Thread: Immigration rally turns heated

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/13750935.htm

Posted on Mon, Jan. 30, 2006



10:09 p.m. | Immigration rally turns heated

JIM MORRILL
jmorrill@charlotteobserver.com

An immigration reform rally turned into a sometimes heated debate Monday night, with a leading reform advocate blasting what she called federal amnesty proposals and critics questioning the wisdom of tougher border policies.

Bay Buchanan, chairman of a reform group called Team America PAC, headlined the rally at Phillip O. Berry Academy.

The rally drew more than 100 Latinos and other immigrant supporters who held candles and signs such as "Immigrants Build America" outside the school. The rally itself drew only about 30 people but around a dozen or so protesters went inside to hear Buchanan.

Buchanan called illegal immigration "the most critical issue we face as a nation." There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in America, including more than 300,000 in North Carolina.

President Bush and others have proposed a guest worker program that would give immigrants, whatever their status, temporary work visas. Buchanan dismissed the idea.

"Amnesty and `guest worker' are the same thing," she said. "And you need to get on the phone to your congressmen and talk radio and say this is not acceptable."

Buchanan, whose brother Pat is the former presidential candidate, said the answer to illegal immigration is strengthening border security and clamping down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.

One man, a teacher who described himself as a fourth-generation Mexican-American, said he "doesn't see legal status on any human being ... It just spreads hate and especially fear."

Buchanan replied that immigration reform is about fairness through the rule of law.

"You know how many people want to come to this country?" she asked. "When do we stop? Is 15 million enough?"

Maudia Melendez, a leader of a Latino advocacy group who took part in the protest vigil, asked Buchanan what she would do with the illegal immigrants already here.

"If we deport them tomorrow, we are going to create a tsunami in the countries (they go to)," she said.

Buchanan said greater border security, tightening up on employers and tougher penalties for being caught would result in more undocumented workers leaving voluntarily. "This is not a mean-spirited effort," she said.

Some reform advocates said illegal immigrants put burdens on schools, hospitals and other services. Olma Echeverri, a Latina activist, said those costs are reduced by taxes paid by illegal workers.

Read tomorrow's Charlotte Observer for more details on this developing story.

One man, a teacher who described himself as a fourth-generation Mexican-American, said he "doesn't see legal status on any human being ... It just spreads hate and especially fear."

Does this man have a way to protect jobs of un-skilled US citizens? NO

Does this man have a plan to keep US citizens from being forced to subsidize illegal aliens and their families? NO

Hopefully his job will be undercut by an illegal alien in the very near future. He deserves a dose of what he's advocating.

"If we deport them tomorrow, we are going to create a tsunami in the countries (they go to)," she said.

WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES MELENDEZ THINK IS HAPPENING HERE! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. DEPORT ALL ILLEGAL ALIENS NOW.

Some reform advocates said illegal immigrants put burdens on schools, hospitals and other services. Olma Echeverri, a Latina activist, said those costs are reduced by taxes paid by illegal workers.

Anyone with two brain cells can see by visiting hospital emergency rooms, public schools, jails, DSS offices, standing in line in grocery stores while non-English speaking people pay for loaded buggies with food stamps, etc., that the 7% sales tax (the only tax paid by illegal aliens working under the table) IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM EVEN BEGINS TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING THEY'RE SUCKING OUT OF TAXPAYERS' POCKETS.

I fail to see why Hispanic citizens aren't outraged at being categorized with those illegal in this country as they have been in the infamous UNC "study".

Another Article:

http://www.wral.com/apncnews/6618883/detail.html

Protesters Outnumber Immigration Reform Advocates At Rally

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- An immigration reform rally turned into a debate as protesters, outnumbering participants by about three to one, challenged the main speaker over her position on U.S. border policies.

Bay Buchanan, chairman of a reform group called Team America PAC and chairman of her brother Pat's three presidential campaigns, headlined the rally. About 30 people attended, while more than 100 Latinos and immigration supporters demonstrated outside.

Buchanan, calling illegal immigration "the most critical issue we face as a nation," was dismissive of President Bush's proposal for a guest worker program that would give temporary work visas to immigrants, regardless of their legal status.

"Amnesty and 'guest worker' are the same thing," she said.

She said it would be better to strengthen border security and clamp down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants.

Maudia Melendez, a leader of a Latino advocacy group and one of about a dozen protesters who came inside to hear Buchanan's speech, asked what she would do with illegal immigrants already in the United States.

"If we deport them tomorrow, we are going to create a tsunami in the countries (they go to)," Melendez said said.

The event at Phillip O. Berry Academy drew fewer participants than expected after two in-state groups withdrew and U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., canceled plans to speak after a death in the family.

One man, a teacher who described himself as a fourth-generation Mexican-American, said he "doesn't see legal status on any human being ... It just spreads hate and especially fear."

This is the ONLY country in the world that is having a DEBATE on legal and illegal citizenship. Try going somewhere else illegally...and staying there illegally. They're NOT gentle about it.

RR