Thread: March for immigrants Denver

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_3640147

March for immigrants
50,000 back those in country illegally
By Kirk Mitchell and Annette Espinoza
Denver Post Staff Writers
DenverPost.com

Some of the estimated 50,000 participants in the rally Saturday wave a Mexican flag. Organizers said that on Wednesday, they were expecting only a couple hundred people to attend. (Post / Karl Gehring

An estimated 50,000 people marched in front of the state Capitol on Saturday and packed Civic Center, waving Mexican flags and signs urging Congress to defeat a bill that would make illegal immigration a federal felony.

With prompting from speakers using microphones, the crowd chanted "Sí, se puede," or "Yes, we can," a saying popularized by César Chávez, the late human-rights activist and farm labor leader.

"It's just incredible," yelled rally participant Polly Baca, a former state legislator, as a large Mexican band played music at "The Time Is Now Rally."

"You can see that a day without these people working would be devastating for Colorado's economy," she said.

Farm, construction and hotel workers from Pueblo to Fort Collins drove to Denver for the mass demonstration, which police and organizers estimated at 50,000 people.

Many walked 20 blocks to Civic Center, pushing baby strollers and waving large red, white and green Mexican flags. Passing motorists honked their horns.

Rally participants were in a festive mood. They carried balloons and bought ice cream from "paleteros," or ice cream vendors.

There was no violence or arrests, Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.

"We need to fight for our rights," Lordes Cruz, 24, of Denver said. "We work to have a better future for our families."

Enrique Loera of Commerce City said a law banning illegal immigrants would only hurt the United States.

"We are not criminals. All we want is a decent life for our families," Loera said.

The large turnout stunned the event's organizers.

A grassroots campaign to get people to attend the demonstration began nine days ago. Announcements on Spanish- language radio stations and in churches such as Centro Nueva Vida urged people to come.

On March 17, the group met and anticipated two dozen people would attend. By Wednesday, they thought a couple of hundred might show up.

"Our goal is to get mass awareness to the people of Colorado and to the immigrant community on current immigration issues and to call for action," said Ida Sandoval, one of the organizers.

Speakers during the rally ridiculed the Republican Party, telling participants that "they're not on our side and they're pitting Americans against us."

"This is the standing point of a new beginning," said Eli Chairez-Clendenin, 36, of Denver, according to The Associated Press. "We're not going to be intimidated or afraid to speak our mind. We're going to be who we are."

The groups that sponsored the rally included the American Friends Service Committee, Rights for All People, Service Employees International Local 105, Front Range Economic Strategy Center and the AM radio station La Buena Onda.

Also Saturday, hundreds of thousands of immigrant-rights advocates from across Southern California marched in protest of the federal legislation. Rallies Friday drew throngs of protesters to major cities across the nation.

Demonstrators streamed into downtown Los Angeles for what was expected to be one of the city's largest pro-immigrant rallies. The crowd was estimated at 500,000, police said.

Illegal immigration has been in the spotlight in Colorado, with bills being proposed in the legislature, including one that would make it a felony to transport illegal immigrants. On Monday and Tuesday, more than 70 illegal immigrants were arrested after six accidents during an early spring snowstorm.

House Bill 4437, which recently passed the U.S. House, is being debated in the Senate this week. It would turn 11 million undocumented workers in the U.S. into felons. Under current law, it is a misdemeanor to enter the country illegally.

The bill also would make it a crime to shield or support an illegal immigrant. It would require the Department of Homeland Security to build a fence along 698 miles of U.S. border with Mexico. It does not contain a guest-worker program.

A vocal supporter of the bill is U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. While he wasn't at the rally, Tancredo said in a telephone interview that the crowd would have dispersed rapidly had Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers shown up with buses and started checking identification.

He said the demonstration only reinforced the need to pass the bill.

All these folks who are here illegally know they can protest brazenly," Tancredo said. "It's really a mockery of our immigration system. I can think of no better reason to pass 4437."

But those at the protest said Tancredo was naive about the impact of losing the migrant worker pool.

"My people come not because they are bad people but because they are hungry," said Maria Zayas, who was a migrant worker for 20 years before becoming a U.S. citizen. "If we leave, the U.S. would go down."

Seth and Jessica Willey were among the thousands who marched Saturday.

"The Republicans are making enemies en masse," Seth Willey said. "... They are using racism and bigotry to distract America."

Others urged caution as legislators debate the topic.

"Congress is going a little too far this time," said Hilda Berganza, 18, who said her parents came to the U.S. from Guatemala. "In God, we are all created equal."

President Bush on Saturday called for legislation that does not force America to choose between being a welcoming society and a lawful one.

“America is a nation of immigrants, and we're also a nation of laws,” Bush said in his weekly radio address.

Bush sides with business leaders who want legislation to let some immigrants stay in the country and work for a set period of time. Others, including Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, say national security concerns should drive immigration reform.

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Staff writer Kirk Mitchell can be reached at 303-820-1206 or kmitchell@denverpost.com.

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All these illegals and legals that think it's so wonderful to see them parading around are not true Americans, if they were, they would knock those boys down that are holding up their flag!

This is WAR