Activists: Protect Illegals Fleeing Cartel Violence
Updated: Tuesday, 30 Mar 2010, 9:37 PM CDT
Published : Tuesday, 30 Mar 2010, 7:59 PM CDT

By LILIA CHACON, FOX Chicago News

Chicago activists say it may be time to give undocumented Mexican immigrants a break, especially those running from drug cartel violence.

They're asking President Obama for help, and its triggering a different kind of immigration debate.

Beheadings, kidnapings, extortion and executions: these are just some of the consequences in Mexico's raging drug wars.

Another consequence, people running over the border to escape the violence.

15,000 people have been executed in Mexico in the past three years, including 80 journalists, and the death toll includes nearly 2,500 just since this year started.

Mexican president Felipe Calderon has been trying to put the druglords out of business, but even with more than 40,000 soldiers he has been out-gunned, and outspent.

Luis Pelaya is the president of Chicago's Hispanic Council. He's asking for TPS, temporary protected status, for Mexicans fleeing the drug violence in certain Mexican states. People from countries like Somalia and Haiti have been granted TPS by the Department of Homeland Security.

"There are states in Mexico," said Pelaya, "where people are afraid to take children to school or to go to church. Faceoffs between the army and cartels are extremely common, shootouts lasting for hours."

Even anti-immigration advocates say it's different when entire families are running from violence and not just a bad economy. But some critics say there must be safe places within Mexico where they could find sanctuary.

They call it a clumsy attempt to circumvent U.S. immigration laws.

http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/news/me ... l-violence