernatorial election]].<ref name="carla"/> Diaz-Santillan had worked part-time for [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] candidate, former [[eBay]] CEO and billionaire [[Meg Whitman]] for nine years.<ref name="carla"/> The revelation highlighted [[Labor rights|workplace rights]] of the [[Illegal immigration to the United States|undocumented]] and has sparked speculation that her case may have tipped the Latino vote against Whitman in the election.<ref name="carla"/> Demonstrations throughout California of undocumented domestic and farm workers were held expressing solidarity with Diaz-Santillan, some used signs stating "I am Nicky".<ref name="carla"/> As a sign of the notoriety, Diaz-Santillan and her celebrity lawyer [[Gloria Allred]] were spoofed in the opening skit of October 9 ''[[Saturday Night Live (season 36)|Saturday Night Live]]''.<ref>" L.A. Attorney Gloria Allred (And Client Nicky Diaz) Skewered On 'SNL'", Dennis Romero, Oct. 12 2010, LA Weekly.[http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/humor/gloria-allred-snl-spoof/]</ref> The timing of the case has led Whitman to allege her opponent had ties to Díaz-Santillán and was using the case as a [[October surprise]] in the election.<ref> "Meg Whitman loses ground in polls as Nicky Diaz controversy drags on. Poll results show Meg Whitman falling slightly behind Jerry Brown in the days following a media blitz about Whitman previously employing Nicky Diaz, an illegal immigrant." Peter Grier, October 5, 2010, Christian Science Monitor.[http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/The-Vote/2010/1005/Meg-Whitman-loses-ground-in-polls-as-Nicky-Diaz-controversy-drags-on]</ref>


==Background==
==Background==

Revision as of 18:35, 2 November 2010

This redirect is about the housekeeper. For mixed martial artist, see Nick Diaz.
Nicky Díaz
Born
Nicandra Díaz-Santillán

January 10, 1971
NationalityMexican
Occupationdomestic worker
Known forBeing an undocumented worker for Republican candidate Meg Whitman and revealing her illegal immigration status during the 2010 California gubernatorial election.[1]

Nicandra ("Nicky") Díaz-Santillán is a Union City, California domestic worker and undocumented Mexican immigrant who emerged as a national face of immigrant labor rights when she revealed her status during the 2010 California gubernatorial election.[1] Diaz-Santillan had worked part-time for Republican candidate, former eBay CEO and billionaire Meg Whitman for nine years.[1] The revelation highlighted workplace rights of the undocumented and has sparked speculation that her case may have tipped the Latino vote against Whitman in the election.[1] Demonstrations throughout California of undocumented domestic and farm workers were held expressing solidarity with Diaz-Santillan, some used signs stating "I am Nicky".[1] As a sign of the notoriety, Diaz-Santillan and her celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred were spoofed in the opening skit of October 9 Saturday Night Live.[2] The timing of the case has led Whitman to allege her opponent had ties to Díaz-Santillán and was using the case as a October surprise in the election.[3]

Background

According to a Pew Hispanic Center report, Mexicans make up 57 percent of immigrants present in the United States illegally.[4] About 80 to 85 percent of the immigration from Mexico and Central America in recent years has been illegal.[4] Undocumented and illegal workers has been an ongoing campaign issue heightened in the 2000s throughout California and the United States.

Hispanics in the state account for 36.1% of the population compared to 15.1% of the United States and about a fifth of the state's registered voter.[5][6]

2010 California gubernatorial election issue

The New York Times noted that Jerry Brown is a Democrat in a state that is "growing increasingly Democratic", while Meg Whitman was "drawn to the right in her attempt to win the Republican primary, particularly on the issue of illegal immigration."[5] The 2010 gubernatorial election was still a "tight race" with a large block of undecided voters when the two main candidates, Whitman and Brown held their first debate in September which mostly focussed on the economy, the state's budget woes and employment issues.[7] The day after the first debate Diaz-Santillan, represented by celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, held a press conference stating she was employed by Whitman for nine years, until 2009, and said she was terminated after asking for help to become a legal resident, “I wanted her to help me to get an immigration attorney".[8] Whitman released a statement that Diaz-Santillan put false information on her application and that the allegations were politically motivated.[8] Allred countered that Whitman knew of the illegal status since at least 2003 but chose to ignore it in a don't ask don't tell fashion.[8] Allred is seeking unpaid wages and "reimbursement for mileage used as the housekeeper ran various errands". Diaz-Santillan stated her goals were not monetary, but "because I know that there’s a lot of Megs [Whitman] out there,who are mistreating the Nickys [Diaz-Santillan] who work so hard for them.”[8] Diaz-Santillan's illegal employment is held in tension with Whitman's campaign "platform of cracking down on employers who hired undocumented workers", it was brought up in later debates and national media.[9][10]

