Thread: Dallas immigration march (only) draws 200

By PATRICK McGEE
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
DALLAS — Umbrellas were mixed with flags and protest signs Monday when about 200 people marched in the rain to City Hall to demand rights and legal status for immigrants.

All the flags were U.S. flags, and nearly all the speeches and slogans were in Spanish. They called on Congress to recognize illegal immigrants’ contributions and pass a bill legalizing their status.

The Pew Hispanic Center estimates that 11.7 million immigrants are in the country illegally, most of them from Latin America.

The demonstrators marched on the sidewalks from the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe to Dallas City Hall where they heard about a dozen speakers call for immigrant rights.

Some speakers also criticized a proposal being considered by the Farmers Branch City Council to crack down on illegal immigration.

Carlos Quintanilla, a member of the League of United Latin American Citizens in Dallas, asked the crowd to show up at the Farmers Branch City Council meeting today to protest Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tim O’Hare’s proposals to fine landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and to cut illegal immigrants’ children out of city-funded youth programs.

“We are not afraid to defend our rights in this country,” Quintanilla said.

Luis de la Garza, secretary of foreign relations for LULAC, urged the audience to participate in upcoming voter registration drives.

“I believe this is a very important moment for your lives and the lives of your children,” he said.

The Rev. Charles Stovall, pastor of Munger Place United Methodist Church in Dallas, told the mostly Hispanic audience that blacks are on their side.

“The African-American community is beginning to learn more and more about the importance of an immigration law that is right and just for all people,” he said. “We need to say no to any law that is unjust.”

A man in attendance named Ricardo, who did not give his last name because he is an illegal immigrant, said he attended the march because he wants a way to legalize his status so he can travel to his home in Mexico where he has not been for 10 years.

“I want to go back and see my family, but I’m scared I can’t come back,” said Ricardo, 28, standing in front of City Hall with a U.S. flag draped over this shoulders.

Ernesto Rodriguez, 42, said he drove from Oklahoma City, where he works in construction, to support Mexican “brothers” who are here illegally.

Juan Gomez, vice president of the Dallas-based Voces Unidas por los Immigrantes, helped organize the march.

He said he was not discouraged that the turnout was a small fraction of the 500,000 that marched in April during a pro-immigration rally in Dallas.

Immigration reform is deadlocked between an immigrant-friendly Senate bill that would put millions of illegal immigrants on the path to citizenship and a strict House bill that would make illegal immigration a felony.

Gomez said he believes more members of the House can be turned toward some version of the Senate bill.

“I don’t think any Congressmen would want families to be separated,” he said. “We are not against them, we are just in favor of our own people.”

http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/1 ... t=dfw_news

How many thousand did they have in May???

This is great news!

Their movement is IMPLODING!
http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=40004

dang it.. wish I had known I would have been there countering... btw. They said the farmer's branch meeting today but's actually Tuesday due to labor day, so hopefully some showed and thought it had ended

I'm sure their speeches are in Spanish because they were imflamitory.

Dixie

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

“I want to go back and see my family, but I’m scared I can’t come back,” said Ricardo, 28, standing in front of City Hall with a U.S. flag draped over this shoulders.

Excuse me, but it's illegal to drape a flag over anything (except a coffin, when the person being buried is in the military, etc.) or anyone. It's always supposed to fly free.

US Flag Laws and Regulations here:
http://www.wi.net/flag.html

A man in attendance named Ricardo, who did not give his last name because he is an illegal immigrant, said he attended the march because he wants a way to legalize his status so he can travel to his home in Mexico where he has not been for 10 years.

Ricardo, you have my permission to go home anytime you like.

“I don’t think any Congressmen would want families to be separated,”

I don't think they should be seperated either. I think reunification is great. Just go back to the country you illegally immigrated into the US from and get back with your family...THERE! No one is holding you back.

The main reason for low numbers was that Labor Day is a school holiday. Most of the protesters at the previous, larger rallies were school age kids, skipping school.(Another violation of law)
Just wait. These protester groups learn fast. Not only will the next illegal rights march be during school hours, school buses will transport the kids.