(Illegal) Immigration activists march in Phoenix

December 19, 2007 - 10:24AM
Immigration activists march in Phoenix
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Jill Redhage, Tribune

Protesters chanted slogans in Spanish and carried signs with pro-immigration messages Wednesday morning in a six-mile march to Phoenix City Hall.

About 100 participants chanted slogans such as, "Se ve, se siente, el pueblo es presente," which means: "You see, you feel, the people are present."

The march started at 9 a.m. at Pruitt's furniture store near 35th Street and Thomas Road, where weekly immigration rallies have heated up in recent weeks. Phoenix police arrested one protester Saturday outside Pruitt's on suspicion of shoving the president of Mothers Against Illegal Aliens.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio said his deputies have arrested more than 50 people near the store on suspicion of violating federal immigration laws.

The friction at Pruitt's has been going on for at least two years. Tension flared in recent weeks when Pruitt's owner Roger Sensing started hiring off-duty sheriff's deputies to patrol the property and ward off day laborers who gather near the store.

Phoenix resident Sylvia Herrera, 64, joined Wednesday's march down Thomas Road. She said she wants the sheriff to stop arresting people in her neighborhood, and she wants Pruitt's to stop hiring off-duty deputies.

"This walk is for human rights," Herrera said. "It's a prayer for peace and justice."

M. Fulton, 31, who practices holistic medicine in Tempe, said sheriff's deputies are guilty of racial profiling.

"I'm not supportive of anything that would support racial profiling," he said. "Our people have been put down long enough."

Some protesters made noise with shakers while others sang "We Shall Overcome." Phoenix police reported no incidents of violence.

About five counter-protesters voiced support for Arpaio, who spoke to the media at the start of the march. He said immigration activists have refused to meet with him to discuss their concerns.

"These people don't want to listen to the sheriff," Arpaio said. "I tried to talk to them."

Arpaio said he would not let the protesters intimidate him or sway him from enforcing immigration laws.

He said a $2 million allocation from the state Legislature has funded his crackdown on illegal immigration, and the money has not come out of his regular budget.
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com:80/story/104805

Immigrant-rights advocates march to City Hall
Daniel González
The Arizona Republic
Dec. 19, 2007 05:00 PM

About 100 immigrant-rights advocates marched from a Phoenix furniture store to City Hall on Wednesday to protest Mayor Phil Gordon's efforts to have Phoenix police take a more aggressive approach toward arresting undocumented immigrants.

The march came on the last City Council meeting of the year, and marchers used the opportunity to speak out against Gordon's decision to no longer back a 20-year-old policy that restricts officers from asking people about their immigration status during routine duties.

The marchers arrived at City Hall at about 2:30 p.m. where they were met by 30 anti-illegal immigration counter protesters. Phoenix police reported no incidents and said both groups acted peacefully. Many of the immigrant-rights activists are in the City Council chambers waiting for a chance to speak during the meeting's public comment period.

Under a mounting public frustrated with illegal immigration, Gordon has asked a panel to come up with a new policy that gives police more authority to enforce immigration laws, usually the job of the federal government. The decision marked a reversal from his earlier support for the policy, known as Operations Order 1.4.

The reversal has put the mayor at odds with Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris, but more in line with rank and file officers who through the police union have pushed for a change in the policy.

Immigrant-rights advocates and many Latino community leaders fear a change in the policy will lead to widespread ethnic profiling and civil rights violations in Phoenix. It could also undermine community police efforts by making immigrants afraid to report, they say.

"We want the mayor to listen to his police chief and not change Operations Order 1.4," said Salvador Reza, who organized the march.

As Phoenix police officers, some on bicycles, kept watch and blocked traffic, the marchers made their way six miles from Pruitt's Furniture Store on Thomas Road near 35th Street to City Hall. The furniture store has become a flashpoint in the deteriorating national debate over illegal immigration, with weekly protests between advocates of day laborers who congregate in the area, and members of the Minutemen and other anti-illegal immigration groups who want the government to deport illegal immigrants and seal the border with Mexico.

Some marchers carried signs with slogans such as "No human being is illegal."

"I am against the mayor's decision t put Latinos on the firing line again," said Cleopatria Martinez, 59, a Phoenix College mathematics professor.

Along the way, they were met with small groups of anti-immigrants, which led to some verbal exchanges.

"If you are illegal, go home," yelled Bobby Wright, 30, of Buckeye, as the marchers passed. "Get legal or go home. You are all terrorists."

The march, however, remained peaceful.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has been using federally trained deputies to crack down on illegal immigration, sent a contingent of deputies to patrol the march route. The deputies followed the marchers in a van for several hours, from the start to City Hall six miles away.

Other deputies made nine arrests, including seven of illegal immigrants, away from the march in the vicinity of 24th Street and Thomas. All the arrests were made from traffic infractions. Sheriff's deputies have arrested at least 60 undocumented immigrants in the area over the past five weeks, Arpaio said.


http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... ch-ON.html

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Phoenix resident Sylvia Herrera, 64, joined Wednesday's march down Thomas Road. She said she wants the sheriff to stop arresting people in her neighborhood, and she wants Pruitt's to stop hiring off-duty deputies.

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What a moron! If you insist on ruining an American's business, what do you expect?

December 19, 2007
Deputies make arrests at immigration march

By Bill Coates, billcoates@azcapitoltimes.com


As marchers for immigrants rights today made their way from an east Phoenix furniture store toward city hall, Maricopa County sheriff’s deputies reportedly stopped nearby motorists and checked their immigration status – often in sight of the marchers.


Though deputies – some in ski masks – made arrests, witnesses said, the exact number of people detained could not be confirmed. Calls to the sheriff’s office were not returned.


About a hundred marchers started from M.D. Pruitt’s furniture store at 34th Street and Thomas Road about 9 a.m. and reached the Phoenix City Hall a little after 2 p.m. Dozens of anti-immigrant protestors were there to greet them. The crux of the protest – for both sides – was whether Phoenix police should overturn a rule that prevents officers from stopping or arresting people for being in the country illegally.


The Phoenix City Council had no item on the agenda regarding what is known as rule 1.4, but both sides expected to speak out during a later public comment period.


At times, tempers flared as people argued about the immigration issue on sidewalks near city hall.


An unidentified woman riding a bicycle got into a heated exchange with Rick Galeener.


Galeener told her to go back home.


“I’m Navajo, go back to Europe,â€