Political observers say the housekeeper's revelation is a signal of the anger of some in the Latino community towards Republicans in the wake of Arizona's anti-immigrant law as well as California's Proposition 187 which would prohibit illegal immigrants from using health care, public education, and other social services in the state.[11] Whitman has variously voiced support and opposition for both laws.[12][13] During the campaign, she ran a radio ad entitled "Tough as Nails" in which she stated her position on illegal immigration as "I am 100 percent against amnesty for illegal immigrants. Period. As governor, I will crack down on so-called sanctuary cities like San Francisco who thumb their nose at our laws. Illegal immigrants should not expect benefits from the State of California. No driver’s license and no admission to state-funded institutions of higher education. And I’ll create an economic fence to crack down on employers who break the law by using illegal labor."[14][15] In June 2010 Whitman released two Spanish-language television ads during World Cup 2010 stating, “She respects our community. She’s the Republican who opposes the Arizona law, and she opposed Proposition 187.”[6][16] At California's first Spanish-language debate in Fresno, "demonstrators held brooms and other cleaning supplies to show solidarity with Diaz."[17]

According to Diaz-Santillan, when Whitman reportedly found out in June, 2009, she fired Diaz-Santillan, telling her, "you don't know me and I don't know you."[18] Diaz-Santillan said that Whitman "made me feel like a piece of garbage," which sent "shock waves through Latino communities, which Whitman had been courting as a voting bloc she needs for electoral success."[18] "Diaz-Santillan undermined the carefully crafted message behind Meg Whitman's gubernatorial campaign and may have emerged as one of its most enduring images."[1]

On O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly asked guest Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security, what U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was going to do about this case, Napolitano promised to return to the show once ICE had made a decision.[19]

Whitman acknowledged she told her political consultants of the housekeeper's case in 2009.[20] On September 29, Allred filed a claim for Diaz-Santillan with the California Department of Industrial Relations that alleges $6,210 is owed for hours of work and mileage costs.[20] The wage claim has a October 20 hearing scheduled in San Jose.[21]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle October 10, 2010.
  2. ^ " L.A. Attorney Gloria Allred (And Client Nicky Diaz) Skewered On 'SNL'", Dennis Romero, Oct. 12 2010, LA Weekly.[1]
  3. ^ "Meg Whitman loses ground in polls as Nicky Diaz controversy drags on. Poll results show Meg Whitman falling slightly behind Jerry Brown in the days following a media blitz about Whitman previously employing Nicky Diaz, an illegal immigrant." Peter Grier, October 5, 2010, Christian Science Monitor.[2]
  4. ^ a b [3]
  5. ^ a b New York Times "California Governor Profile"
  6. ^ a b "Meg Whitman courts Latinos with Spanish-language TV ads", Jack Chang, Sacramento Bee, Jun. 18, 2010.[4]
  7. ^ "Debate in California Governor’s Race" by Jesse McKinley, New York Times, September 28, 2010.
  8. ^ a b c d September 29, 2010, "Whitman Responds to Claims About Former Maid' by Jesse McKinley, New York Times [5]
  9. ^ Cynthia Tucker, "Meg Whitman’s a hypocrite on illegal labor. So are most Americans", October 4, 2010, Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  10. ^ "Jerry Brown - Meg Whitman debate: Immigration" October 12, 2010, Anthony York, Los Angeles Times.[6]
  11. ^ "Brown, Whitman give contrasting views", The Associated Press, 10/02/2010. [7]
  12. ^ Frank Sharry, September 30, 2010, "Meg Whitman's Lack of Truthiness on Immigration", Huffington Post.[8]
  13. ^ "Whitman's husband says it's 'possible' he saw Social Security letter", October 01, 2010, Alan Duke, CNN [9]
  14. ^ New York Times, June 18, 2010, "The Ad Campaign"
  15. ^ Meg 2010 Radio AD: "Tough As Nails", Youtube.com
  16. ^ Meg Whitman - "Different Kind"
  17. ^ Oct. 8, 2010, "Economic Pessimism Pervades Heated California's Governor Race",Spencer Michels, PBS Newshour.[10]
  18. ^ a b "Final debate between Brown and Whitman marked by sharp, fiesty exchanges", Steven Harmon and Ken McLaughlin, Contra Costa Times, October 12, 2010. [11]
  19. ^ "Bill O'Reilly On Nicky Diaz 'Situation'", Huffington Post, Anna Almendrala, October 8, 2010.[12]
  20. ^ a b "Whitman must 'go after somebody,' analyst says" Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, October 6, 2010.[13]
  21. ^ "Nicky Diaz's wage claim against Meg Whitman set for Oct. 20 hearing", Carla Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, October 8, 2010.[14]
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