http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/hera ... UTE_S1.htm

2 groups to discuss immigration reform

By Andre Salles
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD NEWS

Two area organizations with differing viewpoints on immigration reform have scheduled this weekend to speak their cases.

The Illinois Minuteman Project will convene Saturday at the Centre, 100 Symphony Way in Elgin, seeking members for its fledgling Fox Valley chapter. The meeting, which has been dubbed "No Amnesty," will discuss reforming the immigration system, both locally and nationally.

On Sunday, the Minutemen plan to rally in front of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office on north River Street in Batavia to show their support for a House bill that would make illegal immigrants guilty of a federal crime, and would fine companies who hire them.

"I think people are becoming more disgusted with illegal immigration," Rosanna Pulido, head of the Illinois Minuteman Project, said. "I'm thankful that people are getting off the couch and taking back their country.
"

At the same time Sunday, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights plans to rally at Hastert's office to voice its support for the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act, a Senate bill that would grant temporary citizenship to high school graduates who were brought to the United States before their 16th birthday.

"We believe they should be allowed to have temporary legal status to get a bachelor's degree or an associate's degree or join the military," Marissa Graciosa said. She is a spokesman for the Chicago-based coalition, which organizes immigrant and refugee communities and fights for their rights.

The Illinois Minuteman Project is a local offshoot of the nationwide Minutemen, created in 2004 by Californian Jim Gilchrist. That organization's volunteers in 2005 set up an unofficial patrol along the Arizona-Mexico border, armed with binoculars and cell phones, reporting suspected illegal immigrants to police and immigration services.

Since then, the Minuteman Project has grown, and volunteer groups have sprung up in several states amid charges of racism and xenophobia.

02/25/06