Juliana Barbassa of the Associated Press informs us:

Attorneys for undocumented immigrants who have suffered violent crimes sued the federal government Wednesday for failing to issue protective visas approved by Congress more than six years ago.

The 2000 Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act created a visa category allowing such victims who cooperate with law enforcement to remain in the country and eventually apply for permanent residency... [visas not implemented yet]

..."We finally decided that without the intervention of the federal courts, we could easily be waiting for another six years before an application form is made available," said Peter A. Schey, president of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law and lead counsel for the lawsuit filed in San Francisco...

What the AP forgot to mention is that Schey's group is collaborating with the Mexican government on a website project associated with these visas (vocesunidas.org). Similarly forgetful was Tyche Hendricks of the San Francisco Chronicle in "Special visas sought for some illegals", link. The AP has a history of not mentioning Schey's links to Mexico: Peter Prengaman did it in September, an un-bylined story did it in August, and Martha Mendoza did it last May.

In the middle of the page at vocesunidas.org it says:

A collaborative project of the Direccion General de Proteccion y Asuntos Consulares of the Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores of the Government of Mexico and the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law.

And, from vocesunidas.org/lawsuit_fact_sheet

On March 6, 2007, a coalition of civil rights organizations and immigrant victims of violent crimes, including the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, Catholic Charities of San Francisco, International Instutute of the East Bay. Friendly House (Phoenix, Az), and Sanctuary for Families (New York), which jointly serve thousands of immigrant families with domestic violence survivors and victims of violent crimes, filed a class action federal lawsuit...

It's odd how that backstory - as well as Schey's other links to the Mexican government - were not even mentioned in those two articles. The AP story even includes a link to the CHRCL's site.

Everyone please write these sources and suggest they tell their readers the whole truth:

feedback *at* ap.org
readerrep *at* sfchronicle.com